Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Who doesn't love a good scavenger hunt when trying to find the next book? This week is devoted to some simple fun. Look through your TBR or find something completely new (maybe through the lists linked below).

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Suggestions:
Goodreads: The 5 W's
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Optional questions:
- What are you reading for this category?
- How did you find the book?

For this one I picked Where or When( 2 birds, one stone....see what I did there?) by Anita Shreve. I think I have every book ever written by her, and haven't read most of them. This one has been sitting on my shelf forever so I figured I should finally use this as a reason to get around to it.

Of course, now that everyones plans are coming out, I'm getting all sorts of ideas and I will probably change....

No. Nope. Must start reading all the books on my shelf. I can do this . I must resist.

When searching for books that fit this prompt, don't forget to look for compound words - somewhere, anywhere, elsewhere, everywhere, somewhat, whenever, etc.

For this prompt, I picked Why We Sleep: Unlocking the Power of Sleep and Dreams by Matthew Walker (once I get off mobile I’ll link it properly). I was recommended this book in a subreddit for book suggestions, and I’m very excited to read it!

Would a book count if one of the 5 Ws is in the subtitle?

I think a long as it's the title that appears when you link the book or at the top of the Goodreads page then I would count it.

I'm going for Where the Crawdads Sing. I heard lots of good things about it when it was released and wanted to read it but there was a long list of holds already on it at my library so I haven't got to it yet.

Following for some suggestions for this one. Out of the 35 unread books that I own, not a single one fits this prompt! So I'll get to slot in a book I'm excited about without feeling too guilty... except I need suggestions because my TBR is also lacking.

(I'm trying to stick to titles only, no subtitles, so that does limit quite a bit!)

Emily wrote: "Following for some suggestions for this one. Out of the 35 unread books that I own, not a single one fits this prompt! So I'll get to slot in a book I'm excited about without feeling too guilty... ..."
Well, since you don't have to feel guilty...... I haven't read it yet ( I put it on my rejects list ) Where the Crawdads Sing has been getting 5 star reviews from literally EVERYONE, if you're into the hype and you can get your hands on it.

I think I'm also going to go with Where the Crawdads Sing for this one since I have had it on my TBR. I first saw it on the reesesbookclubxhellosunshine Instagram which I started following for the celebrity book club prompt for this year's Popsugar. My library has 34 copies, so I'm hopeful that I can get to the top of the wait list by January so I can stick to my 'mostly in order' reading plan.

Ugh. I just really, REALLY hate Southern lit. Being from Louisiana... it just hits a bit too close to home and also feels a bit characterized and not true to life.

Also, (again, from a Louisiana perspective), it's crawfish, not crawdad and that irks me too. So I'm stubbornly avoiding this book.

Emily wrote: "Ugh. I just really, REALLY hate Southern lit. Also, (again, from a Louisiana perspective), it's crawfish, not crawdad and that irks me too. So I'm stubbornly avoiding this book. "

LOL. That makes sense though.

Here in the North they're Crayfish. We used to have a few in our fish tank. They liked to eat or maim our fish and sometimes climb out of the tank into the kitchen sink. One actually committed suicide by jumping off the kitchen counter. Also, I never heard them sing.

Still looking forward to the book though ;-)

In Ohio, it’s either crawdad or crayfish 🤔 It’s interesting to see how different regions approach the same thing.

I am thinking of Tomorrow, When the War Began.

Also on my TBR:
Når jeg ikke er til stede "when I am not present". Danish graphic novel, not relevant for the majority here.
I Am Malala: The Story of the Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban
What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves
Dewey: The Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World
Hvor der er fugle "where there are birds"
Little Fires Everywhere
Who Fears Death
Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race
Everyone's a Aliebn When Ur a Aliebn Too
What I Didn't See and Other Stories
When Breath Becomes Air

Books I have read and liked:
Where the Wild Things Are
Horton Hears a Who!
Where'd You Go, Bernadette
The Girl Who Saved the King of Sweden
The Hundred-Year-Old Man Who Climbed Out of the Window and Disappeared
When Mr. Dog Bites
Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There

Laura wrote: "In Ohio, it’s either crawdad or crayfish 🤔 It’s interesting to see how different regions approach the same thing."

