Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Marie (UK) wrote: "I read The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland

This is a welcome reminder of the good in people that triumphs over adversity. What a wonderful world it features ..."

I loved this book, too, Marie.

I read Messy Roots: A Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American for this. The cover shows Wuhan, China and San Francisco, CA one in the day (I see skies of blue
And clouds of white) and one at night (The dark sacred night). I had picked this for another prompt but kept thinking it about it for this prompt so went with it.

4. A book related to the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
The World That We Knew - Alice Hoffman - ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ - 01/24/2024
I remember hearing about this book in the suggested books in my library's search engine. I will definitely be utilizing it again to find more recommendations. This book was really immersive. I was captivated from start to finish. I felt connected to the characters and their journeys. It took me longer than expected to finish it, but that was because it was a lot to take in, not that I didn't enjoy it. I was happy with most of the endings that the main characters got. But I really fell in love with the way magical realism was utilized in this book in golem and the heron. The imagery was just beautiful and I really enjoyed the prose. I will definitely check out another book by the same author because as far as I'm concerned, this is a perfect book. I definitely recommend it to other readers.
Read my full review here

♞ Pat wrote: "BOOK 2
The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman The World That We Knew by Alice Hoffman
Read ~ 1.14.24
Pages ~ 372
Rationale ~ "...what a wonderful world..."

Review ~ ★★★★★
I haven't got the words to unpack all the emotions I am feeling having finished this book. It was brilliant. It brought me to tears. More than once.

I'm so happy that we both read the same book for this prompt. I wanted to send you a message to see if you'd like to discuss the book since it's fresh in both of our minds, but you aren't taking messages on your profile. I'd love to hear your thoughts because it was absolutely beautiful to me.

A Half-Built Garden
4⭐

I love the song "What a Wonderful World". I watched a show in which Louis Armstrong sung it live on TV when I was young. It was very moving.

The meaning of the lyrics to me are that the natural world is a beautiful place that promotes love and friendship to all.

The main character of the above book has a deep connection to the earth. She is one of the stewards of the Chesapeake watershed. It is an important part of her moral compass to care for the earth, her family and people at large.

I'm going to read Her Little Flowers or Prom Nights from Hell for (Red roses too).

What are you reading and how did you connect it to the song?
I read Two Twisted Crowns by Rachel Gillig. It's the second book in The Shepherd King. The first book is One Dark Window. I related it to the song because trees play a very important part in the story. Either of the books in the series can fit this prompt because of the trees. I really enjoyed this duology!

A book related to something mentioned in the lyrics of What a Wonderful World by Louis Armstrong
✔️Beautiful World, Where Are You - Sally Rooney ⭐️⭐️⭐️



The book was not as wonderful as I hoped, but it was ok!

I read a memoir of a birder for this prompt, Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper.

The cover shows a blue sky and the joy the author derives from birding fits the wonderful world theme well. I enjoyed this book very much!

Jackie wrote: "For this prompt, you can find your own connection to something in the lyrics of the classic song "What a Wonderful World". A little bit of background:

It eventually rose to prominence after being featured in the film "Good Morning, Vietnam"..."

That's what I think of now whenever I hear this song. It's so powerful in the movie. I want to read something related to the Vietnam War for this prompt because of that, but I haven't decided what yet.

Jennifer W wrote: " I want to read something related to the Vietnam War for this prompt because of that, but I haven't decided what yet."

I'd recommend When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: A Vietnamese Woman's Journey from War to Peace. It's really good. Though be warned, it is a memoir, so it gets very real about what went on.

I read The Covenant of Water. 5 stars. The cover has trees of green. It' a paradise. The story is about families, children growing up, & faith.

I read The Name of the Rose from the line about red roses.

I read The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. It's connected through the lyric, "babies cry, watch them grow," because it concerns a child who is found as a baby and is raised by ghosts.

I was planning to read Anne of Avonlea because Anne is such a positve character generally. I feel like her naming The Lake of Shining waters is her own way of saying she lives in a Wonferful World. Idk. It seems like another way to look at the prompt

@Jess, that is how I interpreted the prompt.
This is your challenge. There are no challenge police here.

J wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: " I want to read something related to the Vietnam War for this prompt because of that, but I haven't decided what yet."

I'd recommend [book:When Heaven and Earth Changed Places: ..."

Thanks for the rec, I'll keep it in mind!

I did Part of Your World !!

