Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's time for our next round of suggestions! It’s only my second time doing this, so please be patient with me.

Just a reminder that you can find a full list of prompts already on the 2026 list in the third post. Here: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...

How it works:
- The topics for the 2026 reading challenge list will be determined by a series of mini-polls, the number of which depends on the number of prompts winning in each mini-polls
- Suggestions for each poll will be opened until 15 suggestions are received and “seconded”.
- The voting thread will open the day after suggestions go live. You can find the schedule here.
- The poll will be posted after the voting thread is opened for 24 hours, and will remain open for three full days.
- Each user has 8 votes to spread between their favourite (top) and least favourite (bottom) prompts
- The prompts with the more favourable votes (comparing top votes to bottom votes, and looking at the overall number of votes it received) will be added to the final list (between 2 and 5 depending on how the votes are spread)

Rules:
- Each member can only suggest OR second one prompt
- Suggestions close after 15 total seconded prompts

When suggesting and seconding, feel free to provide examples and descriptions that may help other members understand the prompt better. These descriptions and examples will be copied over to the voting thread for further discussion.

As always, please express any and all feedback (respectfully, of course), either here or in The Wild Discussion (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...)

Moving on to voting:
1. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh
2. A vacation book
3. A book that relates to a river
4. A book with a cat on the cover
5. A book that has been made into a movie
6. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title
7. A book written in or set in the 1700s
8. A book featuring a lawyer, politician or clergyman
9. A book with a character list or family tree.
10. A book about perceptions of reality or alternate realities
11. A history or historical fiction book
12. A book set in the west (however you define it)
13. A book set in an Olympics host city
14. A book on one of Obama’s reading lists
15. A biography, memoir, or autofiction

To be seconded:
A book with a character that works in public service - not seconded

Suggestion:

A book that has been made into a movie

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

I think many of us were disappointed that the Van Gogh prompt was a close call in Poll 10 so I am re suggesting it:

A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh

Some options: shared titles or title words (e.g. using "Starry" or "Night"), covers that share primary colors/color palettes or primary painting subjects (e.g. yellow books, books with sunflowers), books set where the painting was painted (the Netherlands, France), autobiographies (so many self portraits!)...

I'll second Van Gogh.

Suggesting:
A vacation book.



Ideas
In Preparation for a Vacation: could be a travelogue or book set in a location that is likely to be a vacation spot.


On a Vacation: either something you could comfortably read at a pool or beach (aka a “beach read”), OR a dense book that you wouldn’t normally have the free time to read in a compact amount of time.

A book involving a vacation: a vacation is part of the plot or is the setting.

Some titles might be found here: https://www.goodreads.com/blog/show/2...
or in one of these listopias: https://www.goodreads.com/list/tag?id...

I'll second "a vacation book"

A book that relates to a river

There is just something special about rivers and books. There are wonderful new books each year with rivers in the plot, title or cover catching my attention. A river could be also be used as a setting or metaphor.

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...
The River Is Waiting by Wally Lamb
There Are Rivers in the Sky by Elif Shafak
The River Has Roots by Amal El-Mohtar
The Frozen River by Ariel Lawhon
Is a River Alive? by Robert MacFarlane
Rivers of London by Ben Arronovitch


Trish - I added a space to each link below, so you can copy them as a block. You’ll need to close the space after to make the link work again. I think it’s quicker this way.

https://www.goodreads. com/list/show/6874.Rivers#top
[book :The River Is Waiting|219319489] by Wally Lamb
[book :There Are Rivers in the Sky|202468422] by Elif Shafak
[book :The River Has Roots|211004176] by Amal El-Mohtar
[book :The Frozen River|112975658] by Ariel Lawhon
[book :Is a River Alive?|218569826] by Robert MacFarlane
[book :Rivers of London|9317452] by Ben Arronovitch

I second relates to a river

Shannon SA wrote: "I second relates to a river"

Thanks Shannon!

Shannon SA wrote: "I second relates to a river"

I would have done if someone else hadn't! But it seemed to be cheating as I was running the thread.

Jette wrote: "I'll second "a vacation book""

Thanks Jette!

A book with a cat on the cover.

How to Talk to Your Cat About Gun Safety: And Abstinence, Drugs, Satanism, and Other Dangers That Threaten Their Nine Lives

The Travelling Cat Chronicles

Herding Hemingway's Cats: Understanding how our genes work Nonfiction book about genes. It's not really about cats.

The Lion in the Living Room: How House Cats Tamed Us and Took Over the World

Before the Coffee Gets Cold if you don’t want to actually read about cats.

Status as of message 12

Moving on to voting:
1. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh
2. A vacation book
3. A book that relates to a river
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

To be seconded:
A book that has been made into a movie
A book with a cat on the cover.

I’ll second a book with a cat on the cover

Verity wrote: "I’ll second a book with a cat on the cover"

Thank you!

I suggest
A book with a number,ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title

Some examples:
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Mr. Penumbra's 24 Hour Bookstore
Fourth Wing
The Man Who Died Twice

Tracy wrote: "Suggesting:
A vacation book.

