Around the Year in 52 Books discussion
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[2023] Wild Discussion
Pamela wrote: "Nancy wrote: "My rule of thumb is only celebrities or authors who've done voice work should read their own books. Regular authors may do fine during readings at publicity events but they are not gr..."In general I would agree, but I had really good experiences this year with memoirs narrated by the authors. I especially liked Barbara Kingsolver, Trevor Noah and Ann Patchett. Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood has a lot of humor, and you can tell when he's spinning a story for an audience. Barbara Kingsolver comes across as very warm, sincere, and likable in Animal, Vegetable, Miracle: A Year of Food Life. Who knew I could really enjoy a book that included farming and raising chickens? I also liked Ann Patchett's memoirs, especially This is the Story of a Happy Marriage.
I wonder if I would have liked Dutch House better if I read it. The story about Tom Hank's assistant (she also painted the covers) is an important part of Precious Things.
Judy wrote: "Is anyone else interested in books about journalists or written by journalists? Or books about con artists?https://www.goodreads.com/genres/jour...
3 new books-
[book:Corrections in Ink: A Me..."
I love books with lovable con artist characters, I would be all for a prompt that involved this! It might be too limiting genre-wise? Maybe something that involves a con or deception? That could encompass most genres, including history, etc.
Regarding listening to audiobooks at work, people all have very different jobs and so might be doing tasks that actually don't need their full attention. Like if I had a day of doing lots of repetitive software updates, I could listen to audio because I didn't need to process language to do the work task. But I can't pay attention to an audiobook and write test cases at the same time.Liking the narrator is very important to my enjoyment of a book, and my ratings are based on my enjoyment. I probably wouldn't like Will Dean's books so much if it wasn't for the wonderful Maya Lindh being Tuva in my head.
Okay. I’m really interested in books by journalists
Nancy wrote: "I'm listening to Lab Girl right now, read by the author, and hoowee, it is not an easy listen. She has a very flat affectation that took me some time to get used to.My rule of thu..."
I agree COMPLETELY!!! When I see the audiobook is read by the author, I cringe, because usually that results in a miserable audiobook. I'll often give it a try anyway, but I've DNF'ed many because I just couldn't take it.
Exceptions for novels: Neil Gaiman, Amy Tan, and Louise Erdrich are all FANTASTIC audiobook readers.
Memoirs of celebrities are a different story. Bruce Springsteen, Tina Fey, Anna Kendrick, Ali Wong, Elizabeth Warren, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, David Sedaris, Aziz Ansari, and Frank McCourt have all been great!!! (I was worried about Springsteen reading his book, but he was fantastic to listen to!!! It probably helps that I grew up near him so his accent sounds like "home" to me.)
Singers like Kim Gordon, Patti Smith, and Carrie Brownstein were terrible audiobook readers (imo, obviously). Patti Smith surprised me - I thought she'd be great, but I couldn't stand listening to her. And it always annoys me when singers reading their own memoirs won't sing - I guess there's some sort of copyright that gets in the way? because it's pretty consistent: they don't sing on the audiobook.
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Trevor Noah’s book was the one book I was interested in reading as an audiobook, but I could not get it at my library. I ended up reading the Kindle version, and because I’ve heard him speak so frequently, I felt I could ‘hear’ him anyway. I believe I had heard an excerpt in the past from a section where he was being intimidated by some other boys but got out of it by speaking their language, which wasn’t expected, so I at least got a taste of his wide range of language abilities.
Right, Trevor Noah is one I would put in the celebrity category anyway. I loved listening to him read his book. NancyJ, I didn't mean flat accent as in midwest, I meant flat as in sounding very depressed throughout. And yes, knowing more about her now that I'm almost done it is understandable. But it was jarring at first. Even when she was being funny, there was no emotion behind it.
Tom Hanks narrating The Dutch House didn't take away from it for me. I've also really enjoyed Sutton Foster, Wil Wheaton, Edward Herrmann, Sarah Paulson, and many other actor narrators.
