Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

The results are in!

Winners:
- A book recommended by one of your favorite authors
- A Hugo Award winner
- A book written by at least two authors
- A book with a one-word title

Bottom:
- A genre (or sub-genre) starting with the first letter of your name (or surname)
- A book with your first name in the title, or that is the same as the author's first name
- A "Year in the Life" memoir, also sometimes called an annualist book
- A book with a metaphysical theme

Polarizing:
- A horror book
- A book about gender and/or sexual orientation
- A book with a nonhuman protagonist

The next round of suggestions will open Saturday, September 3 at 12PM (noon) EST.

Note: Now that we are over halfway through the process, if you have a special request for a time/day for me to open suggestions, then please let me know in the comments.

Yay! Two of my top 4 made it to the top :-) I am really excited about the recommendation by one of my favourite authors!!!

I really thought the genre you've never read before would win!

Surprised that the "nonhuman protagonist" would be polarizing. I would expect people would love reading a book from the dog/cat point of view.

Ah, nice, A book with a one-word title made it, it's my only top in the list. I think it's a nice category, fun to choose but not too much difficult.

It's good that we have a scifi/fantasy category with the Hugo, there are several authors who received this award that I've to try, so it will be a good occasion.

Two of my top four made it, and the bottom four this time were my bottom four. :) The recommendation one will be interesting to try and find, and the one word title, even though we had it last year I don't really mind as it can span a wide range of genres. For once I voted for something (Hugo) specifically to take me out of my comfort zone, as I rarely read sci-fi.

Kirsten, for me, definitely not - I love animals, but it's a bit gimmicky for me.

There are some good ones out there. But I understand. Put a dog on the cover, and I'm there!

And, you should read more sci-fi. Everyone thinks its one thing. But there are so many sub-genres of sci-fi, I think everyone can find something they'll like.

But "out of the comfort zone" is why I like these challenges. I so often find myself in the romantic suspense, mystery, sci-fi, true crime rut...

I'm batting a perfect score- nothing I've voted for has won!

I did vote against the animal as a narrator- I've never heard of an adult and sounded too much in the crazy cat lady line.

I did add a bunch of books to my queue looking at an author's good reads list. Wish I could remember which they were...

Pamela wrote: "I did add a bunch of books to my queue looking at an author's good reads list. Wish I could remember which they were... "

What a great idea! That's how I'm going to find mine. Thanks!

I agree with Jody, I'm really not interested at all in a dog/cat point of view. Funny, I didn't even think of animals when reading that suggestion, I thought only of robots or aliens, LOL. Only one of my top four made it (one word title).

I love Black Beauty and Animal Farm, both books show an animal point of view, so I think we can find great books with any category even if the category sounds strange or a little bit crazy :D

I'm happy with these results. I'm really happy the Hugo Award topic won. There are some really great books that have won that I have on my TBR that I want to get into my list next year. My problem is going to be deciding which one..

For the non human perspective, it doesn't automatically mean cat/dog.... It could be any animal, or for those that like supernatural, a ghost/vampire/werewolf/etc, or even a sci-fi or fantasy book from the perspective of a different species. Anyways, it didn't win so it's not a big deal, I'm just not sure where the cat/dog only idea came in.

If anyone here follows their favourite authors, if they are active and review books on goodreads, that would be a great place to get recs. A lot of the authors I follow will review books and will comment somewhere in the review that the book is "highly recommended" or something similar. I'm sure there are a lot of authors that do it, but Patrick Rothfuss, Felicia Day, Mark Lawrence are some that do it regularly and pop up on my feed for anyone who likes those authors.

Two of my top four have been voted into the challenge (Hugo and multiple authors), and I'm happy with the other two.

The nonhuman protagonists I read as vampires/werewolves etc. too :)

I only voted against one prompt, (A genre (or sub-genre) starting with the first letter of your name (or surname)) the others didn't bother me.

Or aliens, Anna.

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Or aliens, Anna."

Yup. :-)

A book recommended by one of your favorite authors how do we find that one out

I'm okay with the results. Two of my top choices (one-word title and at least two authors) made it. I'd also voted for a nonhuman protagonist, but I was thinking of it more in terms of a supernatural creature or maybe a robot rather than an animal. Also, I'm a bit confused about why people are assuming that a nonhuman protagonist means that the book must be told from their perspective. I interpreted as a main character who was nonhuman, but not necessarily a first-person narrator (ie. Charlotte's Web).

I'd also voted for a book about gender and/or sexual orientation, and I'm a bit surprised that it was so polarizing. There have been a few LGBT-related categories/gender-related categories in the past, so I suspect that may be a factor.

In terms of the bottom 4, 2 were the same ones that I picked (metaphysical theme, and "year in the life" memoir). The others I completely understand, since I also don't like choosing books based on initials or my name.

I was initially put off by a book recommended by a favourite author winning, until I saw someone suggest looking at the author's GoodReads page and seeing what they liked. I guess any book that they gave a high rating to can technically count as a recommendation.

