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[2023] Poll 5 Voting
For India, I just downloaded Mehbub Gulley : Short Stories from India which was free on Amazon for Kindle, looks fun.There's also the classic A Passage to India by E M Forster
Regarding "1. A book by an author who is still writing but not the author's latest release", how does one know if an author is actually still writing?
Shannon wrote: "Regarding "1. A book by an author who is still writing but not the author's latest release", how does one know if an author is actually still writing?"The wording feels awkward to me so I'm not quite sure but I think it means something from the backlist of an author who published a book in the last year or two?
Alicia wrote: "What is the intent with pairing Pakistan and India? Is there a specific tie together that was intended? Otherwise it seems a bit random. Sure they are next to each other, but so are Nepal, Banglade..."They did use to be one country though so it covers books set in the raj
Okay so I am unsually indifferent tot his poll. aside form the one I suggested only one (orphan) is jumping out at me but htere's also only one I Don't like (four seasons) so I will probaly read the discussion which is unsual for me my gut is normally very clear
You could always take a sideways approach to the "set in India" prompt and read a fantasy book set in an analogue of India or a book based on Indian mythology.https://www.tor.com/2020/06/24/five-b...
https://www.theuncorkedlibrarian.com/...
https://spookshelf.com/five-fantasy-b...
I didn't notice yesterday that the 5 Ws one is asking for a question, so the listopia I gave isn't really all that useful.
Tracy -I think that is why I enjoy many middle grade/YA, especially when they are about topics that are new to me. I was unaware about India/Pakistan until reading “The Night Diary” and there were mentions of Ghandi and how he wanted the country to remain unified, etc that I found interesting It was also interesting to me that the book talked about how the family had to leave their home because it was now Pakistan and relocate to “The New India” and how others had to travel the other way, all whether they wanted to or not. It was a beautiful story and a great way to ease someone like me into a topic I wouldn’t normally have learned about in a more “formal” way.
Shannon wrote: "Regarding "1. A book by an author who is still writing but not the author's latest release", how does one know if an author is actually still writing?"I think it means if they've published a book in the last few years, then they are still writing, but don't read that most recent book, pick something from their backlist.
For a book by an author who is still writing but not the author’s latest release a series will work.
Mod
I do agree the wording is clunky... if the prompt doesn't make it in, I would love to see it reworded to be more concise (A book from a currently publishing author's backlist, for example).
I'm like Thomas... I seem to be wildly indifferent to most of these prompts this week. I usually cast the first vote before I put up the poll because I don't want to be swayed as I tally votes but I haven't been able to vote yet because I can't decide.
I thought I had my top/bottom votes situated but when I went in to vote only my bottom 4 were clear. I waffled about trying to figure out top votes just to realize that I too am a bit blah about the choices. They all look like potentially good prompts, I'm just not feeling it this week I guess.
Went three up, five down in the end.Ups were orphan, orange, and astrological sign. I like that they’re specific enough without being super limiting.
Downs were UNESCO (finding books set in specific cities is not enjoyable, imo), athlete, hopepunk (I don’t hate books like those but the term for it puts me off), ritual/ceremony (often this is hard to know until after you’ve read it and I’m a planner), and eye-opening (feels like a freebie).
Good luck to my fellow “meh” voters! I wanted to just get it done but relate to not having eight clear votes from the outset.
I voted all up votes. The India/Pakistan and City of Literature fit in my Reading Around the World side challenge.
I like prompts that tie into the year, so I voted for the W questions.
Also picked author's backlist, seasons, word in a recipe.
Mod
I feel your pain for the same reason!
I mostly liked the choices this round. I feel like we're getting a lot of title and cover prompts (true? not true?) so I tried to vote for prompts that are more focused on plot and/or characters.I downvoted author backlist (because the wording is clunky imo and I'd prefer it to be reworded and resubmitted), Unesco (because I don't like setting prompts, especially when they're that limited), and ritual/ceremony (because it sounds hard to research to find a book that will fit).
I had two up votes3. A book that includes a ritual or ceremony (This works perfect for both cozy mysteries and fantasy).
13. A title that contains a word often found in a recipe ( A fun title prompt).
Mod
I've updated the list on the FAQs thread here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Alicia wrote: "What is the intent with pairing Pakistan and India? Is there a specific tie together that was intended? Otherwise it seems a bit random. Sure they are next to each other, but so are Nepal, Banglade..."The pairing was because in 1947 the British colony of India was broken into two independent countries India and Pakistan. These countries share a common history although the religious profiles of the populations are quite different. I guess I should have mentioned this.
I went 6 up and 2 down. I feel like the eye-opening one is too ambiguous, does it mean something you're surprised to learn? Something you're appalled to learn? And also a hard one to plan in advance, IMO.
I did vote for the still publishing author's backlist even though the wording is clunky.
I hope the astrological signs gets in and that would be a fun side challenge.