I read The Wine of Angels by Phil Rickman. There are apple trees on the cover
A crime story with incidents of supernatural

Just finished Ed Yong's An Immense World for this prompt and it made me see that we do indeed have a wonderful world.

@Jacqui I enjoyed that book as well.

Anastasia wrote: "@Jess, that is how I interpreted the prompt.
This is your challenge. There are no challenge police here."

Lol. Even if there were I would still go for it. I just wanted to share my perspective in case somebody didn't think of it that way and would like to! <3

I just finished and adored The Last Devil to Die by Richard Osman (it's the 4th and, for a while apparently, final in the Thursday Murder Club series.)

It has a fun mystery, of course, but also tackles the emotions evoked in the song. A paragraph about daffodils on the third-to-last page, rather than roses. The love of friendship shown in hugs and pats, akin to shaking hands. The aging seen in a retirement village to the song's growing babies. It was a lovely book.

For this prompt, I read:
The Light of the World by Elizabeth Alexander -4* - My Review

I enjoyed Roses, in the Mouth of a Lion by Bushra Rehman, a coming-of-age tale about a Muslim Pakistani girl living in Corona, Queens in the late 1980's. References to roses are found throughout this easy-to-read, yet highly compelling story, recalling the song line "Red roses too".

I read North Woods and Orwell's Roses for I see trees of green, red roses too .

The first book is set in a wood in Massachusetts, moving through time from the seventeenth century to today. Both the natural woodland and an orchard planted by an early settler feature. I loved the descriptions of the wood in the early chapters. I thought this would be a historical novel, but there is a strong supernatural element also, as the human lives spent in the forest remain and influence the future.

I thought the second book was excellent. Inspired by George Orwell's planting of roses in an Essex garden in the 1930s, it is a series of essays ranging from Orwell's life, literary and political views to the Spanish Civil War, climate change, the flower industry, eighteenth century aristocracy and their gardens through to the defence of truth and integrity.

For this prompt I read Beautiful World, Where Are You bySally Rooney.
It was my first book from Sally Rooney, an author everybody was talking about the last years. The story could not inspire me, I can not believe that people under 30 act like this and are questioning themselves all the time!

Hannah wrote: "For this prompt I read Beautiful World, Where Are You bySally Rooney.
It was my first book from Sally Rooney, an author everybody was talking about the last years...."

I felt the same about Normal People. I have Beautiful World also and will give it a try but I'm glad it's not just me!

I sing in a local community choir, and we got our new music last night. This is one of the songs we will be singing in our next concert!

It is fun when our book lives and real lives line up that way, Robin.

Anastasia wrote: "@Jess, that is how I interpreted the prompt.
This is your challenge. There are no challenge police here."

Hee hee - challenge police. :) :) :) It's a good thing because I think my interpretation might be a stretch for some!

I read A Touch of Darkness by Scarlett St. Clair for this prompt based on this line: “the dark blessed night." I mean dark and darkness are obvious, but it is also because of how the underworld is portrayed. I don't want to say much in case someone is wanting to read it, and I don't want to inadvertently give spoilers!

The book I chose for this prompt

short and sweet review: 5.0
The book was a complete shock from the movie. My issue was I was trying to keep up with the movie instead of embracing the book itself. I did enjoy the book. I plan to use this book as a re-read. This book was a shock.

I read Anne of Avonlea by L.M. Montgomery, mainly because the general theme of the book embodies seeing the world as beautiful, and making it a better place. At one point Anne, while raising money to help improve the community, responds to a cynical older woman who says "There isn't any bright side," thusly: "Oh, indeed there is! ... Why, there are ever so many bright sides ... It's really a beautiful world."

I really enjoyed Anne of Green Gables a few years ago and had been meaning to get around to this next book of the series. Unfortunately, this one felt more like a "filler" book that didn't hit the emotional register for me that the first one did. I'm not sure if I'll continue the series, but I'll definitely re-read the first book someday. My full review can be found here.

After having seen the movie last week, I read (The Glory of Life) by Michael Kumpfmüller. It's about the final stage and final love of Franz Kafka's live.

Verse: "...Saying I LOVE you"


✔ - 03Feb24
Into Love And Out Again – Elinor Lipman – 3.5***
This is a collection of short stories set in New York City. As the title implies, the focus is on love … falling in love, attraction, heartbreak, excitement, intimacy, falling out of love. This was Lipman’s debut work. I’ve become a fan of hers in the last few years and decided to go back and read some of her earlier works. She writes with wit and tenderness and eyes wide open to her characters’ flaws and gifts.
LINK to my full review

I am reading The Village Green Affair by Rebecca Shaw. I am connecting it to the colour Green. It also has 'trees of green' skies of blue' and 'clouds of white' on the cover.

