Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's now time to get ready to vote for our next set of prompts! The thread will be open for at least 24 hours before the poll gets posted. This is a good opportunity to ask any question you may have regarding the prompts, do some research, or ask for recommendations.

Voting will open in the morning of Monday, August 7 and results will be posted in the morning of Friday, August 11 (CST time).

How it works:
- When the voting opens, follow the link to the mini-poll that will be added at the end of this post
- You have a total of 8 votes this poll to spread across your favorite and least favorite prompts (you can also use less than 8 votes)
- You can find examples of acceptable voting practices on the Introduction thread.
- The prompts with the more favorable votes (comparing top votes to bottom votes, and looking at the overall number of votes it received) will be added to the final list

We are asking people to include their Goodreads profile address when they vote. To find this, just go to your own profile and then copy the URL/web address. If for some reason you can't link to your Goodreads profile, please post your full Goodreads name with enough identifiable information that we'll be able to access your profile.

Possible Prompts:
1. A book related to Going for the Gold
2. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list
3. A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived"
4. A book with a main character who is in "domestic service" - butler, maid, cook, chauffer, etc.
5. An Audie award winner (in any format)
6. A book where something on the cover is tilted or upside down
7. A book related to a bridge
8. A book found on the TBR of a Goodreads "Friend”
9. A book told from multiple character POVs
10. A book with a musical instrument on the cover or in the title
11. A book with a relative in the title
12. A book with a body part in the title
13. A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
14. A book involving a type of intelligence
15. A book related to fire

Feel free to discuss the prompts below, but please remember to be respectful to the other group members.

VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/jzQ4zPmLzL4g6acj8

IDEAS AND THOUGHTS FROM THE SUGGESTIONS THREAD

1. A book related to Going for the Gold
Gold = color on the cover
word in the title, author's or characters name
gold medal/award (a character striving to be the best, related to the Olympics, a character seeking the top prize in any competition or race, or an achievement such as a gold record or golden globe award)
money or jewelry (big business, a bank robber or jewel heist, a ""gold digger"", treasure seekers, someone trying to steal a leprechaun's pot of gold or a dragon's treasure)
metal seekers (an alchemist, a prospector/set during the gold rush)

2. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

3. A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived"
It could be a book about:
- divorced a character that is divorced or separated, books with blended families
What Alice Forgot, The Girl on the Train, House of Earth and Blood
- beheaded a murder mystery or domestic thriller
- died could also be murder mystery or domestic thriller, but could also be where someone dies early on in the book or a memoir of someone currently dead
(these are NOT spoilers My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry, Harry Potter's parents, The Autobiography of Malcolm X)
- survived survival stories, dystopian books, surviving a tragedy of some sort, “final girl” trope
The Hunger Games, Life of Pi, The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics, The Final Girl Support Group
- Henry VIII and/or his wives

5. An Audie award winner (in any format)
Awards recognizing distinction in audiobooks and spoken word entertainment sponsored by the Audio Publishers Association (APA). This prompt could be inclusive of many audiobook readers, but still open to all to read in any book format that they prefer.
https://www.goodreads.com/award/show/...

6. A book where something on the cover is tilted or upside down


7. A book related to a bridge
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...
Bridge on the cover or in the title
Metaphorical bridges, eg. bridging the divide, breaking bridges, we'll cross that bridge when we get to it.
Character is a captain of a ship (sea or space)
Set somewhere with a famous bridge, eg. San Francisco, Istanbul, Ironbridge, etc.
Character plays the card game ""bridge""
Author or character called Bridget (often affectionately shortened to Bridge)
Key scene happens on a bridge
A stringed instrument on the cover

11. A book with a relative in the title
eg. My Cousin Rachel; My Sister, the Serial Killer

12. A book with a body part in the title
(heart, bones, teeth, skin, blood, etc)

13. A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest
Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovis...

