[2023] Wild Discussion Showing 301-350 of 4,060

[Shannon SA]

I honestly don't want to search to find out whether a book has an author of a specific religion, sexual orientation etc. I prefer to choose books based on their subject/content/plot, no matter the author.

[Tracy]

Tracy wrote: "How about "A book you learned about because it was highly recommended on a reading related podcast"?

My favorite is Currently Reading and their list of “Books We’ve Pressed into Reader’s Hands” (h..."

Good points made by everyone who commented on my podcast recommendation idea. Re: not having to listen to the podcast — my example DOES have a website listing (that's the link I included), but I don't know for sure about other ones.

I hadn't thought about only wanting to use your listening time for audiobooks because, TBH, I have a hard time focussing with audio, so don't usually use them. (Any hints about how I can improve my wandering mind while listening much appreciated!)

So, if this has any legs at all, maybe it could be amended to be "Read a book recommended by ANY media source: broadcast interview, radio, tv, podcast, blog, social media, newspaper article, website, etc."

[Samantha]

dalex wrote: "Prompt idea - a multi-prompt author rabbit trail. For example:

#1 A book by an author who is quoted on the cover of a book you read previously this year
#2 A book by an author who shares a commona..."

I think this seems like it would be a lot of fun!

4 might be hard if the author has only written one book or if they only have one available where you live (there are books published in other countries that are hard to get my hands on).

If it doesn't work out for a multi week prompt, you could simplify to make it a trail to your next read.

BooksandLaLa on youtube recently did a scavenger hunt on her channel to find her next read. I thought it was a fun so adjusted it a bit and did it myself.

[Ellie]

Tracy wrote: "I have a hard time focussing with audio, so don't usually use them. (Any hints about how I can improve my wandering mind while listening much appreciated!)..."

Have you tried listening while doing something like exercise or household chores? I used to have the wandering mind problem but I have found that as long as I am doing something physical, I can pay attention to the audiobook. Plus it is bonus reading time!

Also adjusting the speed can help. I find I can concentrate best at 1.5x.

[Nancy]

Yes, adjusting the speed definitely helps. If you find 1.5 too fast at first, try 1.25, then speed it up. I'm at the point where 1.5 sounds like normal speech and can be too slow, depending on narrator.

I listen while doing anything that doesn't require a lot of concentration - walking the dogs, driving, doing dishes/cooking, etc. I can't just sit and listen, my mind definitely wanders.

[Marie]

The only way I can do audio books is if I listen while walking a familiar route, I think even housework would give my brain too much opportunity to get distracted!

I also found it easier with non-fiction to start with, and I would guess if you get on ok with podcasts that might be a good way into audio books.

[Samantha]

One thing I noticed with audiobooks is that once I have gotten to know the characters and and feel for the direction of the book it is easier to pay attention. I often get both the audio and e book from the library and get started by reading with my eyes then transition to audio. Books with a lot of characters and one narrator can get confusing so you might try books with just one or two perspectives.

[Tracy]

Thanks to all of you with the audiobook suggestions. I've never had a problem with podcasts, so the only reason I can think of is that they are more conversational, rather than narrative. And walking hasn't worked for me I think because I'm so visual — I get distracted looking at someone's garden, etc. I've heard the suggestion about non-fiction, but haven't tried that yet. Thanks for the reminder.

The only time recently that I've been successful getting through an audiobook I was mostly listening while crocheting, so maybe keeping my eyes busy with the same object throughout, and using a different part of my brain at the same time is the key. Upping the play speed might help for the same reason — somehow making it harder to listen might make me work harder to focus and thus stay engaged?

[Pam]

I like the concept of Dalex’s idea but not necessarily the first 2 options. I also think 4 might be too long of a chain for some members. I like 3 better. Here are some other ideas/variations. Book 2 could share one of the authors names (or a derivation) from book 1 and 3 could share a word (or its opposite) from the title with book 2. How to pick book 1, though? Maybe a book you saw/heard recommended on a site other than GR, discussed earlier on this thread. And, yes, Thomas, podcasts do have web notes which include their recommendations. At least the ones I listen to.

[Thomas]

Maybe the first book has to be linked by a word ( excluding an, a or the) or one name of author to a book you read this year then book two has to be linked to book one in the same way and book three to book two in the same way

[Bec]

Nancy wrote: "Yes, adjusting the speed definitely helps. If you find 1.5 too fast at first, try 1.25, then speed it up. I'm at the point where 1.5 sounds like normal speech and can be too slow, depending on narr..."

I'm the same, 1.5 sounds perfectly normal to me, but my husband will come in when I'm listening and say, you are listening to those chipmunks again....sounds really fast to him. to me 1.0 is so slow and drawn out!

[Alicia]

Don’t ever listen to Barack Obama’s book on 1.0 speed. It’s so abnormally slow.

I also usually listen on 1.5x which makes it easier, but depending on the narrator, or if it’s the end and I just want it to be over, I increase

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Thomas wrote: "Very true Robin it also limited to modern authors"

Great thought, I just had a vision of an edition of Hamlet with a blurb by James Patterson!

