[2023] Wild Discussion Showing 2,951-3,000 of 4,060

[Thomas]

Also does anyone still have the listopia for authors honored by the Queen? As it was a close call I thought I'd give it one more try

[T.]

I really like the idea of honoring Queen Elizabeth, but I wasn't fond of this particular prompt. I did down vote this one because it didn't work for me.

I am wondering if it would work to combine the idea of the 1950s news event with the Queen prompt and make it a book about/related to something that happened in 1953 (the year Queen Elizabeth was crowned).

[Tracy]

Robin P wrote: "Unfortunately, many voters don't look at listopias, threads, or anything. Maybe they feel they are too busy - they just vote according to how the prompts strike them seen for the first time on voti..."

Thanks for reminding me (again) that not everyone is able to be as involved in all the discussions leading up to a vote. :)

[NancyJ]

Pamela wrote: "Siobhan wrote: "I'm already half convinced that it won't get in, but if I'm around for the next suggestions round (I might be! It's a good time for Europe, but also I'm working the next two days) I..."

“involving religion “ might still be too narrow. Last year someone suggested a “touch” of gothic for people who were afraid of gothic. This year it seems like people are more afraid of “nice” topics.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

T. wrote: "I really like the idea of honoring Queen Elizabeth, but I wasn't fond of this particular prompt. I did down vote this one because it didn't work for me.

I am wondering if it would work to combine..."

A prompt for a specific year would be a pretty instant downvote for me. Things like that are annoying to fill, especially if you don't prefer to read much realistic fiction or nonfiction. In fairness, I am not wild about the news from the 1950s prompt either, for the same reason. (A more general prompt for inspired by the news not specific to the 1950s I would have supported.)

[Tracy]

T. wrote: "I really like the idea of honoring Queen Elizabeth, but I wasn't fond of this particular prompt. I did down vote this one because it didn't work for me.

I am wondering if it would work to combine..."

Although I like the idea in principle of combining Thomas's "honoring the Queen" prompt with my "inspired by 1950s news" in order to be sure to honor the Queen, I took a quick glance at news articles from just 1953, and I'm not sure that this would help the Queen. Of course any year has a lot of news going on, but not necessarily books inspired by those news events. In the end I think it would do both prompts a disservice by being too narrow.

[dalex]

I think the "honored by the queen" list has far too few authors to choose from. I didn't downvote it because I had one or two options but I need a broader range of choices to upvote a prompt. I appreciate wanting to honor the Queen but I hope we can come up with a different prompt idea to do that.

[Thomas]

dalex wrote: "I think the "honored by the queen" list has far too few authors to choose from. I didn't downvote it because I had one or two options but I need a broader range of choices to upvote a prompt. I app..."

if you have nay suggestions on that idea feel free to discuss but right now the only thing i can think of is expanding to include where the character or subject was honored my other suggestions:
related to a Queen ( clashes with chess piece)
set in her reign ( we all ready have multiple centuries prompts)
set in her realms ( we already have several location prompts)
The only other thing was connected to her main interests (gardening, horse riding and stamp collecting) but I suspect that would be denounced as "read a book"

[NancyJ]

How about

“A futuristic book.”
It could include:
Books set in the future, or near future - Migrations
NF books about trends, predictions
Time travel books partly set in the future -eg Sea of Tranquility
Artificial intelligence - Klara and the Sun
Dystopian books - The Year of the Flood
Utopian books,hopepunk
Sci-fi fantasy
Climate change
Space colonies
Post apocalyptic

Can anyone else add some examples of books or types of books?

A boy and his dog at the end of the world

[Tracy]

Thomas wrote: "dalex wrote: "I think the "honored by the queen" list has far too few authors to choose from. I didn't downvote it because I had one or two options but I need a broader range of choices to upvote a..."

Maybe "a book with a crown, a purse, a hat, or brightly colored clothes on the cover", as she was also known for those visually identifiable features?

I know at some point some said that we had too many cover prompts, but right now there are only 4, and a few prompt categories (Title, Theme, Author/Publishing) have 5-7 prompts under them.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Robin P wrote: "Unfortunately, many voters don't look at listopias, threads, or anything. Maybe they feel they are too busy - they just vote according to how the prompts strike them seen for the first time on voti..."

I'm too busy normally, but if it sounds like a creative prompt I don't know, I will click on a listopia and superficially look at what books are on my tbr list (or how many dnf books there are! I would never vote for or against something cause it is unfamiliar.

