Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Voting is now open!

The entire Around the Year challenge list is generated by the group members. We enjoyed the process so much in the past two years that we are creating another list for 2018.

The Process:
The topics for the 2018 RC list will be determined through around 13 mini-polls. Each user will vote for their favorite 4 topics in each mini-poll, which will then add up to the 52 topics (13 polls x 4 topics/poll=52 weekly topics). Suggestions for each poll will be opened until 15-20 suggestions are received+seconded. Then a poll will be opened for voting for one week so you can select your 4 favorite suggestions. This timeframe allows for a completed list in October-November.

The Rules:
- Voting ends August 10
- One vote per poll per user
- Specific examples of many of the prompts may be found in the Suggestions Thread

Poll Entries:
- A book you first discovered in the ATY group
- A book that takes place over the course of one day
- A book with "girl" or "boy" in the title
- A book with a form of punctuation in the title
- A book with an epigraph
- A book that won or was nominated for the PEN Translation Prize
- A book about sex, drugs, or rock and roll
- A book that has been controversial
- An average book of your TBR (pages, publishing date or avg rating)
- A coming of age novel
- A book describing the experience of immigrants
- A book/story by an Iowa Writer's Workshop Alum
- A book whose title or author's last name starts with Q, X, Y, or Z
- A medical or legal thriller
- A book that will make you laugh
- A book with a plot centered on technology and/or social media
- A book suggested by a Booktuber
- An award-winning short story or short story collection
- A book mentioned in a Goodreads Blog post
- A book that was made into a movie/TV show in the decade you were born

Survey Link

I had a very, very clear top 4 this time round. I seconded the 'book made into a movie/TV show in the decade you were born' topic in the selection list and I knew I wanted that so that was one easy choice.

I love movies that take place over the course of one day, some of my all time favourites do (Stand by Me, Superbad, Clerks and in fact most Kevin Smith movies, The Goonies, The Breakfast Club, Ferris Bueller's Day Off, I could honestly go on and on), but I've never really come across any books that do that so I wanted to be able to explore and find books like that too, so that was another easy choice.

I'm always drawn towards controversial books anyway. It always amuses me and entertains me to discover which books have been controversial and why. So that was my next pick.

And finally, 'a book about sex, drugs, or rock and roll' just seems like such a fun new topic. We've never had anything like it before and I think it would be really interesting to see which books people end up picking for it.

Picking my bottom 4 was a lot harder as there aren't any that I completely dislike. I ended up just picking the ones that I found the most uninteresting or that I felt were a bit too broad.

Bottom 4 were easy to pick, the top 4 were harder as there were a few I liked, so I went for the ones that would be the most fun to look for.

Like Jill, the bottom 4 was easy, there even were more than 4 I wouldn't like to see. Most of the others were average for me, so I'd difficulties to decide on my 4th top (my fav in this batch is the short story one).

Sex, drugs, or rock and roll is a fun idea in itself but I dislike to read about 2 of the topics and I'm not really motivated to find a book especially for the last one.

The thriller was another interesting option for me, but when I was younger I read many medical thrillers (after a time, it was boring) and the legal seems dominated only by one author (I hope he's good). I don't know if there are other thriller subgenres, but I'd probably be more interested in them.

I also had a hard time narrowing down my bottom four. In the end I chose both of the lists because I didn't find anything that I would want to read in those. I chose the blogs in the bottom because I don't read blogs and I also don't enjoy short stories so that was out.

At the top I had a clear top 3 and then I just chose another one that would give me some options, hopefully. I chose my own suggestion of a book that makes you laugh, I already have a humorous sci-fi in mind for that. I chose the technology/social media because I am fascinated with how social media is being used in modern books and tech is up my sci-fi alley anyway. I have an author in mind already for a title/author that starts with Q, X, Y, Z (Francesca Zappia. The last one I went with was the punctuation in the title. I don't have anything in mind for it but I am sure there are several things on my tbr already that fit.