Julia Whelan is my favorite though. She could read me the phone book.
NancyJ wrote: "However, reading actual words is important to the ability to write, and writing skills can decline when they aren't used. ..."That's fascinating and scary! I'm glad you have found a way to recover.
I listen to a lot of audiobooks, but I read even more books with my eyes, and I always write a review no matter the format I consumed the book, so I'm at least writing something. I have found that the more often I write reviews, the easier it has become to do, so I definitely believe the opposite must be true as well: the skill can be lost just as it can be gained.
Tracy wrote: "Trevor Noah’s book was the one book I was interested in reading as an audiobook, but I could not get it at my library. I ended up reading the Kindle version, and because I’ve heard him speak so fre..."Everyone praises it, and I wanted to listen, but it was not available on Overdrive, so it was not available to me. I guess the publisher was hoping that not making it available on Overdrive would push more people to buy the audio.
Judy wrote: "Is anyone else interested in books about journalists or written by journalists? Or books about con artists?..."
I'd be interested in con artists. Maybe "involving con artists, grifters, or heists"? I like a good heist story, I even created a bookshelf to track heist books, and I like to read noir mysteries - they often involve con artists (eg: The Postman Always Rings Twice and The Grifters)
I like the journalist/journalism idea. Maybe word it such that it could include fiction as well as non-fiction, giving it a better chance to get voted through.I'm thinking something like "a book involving a journalist or journalism." That way it could be a character or topic prompt for fiction as well as a book written by a journalist for non-fiction.
Rachel wrote: "I think the best audiobook I've ever listened to was Lolita read by Jeremy Irons (Scar from The Lion King) ..."That is one of my favorite audiobooks - he did such a fantastic job!!
But it's always funny for me when people identify him as Scar. As if he's not a famous actor and people might not know him - is that true? Do people not immediately know Jeremy Irons? For me he's Charles Ryder in Brideshead, and the terrifying twins in Dead Ringers, and the old English guy in Stealing Beauty (although, looking back, he wasn't very old then!), and of course he played Humbert Humbert in the movie. He's such an amazing actor, but he seems to no longer take on the really big roles.
I mean I’m in love with Trevor Noah in general. 😍😍So the audiobook was always going to be amazing to me lol
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Trevor Noah read his memoir, different! I generally avoid memoirs but had to read that for book group. Didn't love it but I nearly fell off the treadmill laughing.
I want to resubmit A book from the “100 Years of Popular Books on Goodreads” list, it seemed to have a lot of support. dalex since that was initially your idea I wanted to make sure you don't mind if I submit it. Assuming, of course, I'm here for the suggestions round, I'm an hour behind Emily and tomorrow is my only day to sleep in.
Re Queens honorees. I think other GR members will be interested in the authors honored by the queen. Ellie started the listopia for us. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
I listed all the authors from the article. If you have others on a list could you add them to the comments? There are enough books on there now, if you want to take a minute to vote. I know it's a busy day though!!
Nancy wrote: "I want to resubmit A book from the “100 Years of Popular Books on Goodreads” list, it seemed to have a lot of support. dalex since that was initially your idea I wanted to make sure you don't mind ..."I can't remember if that list included only the top book in each year or several. I would prefer to be able to choose from the top 5 or 10 in each year. I like the idea, but I would have to look at the lists again. (It might not have made my top votes that week, but I wouldn't downvote it.)
There might have been a comment that the books popular 100 years ago, might not be favored by people now. But since it's based on GR ratings, it could only have been created since GR was founded, and continually influenced by new votes. I don't know if that matters to people.
Maybe instead of a prompt focusing specifically on Queen Elizabeth, there could be a prompt that is something like "a book related to something newsworthy that happened in 2022"? Those who want to focus on the Queen could do that, those who don't certainly would have oodles of options.
