Play Book Tag discussion

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

https://forms.gle/Q7X3MxQNmPdiNP5NA

Here are the lists of books for each tag:

African-American: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
time travel: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
women's history: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Remember, you may cast up to a total of 10 participation points for your choice. Every PBT member 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 noon EST on 7/22.

What a combo! I have read plenty of books in all three, so it won't be a question of expanding my genre, but what do I want to focus on? I'm going to have to mull this one over :)

Well, I have books for each in my TBR. I think I know my choices but will consider a bit.

I have must-read books in all three of these categories!

If Toni Morrison was still in the author's game, African American would be an easy first choice,

Voted

I like all 3!

NancyJ wrote: "I have must-read books in all three of these categories!

If Toni Morrison was still in the author's game, African American would be an easy first choice,"

Morrison is out.

I also really like all 3 choices. It will be difficult to decide.

I voted - I'd be good with any of the choice here.

These are great choices.

Oh Anita, you’re killing me! I have nothing anywhere near top of mind for any of these. They’re all categories I have books for, but not right now!!! Passing on voting this time around, I think, lol …

For those of us who are having difficulty deciding, I would love to see a few recommendations or want-to-read ideas for each tag.

For African American I loved:
Their Eyes Were Watching God (best on audio by Ruby Dee), The Color Purple (better than the film), Sula by Toni Morrison, and Sing, Unburied, Sing by Jesmyn Ward.

I want to read Salvage the Bones by Jesmyn Ward, Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler, and a new-to-me Colson Whitehead book. Also more by Toni Morrison and Maya Angelou.

For Time Travel, I really enjoyed The Sea of Tranquility this year, and Time and Again forty years ago (so I could revisit it). For historical fiction I liked - Outlander, What the Wind Knows, and Life After Life. The Time Traveler's Wife is now an HBO show. For something different, try the Japanese book Before the Coffee Gets Cold, or the weirdly clever sci-fi This Is How You Lose the Time War.

I would read Stephen King's11/22/63, The Eyre Affair, and first-in-series books by Jodi Taylor and Connie Willis. I'm interested in other recommendations. [I haven't read A Discovery of Witches, which I think I own. Does anyone recommend it for me?]

For Women's History I really loved A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II, Code Girls: The Untold Story of the American Women Code Breakers Who Helped Win World War II, Romantic Outlaws: The Extraordinary Lives of Mary Wollstonecraft and Her Daughter Mary Shelley.

I'm currently reading Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China which would fit. I might want to read one of the books about women they tried to "silence."

I think that some our looking at Women's History as strictly non-fiction-there are a gazillion women's history reads in Historical Fiction category-Some great ones I read

Clara and Mr. Tiffany
The Personal Librarian

Joanne wrote: "I think that some our looking at Women's History as strictly non-fiction-there are a gazillion women's history reads in Historical Fiction category-Some great ones I read

Clara and Mr. Tiffa..."</i>

As JoAnne says, there plenty of fiction womens history reads, especially in historical fiction and historical mystory - [author:Miriam Grace Monfredo Seneca Falls series for example.

NancyJ wrote: "For those of us who are having difficulty deciding, I would love to see a few recommendations or want-to-read ideas for each tag. ...


African American
Recommendations
The Color Purple
The Underground Railroad
Kindred
An American Marriage
Homegoing
The Vanishing Half
Becoming
The Nickel Boys

Want to Read
Invisible Man
Native Son
The Warmth of Other Suns: the Epic Story of America's Great Migration
Transcendent Kingdom

Time Travel Books
Recommendations
The Time Traveler's Wife
11/22/63
Doomsday Book
Kindred
Timeline
A Murder in Time


Want to Read
To Say Nothing of the Dog
Blackout
The Shining Girls
Just One Damned Thing After Another
Oona Out of Order

Women's History
Recommendations
Hidden Figures-works for African Americans, too
Becoming
First Women: The Grace and Power of America's Modern First Ladies
The Awakening
Half the Sky: Turning Oppression Into Opportunity for Women Worldwide
The Nine: The True Story of a Band of Women Who Survived the Worst of Nazi Germany
Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia
The Pull of the Stars
Hild
Upstairs at the White House: My Life with the First Ladies
Remarkable Creatures
Lilac Girls
The Giver of Stars
Sacajawea
American Princess: A Novel of First Daughter Alice Roosevelt
The Red Tent
Burial Rites
The Color Purple



Want to Read
Founding Mothers
A Woman of No Importance: The Untold Story of the American Spy Who Helped Win World War II
A Train in Winter: An Extraordinary Story of Women, Friendship, and Resistance in Occupied France
Madame Fourcade's Secret War: The Daring Young Woman Who Led France's Largest Spy Network Against Hitler
A Woman Is No Man
The Only Woman in the Room
The Diamond Eye
Sisters in Arms

Joanne wrote: "I think that some our looking at Women's History as strictly non-fiction-there are a gazillion women's history reads in Historical Fiction category-Some great ones I read ...Clara and Mr Tiffany"

Clara and Mr Tiffany sounds good, especially because the author based the story on actual letters and facts. (Unlike some biographical fiction novels about the wives, daughters or girlfriends of famous men, which are described as pure fiction.) I really enjoyed The Aviator's Wife about Anne Morrow Lindburgh. It was a great character study about an interesting woman.