I completely agree with Zaz about the sex, drugs and rock and roll. I just do not enjoy books that have either of the first two topics in them and the last generally contains enough of the first two for me to get annoyed. (to be fair, it's a good suggestion and I would have had the same reaction to the father, the son and the holy ghost!) It's just me being me. :-)

I'm with Francesca on this one - my top four were super easy, but the bottom four took a little longer to pick. I usually take at least a couple days to vote, but I've got my choices made, so I went ahead and voted. Now it's just be time to sit back and wait. *twiddles thumbs*

This is going to be the hardest vote so far for me. I have my top 4 picked. Normally, I like most of the choices but this time there are several I don't want. It is not that they are bad prompts just bad for me.

I totally had you in mind when I suggested the short story topic, Zaz. I thought, if no one else seconds this first, I bet Zaz will.

I had also thought about suggesting a book with punctuation in the title, so I voted for that one as well.

I also voted for the technology/social media prompt. After I voted for it, I realized it's definitely fiction-centered, since it says "plot relating to", but when I voted for it, it was with the intention to read a nonfiction book about social media, which of course wouldn't have a plot. I'll have to figure out how to handle that if it wins.

I don't know anything about BookTube, and I really don't enjoy watching vlogs on YouTube, so I am hoping this one doesn't go through. But I suppose there are videos about pretty much any book, right?

Katie wrote: "I totally had you in mind when I suggested the short story topic, Zaz. I thought, if no one else seconds this first, I bet Zaz will.

I had also thought about suggesting a book with punctuation in ..."

Rachel mentioned in the comments that she intended for the tech/social media topic to include fiction and nonfiction so you are all set Katie!

Oh cool, I like that.

Is there a list for short stories that have won awards?

You're nice Katie. I'll be surprised if the short story wins, it's usually not popular.

We could change the formulation for the social media to "A book with a technology and/or a social media theme" or something like this (I'm pretty bad at good formulations).

Michelle > quickly: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Categor...

I loved most of these choices so I had a hard time picking the top four. I loved both the title scavenger hunt ones - We don't have enough yet. Tech/social media is a welcome change. Books in translation are a goal of mine. Immigration is a topic we should all know more about. The "over course of a day" is also a cool topic I would love to explore. And of course I am always up for a laugh, love humorous books! I liked Q,X,Z,Y as well. I hope some of these will be suggested again, because there were not enough spots to vote!

The only ones I did not really want was the Booktuber - I don't watch book bloggers, I prefer to read - surprise, surprise... ;), also I usually don't read books that have just been published. The other was the Iowa writer's workshop, hmm,never heard of it, seems like a limiting choice to me. I am trying to read more books outside of North America, and it is hard enough already.

Since there were so many I loved I did not go for some I would be fine with. "Controversial" I feel like is so wide - almost any book worth reading is controversial in some way. A coming of age novel is another YA topic and very easy to fill. Goodreads blog posts tend to talk about popular books, also easy. I am kind of soured on tv/movie topics, but a decade is a lot better than the current year.

I was a bit similar to Marta,
Not interested in a booktuber - would rather be reading! Iowa writer's workshop not my thing (being from Australia I guess) and I don't love short stories either so bottomed 4'd that one!

I picked average book of your TBR as I thought that would be fun and help me read from my TBR, punctuation, epigraph (as I seconded it and have a book chosen for it - but the book is one I've slotted in for this year so will have to select something else if it wins) and author with last name Q,Z,Y or Z so I can finally read the fifth wave (which I keep putting off)

Zaz wrote: "You're nice Katie. I'll be surprised if the short story wins, it's usually not popular.

We could change the formulation for the social media to "A book with a technology and/or a social media them..."

Absolutely, change it! My intent was for it to be open to both fiction and non-fiction, I just wasn't sure how to word it. It probably skewed more toward fiction with my formulation because that's what I read, but I definitely intended it to be open to anything. Glad to see that people seem to be liking the topic so far.

Good thing Amy is around the boards here while I'm at work to clarify, lol.