[Tracy]

NancyJ wrote: "How about

“A futuristic book.”
It could include:
Books set in the future, or near future - Migrations
NF books about trends, predictions
Time travel books partly set in the future..."

Do you think this idea could also include someone thinking about/planning for their future? Like a teen making college plans, or someone considering retirement, or saving a nest egg, etc. I just thought this would give a path for those less interested in Sci-fi type topics, which most (not all) of your ideas were connected to.

[Kendra]

I love the idea of a book about someone honoured by Queen Elizabeth more than an author prompt.

[Joy D]

NancyJ wrote: "How about

“A futuristic book.”
..."
I don't have much to add, but I like it!

[Siobhan]

I've created a listopia for main characters who share a name with an Animal Crossing character/villager: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Mainly sharing because I spent the past hour addictively searching and adding to it, and had SO MUCH FUN. Has a wide range of genres and authors, and hopefully more can be added! (Except not by me, because I added 100 already).

Will also try to create an author listopia. Still probably won't get in, but at least I'm having fun! And that's the important thing ^^

[Nancy]

A book about or written by someone honored by Queen Elizabeth II?

[°~Amy~°]

I read a lot of nonfiction but memoirs are not my thing. "about someone honored" would be a hard no for me.

I wonder how many people downvoted Queen because of the short list of authors and how many downvoted because of the family's problematic issues (racism, colonialism, Diana, white privilege, etc)? And then there are those that just don't care about the royal family at all. I think any prompt related to the Queen might have a struggle, not just this one.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Siobhan wrote: "I've created a listopia for main characters who share a name with an Animal Crossing character/villager: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1......"

I will try to add a few to your list this evening. It's such a large game it's a little hard to try to convey it to someone who has no idea what it is. Here are a few other angles people could try from existing Listopias:

The player character is the Mayor:
City Hall: Mayor Heroes and Heroines in Romance Novels

of a small village
Books About Small Towns
Hidden or Magical Towns or Villages
Best Books on Livable Communities

of talking animals
Best Talking-Animal Books
Best Anthropomorphic Animal Books

who is building their own home and helping others build theirs
So You're a Homeowner...

while also building local amenities such as a museum
Behind the Scenes at the Museums (Fiction which is at least partly set in a museum or gallery.)
Cabinets of Curiosities, Wunderkammer and Museums of Marvels - non-fiction

by collecting in game items such as fruit, bugs, fish, deep sea creatures, flowers, and art. You can also grow vegetables.
The Natural World: Natural Science and Natural History for Adults
Books with Insects or Grubs in the Title
One Fish Two Fish
Flowers on Covers
Flowers in the Title Not on the Cover
Fruits and Vegetables in Titles

This does not even touch on the clothing or furniture collection aspects of the game.

[NancyJ]

Tracy wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "How about

“A futuristic book.”
It could include:
Books set in the future, or near future - Migrations
NF books about trends, predictions
Time travel books partly se..."

People can interpret it in any way they want.

[NancyJ]

Tracy wrote: "Thomas wrote: "dalex wrote: "I think the "honored by the queen" list has far too few authors to choose from. I didn't downvote it because I had one or two options but I need a broader range of choi..."

Keep in mind that we have many other prompts that are being used as cover prompts even if they didn’t start that way.

[Shannon SA]

NancyJ wrote: "How about

“A futuristic book.”
It could include:
Books set in the future, or near future - Migrations
NF books about trends, predictions
Time travel books partly set in the future..."

I would up vote that idea

[LeahS]

If people want a prompt as a tribute to QEII, then I think 'honoured by the Queen' is not the way to go. Honours are decided by an 'Honours Committee', not by the monarch.

[NancyJ]

Thomas,
Here is the listopia we started. Some of the authors are listed in the comments but there are many more on the list itself. Feel free to add additional books by the authors you like.

Please vote on the books or authors you like. That’s the best way to highlight popular authors - vote to bump them up a bit.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Jillian]

I downvoted the Queen prompt because the list of authors was too short and I was confused on who even counted from the list provided. (I’m one who down votes prompts that require too much research). It also didn’t really feel like it had anything to do with the queen. I think, I’m many ways it might be challenging to get a prompt in since we already have the chess piece and the popular names prompt.

