Play Book Tag discussion

Please vote for the tag you would most like to read for September at the following link:

https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/H8QJRYB

You may click on the answer choices in the survey to see a listing of books that fit each tag.

Remember, you may cast up to a total of 10 participation points for your choice. Everyone gets one vote for free so please vote even if you don't have any participation points!

You can see how many participation points you currently have in the spreadsheet below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Happy voting! Please cast your votes by 12 pm EST on 8/23.

Some interesting choices this month.

I can easily find TBR reads for any of them but cast my vote for the one that also has me reading what fits the Pop Sugar and Around the Year challenges.

Spent some valuable and well needed time researching....

While I am fine with everything, I am going against the one that is too broad, too easy, and too connected to our current reads. We need something a little more unusual. They are all broad. I am going with the one that is more my favorite.

One I have a lot of on my tbr, one I have a few and one I have virtually none. I'm going to deliberate about this, before I vote.

I figure Cultural is too easy since our Horizons book will fit for each of us. Art I don't have a single thing on my TBR and I'm not looking to stretch THAT much this month, which leaves one that I think would be a bit fun and have a couple that I was planning on reading anyway in the next few months.

I like them all! There is at least one book on my trim list for each tag (well, maybe not paranormal).

Art is the most challenging category and potentially the most exciting. Non-fiction, biographies, bio-fiction, mysteries, art and culture (the old def of cultural), and lots of pictures to nourish the soul. There is even something by Neil Gaiman. The creativity books might be useful for anyone. The Goldfinch and Georgia: A Novel of Georgia O'Keeffe were two of my favorites.

I want to read something by Ali Smith this year, and two of her books are in the top 1200 of the 10,000 books with an art tag: Autumn and How to Be Both.

Cultural is the best fit for my TBR and current interests, and would be the most worthwhile for me. There are so many really good books on countries we may never get to with Horizons. This could also include regional or multi-country books, and American cultures (e.g. Native American, African American, Mexican). I have a ready list of books on Russia, India, China, Ireland, etc. Surprisingly, this tag has fewer books (or fewer books that are widely read) than art or paranormal. [I base this on the low # of tags on the books on the last page of the link.]

Paranormal has the most books, and it might get the most votes here. When I was younger this was my favorite genre, but I feel like I've read all the same plots and themes over and over, just with new magical beings. A lot of them seem geared to YA or NA readers. So if this one wins, I will need help finding the books with more mature themes, which could mean grown-up, literary, or "adult." 😉 Or even just flat out funny.

Voted ... chose the one I was most likely to have a fit with my F2F book clubs' choices in the next few months. One is a real stretch for me, but I always have something for any tag.

Went for the tag that had the second most books on my word sheet, as it interested me more than the one that had the most. Also threw 5 points towards it, as I don't think it will be the popular choice.

Book Concierge wrote: "Voted ... chose the one I was most likely to have a fit with my F2F book clubs' choices in the next few months. One is a real stretch for me, but I always have something for any tag."

Good point. I don't even know the Sept book for one of my local groups.
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Hmm, everyone is being discreet about their votes this month, though I know Amy's vote. I always like to try to guess it early. I'll bet I could read an extra book in the time I spend between the 15th and 23rd searching through all three tag lists, doing searches, reading reviews, etc. Maybe I should just make myself blind to this thread now.

When I saw the tag ‘cultural’ I thought it was more like ‘art’ - like theatre and other things that are cultural
Cleary I was wrong :)

So if cultural wins - it will mostly have horizon books in there. And I feel that we had a good run of easy-ish tags

Paranormal is the obvious choice then - it’s different and can be fun. I’m guessing the competition this month will be between these two

But I will put my votes with good old Art. I think a comics about Rembrandt is coming out in September and of not - there will be something wonderful out there for sure

Easy vote for me this times. I don't read paranormal anymore if I can help it, so if that wins it will be difficult for me, but there are two other great choices!

Karin wrote: "Easy vote for me this times. I don't read paranormal anymore if I can help it, so if that wins it will be difficult for me, but there are two other great choices!"
I'm with you, Karin. I don't read paranormal, either, so if it wins I'll be looking for suggestions from my fellow PBT-ers, which I'll call "paranormal light."

Joy D wrote: "Karin wrote: "Easy vote for me this times. I don't read paranormal anymore if I can help it, so if that wins it will be difficult for me, but there are two other great choices!"
I'm with you, Karin..."
Ditto!

I'm torn between culture which I always read, and art which I have several books of but doesn't fit right in my wheelhouse.

I won't vote for paranormal, but I know so many others love it. I do have one on the first page, but it doesn't excite me.

Idit wrote: "When I saw the tag ‘cultural’ I thought it was more like ‘art’ - like theatre and other things that are cultural
Cleary I was wrong :)

So if cultural wins - it will mostly have horizon books in t..."

I agree! "Culture" has too many different meanings now. I wish there was a new catchall term to replace it, to cover art, music, dance and theater, such as "the arts." "Entertainment" seemed to cover these, but many people also used the tag for any book made into a movie or tv shows, making it practically meaningless.