I'm hesitant if I should count Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas. The woman on the cover is holding a rose and there's a rose bush behind her, but they are pink instead of red. What do you think?

Isabel wrote: "I'm hesitant if I should count Secrets of a Summer Night by Lisa Kleypas. The woman on the cover is holding a rose and there's a rose bush behind her, but they are pink instead of red. What do you ..."

I wouldn’t quibble over the color. Does anyone shake hands or say I love you? Summer night also relates to dark sacred night. I tend to focus on the overall meaning of the song. If the book expresses an appreciation for the wonders of nature or love, that works for me.

I'm considering using Fairy Tale for this prompt because he finds a new world but of course it's Stephen King and I'm sure it's not going to end up being a wonderful world.

Joan wrote: "I'm considering using Fairy Tale for this prompt because he finds a new world but of course it's Stephen King and I'm sure it's not going to end up being a wonderful world."

It's SOOOOOOOO good! :) You know, there are always some good things in SK's worlds. :) ;)

Misty wrote: "Joan wrote: "I'm considering using Fairy Tale for this prompt because he finds a new world but of course it's Stephen King and I'm sure it's not going to end up being a wonderful wo..."

I'm halfway through. It seems like this one is a hit or miss with King fans but I'm enjoying it.

I did decide to use Fairy Tale for this prompt. I think it fits. The ending of it convinced me to use for this prompt. I rated it 4 stars overall. That was probably rounded up from a 3.5. Some parts I thought could have been shorter. The main character as always with Stephen King was like your best friend while reading it. Character was really defined. A "fun" imaginative world.

I'll be using Really Saying Something: Sara & Keren – Our Bananarama Story.

It's referencing the lyric: "...really saying, 'I love you'..."

I had to get creative to fit in the book that I read.
What You Are Looking For Is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama
It's a collection of short stories which are interconnected. One of them is about a new mother (I hear babies crying) and another involves a retired man finding meaning in his life including connecting with his adult daughter and reminiscing about her childhood days while watching children play (I watch them grow). I really enjoyed this book and recommend it!

I changed my mind for this prompt and now thinking of reading:
The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Cerulean is a form of blue - deep blue in colour like a clear sky

Also blue sea and sky is pictured on cover, and sounds a heartwarming story.
Is this OK?

Odette wrote: "I changed my mind for this prompt and now thinking of reading:
The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Cerulean is a form of blue - deep blue in colour like a clear sky
[bookcover:The House..."

I absolutely loved this book!

Even if the blue sea reference didn't work for someone, there are green trees, friends, and love in the book, so I think it works just fine.

Tracy wrote: "Odette wrote: "I changed my mind for this prompt and now thinking of reading:
The House in the Cerulean Sea.
Cerulean is a form of blue - deep blue in colour like a clear sky
[book..."

Tracy thanks. Pleased to hear that you loved the book. I am looking forward to reading it.

I read The Dogs and the Wolves by Irène Némirovsky, a translated work based in the Ukraine and France during the 1930's. It's not a complicated story, except to try to explain it. The pogroms were in full force in the Ukraine and the story highlights the difference in treatment between the poor Jews (the "wolves"), who lived below and rich Jews (the "dogs"), who lived up on the hill, even within the same family tree. The connection is a little girl growing up to young woman first experiencing the beauty of trees on the rich properties in the Ukraine, receiving red roses from a lover in France, and having a baby when she once again had to flee France to another country. Believe it or not, although an ill-fated love story, it is also about hope.

For this prompt I read The Blue Between Sky and Water taking the Blue from the "Skies of blue" to be the connecting part to the prompt

For this prompt, I read Room by Emma Donoghue, with its cover depicting blue skies and white clouds. ,(I see skies of blue and clouds of white)



Although the lyrics from Louis Armstrong's song are positive and happy, I can't say the same for this book. Sad is definitely an understatement for this novel.

This is the type of story that readers need to come prepared for, both psychologically and emotionally. While it's a story about motherhood, love and courage, it also depicts images of innocence with undertones of violence, trauma, pain and suffering. A hard-hitting book that I wouldn't recommend to those who aren't psychologically or emotionally prepared for it.