Play Book Tag discussion
Archives 2018 and beyond
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Time to vote for the January Tag
Oooh, this is a nostalgia vote for me! One of these was the monthly tag that I spotted KateNZ posting a review for in 2018, we were friends from Popsugar group, and led me to join! It is one of my favorite genres!One of easiest votes!
Voted - These categories appear pretty much equal to me, and I noticed it lends itself to quite a lot of non-fiction options. I smiled to see I have been in PBT awhile because it looks to me like two of them we did like just over three years ago (must be), and the third was part of the Poll Ballot Tally Challenge. So it was nice to see some familiar categories return.
Hmm I teach all sciences to y12/A-level so 2 are easy and count as PD but the other would be more interesting as I have only read 7 off the list and actually liked them all......Sensible or interesting?
Jen wrote: "Hmm I teach all sciences to y12/A-level so 2 are easy and count as PD but the other would be more interesting as I have only read 7 off the list and actually liked them all......Sensible or inter..."
Take a look at the new books with science tags. You might get both - sensible and interesting. You're lucky you can count your own reading for professional development. For my professional certifications I could only count courses or seminars, not my own reading. But a lot of the cutting edge info was in journals or books first (or Ted Talks).
This link for the science genre page has the newer books, including two fiction books that will make my top 10 this year.
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/science
The 3 giveaway titles (ending tonight or soon) made me laugh. At first glance I got a 1970's counter-culture vibe. People in college used to talk about when drugs would be legal. The middle one reminded me of an old video I saw in a psych class about the conformity studies. Of course, I clicked on all of them.
I have great options for all of these and any would be a nice way to start the year.
These are three big categories, so the tag lists won't show most of the books. Here are the links to the main genre pages with newer books and sometimes Listopias. The science page has giveaways that will end tonight or soon.Genre pages:
Science: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/science
Most read this week: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/most...
Espionage: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/espi...
Most read this week: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/most...
Education: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/educ...
Most read this week: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/most...
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I was really hoping for an environment related tag. Environment and climate change seem to be really hot right now in both fiction and non-fiction. (Pun not intended.) I'll have some of them on my top 10 list this year, and I have a lot more on my TBR. Most of these books will have Science tags (and some might fit education), so I'm really happy with this month's choices. I also have some espionage books that I never seem to get to (including two Kate Quinn books).
The science tag has a lot of non-fiction, but there is also a lot of good fiction with science tags. Migrations was my first book of 2021 and it set a great tone for the year. I also loved Bewilderment, and I was planning to start 2022 with The Overstory. Plus a new book by Hope Jahren (who wrote Lab Girl).
The espionage tag is mostly fiction, but thanks to declassified documents, there are some good non-fiction books too about female spies during WWII. I saw the cable movie A Call to Spy last week about Virginia Hall, and there are several books about her. I liked A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II, by Sonia Purnell.
Education seems to have mostly non-fiction, but it might also include fiction books with academic settings, such as The Secret History. Lab GIrl by Hope Jahren fits both science and education, and it's been very popular with PBT members.
Ooh. I just noticed an HBO ad on this page for a new Station Eleven limited series. I liked that quote "survival is insufficient..." Was there more to it? About art?
NancyJ wrote: "Ooh. I just noticed an HBO ad on this page for a new Station Eleven limited series. I liked that quote "survival is insufficient..." Was there more to it? About art?"Station Eleven is the rare post-apocalyptic, actually post-pandemic, book that overall has a positive view of human nature. The story centers on a traveling troupe bringing Shakespeare and classical music to tiny groups of survivors. The quote apparently comes from one of the Star Trek iterations and confirms how essential art is to humanity.
One of my favorite genres is listed, so obviously that is what I voted for :) ... it also has a couple of books I'm planning on reading/listening to for next year's Popsugar challenge. :)
@RobinThanks Robin. I loved the book and I plan to watch the show (at least episode one). Even though the death rate was extremely high, it was hopeful and there was a lot of beauty in it. I read it shortly before Covid started, and I'm glad I did. Covid is very mild in comparison. I'm fairly certain though that some of the toilet paper hoarding was triggered in part by an early scene in the book.