We're using "cultural" to refer to countries other than our own. I use International for those books, recognizing that the US in a foreign country for many people.

We also have cultural diversity which can include all types of diversity issues within a country (race, religion, lgbtq, etc.).

The term "culture" also refers to societal issues, norms, values, expected behaviors, trends, and changing attitudes about work, sex roles, formality, gay marriage, and some political issues.

One of my book clubs is reading about Beethoven in Sept, which might be found further down the art list,or maybe not.

I like the suggestion of a good comic for Art. I actually have Monstress, Vol. 1: Awakening on my TBR to read and I think it would fit nicely as Art.

I definitely have many books for each category floating around my TBR. Even for paranormal which is not a genre I really like.

Looking through the culture books, it seems to be more about any culture that is not your own. To learn about another ethnicity or background than your own .

The cultural tag list also has many classics, and books about social culture, race relations and history. Some surprises:

Educated
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing
The Women in the Castle
A Tale of Two Cities
The Home for Unwanted Girls
Freakonomics: A Rogue Economist Explores the Hidden Side of Everything
The Sun Is Also a Star

How do you know, Nancy? Are you sure?

The list on post #18? I went page by page through the link for the Cultural tag. It included many books on my trim and bookclub lists: Gentleman in Moscow, Guernsey Literary, Beartown, Where the Crawdads Sing, BookThief, Unbearable Lightness of Being, Tattooist of Auschwitz, Dovekeepers, Bear and the Nightingale, Crime and Punishment, Sun Also Rises, Underground Railroad, Master and Margarita, Just Mercy..., An American Marriage, Marriage of Opposites, HIdden Figures, Born a Crime, and either Alice Network or Lilac girls. Plus many of my favorite books of 2019 (including When All is Said).

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

No darling, how are you sure what I voted for?

Ahh. Well, I was guessing it would be the more "unusual" category that just happens to include witches. But, then again, who is more committed to Trim the TBR than you? You might have even more cultural books on your Trim list than I do. We share one art book on our trim lists.

Trying to decided between the one that has a lot on my TBR or the one I would rather read.

Hmmm... interesting indeed. Would lean more toward art or paranormal I think, but might leave it up to the people of PBT this month again.

For help deciding, this Listopia list on Art & Artists in Fiction is worth checking out:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

Michael wrote: "For help deciding, this Listopia list on Art & Artists in Fiction is worth checking out:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2..."

Thanks, Michael. That is a good list and there are enough books on my TBR for me to shift towards art and away from my broader culture choice.

Voted

You see? We really do get to know each other! Like many others, I was intimating that culture is too much like the challenge we’re doing for horizons. It felt too easy and not enough broadening. I also felt that we have had a lot of fraud tags and that all three of these are broad, and I would like to see us do something a little narrower. Which is usually not my choice. I have more than enough books for all three on my TBR. But I did go for paranormal. Four votes. I guess I do you like magic or spirituality or the mystic, but only when it’s done very well. I’ve always been someone who enjoyed healing arts and psychic phenomena and a bit of magic. I’d be fine with art too. Just like culture though, it just feels that much more boring because nearly every book fits into it. Same with paranormal, but at least there’s a whole Lotta fun. So you did get it right Nancy.

NancyJ wrote: "Hmm, everyone is being discreet about their votes this month, though I know Amy's vote. ..."

I never reveal how I vote. Back on Shelfari we kept it a closely guarded secret, and I still operate that way.

Paranormal creeped into the voting pool one month too soon!

I Voted. Definitely hoping mine wins, but didn't thrown any extra points at it as I'll find something for any of them.

Michael wrote: "For help deciding, this Listopia list on Art & Artists in Fiction is worth checking out:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2..."

Thanks, this makes it so much easier for fiction readers! I read more than I thought I did. I spotted two so far that are on my Trim list.

Some of the tags are a real stretch (e.g. Count of Monte Cristo and Rebecca, which I read recently), but I guess that's pretty common.

I actually feel like art is the narrowest of the three possibilities (at least it is for me), but this time around, I think I'll be happy with any of them.

Book Concierge wrote: "I never reveal how I vote. Back on Shelfari we kept it a closely guarded secret, and I still operate that way...."

Yeah, it's only recently (within the last year?) that people started revealing what they voted for and trying to "fight" for their favourites!

I tired to be quiet, but Nancy outed me - lol!

If culture wins here are some strong candidates:

by Haruki Murakami - Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji Ozawa (nonfiction but very readable and with listening links--so very cool, especially if you are a fan of his fiction.

Fiction:
Twelve Bar Blues and here's my review - historical fiction set primarily in the rise of the jazz age in New Orleans but with other times, etc--well done . I read this a number of years before joining any online reading groups.

Marrying Mozart written by a bonafide historical fiction author who has published a number of novels who is/was also an opera singer (not famous, but there is far more trained talent than there are spots, etc) but she KNOWS her stuff!!!) by Stephanie Cowell She has also written novels about Monet, Shakespeare, et al https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...

For romance readers, there is also one about a painter (artist painter as opposed to house or commericial) by Nora Roberts, Shelter in Place

But wait, there's more (can you tell I teach piano?)

