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[2022] Poll 6 Results
Mod
Those results surprise me, but I like them
I voted for 1 of the 2 winners (small town) so I'm happy with that. I'm also quite surprised it made the top. I was hoping for a prompt that I can slot I Am an Island into so this one is perfect.The 1900-1950 one should be easy to fill and will encourage me to pick up some historical fiction I've been avoiding for some unknown reason.
I admit these results follow my own preferences/votes. I felt the US state prompt might be particularly limiting and/or obscure for those located outside the US.
Well neither of these excite me but they shouldn't be too hard to find books for. I am generally not all that interested in books set in the 1900-1950 time period but sometime when I am most worried about a prompt find something unexpected.
I know we previously had a rural setting prompt and for some reason it was hard for me to fill but I think the addition of the small town should make this easier and maybe kind of fun.
I had the two winners as my upvotes and one of the bottom as a down. I'm really not surprised that the 22 one about family was bottom, as the personal prompts never do well. I still expected to see more than two winners.
I had both of the winners as neutral votes. They are do-able but not overly exciting. Both the bottoms were downvotes for me so that's something I guess!
These prompts were my neutrals. I was really hoping that non-fiction book by a biopic author would make it. Seems like non-fiction isn't really very popular. Anyways, these are fairly easy enough prompts to find something to read.
These two prompts were neutral for me as well. There are 4 choices on my TBR for nonfiction between 1900 and 1950. It is such a small window of time that it will be fun to fill.
The small town/rural setting should not be difficult. Scary stories, fantasy, and fairytales predominantly like small secluded settings.
I didn't vote for the 1900-1950, mostly because it doesn't feel challenging, but I'm ok with it.
Both of the tops where in my neutral group too. I’m not in sync with the group this year.
I didn't vote for these either... I feel like they will be easy enough to fill without trying. I think I have a few fantasy series set in the early 20th century if I don't feel like historical fiction for that period.
Jillian wrote: "Both of the tops where in my neutral group too. I’m not in sync with the group this year."I also feel out of sync with the group, but luckily it's just been votes I'm neutral on as well.
I actually think 1900-1950 is a pretty big chunk of time, or maybe I just read a lot of books set in that time, so that will be fine. Also small town/rural always seems to pop up in books, so I'm not worried.
That said, I'm actually surprised two made it in. While I didn't upvote or downvote either of these, I had a lot more downvotes than upvotes this time and thought there would be more bottoms on the list.
Agree that these are neutral choices for me. I think I might've voted for the 1900-1950, but I feel like we've done small town/rural fairly recently. It won't be much of a challenge to find something.
I'm sad the non fiction prompts didn't make it in and I'm really surprised by the fact that the spinoff prompt was so polarizing but I am glad by the bottom - those were my only 2 downvotes.
Mod
I'm going to push myself to read a book written in the 1900s-1950s for that prompt, since I have plenty on my 40 Before 40 list that need to be read.
I plan to use Rock, Paper, Scissors, Lizard, Spock as a personal side challenge next year to see how many books I can put in these categories.I feel like I keep seeing the same prompts being voted in that I have been completing the past couple years but I guess that is what I get for being in other groups. It is still my first year in this group and I am really excited to see this process of how the list is created.
I was surprised there were only two winners too. I wonder which ones came close. Maybe they could be tweaked or resubmitted. For the 1900-1950 prompt - to make it more challenging you might make it more specific or limiting.
For example:
Pick a time period, country, or historical event you haven't read much about before (e.g. 1920's, Korea v Japan, Spanish Civil War).
Read a genre classic associated with this period, such as noir mysteries (Maltese Falcon 1929).
Read a non-fiction book about this time period
Pick a theme: Social changes, art, film, lost generation, great depression, social change, resistance, unions,etc.
Women in non-traditional gender roles, books based on de-classified WWII records on women in code-breaking and espionage
For those reading 7 continents, make this one of your extra continent books.
I feel like this is the slowest Results thread. Maybe because there weren't any big surprises? Or no strong feelings either way?
Mod
There are 4 choices on my TBR for nonfiction between 1900 and 1950. It is such a small window of time that it will be fun to fill.
The small town/..."
That's funny, I think 1900-1950 is a huge amount of time!
Mod
It could be a rural setting in some other country or time that would be very different from your small town!
I'm not really a fan of either of these prompts. Rural setting was only narrowly not a downvote for me because a bunch of thrillers are set in small towns, so it didn't seem too hard. 1900s-1950 was a downvote for me because even though it's definitely doable, it's not something that I'm particularly excited for. On the other hand, I just remembered that These Violent Delights is set in the 1920s, and I really want to read that, so that's probably what I'll pick.
I voted for the small town prompt, but not the 1900s-1950s prompt because it felt too easy for me (I read a lot of historical fiction). Both of the bottom prompts were downvotes. I guess the results are relatively in sync with how I felt, but I do agree with what some of you are saying about not being particularly excited about some recent prompts.