Edie wrote: "Alicia wrote: "What is the intent with pairing Pakistan and India? Is there a specific tie together that was intended? Otherwise it seems a bit random. Sure they are next to each other, but so are ..."I realize that this may not be the place for this but I'm going to ask anyway. I normally see Pakistan and India combined like this but at the time of partition it was the area that is now Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Is there a reason that Bangladesh gets left out? I'm still voting for it, but just asking.
Milena wrote: "Pam wrote: "Ellie- Vaseem Khan writes mysteries set in India. He has a new series with 2 books, so far. I’ve read the first, Midnight at Malabar House, and really enjoyed it. It has a lot of histor..."I loved The Widows of Malabar Hill... a mystery with twisty turns, a woman lawyer at time when men were lawyers, the custom of purdah (strict seclusion for women).
Mod
I like those also - A Rising Man, that is. Very good on audio, a lot about the end of the Raj and politics in India, plus of course murder. The villains often get away with it. And the hero is flawed.
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I think that is why I enjoy many middle grade/YA, especially when they are about topics that are new to me. I was unaware about India/Pakistan until reading “The Night Diary” and there wer..."
Just saw a feature about a new Marvel movie, or TV show, with a teen Muslim girl as the superhero, and it includes history of her family at the time of partition, specifically because young people don't know about it.
It's a show on Disney+, called Ms. Marvel. I have thought about it a lot during this discussion because I learned quite a bit from it. I knew there was animosity between Indians and Pakistanis but I didn't know the history behind it. Part of the show also takes place in Pakistan and I don't think I've seen that before.
yes, the story of partition plays a key role in the plot of the Ms Marvel series, so I've been thinking about it during this discussion!!
Mod
Shelley wrote: "Edie wrote: "Alicia wrote: "What is the intent with pairing Pakistan and India? Is there a specific tie together that was intended? Otherwise it seems a bit random. Sure they are next to each other..."From what I can gather from a quick search, at the time of the partition, Bangladesh was "East Pakistan" and didn't become Bangladesh until later, in 1971.
Sorry if my wording was clunky. By "an author who is still writing", I was referring to an author who is still in the publishing business. I don't feel like that is too hard to determine. The point was to encourage members to read an author's backlist instead of the latest release. Some authors take years to write a book so it doesn't have to be a specific time period since their last publication. I thought I would vote all UP but changed my mind and went 3 UP and 5 DOWN.
Nancy wrote: "I went 6 up and 2 down. I feel like the eye-opening one is too ambiguous, does it mean something you're surprised to learn? Something you're appalled to learn? And also a hard one to plan in adva..."
Nancy, I know you like this type of book! Take a look at the lists that were posted with the prompt. I plan to pick some from NPR's "eye opening" category on the Book Concierge. There are many other sources too.
I originally found on the NPR eye opening lists:
True Biz (great for book clubs)
Fuzz When Nature Breaks the Law
Cultish
Detransition Baby
Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler
Remember The Science of Memory
This is your mind on plants
The Secret of Life: Rosalind Franklin...
Thank you Mr Nixon (new npr list)
Nasty, Brutish, and Short: Adventures in Philosophy with My Kids
Empire of Pain
We Carry Their Bones: The Search for Justice at the Dozier School for Boys
Books from the older lists:
Pachinko
The Kiss Quotient
Educated by Tara Westover
Maybe You Should Talk To Someone: A Therapist, HER Therapist, And Our Lives Revealed
The Overstory
Midnight In Chernobyl: The Untold Story Of The World's Greatest Nuclear Disaster
10 Minutes, 38 Seconds In This Strange World
by Elif Shafak (now I want to read all her books)
Catch And Kill: Lies, Spies, And A Conspiracy To Protect Predators
by Ronan Farrow
Women Talking, by Miriam Toews
She Said: Breaking The Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite A Movement, by Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey
Nickel Boys
More that look interesting
The Woman in the Purple Skirt
Mitz: The Marmoset Of Bloom
The Silence Between Us
Opium: How An Ancient Flower Shaped And Poisoned Our World
The Optimist's Telescope: Thinking
Charged: The New Move
How To: Absurd Scientific Advice For Common Real-World Problems
The Treeline: The Last Forest and the Future of Life on Earth - I want to know what caused this.
A ritual or ceremony can include a wedding, funeral, holidays such as Christmas or Holi, graduation, reunions or family gathering that happens every year. Even birthday parties are a ritual.
I really like quite a few on this list. 7 upvotes, 1 down for me.
dalex wrote: "I don't think it's clear in the prompt suggestion that hopepunk is a subgenre of sci-fi and fantasy "about characters fighting for positive change, radical kindness, and communal responses to chall..."Yes, exactly! It's also because there aren't really a lot of books with the hopepunk tag yet. I really like the books I'm finding on both of the lists. Your line also describes many books that aren't necessarily sci-fi-fantasy. This prompt covers books about people who stand up for others, or stand up for what is right, who speak up for the silent, as well as activists for change. Someone could use this for YA/middle grades books about kids who protect others from bullies, or adult books about people who help put a stop to harassment in the workforce, or people who are working to change their organization culture. It also fits some climate change, and dystopian books that have a hopeful message.