This vote was a little more difficult for me as I had more than 4 I wanted in the top and bottom.
I ended up doing the book with a punctuation in the title because I thought about suggesting it myself. I also chose medical legal thriller because I used to read thriller and got burnt out so I still have quite a few medical and legal thrillers on my shelf I haven't gotten around to yet. I also chose the Q, X, Y, and Z one because I have a couple of books I want to read next year that fit. My 4th choice was a last minute decision and I went with the booktuber one only because some of my IG friends do them and they've recommended some books I've I had my eye on but I figure it won't win and there are several other choices I'd be happy with.

My bottom were the PEN one because none of the choices interested me. The Iowa one had at least 1 or 2 so it didn't make the bottom but also doesn't excite me. Sorry Zaz but I put short stories in the bottom too because they just aren't my thing. The blog one was in my bottom as well because I just don't want to spend my time reading them when I could be reading a book. The average one was bottom for me because I'm a mood reader and would rather have something with more options. The movie one only barely made it out of the bottom but I didn't care for that one either. The movie prompts seem to make it every time. I know the decade thing is different but it's like a book from the year I was born not much that interested me.

This was a really good bunch of suggestions. I went with punctuation and epigraph, because we haven't had anything like that, a book that makes you laugh (good excuse to read a funny book) and Q, X, Y, and Z just because. :)
Like Marta, I also hope some of these suggestions are repeated, as I liked more than just the four I voted for, a book that takes place over the course of one day was good too, for instance.

Bottom 4 was very easy for me. There were several topics that I was dreading being seconded (no offense to the people who suggested or seconded them), including both the Iowa list and the PEN list. In both cases, I only found a one or two books that interested me, which was much too limited for my liking.

I also voted against the short story collection. I'm not a fan of short stories or anthologies in general. I also wasn't very interested in the movie from my decade of birth. I'm sure there are plenty of options, but I'm a little burnt out on "books that became movies" topics and "books from the year/decade you were born"...and this one was both of those.

I didn't vote for punctuation or epigraph, but I think both are great ideas and they were both just outside my top 4.

Rachel wrote: "I also wasn't very interested in the movie from my decade of birth. I'm sure there are plenty of options, but I'm a little burnt out on "books that became movies" topics and "books from the year/decade you were born"...and this one was both of those. ...."

I don't like the idea of books from the year I was born either, but I do love books that became a movie. And although at the beginning I was against the idea of "a book that became a movie in the decade I was born", after I checked my options, the suggestion made it to my top :)

I voted against the movie one. I figure if I've seen the movie why do I want to read the book. If this one gets through I will definitely play the wild card for it. Also bottomed the Iowa and Pen ones and Booktuber

I had a hard time with this one....

There were like 8 or 9 that I either had absolutely no interest in or found extremely limiting in options.

And only 2 that I was really interested in.

It's gone very quiet here........I'm curious as to what others think

When I saw the prompt about booktubers

Yes?

2 more days?! Maybe I'm just impatient but these votes seem to take forever!

How would everyone feel about shortening the voting period to 4 days, starting with the next poll (7th)?

I am in favor of it.

I agree. A week is a long time and if the comments are anything to go by there is a flurry early on then it dies down.

4 days seems like a good idea,

I'm in favor of shortening it too. I'm always so impatient for the results.

I would LOVE to shorten the voting window to four days instead of seven. I agree with Charity that it seems like we've been waiting forever, and we still have a few more days to wait. The voting ends on the 10th, but that means we don't get the results until the 11th, right? That seems like it's still so far away, and it seems like I voted ages ago.

I know I voted for A book that takes place over the course of one day, A book whose title or author's last name starts with Q, X, Y, or Z & A medical or legal thriller.

I can't actually remember what I chose as the 4th one it feels like so long ago.

I'm in favor of shortening the voting period.

I would really appreciate shortening the voting period - it's amazing how it seems to slow down time! I didn't even vote until yesterday and it already feels like a week ago :)

Laura wrote: "How would everyone feel about shortening the voting period to 4 days, starting with the next poll (7th)?"

Yes Please...also the book I"m reading

I absolutely support shortening the voting period. 4 days seems like plenty of time for people to get in to vote. If there was more ongoing discussion/debate about topics I might feel otherwise, but as it is, all the discussion is done in the first day or two anyway.