I’m not interested in reading about celebrities. Plus, that does not really seem like a way of honoring Queen Elizabeth II.

I don’t have any ideas to suggest but it is not a prompt that I feel strongly about. I will give any new idea a fair chance.

[Jill]

I have never heard of Animal Crossing (I don’t usually play games Too busy reading) But give me some lists and I’d be willing to look at them

[Dubhease]

Thomas wrote: "You see I’ve seen that a few times but speaking for myself, I don’t vote things down because I don’t know about them. I voted down Tookie because there were no books on the list I wanted to read an..."

Same. I downvoted Tookie for the same reasons. I don't play chess and Monopoly is far from my favourite game, but I upvoted the chess prompt (for 2023) and the Monopoly piece prompt (for 2022) because they were creative prompts that gave me options for books.

So far, no one has given me a real option for a book connected to Animal Crossing. If they can, maybe.

[Nadine in NY]

Tracy wrote: "Maybe "a book with a crown, a purse, a hat, or brightly colored clothes on the cover", as she was also known for those visually identifiable features?.."


I like this one! But, I generally like cover prompts :-)

[NancyJ]

Dubhease wrote: "Thomas wrote: "You see I’ve seen that a few times but speaking for myself, I don’t vote things down because I don’t know about them. I voted down Tookie because there were no books on the list I wa..."

Animal farm
Glory
Happiness
A Boy and His Dog at the End of the World
The Social Lives of Animals
Dog on it
Ready player one
The art of racing in the rain.

I don’t know the game, but I have some books with animals, so that’s easy enough for me today.

[Joy D]

I agree, NancyJ. I don't know anything about Animal Crossing but it seems pretty easy to find a book about or involving animals.

Regarding the Queen, there are more authors than those listed on the Listopia. I recently looked up Arthur C. Clarke (for another reason) and found out he was knighted by the Queen. I put one of his books on the list but haven't read more. I know some people were looking for science fiction options. This is one I could easily do, but I understand that some may need a wider variety of options.

[Nadine in NY]

Dubhease wrote: "So far, no one has given me a real option for a book connected to Animal Crossing. If they can, maybe. ..."


A bunch of Listopias have been posted for this!


Any book set on an island, or a small town, or involving sea creatures or animals or fruit trees (all things you can collect and trade in the game).

the first things that popped into my head:
Sharks in the Time of Saviors (island, and sharks)
Raven Black series (a small town on an island)
The Orchardist (fruit trees)
Their Eyes Were Watching God (a small town, and a general store)
Anne of Green Gables (small town)
Middlemarch (small town)
The Book of Cold Cases (small town, on a lake)
The Cousins (small town on an island)
Valentine (small town)
Close to Shore: The Terrifying Shark Attacks of 1916 (sharks)
At the Water's Edge (lake shore)

obviously I'm a little hung up on "small town" right now - it doesn't have to be a small town!!

[Edie]

Siobhan wrote: "I'm already half convinced that it won't get in, but if I'm around for the next suggestions round (I might be! It's a good time for Europe, but also I'm working the next two days) I might suggest A..."

Interesting. I started with the most recent comments on Animal Crossing as a prompt. The more I read, the less I was interested in it as a prompt... UNTIL I got to your explanation. I could get behind "related to Animal Crossing" but not one just involving characters with the same name as an Animal Crossing character.

[Mahi]

I like the “related to Animal Crossing” prompt in the way that Nadine just described (linking to game aspects) but not just using names from it.

[Siobhan]

I think that's why I'm going to try to suggest Related to Animal Crossing just as a broad prompt. that way people can put their own spin on it, as there are a lot of elements to the game!

[Kahlia]

°~Amy~° wrote: "I wonder how many people downvoted Queen because of the short list of authors and how many downvoted because of the family's problematic issues (racism, colonialism, Diana, white privilege, etc)? And then there are those that just don't care about the royal family at all. I think any prompt related to the Queen might have a struggle, not just this one"

I downvoted it for both those reasons. I would have upvoted a broader prompt about queens in general, but we already have the chess prompt.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Dubhease wrote: "So far, no one has given me a real option for a book connected to Animal Crossing. If they can, maybe."

If you don't feel it's invasive, I'd be happy to look at your to read list and give you thoughts on connections, not so much to just address you specifically as to think through how to explain to folks how books can connect to this game.

