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[2024] Poll 6 Results
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Jill wrote: "Happy with these. The authors with J is very easy for me, and now got me wondering if it is the J in my name that attracts me to them. I was going to vote up the magic but at the last moment change..."Although "J" is one of the least frequently appearing letters in words in general, there are lots of common first and last names that start with it (James, John, Joshua, Jeremy, etc. Jill, Jane, Jennifer, Judith, etc., Jackson, Jones, Johnson, etc.). I didn't vote either way on this, but the prompt seemed like a gimme given how many first and last names begin with "J"
I voted for the JQZX prompt even though I thought that J was too easy. I’ll look for the other 3 letters but you never know when you have a book that just doesn’t fit anywhere else and you realize that the authors name starts with a J! I’m happy that history/historical fiction made it. My favorite type of non-fiction is history so that’s what I will be looking for. Otherwise, I have lots of historical fiction to fall back on.
I may do the letters prompt just with one of QZX or I may do 4 books each with a different letter.
The least used letters in the English language (which I'm assuming is what the prompt refers to) aren't the least used letters in every language. Since we are applying it to an author prompt, it's not going to just be applied to English words. Hungarian and Polish use Z a lot more for instance. Combine that with some of the most popular English language names beginning with J, that's why there's such a disconnect between seemingly uncommon letters and how many books fit the prompt.I think I've read more Zs this year than Js.
X is fairly commonly used in Chinese names.
Jill wrote: "Emily wrote: "We are already at 22/50 prompts that will be voted in (since one prompt is chosen by our summer reading challenge winner and another is chosen by our fall read-a-thon winner). Almost ..."And I have 20. I must have missed a week.
Emily wrote: "Jill wrote: "Emily wrote: "We are already at 22/50 prompts that will be voted in (since one prompt is chosen by our summer reading challenge winner and another is chosen by our fall read-a-thon win..."Ah, that explains my 20. I listed each of the multi-weeks as 1 prompt. So the 3 week one is missing 2 prompts and the 2 week one is missing 1 prompt. Got it!
Karin wrote: "I didn't downvote all three of the ones that got in, but this definitely wasn't my voting round! But that's how it goes. The only reason I didn't upvote (but I didn't downvote it, either) the lette..."I wondered why J was included as it is so very common in author names. I guess this will be a relatively easy prompt to fill if I have difficulty with the QZX.
Well, I am a bit disappointed. Only one of my many up votes made the list: a touch of magic.I really thought phases of the moon would make it or catch phrase, although I would have preferred the moon one.
I didn't vote for the historical fiction genre prompt, even though I read a lot of historical fiction. So not unhappy it made it. It should be an easy fill for me.
Edie wrote: "Jill wrote: "Happy with these. The authors with J is very easy for me, and now got me wondering if it is the J in my name that attracts me to them. I was going to vote up the magic but at the last ..."Maybe to make it more challenging, if you're going to use J, find it IN a name, not at the beginning.
Ellie wrote: "The least used letters in the English language (which I'm assuming is what the prompt refers to) aren't the least used letters in every language. Since we are applying it to an author prompt, it's ..."Awesome. I think I'll use this prompt as a reminder to read books by authors from other countries/cultures. Ellie, could you add your Z's, X's etc to the listopia? Tia
LeahS wrote: "X is fairly commonly used in Chinese names."LeahS, if you any of those that you liked, could you add them to the listopia? My eyes don't need a letter challenge, but I want to read more authors from other countries. Thanks!
I like the idea of J not as the starting letter of a name too. Lots of ways to BIO for this one.
Bea wrote: "Karin wrote: "I didn't downvote all three of the ones that got in, but this definitely wasn't my voting round! But that's how it goes. The only reason I didn't upvote (but I didn't downvote it, eit..."When I suggested the prompt, I kept J in becauseI was keeping on theme of '4' for the year 2024. I also though this would give a lot of flexibility on how easy or hard a person wanted to make the prompt- which seems to be a common complaint that prompts are either too easy or hard. I myself will probably try to find an author that has 2 of the 4 letters to make it harder. I hope everyone has fun searching for the right book to make this prompt their own! I'm loving all the prompts so far!
Nancy wrote: "I like the idea of J not as the starting letter of a name too. Lots of ways to BIO for this one."Ooo I like that for a BIO. Great idea!
NancyJ wrote: "LeahS wrote: "X is fairly commonly used in Chinese names."LeahS, if you any of those that you liked, could you add them to the listopia? My eyes don't need a letter challenge, but I want to read ..."
I haven't read any of these authors, so can't recommend them, but several have the relevant letters in their names:
https://theculturetrip.com/north-amer...
Emily wrote: "Another big round of results!Top:
A book whose author’s name includes one of the 4 least used letters in the alphabet (JQZX)
A book with a touch of magic
A history or historical fiction book
Bot..."
Isn't the purpose of this prompt to narrow the choices down to make it more exciting? I think the most uncommon letters differs quite a lot from language to language. In my language X, Q and Z are among the most uncommon letters but so is Y instead of J. If I don't choose an author with a name containing letters X, Q and Z shall I then choose a writer from my country with the letter J or with the letter Y? And maybe Q or Z are quite common in another country, how will the rules be in cases like that?
No one polices your challenge here. If you'd prefer to do the least common letters in a different language, no one is stopping you. The prompt wording could have been better, but once something is on the list we just have to make do. I think the intention was to pick the least used letters in the English language but honestly author names aren't really tied to English just because they write in English.
Ellie wrote: "No one polices your challenge here. If you'd prefer to do the least common letters in a different language, no one is stopping you. The prompt wording could have been better, but once something is ..."I like the prompt, I voted for it 🙂. I just wanted to know how others in this group think about this. I wasn't complaining but I myself like rules, it makes it a bit easier for me to choose. So I don't mind being policed 🙂. I am simply wondering what is best.
Nike wrote: "Ellie wrote: "No one polices your challenge here. If you'd prefer to do the least common letters in a different language, no one is stopping you. The prompt wording could have been better, but once..."I'm taking it as JQZX as they are clearly listed in the prompt so I figure that makes it easy for me to decide.
Bec wrote: "Nike wrote: "Ellie wrote: "No one polices your challenge here. If you'd prefer to do the least common letters in a different language, no one is stopping you. The prompt wording could have been bet..."Well, I'll just drop the J and choose from X, Y or Z then. 🙂
Nike wrote: "Well, I'll just drop the J and choose from X, Y or Z then.."Yeah I think I'll do the same actually - I have heaps of books with authors with J in them.
Nike wrote: "Well, I'll just drop the J and choose from X, Y or Z then. 🙂."
That's what I'm doing. J might not be common in words, but it's common in names so too easy, IMO. I didn't downvote it, but didn't upvote it either since I knew I could stick to the harder 3.
Around the Year in 52 Books
Books mentioned in this topic
The Final Revival of Opal & Nev (other topics)Chain-Gang All-Stars (other topics)
Chain-Gang All-Stars (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
Michelle Moran (other topics)Zen Cho (other topics)
I downvoted catchphrase - for me it was way too broad and I thought just about anything could fit. I would rather a single catchphrase is chosen instead.