Austria
Azerbaijan
Cyprus
Denmark
Estonia
Finland
France
Germany
Iceland
Ireland
Israel
Italy
Lithuania
Luxembourg
Malta
Moldova
Netherlands
Norway
Serbia
Spain
Sweden
Switzerland
Ukraine

14. A book involving a type of intelligence
It could be artificial intelligence (AI), espionage, or the brain. Human cognition, types of intelligence, animal intelligence, octopuses, etc

I want to downvote goodreads friend and upvote unsuccessful suggestion,intelligence and six wives. Otherwise unsure

Ahhh I wish the Audie award one included nominees. I haven't checked every category for every year but the ones I've looked at, the winners fall into read already or not interested.

The wording of the relative prompt means you could also use relative words, eg. whose, who, which, that, whom, as well as familial relatives.

I like these ideas. I have time to help with links.

Pearl wrote: "I like these ideas. I have time to help with links."

I could use some help with the intelligence prompt Pearl. I was off by an hour too and I'm blanking on the book examples. One involved a boy/man who was given an experimental treatment that went a little too far

INTELLIGENCE could be interpreted as artificial intelligence, cognitive ability, government intelligence (espionage), or different kinds of human or animal intelligence. You could approach this prompt from a Sci-fi, science, or espionage angle.

INTELLIGENCE: (includes different definitions of intelligence)
Intelligence: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/inte...
Flowers for Algernon
Thinking, Fast and Slow
The Spy and the Traitor: The Greatest Espionage Story of the Cold War
Superintelligence: Paths, Dangers, Strategies
A Thousand Brains: A New Theory of Intelligence
Neuromancer
Prey
A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas

ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE:
Life 3.0: Being Human in the Age of Artificial Intelligence (nonfiction)
Fiction:
All Systems Red by Martha Wells and her entire Murderbot series.
Klara and the Sun by Kazuo Ishiguro
Summer Frost by Blake Crouch- I think most of his other bookswould fit this prompt in some way too.
The Spaceship in the Stone
A Closed and Common Orbit by Becky Chambers. I think all her books would count but this was my favorite.
More -AI Genre page with new books and links: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/arti...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

BRAIN:
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/brain
Unthinkable: What the World's Most Extraordinary Brains Can Teach Us About Our Own
Limitless: Upgrade Your Brain, Learn Anything Faster, and Unlock Your Exceptional Life
Remember: The Science of Memory and the Art of Forgetting by Lisa Genova
Still Alice and other fiction by Lisa Genova
Flowers for Algernon

Related topics that might be helpful
Animal Intelligence
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Espionage (e.g. government intelligence agencies): https://www.goodreads.com/genres/espi...
Science-fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/genres/scie...
Technology: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

:s I think I will have all downvotes this time. These ones are just not inspiring me.

NancyJ wrote: "Pearl wrote: "I like these ideas. I have time to help with links."
I could use some help with the intelligence prompt Pearl. I was off by an hour too and I'm blanking on the book examples. One inv..."

Was it one of these?
Upgrade - haven't read it yet
Flowers for Algernon - classic, I loved it.

Klara and the Sun - I loved it
Multiple Intelligences: New Horizons in Theory and Practice or Frames Of Mind: The Theory Of Multiple Intelligences by Howard Gardner - I read about him in school
Emotional Intelligence: Why It Can Matter More Than IQ
Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain
The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains
Proust and the Squid: The Story and Science of the Reading Brain
Remarkably Bright Creatures

This is the best link I could find.
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/brain

I love this round! 8 upvotes for me:

1. A book related to Going for the Gold - I have so many books on my TBR with gold on the cover. I'm a sucker for shiny covers.


4. A book with a main character who is in "domestic service" - I feel like there have been a lot of 'maid' books the past year. I read The Maid by Nita Prose last year and would recommend. The Wizard's Butler by Nathan Lowell is a cozy urban fantasy that I'd also recommend, it's about someone who starts working as a butler for an eccentric millionaire who turns out to be able to do magic. Lots of focus on how the house is run, slow-paced slice of life stuff.