[Mandy]

What if we added actors that have been knighted too? Those that have played literary rolls at least. Like Maggie Smith (aka Professor McGonagall), Judy Dench (in James Bond), Julie andrews (Princess diaries, Mary poppins), Helen mirren (morgan la fay), Emma Thompson (Jane austen role, harry potter) (that may have been King Charles), etc.

[Amy (Other Amy)]

Thomas wrote: "Also does anyone still have the listopia for authors honored by the Queen? As it was a close call I thought I'd give it one more try"

It's here: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

[Thomas]

Well if the late Queen is offensive I will just move onto another idea.

[Dubhease]

Thomas wrote: "Well if the late Queen is offensive I will just move onto another idea."

It was a close call. Give it a week and use the suggestion of adding books about someone honoured by the Queen.

[Jillian]

Thomas wrote: "Well if the late Queen is offensive I will just move onto another idea."

I always think it is good to wait at least 1 poll before resubmitting an idea. I don’t think having a prompt that honors the Queen is a bad idea just challenging based on the prompts that have already made it.

[Rachel]

I think there's a bit of a difference between not voting for something because you don't know it at all, and not voting for it because you have no connection.

Just as an example, I've never played Animal Crossing and I only know a little bit about it. I probably wouldn't downvote it, but there's really nothing pulling me to vote for it either. The lists and interpretation examples above do help me figure out how to make it work, but I don't really see it as something I'd "actively" want the same way someone who is a fan of the game would. I'd be much more drawn to a prompt related to Super Mario or Pokemon instead, but that's just because those are games that I've played so it feels less random to me.

I can see where people would choose to downvote something that they don't know at all too though. Personally, I prefer to be able to make a connection between the book I pick and the prompt on my own, instead just choosing from a list that others told me have worked. I guess it's a bit of anxiety about not making the "wrong" choice and picking something that doesn't fit so well. When it comes to something like a song, I think it's the same. I tend to vote for song lyric prompts if it's a song I'm fairly familiar with and can find a variety of books that might fit, but I'm less likely to vote for songs that I don't know. Even though it's easy to find lyrics or just listen to the song, I can see why people wouldn't really be invested.

[LeahS]

Thomas wrote: "Well if the late Queen is offensive I will just move onto another idea."

Another problem might be that we already have two 'author' prompts. What about 'a book set in South Africa, Kenya or Scotland'? South Africa was where she made her 'dedication to duty' speech, she was in Kenya when she came to the throne, and she died in Scotland.

That would let people who wanted to honour the Queen feel they were doing so, while offering a wide choice for people who weren't interested in or disliked the idea of doing so.

[Shannon SA]

I'd be happy with that, LeahS

[Shannon SA]

I see London Fashion Week is paying tribute to the Queen, she always wore bright colours, we already have "a cover with 4 or more colours", what about a cover that is (mostly) black?

[Thomas]

I like these ideas.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Shannon SA wrote: "I see London Fashion Week is paying tribute to the Queen, she always wore bright colours, we already have "a cover with 4 or more colours", what about a cover that is (mostly) black?"

One cover colour prompt is enough. If we want to go cover, book with a hat on the cover? I remember from the Monopoly prompt, there's alot of hats!

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Or a book involving death? Not spoilery death but about someone dying or has just died. Would people think that is morbid/ depressing?

I just started a book about cemeteries, so clearly I'm cool with it.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Pamela wrote: "Or a book involving death? Not spoilery death but about someone dying or has just died. Would people think that is morbid/ depressing?

I just started a book about cemeteries, so clearly I'm cool w..."

I think after the last couple years, that might be hard for some people. Not to make anyone feel guilty, but some of our members know my 42-year old daughter had been fighting cancer for 3 years and it's not going well right now. For some time I haven't been able to read any books about people dying from illness. On the other hand, most mysteries, including cozies, have dead bodies, and those don't bother me at all.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Robin P wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Or a book involving death? Not spoilery death but about someone dying or has just died. Would people think that is morbid/ depressing?

I just started a book about cemeteries, so cle..."

We have a book with a murder already, so we have death covered, I think!

I'm so sorry about your daughter! Sending her some strength!

[Siobhan]

Robin P wrote: "Pamela wrote: "Or a book involving death? Not spoilery death but about someone dying or has just died. Would people think that is morbid/ depressing?

I just started a book about cemeteries, so cle..."

I'm so sorry to hear that, Robin! Also sending her strength.