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Tracy wrote: "Thanks to all of you with the audiobook suggestions. I've never had a problem with podcasts, so the only reason I can think of is that they are more conversational, rather than narrative. And walki..."

I love audiobooks but I am an audio learner. My husband and daughter are visual learners so they have to really concentrate to follow an audiobook and they get tired of it before I would. They can do it on a really boring drive but not when other things are happening. For me, I find it hard to do just one thing at a time (except reading a print book). I listen all the time while doing housework, walking, driving, etc. If I don't have a book, my mind wanders even farther afield on its own.

You might like audiobooks that are memoirs, like Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood. They are more like a podcast with not so many characters and plot lines.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

Alicia wrote: "Don’t ever listen to Barack Obama’s book on 1.0 speed. It’s so abnormally slow.

I also usually listen on 1.5x which makes it easier, but depending on the narrator, or if it’s the end and I just w..."

Even Michelle Obama speeded up the audio when listening to her husband's book!

[Alicia]

Congratulations Emily! November is a great month to be born. Mine (Charlotte/Charlie) was Nov 12.

It’s so much fun and just wait till you start explaining how eating books is the same as reading! I’ve found audiobooks a great way to get my book fix

[Kahlia]

Pam wrote: "I like the concept of Dalex’s idea but not necessarily the first 2 options. I also think 4 might be too long of a chain for some members. I like 3 better. Here are some other ideas/variations. Book..."

I like this idea as it basically gives you a freebie for the first book.

1) pick a book
2) title has the same word as book 1
3) author has the same name as book 2

[Thomas]

I’d vote for Katherine’s one because I don’t have a problem with 2 or 3 easy prompts

[Kendra]

We had 2 books with the same word in the title this year.

[Louise]

Maybe a "Match 2" category?
A book with a lock on the cover/in the title - and a book with a key on the cover/in the title?
(camera/photograph, coffee/cake etc)

[Thomas]

Love that idea

[°~Amy~°]

Louise wrote: "Maybe a "Match 2" category?
A book with a lock on the cover/in the title - and a book with a key on the cover/in the title?
(camera/photograph, coffee/cake etc)"

I really like that idea but how would you word that so that people just voting and not reading the boards would understand it and without making it incredibly long and wordy? There must be a way, I just haven't had my coffee yet and can't think of it 🤣

[Louise]

☕️☕️☕️

Match two books with a key and a lock in the title/cover?

[Shannon SA]

Louise wrote: "Maybe a "Match 2" category?
A book with a lock on the cover/in the title - and a book with a key on the cover/in the title?
(camera/photograph, coffee/cake etc)"

I really like that too, it's something a bit different.

Prompt could be just "Match 2" with 1 or 2 examples?

[Louise]

Great idea Shannon - readers can get creative :-)

[Joyce]

I keep thinking of Cockney rhyming slang for the matching idea. How likely is it that I’d want to read both a book with a pair of feet and one with plates of meat though?

[Thomas]

A book you’ve seen a film of and one you haven’t

[RachelG.]

With all the talk of audiobooks recently do you think Listen to an audiobook would be a well received prompt?

[Ann]

I love match 2 prompt. I can think of tons of matches. You could use compound words...hot dog. It would be fun just to see what others come up with.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

I think specifying a lock and a key is too limiting, I would like better something like "2 books whose covers have a corresponding element, e.g. lock and key, sun and moon, etc."

As I mentioned, I love audiobooks but not everyone does. Maybe a prompt could be a book that has won an Audie award - you are encouraged to listen to it, but you don't have to, you can read the book. There are about 24 winners each year and there are award going all the way back to 1996 and they cover all categories.

https://www.audiopub.org/winners

[RachelG.]

I like the idea of a book that has won an Audie award but think it would be good to also include the finalists to give a more broad selection. Perhaps a book that has won or was a finalist for an Audie award.

[Shannon SA]

Joyce wrote: "I keep thinking of Cockney rhyming slang for the matching idea. How likely is it that I’d want to read both a book with a pair of feet and one with plates of meat though?"

LOL!!

[Shannon SA]

Ann wrote: "I love match 2 prompt. I can think of tons of matches. You could use compound words...hot dog. It would be fun just to see what others come up with."

Brilliant! I'm liking this prompt more and more!

[dalex]

Thanks for the feedback on my "author rabbit trail" mutli-prompt. The opinions about the various prompts that could be included seem to be pretty diverse so I'm not sure it would work. It could, perhaps, be workshopped into a suggestible prompt but I think it would take a lot of unnecessary effort.

[dalex]

I rarely listen to audiobooks so I would be unlikely to vote for an audiobook prompt, even less so if I was forced to select a book from a prize list. I have to think there are others who will be voting who share that opinion.

I'm not sure about the Match Two prompt. The covers on my TBR list seem to be primarily people and spaceships so I think it would be a very challenging prompt.

