Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

June

4/4 so far

1. Father's Day: 111 countries around the world celebrate Father's Day, with the most common date being the third Sunday in June, which was started by Sonora Smart Dodd in Spokane, Washington in 1910.

b. Biography or history nonfiction book

The Story Of The Isle Of Man, A.W. Moore - 10/07/23
A brief history of the Isle of Man. From the GR description: "From pagan god Manannán to the early Irish and Scottish saints and settlers, from Norse rule and the Tynwald court through to the Reformation and beyond, this volume provides a simple introduction to Manx heritage and history for readers of all ages.

2. Estival Solstice: For the Northern Hemisphere the summer solstice on June 21st is the day with the longest period of daylight and shortest night of the year

a. Book with a title that is 5 or more words
c. Book is set in the Northern Hemisphere

The Cats that Flooded the Manor, Karen Anne Golden – 09/06/23
Six-word title and set in Indiana, USA (Northern Hemisphere)

3. Hibernal Solstice: For the Southern Hemisphere the winter solstice on June 22nd is the day with the shortest period of daylight and longest night of the year.

a. Book that is at least 400 pages long

The Man Who Died Twice, Richard Osman - 08/06/23
The kindle version (here ) says 422pg and the top paperback (here) says 420pg

4. Pride Month: A month celebrating LGBT+ communities and their history which was started following the 1969 Stonewall Riots

a. Written by an author who identifies as LGBTQIA+
c. A coming of age novel

Chosen and the Beautiful, Nghi Vo - 28/07/23
From the author’s Wikipedia page: “She defines her sexuality as Queer”: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nghi_Vo
From the GR page: “Nghi Vo's debut novel reinvents this classic of the American canon as a coming-of-age story full of magic, mystery, and glittering excess…”


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July

4/4 completed

1.Let's Play: Whether it's your summer or winter, it's always a good time to have some fun

c. Published in a year ending with 3

J is for Judgement, Sue Grafton - 07/06/23
First published 13 April 1993

2. Travel Season: Armchair travelling is definitely the cheapest, but exploring in real life is nice too!

a. Set in multiple countries

A Study in Scarlet, Arthur Conan Doyle - 03/07/23
Mostly set in London, England, but there is a chunk in the middle which is set in Utah and the Western United States.

3. Halfway there!

a. Book with an even number of pages
b. The next book in a series

Into the Riverlands (Singing Hills Cycle #3), Nghi Vo - 02/06/23
Even pages: both the kindle (here) edition and the hardback (no paperback, here) are exactly 100pg long.
Plus next in series: I read the Singing Hills Cycle #2, When the Tiger Came Down the Mountain in September 2021 - https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...)

4. Turn Up the Radio: Invented in the 1890s and probably much more fun now

c. Author's initials can be found in GUGLIELMO MARCONI

Folk Lore of the Isle of Man, A.W. Moore - 16/06/23
First and last initials in MArconi

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August

4/4 completed

1. Book Lovers Day: It's on August 9th, celebrate accordingly.

b. Main character works in a book shop or library
c. First letter of the book's title appears in BIBLIOMANIA

On Borrowed Time, Jenn McKinlay - 22/06/23
The MC works at (the fictional) Briar Creek Library, in Connecticut, plus the first letter is in bibliOmania

2. Perseid Meteor Shower: An annual meteor shower peaking around Aug 11-12. According to the American Meteor Society this year will be a particularly good year for viewing.

a. Science fiction book

We, Yevgeny Zamyatin - 05/06/23
Science Fiction is the second tag on the main book page.

3. Make Waves: Fun fact: about 2.5 million Americans are employed in ocean-based tourism and recreation (as of 2018).

a. Author's initials can be found in SURFBOARD

Winter's Gifts, Ben Aaronovitch - 22/06/23
surfBoArd

4. Go Camping: Fun fact: The American National Park Service employs approximately 20,000 people (full time, part time and seasonal).

a. A book connected to birds, bees, or bunnies
c. A book primarily set outdoors

Every Day Nature: How noticing nature can quietly change your life, Andy Beer - 26/06/23
Birds on the cover, and about nature in general (so largely outside). Different species of birds and bees, plus the occasional bunny, all get a mention in the text.

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