Oh my gosh, I have no idea! It is too soon for me to think about January, I am not ready to throw in the towel on 2021 yet :(
Awesome choices to kick off the year - really can’t go wrong!
And Theresa, I’m amazed that you even remember that tag that brought you over to PBT - but how lucky we are that you did, lovely lady!!
Oooh, I know which one I want. And I know which one I don't want! (But hopefully, even for the one I don't want, I'll have something on my tbr? If not, hopefully something will appeal to me.)
Amy wrote: "just over three years ago (must be),..."I checked. Good memory. We did two of them in 2018, but as of 2022, that's long enough ago to do them again.
There are only a couple of "maybes" under the one I voted for, so we'll see how it turns out. I noticed there was a ton of non-fiction and I'm not a huge fan of non-fiction.
Voted for the one that had most books from my planned challenges on, on page 1!
Finally went through the tags and HOLY SHIT! I have nothing for any of these... maybe one for education that I can't read in January, too long, and 1 for espionage. ZERO science in the first 10 pages.
KateNZ wrote: "And Theresa, I’m amazed that you even remember that tag that brought you over to PBT - but how lucky we are that you did, lovely lady!!"😊😍🤩
NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "Hmm I teach all sciences to y12/A-level so 2 are easy and count as PD but the other would be more interesting as I have only read 7 off the list and actually liked them all......Sensi..."
Yeah I can't use any old science book it has to be relevant to the curricula I teach. eg "The Man Who Mistook His Wife For a Hat" was on the recommended reading list from the exam board last year for psych teachers.
I really don't have a problem with any of the tags tbh. There are things I'd happily read for all of them.
NancyJ wrote: "Jen wrote: "Hmm I teach all sciences to y12/A-level so 2 are easy and count as PD but the other would be more interesting as I have only read 7 off the list and actually liked them all......Sensi..."
It is only for maintaining currency not to increase quals or move up the ladder. Just to prove we still have some interest in what we teach and try to stay up to date with content. I have enough degrees for now and have no interest in being a boss person ever again...been there done that when I was young and thought it would make me happy/feel fulfilled. Nope I'm a classroom teacher end of.
Milgram or Asch? Milgram is more obedience but Asch is really boring so can't imagine anyone remembering it who doesn't have to.
Meli wrote: "Finally went through the tags and HOLY SHIT! I have nothing for any of these... maybe one for education that I can't read in January, too long, and 1 for espionage. ZERO science in the first 10 pages."Meli you might like the Hot Zone for science. It is science/adventure about an Ebola outbreak which made it to the US. Very well written and light for the heavy content.
Also A Sea Of Glass is brilliant (haven't quite finished it yet) it is part marine invertebrate zoology, part diving adventure, part history and part some absolutely stunning art work which was almost forgotten and found broken in a storage shed before being restored and sending the author on a worldwide diving adventure to find the animals in the models.
Anything by Torey Hayden is a melt the heart look at education and almost guaranteed to result in a good cry. Suitable for those who care about kids education but are not in education themselves.
Jen wrote: "Meli you might like the Hot Zone for science. It is science/adventure about an Ebola outbreak which made it to the US. Very well written and light for the heavy content.."That sounds interesting! And I have never heard of it before.
I will keep that in mind if it wins.
I could be wrong but I feel like science will be an unpopular choice.
Science has been used twice in PBT ... most recently Jan 2018 (exactly 4 years from jan 2022)Education and Espionage have not been used (at least according to my spreadsheet)
Haven't looked at the lists. I have something for each of them. Just trying to decide what I would RATHER read (and checking my F2F book clubs to see if anything fits).
Jen, Sea of Glass sounds intriguing. It fits two prompts I have for 2022 and I could read it with my husband (art and history for me, diving for him, the ocean for both of us). 
Immune: a Journey into the Mysterious System that Keeps You Alive caught my eye. It's on both the science and education lists.
Do you teach environmental/ecology/climate topics? When I was a kid, I pushed my parents to do more. Then my kids pushed me to do more to protect the environment.
I liked the Man who Mistook his wife for a hat, but that was from the 1990's I think. Psychology and Neuroscience have exploded in the last few years with interesting and accessible books.