I'm more on the fence about the Hugo Award winner. It's definitely something outside my comfort zone, since I enjoy most of the sci-fi that I've read but it's not a genre that I reach for either. What's putting me off is that after looking through my options earlier today, there really wasn't much that interested me. Also, I still think we have enough categories based on awards or lists.

None of the ones I voted for are in the top but I'm happy that 3 of my bottom 4 were in the bottom and not the top. I have pretty good options for all of these but I can't help be disappointed none of my favs made the top. The reject challenge is looking more and more promising though.

Elizabeth wrote: "A book recommended by one of your favorite authors how do we find that one out"

This is probably reserved to living authors- you won't get a recommendation from Jane Austen! But sometimes in interviews they give recommendations. I would say if they review a book positively or do a jacket blurb, that counts. Or if you follow them on social media. If they are on Goodreads, some have "read" shelves like us common folk.

Not that I voted for it, but I like the Hugo Award one. Apparently the awards were highly politicized this year (http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2...) and the side I support won :) Plus, all women won this year!

Pamela wrote: "Elizabeth wrote: "A book recommended by one of your favorite authors how do we find that one out"

This is probably reserved to living authors- you won't get a recommendation from Jane Austen! But ..."

thinks because 2 of my all time favorite authors are Clive Cussler and Jame Rollins

For fans of J K Rowling, there was a list of her favourite authors or those that most influenced the Harry Potter series. I can't remember where I saw the list (I think it was on Goodreads) but it's one place to get recommendations....

I voted for a book by multiple authors. I think it's good because it can be an opportunity to pick an anthology, if people are interested in using it in that way.

I'm fine with a book with a one word title. That's easy enough to read but also fun to look for.

I don't like the other two winners. I have looked at the list of Hugo Award winners multiple times and don't see anything there that interests me. Or I should say I've read everything that interests me from that list. I also agree with Rachel that this seems like a list category which had been capped. I guess there's a fine distinction between a list and an award winner. I see how it is and isn't a list.

I also have trouble with the author recommendations. I like the idea of it in theory, but my favorite authors are dead. I suppose I could pick a contemporary author, but I don't have any favorites. I generally don't follow specific authors, but just choose books based on their description. Maybe I'll take this as a challenge to see if I can find a recommendation from one of the early 20th century authors that I love. It seems at least plausible, right?

I'm pretty bummed that my year in the life memoir was in the bottom 4. I am not surprised it didn't win, but bottom 4, it's like someone calling my dog ugly, haha. I thought it wasn't so narrow as to make it too hard and that some of the books in this category would be interesting and unusual enough to draw people in. It seems like the group generally is biased against nonfiction. None of the specifically nonfiction suggestions have been voted in so far. Of course people can always use nonfiction books for the prompts we already have, but it would be nice to see something specific to nonfiction voted into our final list.

2 of my top 4 made it, and 2 in my bottom 4 were in the bottom four. I was really hoping horror would have made it though because we don't have anything at all like it so far.

As far as the book by 2 or more authors, that gives me the perfect reason to read the new book by Tim Lahaye and Craig Parshall. I loved the books they have already written.

A book written by at least two authors: this one is going to be easy for me, it's the only one I actually vote for that won, and the reason I say it's going to be easy is because I can use any book by Clive Cussler since he writes books with other authors. as for - A Hugo Award winner I already own 4 of the books that was listed so I'm going to have to pick between them, the one that's going to be trouble is
- A book recommended by one of your favorite because I have one book that his read and I don't want to wait until 2017 to read it, last one a book with one- word title that ones also easy I'll just use one of kindle books for that

Jennifer wrote: "2 of my top 4 made it, and 2 in my bottom 4 were in the bottom four. I was really hoping horror would have made it though because we don't have anything at all like it so far.

As far as the book ..."

I love Tim LaHaye and I love the End Series. What is the new book?

None of my actual top 4 made it which is disappointing but I'm ok with these. Two of them were close to being in my top 4 and the other two I'm sure I can find something for them. I was hoping we might get another genre specific topic in our list somewhere but I think it's unlikely to happen because most genres are too polarising among the group, I think.

Peter wrote: "I'm just not sure where the cat/dog only idea came in."

I don't think Kirsten had that idea, but was just suggesting an option she thought people might like for that prompt.

I just want to clarify that I wasn't trying to say that the Hugo Awards was another list category, that we'd already limited. I just looked at the list of the current categories after the results were in, and thought there were quite a few award categories already.

Protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text.

For the Hugo, if needed we can extend it to the nominees, not just the winners. It's usually an award with lots of problems regarding who nominates who, etc, last year some winners refused their award because of that.

I'm not really into animal characters (I read plenty when I was a teenager) but I enjoy books with robots or aliens, so I read this suggestion as opened to all of them. However, we already have a female character, a historical figure, an unreliable narrator and 2 perspectives, so it's totally enough for me on the character side.

I would also have liked to see the horror suggestion in the list as I like reading a creepy book when we reach Halloween.