Jillian wrote: "I believe Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood audiobook is an Audible exclusive."Yes, it was annoying not to be able to get it from the library! I got lucky though, a few weeks before my irl book club read it, it was on sale on audible for a very low price.
Sorry for a stupid question. If a word has a different meaning in British English is it okay to use that meaning?
Nadine in NY wrote: "Nancy wrote: "I'm listening to Lab Girl right now, read by the author, and hoowee, it is not an easy listen. She has a very flat affectation that took me some time to get used to...."
I agree Gaiman rules!! Although I tried The Sentence on audio, and Erdrich's voice/reading (which is quite slow) made me sleeepy and unfocused :-D So I have made a note to set the speed to x1,2 when I listen to the book for next years challenge.
There are wonderful exceptions (Susan Hill, Paul Auster, Gaiman, Edoardo Ballerini springs to mind) but I also tend to avoid audiobooks narrated by the author ( I resently had bad experienced with Checkout 19
dalex wrote: "Maybe instead of a prompt focusing specifically on Queen Elizabeth, there could be a prompt that is something like "a book related to something newsworthy that happened in 2022"? Those who want to ..."@dalex - I don’t know about that particular change. The whole idea was to honor the passing of Queen Elizabeth II. If you wanted to have a prompt about something in the news in 2022 I feel like that would be an entirely different prompt.
Thomas wrote: "Sorry for a stupid question. If a word has a different meaning in British English is it okay to use that meaning?"@Thomas - I don’t know the context of your question, but I don’t see why you shouldn’t use your own language. I can’t think of a word that is different in our two versions of English, that pertains to a current prompt, and would change the meaning.
Tracy- thank you, in British English tinker can also mean a mischievous child, which would offer some more options for tinker, tailor, soldier, spy
Thomas wrote: "Tracy- thank you, in British English tinker can also mean a mischievous child, which would offer some more options for tinker, tailor, soldier, spy"You can use British English’s definition.
Oh, I like that version of “tinker”, Thomas! When I think of “tinkering around” (basically doing a little of this and a little of that), I feel like that what kids kind of do anyway - well at least until video games consume them.
Louise wrote: "I tried The Sentence on audio, and Erdrich's voice/reading (which is quite slow) made me sleeepy and unfocused :-D So I have made a note to set the speed to x1,2 when I listen to the book for next years challenge. ..."I think I did speed her up a bit!
Nancy wrote: "Right, Trevor Noah is one I would put in the celebrity category anyway. I loved listening to him read his book. NancyJ, I didn't mean flat accent as in midwest, I meant flat as in sounding very d..."
Julia Whelan is great. She is an author as well.
Thomas wrote: "Tracy- thank you, in British English tinker can also mean a mischievous child, which would offer some more options for tinker, tailor, soldier, spy"I would read a book with a little tinker as the protagonist. 😁
My mom would laugh at that.
I'm not sure if I'll make the suggestion round. (I'm wired from a weird day.) If I do, I might try the Roaring Twenties idea again, though the Jazz age extends into the 1930's, which has some cool stories. (Half the things that people think of as the 1960's actually took place in the early 1970's. Maybe it's the same with the 1920's.)A book set during the Roaring Twenties
A book set during the Jazz Age
A book set during the Roaring Twenties or Jazz Age.
Good luck Nancy. Unfortunately I cannot assist you as I’m submitting the Queen one
I thought of journalism and con artists as topics, because of books written by journalists about con artists. It made me think that News about fakes is like the flip side of Fake News. That won't work, so I'll leave the con artist prompt to someone else. Examples:
Rogues: True Stories of Grifters, Killers, Rebels and Crooks. Patrick Radden Keefe
Billion Dollar Whale: The Man Who Fooled Wall Street, Hollywood, and the World. Tom Wright.
Broken News: Why the Media Rage Machine Divides America and How to Fight Back by Chris Stirewalt
Unmask Alice: LSD, Satanic Panic, and the Imposter Behind the World's Most Notorious Diaries by Rick Emerson
I suggest
a book involving journalism or journalists.