Fiction

La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

Music & Silence historical, set primarily in Denmark about a lutenist (as in plays the lute, naturally :) ) by Rose Tremain

I know I've read others, such as Clutch of Constables (art theft-- Constable as in the painter) by Ngaio Marsh - a New Zealand author, but it's set in England

If art wins, I have 3 I expect to read from my TBR:

The Art Forger
Zen in The Art of Writing
The Violin Maker: Finding a Centuries-Old Tradition in a Brooklyn Workshop

And, if I can find my copy on my bookshelves: The Rape of Europa: The Fate of Europe's Treasures in the Third Reich and the Second World War.

A book I read and highly recommend for Art or even Culture:

The Piano Shop on the Left Bank: Discovering a Forgotten Passion in a Paris Atelier

Karin wrote: "For romance readers, there is also one about a painter (artist painter as opposed to house or commericial) by Nora Roberts, Shelter in Place..."

So, this would work for art, too.

LibraryCin wrote: "Karin wrote: "For romance readers, there is also one about a painter (artist painter as opposed to house or commericial) by Nora Roberts, Shelter in Place..."

So, this would work for art, too."

Yes, but so does music since it is a performing art :), although their degree is in Music in the States (not sure if it's music or BFA in Canada.) What I do know is that in American universities it's common to have both in the same college or school as in College of Visual and Performing Arts, but not universal. In the States it's only called a university if there is more than one school or college in its umbrella (so, for example, the University of Massachusetts, which has 4 campuses, has Liberal Arts, CVPA, Engineering, Nursing, Law, Business and in more than one place (the largest being in Amherst, but even others will have more than one school at their campus)--there might be something else--but science falls under Liberal Arts. I know this because one of my kids graduated from one of their campuses).

Voted. All good choices, well mostly. Had to flip a coin between the other two. lol.

2 of the tags I only 2 books within 4 - 6 pages of the lists and 1 tag that has 7 in the first page! That said, I know that everyone will start listing books, for the the tags I don't have much for, that I won't be able to resist! So I'm fine with anything.

Karin wrote: "But wait, there's more (can you tell I teach piano?)

Fiction

La's Orchestra Saves the World by Alexander McCall Smith

Music & Silence historical, set pri..."


Karin, I have to read a book about Beethoven (any book) for a book club in September. Do you have any recommendations? We will have an expert present on the 1000 page biography, but we are encouraged to read something shorter. I haven't played in many years, but I might listen to some better players and follow along with the sheet music.

Regarding the tag lists, I think I saw some books about composers on the list for the Art tag. I didn't spot any on beethoven but I didn't look at the whole list.

Karin wrote: "LibraryCin wrote: "Karin wrote: "For romance readers, there is also one about a painter (artist painter as opposed to house or commericial) by Nora Roberts, Shelter in Place..."

So, this would work for art, too."

Yes, but so does music since it is a performing art :), although their degree is in Music in the States (not sure if it's music or BFA in Canada.) ..."

That crossed my mind, too, but including music to me would be more "the arts" (plural). "Art" for me, is painting, sculpture, etc. Broader (also encompassing music) would be "the arts".

I think a music degree in Canada would be a BFA, Bachelor of Fine Arts. (I am neither musical nor artistic in any way, so I'm not positive!)

I'll also add that with a background in cultural anthropology (that is, a BA), "culture" to me is not "the arts", but cultures, more like our Horizons challenge.

Karin, I have to read a book about Beethoven (any book) for a book club in September. Do you have any recommendations?

Nancy, if you're interested in non-fiction, there's this one:
Beethoven's Hair: An Extraordinary Historical Odyssey and a Scientific Mystery Solved

LibraryCin wrote: "I'll also add that with a background in cultural anthropology (that is, a BA), "culture" to me is not "the arts", but cultures, more like our Horizons challenge."

The books on the tag list do seem more consistent with your definition than with an Arts related definition, with some exceptions.

Jgrace wrote: "Karin, I have to read a book about Beethoven (any book) for a book club in September. Do you have any recommendations?

Nancy, if you're interested in non-fiction, there's this one:
[book:Beethove..."

Woo, the title sounded a little creepy at first, but it looks interesting, and it would give me something unique to add to the discussion. I've been thinking that I'd like to read something about genetics too, so - two birds, one book. Thanks.

NancyJ wrote: "Jgrace wrote: "Karin, I have to read a book about Beethoven (any book) for a book club in September. Do you have any recommendations?

Nancy, if you're interested in non-fiction, there's this one: ..."

I didn't write a review for it , Nancy. Read it a long time ago. If I remember, I thought it was a little dry and long winded, but still interesting.

Jgrace wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Jgrace wrote: "Karin, I have to read a book about Beethoven (any book) for a book club in September. Do you have any recommendations?

Nancy, if you're interested in non-fiction, the..."

I find that to be true of most non-fiction actually! I'm sure I'll get something useful out of it.

Well, back from vacation and I have a lot of catching up to do in all the threads and reviews! Have not voted, need to go through the lists and see what I have on my TBR.