Rachel wrote: "I'm not really a fan of either of these prompts. Rural setting was only narrowly not a downvote for me because a bunch of thrillers are set in small towns, so it didn't seem too hard. 1900s-1950 wa..."I was originally going to suggest 1920's. It seems like an interesting decade all over the world.
Maybe we're being too careful, and should swing for the fences. This is a safe setting where people aren't being judged if they choose a KIS option, so maybe we should take more risks and challenge people. Or submit suggestions for what you really want to read, and maybe other people do too.I would like to read another great book next year:
-by an Asian author
-set on the ocean
-about artificial intelligence
-about old people (that is uplifting or emotionally complex)
-about a character with a mental illness
-about social psychology (which can include bias, perceptions, kindness, cooperation/competition, bias, conformity, group behavior, perception, compliance or resistance to authority, friendship, loneliness, and the importance of connection)
-about ecosystems
-about a new culture or subculture
-about culture change
-about feminist topics
-from a new subgenre I haven't read before (I keep adding to my list of subgenres for a future prompt)
-about a country I haven't read about before
-about evolution
-about a revolution (I read 2/3 for my 2021 goal so far)
I also want to read a new thriller, romance, mystery - 1 from each major genre.
*about social/culture change involving movies, e.g. how Hollywood/TV reflected and shaped cultural values - relating to sex, gay marriage, women's roles, poc roles, egalitarianism. I don't even have a title for this, so suggestions are welcome.
What do you all really want to read about?
NancyJ, I agree, I'd like to be more challenged regarding the content of the book. I like a lot of your suggestions.I'm not keen on feminist, sex (physical or orientation), romance, horror (exception being "an element of gothic" :) )
I like to read a good novel where I learn a bit about a subject, for example,
Miss Benson's Beetle
The Honey Bus: A Memoir of Loss, Courage and a Girl Saved by Bees
Emily wrote: "I'm pretty sure that, at this point in the list, I have more of my downvotes that have made it on the list than I did all year last year."
I hate to be negative but same, I think almost 95% of the prompts that have made it through have been downvotes for me. I'm a little less excited about next year but it'll be nice to have a relaxed list. I can always do a BIO challenge to make it more challenging too!
I hate to be negative but same, I think almost 95% of the prompts that have made it through have been downvotes for me. I'm a little less excited about next year but it'll be nice to have a relaxed list. I can always do a BIO challenge to make it more challenging too!
Not my favourites...downvoted 1900-1950s and rural was neutral. The 2 bottoms were downvotes for me, as was the polarizing! So my 4 downvotes all features somewhere!
Rural setting appealed to me, maybe this is because I have not had a holiday for 2 years now, and yearn to get away. Perhaps many others feel the same, and voted for it. Maybe your restrictions have not been as strict as many other countries have been.
I’m big on expanding what I read, whether genre, authors, countries, gender, ethnicity, religion. On my personal book tracker, I have columns for ethnicity, gender and LGBTQIA+, which I realize can sometimes overlap with gender. So anything I can do to make those less white females (“poor” white males don’t even get a lot of love) the better. This year my goal was to read more indigenous and Asian authors or characters. Loved the prompt from popsugar last year that was non-binary because it introduced me to the genre of YA LGBTQIA+. I love new continents/countries prompts because I feel it’s easy to read a lot of US and UK literature, and while I’m sure people will shout the differences between the two countries, the books are similar.
As for topics, I love books about books, bad ass women, witches, dystopian novels (more of a genre, not a topic but I’m going with it), cats (please don’t tell my dog how often I talk about cats), crime, and history.
Of course all of those can be fit into our prompts and I can BIO everything to make it harder, but I do like prompts that push me to read something I may not have found on my own.
I mostly read fantasy and science fiction, but when I venture outside those genres I gravitate towards STEM topics and bookish books. I like cute YA romances, weirdly specific microhistories and silly crime stories with meddling Asian aunties (OK that's a 2021 discovery). I like cli-fi and stories about a hopeful future (solarpunk/hopepunk) and fantasy worlds not based on medieval Europe. I particularly like stories that explore the impacts of technology, good or bad, old or new. And either the characters have amazing found families or are stuck somewhere isolated 🤣 I do track diversity, and most years I am disappointed by quite how many US authors I have read. I think it's important to read underrepresented voices from my own country too (UK - though I totally get why if you're not British you might lump us in with the US). I tend to vote for diversity focused prompts unless they are overly restrictive.
Jill wrote: "Rural setting appealed to me, maybe this is because I have not had a holiday for 2 years now, and yearn to get away. Perhaps many others feel the same, and voted for it. Maybe your restrictions hav..."I felt that way too. The books on that list all seemed very nourishing to me. I also like to read about far-flung places since I haven't been able to travel in several years (even before covid).
Alicia wrote: "I’m big on expanding what I read, whether genre, authors, countries, gender, ethnicity, religion. On my personal book tracker, I have columns for ethnicity, gender and LGBTQIA+, which I realize c..."