6. A book where something on the cover is tilted or upside down - so many options! There was an upside down prompt for the Popsugar challenge in 2020, this is the listopia for it

11. A book with a relative in the title - Hmm, not many on my TBR, but I like a challenge. Ones I want to read: Mother Night by Kurt Vonnegut, Black Water Sister by Zen Cho

12. A book with a body part in the title - This is so much fun. I’ll be on the lookout for body parts the rest of the year, lol.

13. A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest - I suggested this one. The list of countries in the comment are the ones who have officially confirmed they are competing, but I’m sure the UK will also be added.

14. A book involving a type of intelligence - I’m definitely reading sci-fi for this. Lots of great AI options, but I would also count alien intelligence for this I think. Popsugar had a cyborg/robot/AI prompt in the 2020 reading challenge, so there are some options on that listopia as well.

15. A book related to fire - Lots of covers with flames on them. Also a good excuse to read a fantasy novel with a phoenix in it.

I don't always trust listopias, so I found the page with links to all the past Audie winners. I love how it's not all new stuff!

https://www.audiopub.org/audie-awards...

(I listened to The Final Revival of Opal & Nev last year and LOVED it. Some people who read it said it was boring, but I completely fell into the audiobook.)

NancyJ wrote: "Intelligence prompt links to come."

Flowers for Algernon

Isabel wrote: "I love this round! 8 upvotes for me:

15. A book related to fire - Lots of covers with flames on them. ..."

Tales from the Drag Strip: Memorable Stories from the Greatest Drag Racer of All Time

Animal Intelligence

://lithub.com/smarter-than-we-think-a-re...

For #1 "Going for the Gold"
An excellent book about an intersex child that I read 10 years ago and still think of very often:
Golden Boy by Abigail Tarttelin

"Intersex" isn't something that is often discussed or even recognized, but my husband had such a person in his past. Life was hell for that person. They were so very isolated since everyone seemed to purposefully avoid them, or harass them. He purposefully did the opposite!

Pearl wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pearl wrote: "I like these ideas. I have time to help with links."
I could use some help with the intelligence prompt Pearl. I was off by an hour too and I'm blanking on the book exa..."

Thanks Pearl! Flowers for Algernon was the one that made me cry like a baby. I think anything by Blake Crouch would work for this prompt too. I want to read his new one.

I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Soul of an Octopus. My book club read them together and they really worked well together.

Jennifer W wrote: "I don't always trust listopias, so I found the page with links to all the past Audie winners. I love how it's not all new stuff!

https://www.audiopub.org/audie-awards...

(I listened to [book..."

This is a great one for me! I wish I saw this a week ago. l would have got the new version of Good Omens rather than the old one (which I almost DNFd because I didn't like the narration). Some of my favorites were [book:Project Hail Mary|54493401], Remarkably Bright Creatures, Euphoria, The Deep, With the Fire on High, The Nightingale, Eleanor Oliphant, Evelyn Hugo, Small Great Things, The Dispatcher (short).

Audios (with a great narrator) are especially good for non-fiction or classics that you might not otherwise read. Born a Crime, Educated, Henrietta Lacks, Belonging, etc.

I saw a few I might pick up for my upcoming long car trip. I want something exciting, plus a little David Sedaris.

I saw that A More Beautiful Question won a few years back. I heard the author speak once, and I think it would fit the Intelligence prompt too.

I'm a big Eurovision fan so definitely upvoting the Eurovision prompt!!

Pearl wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Pearl wrote: "I like these ideas. I have time to help with links."
I could use some help with the intelligence prompt Pearl. I was off by an hour too and I'm blanking on the book exa..."