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text."

What is this in reference to?

I belong to a couple of sci-fi groups and it was sad to see what happened at the Hugos. Believe it or not, politics can take a place. You have many libertarians that want libertarian values in their science fiction.

Zaz - love a creepy book at Halloween too!!

Laura wrote: "Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Protagonist: the leading character or one of the major characters in a drama, movie, novel, or other fictional text."

What is this in reference to?"

The hoo-hah over the non-human thread.

Kirsten, I don't think anyone has debated the definition of a protagonist so that's why I was confused.

I just find it interesting how different people immediately imagine different things with the prompts. I honestly thought of animals pretty quickly and that's why I wasn't a fan of the prompt. I know that there are choices but a lot of them tend to be sad dog stories and I just can't handle those. We also already have an animal on the cover, which will potentially lead to the same thing. I would have been more open to it had I thought about other "nonhumans".

Sorry for misrepresenting you, Rachel. Didn't mean to.

Zaz wrote: "For the Hugo, if needed we can extend it to the nominees, not just the winners. It's usually an award with lots of problems regarding who nominates who, etc, last year some winners refused their aw..."

I have read this as that the author had to be a Hugo Award winner, not the book. Not sure how you all see this.

Laura wrote: "Kirsten, I don't think anyone has debated the definition of a protagonist so that's why I was confused.

I just find it interesting how different people immediately imagine different things with t..."

Someone was interpreting protagonist and I was trying to clarify it.

Also, the books don't have to be sad (though many are). I've read romances where a dog leads the female into romantic situations. There was also a really cute mystery I read where all the characters were animals.

But then you also have paranormal creatures, aliens, robots, etc.

Lieke wrote: "Zaz wrote: "For the Hugo, if needed we can extend it to the nominees, not just the winners. It's usually an award with lots of problems regarding who nominates who, etc, last year some winners refu..."

hmmm.... I guess I assumed it said Hugo winning book .... but author really widens the possibilities.

Katie wrote: "I thought it wasn't so narrow as to make it too hard and that some of the books in this category would be interesting and unusual enough to draw people in. It seems like the group generally is biased against nonfiction."

I found it way too restrictive TBH, which is why I put it in my bottom four. I'm not a huge fan of memoirs (I've read five this year) and to narrow it down even further was what tipped the scales for me. Sorry!

I agree that the group doesn't seem to like non-fiction. I quite enjoy it, I've read four this year, as well as my five auto/bio/memoirs. Of the two, I definitely prefer non-fiction about things/places.

I agree, Jody & Katie. I think too many people pooh-pooh nonfiction. I have heard women prefer fiction and men prefer nonfiction, as a rule. (In fact, most crime novels are bought by women which is why we have all these women-centric crime novels.)

Personally it depends on the nonfiction. I don't really get into all these "look how bad my life got and the lessons I learned" memoirs. I like true crime, biographies of interesting people, science history, etc.

I tend to find memoirs too self-serving. I mean, I get it, it's the genre, but they can get a bit too much.

Some memoirs are alright. If you learn something about history or science. For instance, I once read the memoir of an anthropologist who worked to identify the bodies of those killed in the Bosnian War. THAT was interesting!

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "I agree, Jody & Katie. I think too many people pooh-pooh nonfiction. I have heard women prefer fiction and men prefer nonfiction, as a rule. (In fact, most crime novels are bought by women which is..."

I love nonfiction! Biographies, histories. Ooo- and that new genre y'all gave me a word for- microhistories! I assume there will be a week for picking one of the choices that did not win- and I'll be picking a microhistory. And for the one word title, I might finally read Cod or Salt!

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "Some memoirs are alright. If you learn something about history or science. For instance, I once read the memoir of an anthropologist who worked to identify the bodies of those killed in the Bosnian..."

That would be! What was it? I work for the mother of the woman who runs the organization that oversees the identifications, we would both read that book!

The Bone Woman: A Forensic Anthropologist's Search for Truth in the Mass Graves of Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo by Clea Koff

I hope one of the prompts is a suggestion that didn't make the list - I like that one this year.

Kirsten *Dogs Welcome - People Tolerated" wrote: "The Bone Woman: A Forensic Anthropologist's Search for Truth in the Mass Graves of Rwanda, Bosnia, Croatia, and Kosovo by Clea Koff"

Thanks! I'll look on the mom's bookshelf and if it's not there, order it!

Jody wrote: "I hope one of the prompts is a suggestion that didn't make the list - I like that one this year."

I asked before if there were any automatic prompts each year. Cause I also like the GoodReads award winner and a book published that year. Or do we need to nominate?

Pamela, the list of current prompts can be found in the announcements thread (https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...). If it's not on that list then it will need to be nominated.

For the moment, there are no automatic prompts. Last year we skipped the suggestions for 1-2 categories, but it's not scheduled for the moment, so it's probably better to nominate.

I read non fiction when I want to dig in a subject but nowadays, internet is easier than books.