Worst case scenario, we try a shorter period once, people complain and we go back to 7 days (or whatever it is now). No big deal :-)

I think shortening sounds like a nice idea as well.

I'm all up for it too!

I'm definitely up for it. It seems like a lot of people vote and talk about it the first few days then there's nothing which makes the wait longer.

Sounds good to me

Nicole, it says the 10th but I usually release the results around 8am on the day of the deadline. So for this poll, I'll release results around 8am on the 10th. It will likely be slightly earlier this time since I have work early that day.

I'm in favour of shortening the voting time as well. I know the comments don't necessarily reflect when people are voting, but it seems like 3-4 days in is when people stop talking about it at least. I'm sure it can be annoying if someone misses a chance to vote here or there, but I'm sure 4 days is long enough to accommodate most people, at least most of the time.

Was it always a week between voting and the results? It seems so long this year! I don't remember it feeling this long last year.

Rachel, Yes, that's the time frame I've always used. In previous years, I've had it so that suggestions opened on a specific two days per week, alternating each poll (i.e. Poll 1 open for suggestion on Sunday and Poll 2, Thursday; Poll 3 Sunday; Poll 4 Thursday). I was attempting to make them predictable for people since suggestions moved fast. But now that they move much slower, I just pick a time. But the one-week voting period has remained the same.

Laura wrote: "Nicole, it says the 10th but I usually release the results around 8am on the day of the deadline. So for this poll, I'll release results around 8am on the 10th. It will likely be slightly earlier t..."

Oh, good! One less day of waiting than I thought. Hooray! 😊

Laura wrote: "Rachel, Yes, that's the time frame I've always used. In previous years, I've had it so that suggestions opened on a specific two days per week, alternating each poll (i.e. Poll 1 open for suggestio..."

Okay, I was pretty sure it had always been that way. Don't know why it feels so much longer this year, lol!

Rachel wrote: "Laura wrote: "Rachel, Yes, that's the time frame I've always used. In previous years, I've had it so that suggestions opened on a specific two days per week, alternating each poll (i.e. Poll 1 open..."

I think it's the suggestions piece taking days vs hours as it did in the past that is stretching it out.

OK, here is a question since we are around the 1/3 of the way mark (I think), can we discuss how we feel the suggestions/seconding process is going? Does it seem to really be helping as we thought it would or is it just dragging things out?

I am of two minds about it myself. On the one hand, I feel that maybe people are putting more consideration into their suggestions, thinking that it will have to be interesting enough for someone to second. The quality of suggestions does seem better this year. However, on the other hand it seems like nearly every single suggestion is getting seconded so why are we bothering?

I say seems because this is just my own perceptions. Others may not agree about the quality of the suggestions. Also, I haven't gone back to check each and every suggestion poll so I may be completely wrong about how many topics are not getting seconded. Anyway, I am interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

I was not here last year but it sounds like nominations went much faster last year. That could be why it feels longer with it taking around 3 days to get 20 nominations and seconds and then a week of voting.

Re: the seconding process - I tend to agree that pretty much anything recommended will be seconded. You only need 1 person to second it and given the vast differences in the group, it's likely that if 1 person likes an idea, at least another person will too. I think the advantage of the seconding process is that it does get double the number of people involved in creating the poll - so they may be more engaged with it.

I think the seconding is good to have. It slows down the nomination process enough that people who check in later still have a chance to make a suggestion rather than just those who post right away.

I do think it would be a good idea to think about going down to 15 nominations rather than 20 since we have been picking the top 3 rather than 4. I know with me, I already have a pretty good idea what I will be voting for and unless there is something really good or awful I don't consider the last few suggestions.

I think one of the main advantages of the seconding process is that it gives people more time to think about which prompts they want considered. Definitely not every suggestion gets seconded, and they aren't all seconded immediately. There have been prompts that were suggested within minutes of the opening that then sat around for a while. I don't know if that's because people are weighing their options, or if after a day people get bored and second anything remaining so we can go ahead and vote.