I have suggestions for all of these but will wait till we see what is picked. Some even overlap, African-American women's history, or African-American time travel (Kindred), etc.

Booknblues wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "For those of us who are having difficulty deciding, I would love to see a few recommendations or want-to-read ideas for each tag. ...

"

Great lists! Founding mothers and Ladies of Liberty by Cokie Roberts are very well researched. There are also two books "about" her - one is about the founders of NPR and the other is a memoir by her husband. I've always admired her.

I've already voted! Can I ask something? Where did you get those tags? I mean, Is the moderators decide those tags? I'm just curious anyway.

This is why I love PBT because I wouldn’t naturally gravitate to books in these tags and playing along has helped me expand my reading world (and worldview) exponentially.

Patricia wrote: "I've already voted! Can I ask something? Where did you get those tags? I mean, Is the moderators decide those tags? I'm just curious anyway."

Anita can answer more precisely, but from Goodreads top 300 shelves a randomizer chooses two and then a random member of the group chooses one. We only know who was chosen after members vote and if the member chooses to tell which one was theirs.

Joanne wrote: "I think that some our looking at Women's History as strictly non-fiction-there are a gazillion women's history reads in Historical Fiction category-Some great ones I read..."

My mind had initially gone to fiction, BUT that's probably because I read so much historical fiction, and the ones I tend to enjoy most (in general) are the ones that focus on historical women.

It was only after that I thought - for me, I'd probably narrow this to nonfiction. But, there is certainly plenty of fiction that would work really well.

Booknblues did a nice job answering your question.

One point to add is that the member who is chosen to nominate a tag is selected only from members who read for the tag the month prior. In addition, if you read multiple books for the tag, you have multiple chances to "win" the opportunity. Same goes for the raffle.

The other two tags are selected from the top 300 tags here at Goodreads though we do eliminate some tags that don't work well for our purposes.

Booknblues did a nice job answering your question.

One point to add is that the member who is chosen to nominate a tag is selected only from members who read for the tag the month prior. In addition, if you read multiple books for the tag, you have multiple chances to "win" the opportunity. Same goes for the raffle.

The other two tags are selected from the top 300 tags here at Goodreads though we do eliminate some tags that don't work well for our purposes.

LibraryCin wrote: "Joanne wrote: "I think that some our looking at Women's History as strictly non-fiction-there are a gazillion women's history reads in Historical Fiction category-Some great ones I read..."

My min..."

I probably would too. Some of the non-fiction stories about what women accomplished during WWII (spies, code-breakers, leaders of important departments, etc.) were more interesting than the fiction books. I'm reading a good one now - Wild Swans. Though none of them are jumping out at me as particularly special.

I just decided this minute that I need a vacation. I'm voting for time travel.

I've read a lot of challenging books this year (Non-fiction, science, history, communism, climate change, extinctions, the end of the world, literary authors, academic topics, classics, and "hard science"-fiction). I read a lot more than I planned to, and I've already completed most of my annual reading goals and challenges. My home life is hard, and while I can't leave home, I can relax and read fun books out on the deck with a drink in my hand.

Normally women in history is one of my favorite topics. I'm already reading a long non-fiction history book about women in communist China, and I have one more meaty memoir/essay book to read this month. Then I'm taking a break with time travel, something funny, romantic, maybe a tearjerker. Whatever I feel like reading at the moment (which just might be a book about female spies in history) lol.

Booknblues wrote: "Patricia wrote: "I've already voted! Can I ask something? Where did you get those tags? I mean, Is the moderators decide those tags? I'm just curious anyway."

Anita can answer more precisely, but ..."

Thanks, Booknblues:)

Anita wrote: "Booknblues did a nice job answering your question.

One point to add is that the member who is chosen to nominate a tag is selected only from members who read for the tag the month prior. In addition..."

OK, I get it now. Thanks Anita:D

Joanne wrote: "I think that some our looking at Women's History as strictly non-fiction-there are a gazillion women's history reads in Historical Fiction category-Some great ones I read

Clara and Mr. Tiffany..."

So glad you mentioned this book, Joanne. I loved it and was fascinated by this history of the Tiffany studios and the key role these women played (and whose efforts were only recently acknowledged). Vreeland has written several other hx fic works that focus on important women artists. I particularly liked The Passion of Artemisia and The Forest Lover

But, of course ... we don't know which tag will be chosen, yet.