[I used to work in change management, Some of those same behaviors have been successfully applied to hospitals. When they improved the culture for employees, it also improved the quality of care. ]
NancyJ wrote: "Nancy, I know you like this type of book! "Oh I don't doubt that, and I've read several on that list. I just don't know that I can know in advance it will be eye-opening to me. I don't hate the idea overall, I just think it's too ambiguous.
Nancy wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Nancy, I know you like this type of book! "Oh I don't doubt that, and I've read several on that list. I just don't know that I can know in advance it will be eye-opening to me. I d..."
How do you ever know in advance what any book is like? You find these books the same way you find other books - It might start with lists, word of mouth, tags, reviews, recommendations, our monthly BOM post. It took me years to finally read Educated, and despite hearing so much about it, it was still eye opening to me.
I like prompts that are not too difficult to research, fit books already on my TBR when possible, and don't have the possibility that I finish it and go, well, that didn't really fit, so now I have to read something else. This prompt doesn't work for me. Not every prompt will work for everyone, that's why we vote.
I would say 'eye-opening' is easier to apply to non-fiction books. It is often clear from the synopsis when the author's intention is to open your eyes to something, especially with heavy topics such as race or gender issues. I did vote for this prompt and hope it makes it but can see why others might not find it so straightforward, especially if you only read fiction.
I decided to go with 6 up and 2 down for my votes. There were some really good ideas in this round and I would be happy with anything other than the 2 I downvoted (hopepunk and season in the title - couldn't find anything for either of them). My favourites were the ones I considered most creative - astrological sign and recipe word in the title. Both of those would be fun to research.
Nancy wrote: "I like prompts that are not too difficult to research, fit books already on my TBR when possible, and don't have the possibility that I finish it and go, well, that didn't really fit, so now I have..."I am too lazy for that. I have a "Cabin 10 rule" (based on a screw up years ago with The Woman in Cabin 10 - that I didn't discover until I was on an airplane.) The Cabin 10 rule is that if I, in good faith, read a book for a prompt and discover part way through or at the end that it didn't fit, I count it and move on.
Man I wish I could do that. What I typically do is if I'm not DNFing, I try to find some place else it will fit, usually between the two challenges I can find something. I'm doing ATY in order this year though so that's harder to do.
Shelley wrote: "Edie wrote: "Alicia wrote: "What is the intent with pairing Pakistan and India? Is there a specific tie together that was intended? Otherwise it seems a bit random. Sure they are next to each other..."You make a good point. Bangladesh could have been included. I had been part of the Bollywood discussion. As someone who is not a fan of movie related prompts, but realizing how many great reads I have had set in India, I wanted to suggest just India (not Bollywood.. although it obviously can include Bollywood). Then I wondered, because of its shared history, what there might be to read set in Pakistan. Hence the pairing.
Mod
I haven't had to count books that don't really fit. I often don't decide till after I read a book which prompt I am going to put it under - or I switch them around when I later find a better one. What I have decided to do this year is, if I am reading a book for a prompt or challenge, and find partway through, that I really don't like it, I won't force myself to finish. Too bad if I "need" it for the challenge, I will find something else. If it's for an in-person book group, I might skim the rest of the book so that I can talk about it a bit, but I won't make myself finish it.
I had five upvotes: not the author's most recent release; five W questions; UNESCO city of literature; word found in a recipe; character who is an athlete.The rest of the prompts were fine and I'll be ok with any of them getting in, but they didn't necessarily excite me enough to vote for them.
You people are making it hard to downvote anything thanks to all your recommendations. I'll be fine with any of these, except I don't want 4 more title prompts. Thank you for providing lists and suggestions. I have the most "want-to-read" books on the Hope, Orphans and Thought provoking lists. Those are definite up-votes.
I was going to downvote the Athlete prompt until I saw the notes about Beartown. I don't like sports but I found other books about athletes I want to read too. I don't like science-fiction very much, but I found hope-punk books I might want to read also.
FYI, Fredrick Backman has books for the prompts about:
Hope
Athletes
Orphans
Thought-provoking books
Authors still writing
Pronoun in title
India, City of Literature, and Interracial relationship sound very interesting. I can't think of any books I want to read related to astrology or rituals. If any of these don't get in and are resubmitted, I hope they'll come with lists next time.
Mod
I like books that fit with my TBR list (is is quite long) but might be one I've forgotten or might not get around otherwise.
I only upvoted three this time: hopepunk I've learned about it in this group and am always up to read new genres.
interracial relationship As the product of an interracial relationship, love this one!
India/Pakistan because now I really want to read about their separation. I may read the The Night Diary or a non-fiction.
The rest I was generally meh on
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Those are all good choices. I read Beartown and Boys on the Boat this year, and they both have great insights about coaching, which is relevant to other aspects of life too. I'm reading the second Beartown book soon, and the Third boo will come out in September.
For India and Pakistan, I recommend Interpreter of Maladies or other books by Jhumpa Lahiri, I also really love the Sujata Massey series of Mysteries about Perveen Mistry, the first female attorney in the city, circa 1900.