[Jill]

We never had an audiobook prompt as not everyone can use audiobooks.

[Pam]

If we have a prompt to listen to an audiobook, I would suggest adding “or read a book that has won an Audie” to cover those people who don’t do audiobooks. I’ve listened to a few but I usually fall asleep and need the physical or ebook to read what I missed. I know a lot of people struggle with audio and it may not even be an option for some folks.

[Nancy]

I like the Audie idea for a few reasons, but mainly "listen to an audiobook" is super easy for me because more than half of my reading consumption is done on audio. Having it be a list also narrows down the options (I'm not anti-list prompt like many people though). And it allows people who don't do audiobooks to still do it because it doesn't have to be on audio.

[Robin P, Orbicular Mod]

We might have members with hearing loss who can't do audio, so I think giving the option of reading the book is good. Also I am fine with including finalists. With just winners there are something like 500 options if you go back through all the years, but expanding is ok with me.

[Samantha]

Listen to an audio book would be super easy for me as well, I am in the same boat in reading about half my books that way. I am not a list person but think reading an Audie book could be fun. To broaden the options opening it up to a finalist in any category might make it more appealing.

[Jill]

Robin P wrote: "We might have members with hearing loss who can't do audio, so I think giving the option of reading the book is good. Also I am fine with including finalists. With just winners there are something ..."

I think it would have to be furnished with the lists

[Kahlia]

I wouldn't vote for an audiobook prompt because that feels too easy, but I would vote for the audie winners list since there's a lot of books on there I've been meaning to check out. But I can see how it's a meaningless list if you don't read audiobooks.

[Kahlia]

Another alternative might be something like "a book related to hearing, sound or audio". You could then just use it for an audiobook if you wanted to keep it very simple, but you could also read books related to podcasts, music etc (including a book recommended by a podcast), or books about characters who are hard of hearing

[Alicia]

Is “Match 2” a common phrase? I like the idea but I don’t know if I would have understood, even with “ex: lock and key” without reading this discussion or the eventual thread discussion.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Nadine in NY wrote: "Emily wrote: "Oh yea definitely. I'm due to have a baby November 17th, so I'm not sure I'll finish this year's challenge. We do the best that we can do under the circumstances we are facing. No one..."

It's none of my business your plan, but a hardcover book (lol- guess they have kindles that also lie flat now) while nursing provides an insane amount of reading time!

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Nancy wrote: "FWIW I read very few books by CIS white men so that would be an easy one for me (of the 58 books I've read so far this year, only 6 were by CIS white men - a few of those are gay, but that's not pa..."

That's how I feel too- a CIS white man (and the CIS part is assuming anyways) would be more a challenge to me. But I read very much from the current popular books and literary fiction categories where publishing is very focused on that. Maybe people who read in other areas have more difficulty.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Thomas wrote: "Dalex while there are always some cover and title prompts that get through plenty don’t and a good number of prompts that are neither get through. So I must respectfully disagree that those kinds o..."

Didn't last year we say no more cover prompts?
The thing about cover and title prompts is there are so many different choices! I'm always trying to think of a creative prompt which is not list, cover, author, or theme and it's always tough. But a colour for a cover, endless choices!

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Tracy wrote: "That’s interesting Rachel. Did you have particular books in mind during the voting process? And if not, were you not finding the type of books you imagined once you started to try to fulfill the pr..."

When I'm voting, if I look for ideas on a prompt and can only find one or two books I would want to read for it, I don't vote for it, I really like when people link to lists when they nominate, makes that process easier!

[NancyJ]

Kahlia wrote: "Another alternative might be something like "a book related to hearing, sound or audio". You could then just use it for an audiobook if you wanted to keep it very simple, but you could also read bo..."

My bookclub is reading True Biz soon, about a school for the deaf and deaf culture. I'm not sure how many others there might be. There are also books about music, musicians (characters or real people), podcasts, novels about podcasters, there is at least one book written by a popular audiobook narrator, the music industry, music therapy, music and the brain, etc.

I love it when an audiobook includes songs, and singing. One of Margaret Atwoods books had a album recorded for it.

I would love a prompt about hearing, sound or music. It might apply to the book's content (e.g. musician, deaf culture, music and the brain), title (e.g. a popular song or lyric is in the title, or "hearing" etc in the title), or book format (audiobook).

At least half my books are audios, so a prompt to read an audiobook wouldn't matter to me, and it might unnecessarily hamper someone else.

[Pamela, Arciform Mod]

Jill wrote: "I would automatically down vote a podcast as I don’t listen to any, so opening up would be better. Maybe a book that has been recommended to you , then that could come from any source."

One prompt I've been thinking about doing is I read Louise Erdrich's The Sentence this year that takes place in a bookstore, with the main character's recommendations being a part of the story. At the end of the book is the list of recommendations:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/028...

It's a long and broad list which seems should have something for everyone.

edited: there are several listopias that carry part of it
https://www.goodreads.com/search?utf8...