Thanks Pearl! Flowers for Algernon was the one that made me cry like a baby. I think anything by Blake Crouch would work for this prompt too. I want to read his new one.
That's the book I thought of immediately! I love that book...

I loved Remarkably Bright Creatures and The Soul of an Octopus. My book club read them together and they really worked well together.
I read RBC and then Sea Change by Gina Chung which was also an excellent read, IMO! I plan to get to The Soul of an Octopus yet this year!

Another intelligence book is about both octopuses *and* AI: The Mountain in the Sea.

Down voting 11 and up voting 3 and 5. Everything else is up in the air but I'm really liking this set of prompts!

Ellie wrote: "Another intelligence book is about both octopuses *and* AI: The Mountain in the Sea."

*and* it's on sale right now at audible, just in time for my trip! Thanks Ellie!

1. A book related to Going for the Gold - Yes. I recommend Boys in the Boat. I *had* to read it for a bookclub, and I loved it. Who knew?
2. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list - ALWAYS
3. A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived" - I'll avoid beheadings, but I have a lot of survival books on my tbr because of a challenge this year. Died is easy too.
4. A book with a main character who is in "domestic service" - butler, maid, cook, chauffer, etc. - The Remains of the Day is excellent. I'll look at the examples.
5. An Audie award winner (in any format) - Yes, I already found several new books to add to my tbr.
6. A book where something on the cover is tilted or upside down - would the non-horizontal books work? I have a decent list.
7. A book related to a bridge - YES. I love the symbolic interpretation, but I also have a lot of books with bridges.
8. A book found on the TBR of a Goodreads "Friend” - This is super easy for me. Friend's reviews pop up at the top of the list when you look at a book. I like the reminder to make a note when I add a book because of a friend.
9. A book told from multiple character POVs - I always love these. I'll use the Audie list to find ones that are narrated well.
10. A book with a musical instrument on the cover or in the title - I recommend The Violin Conspiracy. I'll need examples.
11. A book with a relative in the title - I have quite a few with sisters, daughters, wives - oddly not as many with men.
12. A book with a body part in the title - Thank you for making this a title prompt (not a cover prompt).
13. A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest - I don't know anything about Eurovision, but I LOVE the list of countries.
14. A book involving a type of intelligence - YES, I'll read 1 for each type.
15. A book related to fire - Very timely. I'll need to look at the examples, but I think I have a climate fiction book that would work.

Ellie wrote: "Another intelligence book is about both octopuses *and* AI: The Mountain in the Sea."
Ooohh...I'll add that!

Robin wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Intelligence prompt links to come."

Flowers for Algernon"

Yes that's it. I kept thinking Charley was in the title. Thanks!

Pearl wrote: "Animal Intelligence

://lithub.com/smarter-than-we-think-a-re..."

Yes, and also Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are? has been sitting by my "reading" chair for way too long!

NancyJ - I don’t know how to post GR listopias or web links but here are a few books with musical instruments on the cover or in the title: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Eagan, The Lost Pianos of Siberia (nonfiction-historical travel writing) by Sophy Roberts, The Blue Guitar by John Banville, Accordion Crimes by E. Annie Proulx, The Tin Drum by Günter Grass. Voice can be considered an instrument. There are also lots of books with either bell or whistle in the title (see GR listopia for bells and whistles).

Pam wrote: "NancyJ - I don’t know how to post GR listopias or web links but here are a few books with musical instruments on the cover or in the title: A Visit from the Goon Squad by Jennifer Eagan, The Lost P..."