If its time travel, I highly recommend the Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain. I really loved that one a few months ago. Also, What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. Both were excellent.

Amy wrote: "If its time travel, I highly recommend the Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain. I really loved that one a few months ago. Also, What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. Both were excellent."
I remember reading the Dream Daughter with you. I enjoyed it much more than expected. I had forgotten it was time travel.

I forgot that we read it together as well! We both really liked it! I look forward to our next read.

Seems to me that almost everything I've read over the past year or so fits in either the African-American or Women's History genre. I'm guessing I may go to Time Travel but I have yet to look at the lists. I guess I was hoping for something different this time around, that may have to be Time Travel.

I have something for whatever genre comes up, so I'm OK any way it goes. I have voted.

NancyJ wrote: "I just decided this minute that I need a vacation. I'm voting for time travel. .."

LOL! Ultimately, this is the one I'm hoping for.

Amy wrote: "If its time travel, I highly recommend the Dream Daughter by Diane Chamberlain. I really loved that one a few months ago. Also, What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon. Both were excellent."

Oh! I agree with What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon for Tie Travel!! Such a GREAT book!

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women and Hidden Figures have both been sitting on my IRL book shelf FOREVER.

KateNZ wrote: "Oh Anita, you’re killing me! I have nothing anywhere near top of mind for any of these. They’re all categories I have books for, but not right now!!! Passing on voting this time around, I think, lol …"

Yup nothing remotely appeals to me right now either. Neither have the last 2 months. This year will be a fail on PBT.

Voted! Tough choice for next month. But I'll be okay with any of them being selected.

Jen wrote: "KateNZ wrote: "Oh Anita, you’re killing me! I have nothing anywhere near top of mind for any of these. They’re all categories I have books for, but not right now!!! Passing on voting this time arou..."

Kate and Jen,
I'm sorry to hear that. I think this group is ideal for those who want to try a new genres or topics every month. But that doesn't describe all of us, or at least not all the time. When I'm stressed or depressed, it's hard to find the right book. It helps me to reread an old favorite or a familiar genre, or just take a break (like this week). Then I'm ready for something new and different.

I think these three tags are more flexible than most because they can be found in many different genres. I hope you check back in a few days to see what other people recommend. You might see something perfect.

KateNZ wrote: "Oh Anita, you’re killing me! I have nothing anywhere near top of mind for any of these. They’re all categories I have books for, but not right now!!! Passing on voting this time around, I think, lol …"

LOL, I am so sorry, Kate. Can you blame the randomizer please? I swear I am using it to make two of the three selections!!

I feel people will have some good recommendations once the tag is finalized.

Jen wrote: ".This year will be a fail on PBT.."

There is no such thing, lol.

We are here for you when the mood strikes. When the mood does not strike, we patiently await your return to us. Our arms are wide open.

There is no fail when it comes to reading. And if you don't read the tag, we still value our members regardless!

I'm in the mood for time travel right now, but by next month I'll be happy with any of them. When I finish the L O N G women in history book I'm reading now, I'm going to read something summery, like Book Lovers.

Jen wrote: "Yup nothing remotely appeals to me right now either. Neither have the last 2 months"

Don't worry, you are not alone. I haven't even voted the last couple of months.
I tried to get into a couple of memoirs for this month that looked interesting and they just didn't hold my attention.

Hmmm .... voting supposedly ended four hours ago ....

Book Concierge wrote: "Hmmm .... voting supposedly ended four hours ago ...."

Lol, sorry, I have a lot going on with moving and working. It will be announced shortly.

Anita wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Hmmm .... voting supposedly ended four hours ago ...."

Lol, sorry, I have a lot going on with moving and working. It will be announced shortly."

Anita - are you moving again?

Theresa wrote: "Anita wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Hmmm .... voting supposedly ended four hours ago ...."

Lol, sorry, I have a lot going on with moving and working. It will be announced shortly."

Anita - are y..."

OMG, I forgot I haven't told you all yet, lol. YES!!! I am moving back to Baltimore. Could not be happier about it since both my sons are now living there (the youngest one moved from Manhattan for just the summer, but then decided to remain). I liked Utah, but my husband's job was Not. Good. He got a new one in Baltimore, working for the same company as my oldest son!

Anita wrote: "Theresa wrote: "Anita wrote: "Book Concierge wrote: "Hmmm .... voting supposedly ended four hours ago ...."

Lol, sorry, I have a lot going on with moving and working. It will be announced shortly...."

I am SO HAPPY for all of you!

Just think, you will be back at sea level jogging your favorite routes!

I am on my phone on the way to the library. Geez no wonder everyone complains about this app. It's hard to do find simple things.

... such as editing my own comment.

Congratulations Anita!