The journalists could be characters, authors, or subjects of a non-fiction book. Or a memoir written by a journalist.
Journalism and journalist links:
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/jour...
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/jour...
Paranormal fiction, romance, cozy mysteries with journalists, Female journalists, foreign correspondents.
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
ttps://www.goodreads.com/list/show/80523.Jou...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
Judy wrote: "I thought of journalism and con artists as topics, because of books written by journalists about con artists. It made me think that News about fakes is like the flip side of Fake News. That won't w..."I wrote a similar prompt last year. Yours is better! I like your extra lists for fans of different genres
Pearl wrote: "Julia Whelan is great. She is an author as well. ..."
Yes!! She has a new book now about an audiobook reader!! Thank You for Listening I HAVE to read this!!
Oh, and this book about an audiobook reader could work for “A book where one of the senses plays an important part.” Listening!
I do know Julia Whelan is an author herself but I haven't read any of her books yet. I do want to read Thank Your For Listening.If anyone watches the SyFy show Resident Alien with Alan Tudyk (ridiculous but fun), this season there's a character who does audiobook narration as her side job. She's played by Jenna Lamia, who is an actual audiobook narrator!
I was just looking at a genealogy chart of all of the queen's corgis, and one was named Tinker! That one was actually a dorgi though. So one could use a book about the queen, or that has corgis.
Nadine in NY wrote: "Pearl wrote: "Julia Whelan is great. She is an author as well. ..."
Yes!! She has a new book now about an audiobook reader!! Thank You for Listening I HAVE to read this!!"
Yes that's the one. I really want to read it - I mean listen to it!
Ok is it just me, or is the name Tinker really funny? It must be a family thing. My mom always called my brother a little Tinker (stinker) and everyone laughed.
Nancy wrote: "I was just looking at a genealogy chart of all of the queen's corgis, and one was named Tinker! That one was actually a dorgi though. "
Nancy what is a dorgi ? Corgi and dachshund? (It only took 10 tries to spell it correctly.)
@Rachel I'll definitely try listening to the Lolita audiobook the next time I'm up for trying one out again, it's on my TBR and it's very cool that it's narrated by Scar! @Nadine, I actually have no idea who Jeremy Irons is and have never heard of any of the movies you mentioned. I guess I need to watch more 80s movies!
Irene wrote: "@Rachel I'll definitely try listening to the Lolita audiobook the next time I'm up for trying one out again, it's on my TBR and it's very cool that it's narrated by Scar! @Nadine, I actually have..."
Was Jeremy Irons in the Lolita movie? The actor was incredible in it. I almost felt sorry for his character.
Chrissie wrote: "I read The Diviners in high school and although I don't remember much about it I remember not hating it. Being in Winnipeg you pretty much had to read Margaret Laurence at some point...."MJ wrote: "What are the odds that this group would have TWO Winnipeggers? We had to read The Stone Angel a n d A Jest of God. I liked them enough to read The Diviners on my own… but I haven’t read anything by her in decades."
I'm way behind in the thread but hello, fellow Winnipeggers.
Pearl wrote: "Was Jeremy Irons in the Lolita movie? The actor was incredible in it. I almost felt sorry for his character. ..."Yes, Jeremy Irons played Humbert Humbert in the 1997 movie. I haven't seen it, but I'm sure he is amazing, he's such a great actor!! And I'm also sure this is part of why he's so amazing in the audio: he had already inhabited that character and knew exactly which tone to take through the story.
He's still acting, but for some reason he doesn't take the big leading roles any more.
When I think of Jeremy Irons I think of him as a villain. He voiced Scar in the original Lion King, and was a Die Hard baddie.
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Around the Year in 52 Books
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Never read a book by the author- except Neil Gaiman or Louise Erdrich. I also don't like reading books read by famous people. I know alot of people loved Tom Hanks reading The Dutch House but for me, it was Tom Hanks reading and it kept me from getting into the book too much.