Thanks Pam. There is probably already a listopia for it. I know I've seen them.
-----

I found these, but some are titles or subject, not cover

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

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

My biggest problem with the multiple POV prompt (and I have this with many prompts) if I don’t have something already in my TBR that I know fits the category I can’t just walk into the library or bookstore and easily find one on the shelf. You have to know the story or have someone else tell you about it. (Or rely on the listopias, which is fine to a point but often nothing jumps out at me)

My first thought is yes votes for 10, 11, and 14.
• Musical instruments- I love anything to do with music and I have 3 books on my shelves that I want to read. I think it’s a fun one to research and I would like to do a mini-challenge finding different instruments.
• Relative in title - I’m thinking of classics like Wives and Daughters, Fathers and Sons, Sister Carrie, Aunt Julia and the Scriptwriter by Mario Vargas Llosa, Uncle Vanya by Anton Chekhov, and the Father Brown Mysteries. Would the word “child” count? I would think so.
• Intelligence- I love books on the brain and learning plus sci-fi and possibly non-fiction on AI.

Anthony wrote: "My biggest problem with the multiple POV prompt (and I have this with many prompts) if I don’t have something already in my TBR that I know fits the category I can’t just walk into the library or b..."

I'm playing librarian today. Here you go.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

Here is a list of body parts

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

I really like the options this week. Looks like I’ll be doing 8 upvotes.

Jill wrote: "Here is a list of body parts

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1..."

Thanks Jill. 23 pages to choose from.

Thanks Jill for the list! That will probably be a yes vote for me now. I have some good choices!

Oh no! Last poll was all upvotes and this one is looking like 8 STRONG down votes for me. 😣

Pam wrote: "Thanks Jill for the list! That will probably be a yes vote for me now. I have some good choices!"

Hearts, Eyes, and Hands clinched it. Blood and bones might clinch it for some fantasy fans.

When I first saw “body parts” I was doubtful, but thank you Jill. I found 10-20 books right away that I loved, and 10-20 more that I really want to read- many of which I already own. I already had 40 before I remembered I’m also looking for book on brains.

Check the listopia before you rule this one out.

°~Amy~° wrote: "Oh no! Last poll was all upvotes and this one is looking like 8 STRONG down votes for me. 😣"

Sorry to hear that Amy. I’m getting sold on many that I initially didn’t like. I like lists apparently. Maybe a few will appeal to you in the morning.

NancyJ wrote: "°~Amy~° wrote: "Oh no! Last poll was all upvotes and this one is looking like 8 STRONG down votes for me. 😣"

Sorry to hear that Amy. I’m getting sold on many that I initially didn’t like. I like l..."

I hope so too Nancy!

First day of school tomorrow so I'm posting the link tonight: https://forms.gle/jzQ4zPmLzL4g6acj8

Feel free to wait until tomorrow to vote though!

Pearl wrote: "Anthony wrote: "My biggest problem with the multiple POV prompt (and I have this with many prompts) if I don’t have something already in my TBR that I know fits the category I can’t just walk into ..."

I like this multiple POV list too.
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

First impressions:

1. A book related to Going for the Gold - Love it! I like that there's a few different ways to interpret it, but not so many that it feels like a freebie. Definite upvote

2. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list - Most likely a downvote for me. I already do a rejects challenge of all the prompts I voted for that didn't make it, so this is unnecessary for me.

3. A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived" - Love this too. I'd probably end up treating it as a multiweek (hence my problem with multiweeks in general, lol! I'm rarely interested in the ones we get, but there's inevitably something that comes up later that I'd treat as multiweek)

4. A book with a main character who is in "domestic service" - butler, maid, cook, chauffer, etc. - Definite upvote. Especially because The Mystery Guest is coming out later this year.

5. An Audie award winner (in any format) - Most likely a downvote for me. I personally would listen to the audiobook version of whatever book I choose if this gets in, since otherwise the prompt seems a bit disconnected to me, but I'm not particularly interested.

6. A book where something on the cover is tilted or upside down - A very strong maybe.

7. A book related to a bridge - Most likely a downvote. I looked at the listopia and only saw a handful of books that are on my TBR, and none of which particularly strongly interest me.

