Should we change the cut-off date for our two selections?

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

One change we are considering for 2022 is to the cut-off date for the two reading selections. It has been books published in or before 1980 and books published after 1980 since we added a second group almost a decade ago. It has been getting increasingly difficult to come up with nominations for the pre-1980 category so we are open to suggestions for changing it. Should we leave it at 1980 or change it? If we change it, what should we change it to? Obvious choices are 1990 and 2000 but we are open to other suggestions. Once we get your feedback, we will open up another poll to get your votes.

[Lori]

I think this is a great idea, Tom. I think it's probably time to change the cut off date. Based on the obvious choices you posed, I would think cutting the date at 2000 would give an extra 20 years for the pre category while cutting the post category to 22 years only. I don't know if that would really be a huge issue because there is already a ton of 2001-2022 titles to choose from.

Just for discussion purposes, and I hope this makes sense, do we know the range of dates we are already nominating highly in the post category? If they are already mostly newer titles (after 2001) it would help to make the choice. If they range in the 1990's then, maybe adding the 1990's to the pre category would boost the amount of choices greatly.

[Kelly J.]

As a low-level participant but high collector, I made my 2022 reading goal about reading books on my actual shelves instead of finding new. The vast majority on my shelves would fall into that pre-1980 category, so readership lives on in that time period… but would do so in pre-any time after 1980 if you think about it, too! Perhaps my activity might increase as an advocate for the older reads in 2022!

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

My experience has been there are so many great pre-1980 reads but many are hard to find at reasonable prices and availability. It does take trail members a little more time to research the book publication and if it is easy for other members to find. I personally think extending to pre-1990 would open up a greater number of books that are both a good price point and readily available. I also think limiting to only a 10 year extension we as trail members can expose each other to titles that are more obscure, lost/forgotten, less well known authors and titles than if we go all the way to pre-2000.

[Lori]

So going with pre-1990 is basically adding the entire 1980's catalog of books to our older category. I too enjoy reading the older titles and will search until found if needed. Adding 10 years sounds very reasonable.

[Kim]

I say go with pre-2000, and post-2000. I’ve been thinking this for a while. There are a plethora of new books coming out every month. This will allow us to read some that got lost in the shuffle, and broaden the pre-category as well.

[Laura, "The Tall Woman"]

Yes Lori it will give us 10 additional years to the pre category.

[Connie]

I would prefer to have the older category extend to 2000. The libraries near me thinned out many older books from their shelves during the first few months of the pandemic. The libraries were closed, but they still wanted to retain their staff and kept them busy disposing of old, worn books. I'll buy an occasional book, but try to get most of them from the library.

[Cathrine ☯️]

I like the pre and post 2000 idea.

[Gem]

I'd like to suggest going with a general (any date) group read and a re-read option. I haven't been here from the beginning so a lot of the older yet popular books that the group read in the beginning I wasn't here to participate in. I'm sure I'm not the only one.

I know I don't participate much but wanted to offer a suggestion. Unfortunately, since we moved to Arizona many of the books that the group reads are simply not available in the library unless they are older or by popular writers. I can't wait to get back home.

[Tom, "Big Daddy"]

The poll for deciding this has now been posted. Please vote your preference.

https://www.goodreads.com/poll/show/2...