Ideas
In Preparation for a Vacation: could be a travelogue or book set in a location that is likely to be a vacation spot.
On a Vacation: either something you could co..."


Great suggestion! I always try to anticipate my next vacation reading about the place I am visiting... I am planning a trip to San Francisco for next year and can imagine many books for this prompt.

NancyJ wrote: "A book that relates to a river

There is just something special about rivers and books. There are wonderful new books each year with rivers in the plot, title or cover catching my attention. A riv..."

I found some surprising options from my TBR pile on this list of books about rivers. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...

A book with a character that works in public service.
Some examples would be garbage collection, law enforcement, education, military and elected official.

Here are a few lists for numbers

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

I’ll second a book that’s been made into a movie.

I suggest

a book written in or set in the 1700s

listopias

written in or set in 1700s
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

historical fiction set in the 1700s: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

NancyJ wrote: "A book that relates to a river

There is just something special about rivers and books..."

Ordinary Grace is a great book for this prompt!

I suggest a book with a character list or family tree.

just lori wrote: "I suggest
A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title"

Second

I’ll second a book with a number etc in the title.

NancyJ wrote: "A book that relates to a river

There is just something special about rivers and books. There are wonderful new books each year with rivers in the plot, title or cover catching my attention. A riv..."

Cheers.

A book featuring a lawyer, politician or clergyman

I'll second the 1700s

Kat wrote: "A book featuring a lawyer, politician or clergyman"

I'll second a book featuring a lawyer, politician, or clergyman.

State of play at message 30

Moving on to voting:
1. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh
2. A vacation book
3. A book that relates to a river
4. A book with a cat on the cover
5. A book that has been made into a movie
6. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title
7. A book written in or set in the 1700s
8. A book featuring a lawyer, politician or clergyman
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.

To be seconded:
A book with a character that works in public service
A book with a character list or family tree.

I'll second the character list/family tree!

A book about perceptions of reality or alternate realities

Fiction or nonfiction.

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://thegreatestbooks.org/the-grea...
https://sobrief.com/lists/top-10-book...

Dixie wrote: "A book about perceptions of reality or alternate realities

Fiction or nonfiction.

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


I’ll second this

History or historical fiction

KP wrote: "History or historical fiction"

I'll second that.

Moving on to voting:
1. A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh
2. A vacation book
3. A book that relates to a river
4. A book with a cat on the cover
5. A book that has been made into a movie
6. A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title
7. A book written in or set in the 1700s
8. A book featuring a lawyer, politician or clergyman
9. A book with a character list or family tree.
10. A book about perceptions of reality or alternate realities
11. A history or historical fiction book
12.
13.
14.
15.

To be seconded:
A book with a character that works in public service

Katherine wrote: "I'll second Van Gogh."

thanks Katherine! :)

A book set in the west (however you define it)

A book in the western genre
A book set in the west coast of your country or continent
A book set in the Western hemisphere (geographically)
A book set in The West (culturally, politically)
A book set in a country, town or city to the west of you
A nonfiction book about the west or western civilization

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

Judy wrote: "A book set in the west (however you define it)

A book in the western genre
A book set in the west coast of your country or continent
A book set in the Western hemisphere (geographically)
A book ..."

I'll second this.

Angie wrote: "Judy wrote: "A book set in the west (however you define it)

A book in the western genre
A book set in the west coast of your country or continent
A book set in the Western hemisphere (geographic..."

Thank you Angie.

I have a meeting break!

A book set in an Olympic host city.

A list of cities can be found in the link below but here are some of the many cities:

London
Paris
Mexico City
Berlin
Paris
Rio
Lake Placid
Montreal
Innsbruck
Vancouver
Brisbane
Moscow

https://architectureofthegames.net/ol...

Amy wrote: "I have a meeting break!

A book set in an Olympic host city.

second

Two slots left, and one proposal which needs seconding

To be seconded:
A book with a character that works in public service

A book on one of Obama’s reading lists.

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/obama

https://ew.com/books/2017/01/18/barac...

2025 summer list
• Mark Twain — Ron Chernow
• The Book of Records — Madeleine Thien
• King of Ashes — S.A. Cosby
• Abundance — Ezra Klein & Derek Thompson
• Rosarita — Anita Desai
• Audition — Katie Kitamura
• The Buffalo Hunter Hunter — Stephen Graham Jones
• A Marriage at Sea — Sophie Elmhirst
• Who is Government? — Michael Lewis
• The Sirens’ Call — Chris Hayes

I'll second A book with a character that works in public service

just lori wrote: "I'll second A book with a character that works in public service"

I'm afraid it's only one proposal or one second per person per suggestions round, and you suggested the numbers one.

Sorry about that. Didn't we used to get one of each or am I mistaken?

just lori wrote: "Sorry about that. Didn't we used to get one of each or am I mistaken?"

It's always been one or the other, but we appreciate your enthusiasm!

Pearl wrote: "A book on one of Obama’s reading lists.

https://www.goodreads.com/genres/obama"

I'll second this! I've found some great books through his lists over the years!