Meli wrote: "Jen wrote: "Meli you might like the Hot Zone for science. It is science/adventure about an Ebola outbreak which made it to the US. Very well written and light for the heavy content.."That sounds ..."
I actually think Hot Zone an excellent suggestion for horror fan Meli! I mean, it is basically a real life horror story.
Theresa wrote: "I actually think Hot Zone an excellent suggestion for horror fan Meli! I mean, it is basically a real life horror story."Whoa, 2 votes for Hot Zone!
If science doesn't win I will add it to the list anyway for future reading.
I may vote for Science, but think that Espionage will be the popular choice. ;0)
Book Concierge wrote: "Education and Espionage have not been used (at least according to my spreadsheet) ..."We did do Espionage, also in 2018. See message 2 in this thread:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Holly R W wrote: "I may vote for Science, but think that Espionage will be the popular choice. ;0)"You never know, I'm finding a lot more exciting options for science right now compared to espionage, especially after a year of relatively light tags.
What would you read for science?
NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "I may vote for Science, but think that Espionage will be the popular choice. ;0)"You never know, I'm finding a lot more exciting options for science right now compared to espion..."
Nancy, I have two books in mind for the Science tag. These are:
The Book of Hope: A Survival Guide for Trying Times by Jane Goodall
The Way Out: A Revolutionary, Scientifically Proven Approach to Healing Chronic Pain - the book was highly recommended by my sister, who has chronic pain. I do too.
Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "I may vote for Science, but think that Espionage will be the popular choice. ;0)"You never know, I'm finding a lot more exciting options for science right now com..."
They sound great. My sister and I have something in common with you and your sister. The Goodall book makes me think of this: Humankind: A Hopeful History, which I didn't even realize has science tags. The intro was fabulous.
I'm looking at:
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World - for my local bookclub
The Three-Body Problem - Fiction - Obama's list
How Emotions Are Made: The Secret Life of the Brain - TED list, and a neuroscience prompt
The Overstory -fiction, by Richard Powers, for my first book of the year
The Year of the Flood - fiction, by Margaret Atwood
The Molecule of More: How a Single Chemical in Your Brain Drives Love, Sex, and Creativity—and Will Determine the Fate of the Human Race - sounds intriguing
for the holidays:
Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas
NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "I may vote for Science, but think that Espionage will be the popular choice. ;0)"You never know, I'm finding a lot more exciting options for sci..."
That's a very impressive list, Nancy.
I find that under both education and science the books that appeal to me are in the social science/race relations/psychology fields. Espionage makes me think of dreary Cold War settings, but if it wins, I could look for a Regency romance where someone is a spy in the Napoleonic wars.
Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Holly R W wrote: "I may vote for Science, but think that Espionage will be the popular choice. ;0)"You never know, I'm finding a lot more exciting ..."
Ha, not at all. Most are shorter than the espionage books I have, and I won't read them all.
Robin P wrote: "I find that under both education and science the books that appeal to me are in the social science/race relations/psychology fields. Espionage makes me think of dreary Cold War settings, but if it ..."Me too, I like most social science topics. Once I learned that trees cooperate and behave like a social system, they suddenly became much more interesting to me.
LibraryCin wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Education and Espionage have not been used (at least according to my spreadsheet) ..."We did do Espionage, also in 2018. See message 2 in this thread:
https://www.goodreads..."
Thanks, CIn. I thought we had done it before. But I didn't see it when I checked.
Robin P wrote: "Espionage makes me think of dreary Cold War settings, ..."I'm like you on this, Robin. Espionage does not appeal to me, but I did check and I do have a few options on my tbr, after all. I wasn't sure.
Meli, Hot Zone is one of my favorite books ever. I have read it 3 or 4 times. Maybe I’ll even reread it if science wins. Another book that I bet is tagged science is Jurassic Park. Another of my all time favorites!
NancyJ wrote: "Jen, Sea of Glass sounds intriguing. It fits two prompts I have for 2022 and I could read it with my husband (art and history for me, diving for him, the ocean for both of us). [bookcover:Immune:..."
Nicole I'm originally a marine biologist but all the work I got in that field was due to my diving quals and lack of seasickness rather than my marine quals. Teaching also got me more points for a visa. I trained for senior years Bio but have been teaching psych and chem mostly with an odd year of physics.