I wish we were on the wild discussion thread. Kat wants to suggest an LGBTQIA+ prompt. I don't do popsugar but several people recommended Becky Chambers' books for a sci-fi tag, and she always has interesting nonbinary (alien) characters.
I like a lot of diversity books too. I have a goal this year to read books from 24 different countries, 7 continents, and I'm loving it. So far books from Asia have been the most exciting in unexpected ways, and I def want to read more next year. I should focus more on indigenous cultures next year too. I liked Disappearing Earth and The Whale Rider this year.
Ellie wrote: "I mostly read fantasy and science fiction, but when I venture outside those genres I gravitate towards STEM topics and bookish books. I like cute YA romances, weirdly specific microhistories and si..."I really want to see your "read" list sometime. I love the variety. I've been adding books to my tbr for nearly every suggestion, and I'm going to tackle more of last year's rejected prompts. I'm adding hopepunk and solarpunk to my growing list of lesser known subgenres for a prompt suggestion.
Are you planning to suggest Asian authors today? You posted a strong case for Asian authors (rather than authors/characters). If not, I might scrap my other ideas.
I really like the multi-cultural and immigration books set in the UK. I had a unusual set of monthly tags this year, including gothic, and regency and I've read books set in England from 3 or 4 different centuries.
I like the 1900-1950 prompt since I have a lot of modern classics I want to catch up on. The small town/rural setting is not as interesting to me but it’s easy to fill. I’m hoping to read The Dry by Jane Harper. I don’t want to over plan in 2022. I just want 1-2 books that I really want to read for each prompt.
NancyJ wrote: "Maybe we're being too careful, and should swing for the fences. This is a safe setting where people aren't being judged if they choose a KIS option, so maybe we should take more risks and challenge..."These are all great. I would vote for all of these! Please suggest some for this next poll.
NancyJ wrote: "I really want to see your "read" list sometime. I love the variety..."I try to keep my big master plan up to date, though I don't usually finish challenges to November as I don't like to overlap too much:
2021 | 2020
NancyJ wrote: "Are you planning to suggest Asian authors today?..."
I was going to if I catch the list before my bed time.
I'll vote for Asian authors if it's suggested :)
TBH I was lukewarm on most of these prompts to begin with, so I'm not surprised at the reactions to the ones that got in. Maybe people got tired of the more interesting ones rarely making it in and just went with the easy ones.
I had a lot of downvotes for this round. I'm fine with the two that got through though.
Mod
These are all great, I commend you for your creativity! I think a prompt about older people would be great, maybe phrased as "a book with an elderly protagonist". There's a question about what constitutes old or elderly. But there are plenty of books with curmudgeonly characters, like A Man Called Ove, or people looking back on their lives. I just read The Thursday Murder Club, where residents of a retirement community use their various skills to solve a murder.
I also am interested in social psychology and feminist topics, but I am open to any of these in the interest of having a bit more challenge.
Mod
I think you should put some or all of this list on the Wild Discussion thread to get more notice and feedback.
Shannon wrote: "NancyJ, I agree, I'd like to be more challenged regarding the content of the book. I like a lot of your suggestions.I'm not keen on feminist, sex (physical or orientation), romance, horror (except..."
Shannon I noticed that both of the books you mentioned have elderly* protagonists, and they are both considered Up-Lit - Uplifting literature. I really like this kind of book and so does Robin.
* Robin - I have a hard time with the word elderly for some reason, though I know it makes the most sense.
Robin and Shannon - I found this listopia that you both might like, for books about old/elderly people. It was created a long time ago, but it gave me some more titles for my list. Maybe you can add some new titles and vote on the ones that are there.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Maybe put an age on it, 50+ or something? Yes I know 50 isn't elderly, I'm staring down the barrel at that one, but it puts the person in the latter half of their likely lifespan. :)
Nancy wrote: "Maybe put an age on it, 50+ or something? Yes I know 50 isn't elderly, I'm staring down the barrel at that one, but it puts the person in the latter half of their likely lifespan. :)"Why can't it just be elderly? An age limit is insulting.
I'm not saying it should be "An elderly (50+) protagonist," because I agree that would be insulting (again, I'm staring at 50 myself). But "A book with a protagonist over 50" would not be insulting.
You guys are funny. None of it is insulting. Your age is just a number, and at some point it becomes an achievement. "Elderly" sounded a little old fashioned to me, but I might go with it. I'm in no rush.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
A Man Called Ove (other topics)The Thursday Murder Club (other topics)
Disappearing Earth (other topics)
The Whale Rider (other topics)
Miss Benson's Beetle (other topics)
More...
Winners
A book set in a small town or rural area
A fiction or nonfiction book that is set during 1900 -1950
Note: 1900-1950 prompt was modified for consistency and clarity
Polarizing
A parallel novel or spin-off of a well-known story
Bottoms
A book related to the year you or someone in your family turned 22
A book whose title includes the name of a US State
Listopias
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Poll 7 suggestions will open tomorrow Friday August 6th, time TBA.