8. A book found on the TBR of a Goodreads "Friend” - Definitely not an upvote, but not sure if I'd downvote or leave it neutral. It's a bit of a freebie for me since I have quite a few people on my friends list and many of them have lengthy TBRs

9. A book told from multiple character POVs - This is another "prompt fatigue" one for me. Not a downvote, but not an upvote either.

10. A book with a musical instrument on the cover or in the title - Not that strongly interested, but I wouldn't downvote it either.

11. A book with a relative in the title - Most likely an upvote. I read a lot of thrillers, and many of them have words like husband, wife, sister, etc. in the titles.

12. A book with a body part in the title - A strong maybe. I feel like this one has been done before a lot too (although so has relative), so not sure how strongly I want it. I'd have to look at how many options I have

13. A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest - Geography-based prompt, so not particularly interested. I probably wouldn't downvote it, but might if I have an extra vote remaining

14. A book involving a type of intelligence - Interesting, but not really sure how I'd tackle it. I'd have to look into some options.

15. A book related to fire - Definitely not a downvote, but don't want it strongly enough to upvote either

Rachel wrote: "First impressions:

4. A book with a main character who is in "domestic service" - butler, maid, cook, chauffer, etc. - Definite upvote. Especially because The Mystery Guest is coming out later this year."

I got an ARC of The Mystery Guest so really looking forward to it!! Will need to read it this year though, so no good for the prompt.

Emily wrote: "First day of school tomorrow!"

Emily, if you don't mind me asking, where do you live that school starts tomorrow??
Here in NY we have 4 more weeks from this coming Wednesday!!

Anthony wrote: "My biggest problem with the multiple POV prompt (and I have this with many prompts) if I don’t have something already in my TBR that I know fits the category I can’t just walk into the library or b..."



That’s exactly my problem with this one. I like multiple POV books, but it’s hard to know a book is multiple POV. I prefer categories that I can know by looking at the book title /cover/author/ genre/ brief synopsis. The brief synopsis doesn’t always mention multiple POVs. I don’t like having to take that extra step to consult a list to find out if a book qualifies. (This is the same reason I don’t like list prompts or awards prompts.)

An Instance of the Fingerpost is told from multiple points of view. I really enjoyed it and strongly recommend it.

I don't know what I'll end up voting for as this list has the most prompts I like so far, so hopefully at least one will end up top this time.

I like so many of these, I'm struggling to narrow it down!

A bit more of a mixed week this week (for me), but still several prompts that I’m very excited about!

Upvotes:

2. A book that fits a suggestion that didn’t make the final list - I’ll always vote for this one. And there are already so many options I could use for it!

3. A book related to the British rhyme about Henry VIII's six wives: "Divorced, beheaded, died; divorced, beheaded, survived" - I love the fun creativity of this prompt, and also the versatility! You could read a historical non-fiction, a survival horror, a family drama… A lot of options!

13. A book set in one of the countries competing in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest - A fun set of countries, where you can adjust difficulty depending on mood. I again like the flexibility with this one.

15. A book related to fire - I’m aware this’ll sound bad, but I do like fire. XD

Downvotes:

5. An Audie award winner (in any format)
6. A book where something on the cover is tilted or upside down
8. A book found on the TBR of a Goodreads "Friend”
10. A book with a musical instrument on the cover or in the title

I would say don't judge bridges solely on that listopia. I think it's an older list and I'm sure this group would compile a much more appealing one. Obviously if you just don't like it, that's fine but it's got a lot more wiggle room than just one list.

Here are some bridges on covers:


Bridge in the title:
Bridge by Lauren Beukes
Bridge 108 by Anne Charnock
Bridge of Souls by V.E. Schwab
The Painted Bridge by Wendy Wallace
The Boy on the Bridge by M.R. Carey

Some books about ship captains:
Chilling Effect by Valerie Valdez
The Adventures of Amina al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty

Much of Juno Dawson's HMRC series is set in Hebdon Bridge.

And any books where two people from opposing sides of something solve their differences/compromise/get together would work for bridging the divide.