Have a few different degrees now so basically the back-up b**** for what ever science we don't have a teacher for. In short I teach whatever I am told each year so long as it is mostly seniors.
Theresa wrote: "Meli wrote: "Jen wrote: "Meli you might like the Hot Zone for science. It is science/adventure about an Ebola outbreak which made it to the US. Very well written and light for the heavy content.."..."
Yeah I looked at Meli's list and she has a fair few which I have read and liked......
NancyJ wrote: "Jen, Sea of Glass sounds intriguing. It fits two prompts I have for 2022 and I could read it with my husband (art and history for me, diving for him, the ocean for both of us). [bookcover:Immune:..."
Sea of Glass is interesting and beautiful (pictures of the Blaschkas' invertebrate models and water colours). I'm not very arty but even I can appreciate the skill level involved and the fact they managed it all by hand with old school techniques.....amazing.
I really want science to win (though I don't think it's super likely to)!Some science/nature-related non-fiction that I've enjoyed and would fit this tag are:
- Deep: Freediving, Renegade Science, and What the Ocean Tells Us about Ourselves (if you like diving and ocean books like Into the Planet: My Life as a Cave Diver, this is an excellent book)
- Nature Obscura: A City's Hidden Natural World (surprisingly enjoyable!)
- Black Death at the Golden Gate: The Race to Save America from the Bubonic Plague (about a bubonic plague outbreak in SF in the early 1900s - really interesting, and I reading it during the pandemic didn't make me anxious)
- Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void (so entertaining, and really interesting!).
On the fiction side:
- The Lady's Guide to Celestial Mechanics is a really great female-female historical romance, and I'll probably read the next book in the series if it wins
- Transcendent Kingdom, I think, would also legitimately count as "science"
- I really want to read The Love Hypothesis.
Those are fun tags to choose from. I have a definite favorite, but I'd be okay if two of them won. I could make the third tag work as well.
forsanolim wrote: "I really want science to win (though I don't think it's super likely to)!..."It's the one I'm hoping for, too!
forsanolim wrote: "I really want science to win (though I don't think it's super likely to)! Some science/nature-related non-fiction that I've enjoyed and would fit this tag are:- Deep: Freediving, Renegade
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Me too! Transcendent does have a lot of Science tags. It's on the Science most-read-this-week list, along with:
Bewilderment
Migrations
The Overstory
Miss Benson's Beetle
The Bone Collection: Four Novellas
The Naturalist mystery
Twas the Nightshift Before Christmas
The Anthropocene Reviewed by John Green
100 Things We've Lost to the Internet
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future
Brief Answers to the Big Questions. Stephen Hawking
Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup - still very popular
The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women - still here!
Tribe: On Homecoming and Belonging - still here!
Burnout: The Secret to Unlocking the Stress Cycle
The Pain Gap: How Sexism and Racism in Healthcare Kill Women
Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters
Dopamine Nation: Finding Balance in the Age of Indulgence
Lab Girl
The Great Mental Models: General Thinking Concepts
*The Icepick Surgeon
The Sleeping Beauties: And Other Stories of Mystery Illness
The Doctors' Blackwell
Unf#ck Your Brain
Why we Sleep
Why we Swim
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/science
*This - and many other books on the list - would be a great starting point for the Non-fiction History Challenge we elected for 2022.
The Love Hypothesis is science? If it wins, I am going with that!
Amy wrote: "The Love Hypothesis is science? If it wins, I am going with that!"The main characters are scientists (biologists, I think)! It also has 51 science tags (on the first page of tags), so yes, I think it'd most definitely count!
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting (other topics)The Pain Gap: How Sexism and Racism in Healthcare Kill Women (other topics)
Brief Answers to the Big Questions (other topics)
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future (other topics)
The Naturalist (other topics)
More...
https://forms.gle/SUm22WU952eAS2Vs7
Here are the lists of books for each tag:
education: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
espionage: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
science: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Remember, you may cast up to a total of 10 participation points for your choice. Every PBT member gets one vote for free so please vote even if you don't have any participation points!
You can see how many participation points you currently have in the spreadsheet below.
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...
Happy voting! Please cast your votes by 12 noon EST on 12/22.