I had no idea what any of the versions were, but now I know ☺

I'm pretty sure Louisiana is the only state that makes a delicacy out of them though! Crawfish season is a holy season here in Louisiana (and I have several uncles who farm crawfish on the off season from rice).

Not sure if it is officially what they're called in California or if it was just my youth group leader, but I remember going fishing for 'crawdads' as a kid.

dalex wrote: "When searching for books that fit this prompt, don't forget to look for compound words - somewhere, anywhere, elsewhere, everywhere, somewhat, whenever, etc."

Neverwhere

For those thinking of reading Where the Crawdads Sing, I read it recently and loved it. I am a Northerner and have no idea how accurate any of the depictions are. I get sick of reading books set in the Northeast, as so many are, so to me it was a really nice change.

Here are my possibilities:
When We Were Orphans
Where the Red Fern Grows
Neverwhere
What Lies Between Us
When Dimple Met Rishi
What I Saw and How I Lied
What It Means When a Man Falls from the Sky

Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a really good book. I recommend it. On my shelf I have the book What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, a small book of short stories by Raymond Carver.

I'm probably going to read Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There by Lewis Carroll

My backups are:
What We Were Promised by Lucy Tan and Why Didn't They Ask Evans? by Agatha Christie

I grew up calling them crawdads - my family is from Missouri. That being said, I was in Mississippi (right across the border from Louisiana) a couple years ago - they were crayfish & the popular appetizer on the menu. I never thought I'd actually eat one, but when the waiter showed us how to eat them, I took it as a dare - be a local. haha

Emily, I'm trying to limit one of the Ws to the title instead of subtitle as well. There are some I want to read where it's in the subtitle, so I may give in, but not without a good search first.

I would read Where the Crawdads Sing, but I already have it scheduled for this year.

Kathy wrote: "Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a really good book. I recommend it. On my shelf I have the book What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, a small book of short stories ..."

Kathy, I read Through the Looking-Glass for an English class in college and I was surprised by how much I enjoyed it! I don't particularly like any of the Alice in Wonderland movies, but I thought the book was great!

Liz wrote: "I grew up calling them crawdads - my family is from Missouri. That being said, I was in Mississippi (right across the border from Louisiana) a couple years ago - they were crayfish & the popular ap..."

My birthday is in April, so we would always have crawfish boils for my birthday. It was a lot of fun, and so, so good. You just have to get someone who knows how to cook them haha!

My first choice is If Not Now, When? by Primo Levi. According to the GR description, it is "...one of the rare authentic masterpieces of the 20th century." How can I not read it??

Johanne wrote: "What the F: What Swearing Reveals About Our Language, Our Brains, and Ourselves"

LOL, I feel like I should read this since every other word that comes out of my mouth is inappropriate. What does that say about me? Its awful ( although I have gotten better about it)

Emily wrote: "Kathy wrote: "Where'd You Go, Bernadette is a really good book. I recommend it. On my shelf I have the book What We Talk About When We Talk About Love, a small book of ..."

I hope I enjoy it, Emily. I read Alice's Adventures in Wonderland for the first time a couple years ago and was surprised by how much I liked it.

@Tracy - studies show that swearing is a sign of intelligence and an extensive vocabulary ;) I don't know what the book has to say about that, but I want to read it someday. I also swear a lot.

Johanne wrote: "@Tracy - studies show that swearing is a sign of intelligence and an extensive vocabulary ;) I don't know what the book has to say about that, but I want to read it someday. I also swear a lot."

And I'm also old and short LOL. So much in common😉

Where'd You Go, Bernadette - I hadn't thought of that one!

@Tracy, little old swearing bookish ladies :)

I’m thinking about When You Reach Me or But What If We're Wrong? Thinking About the Present As If It Were the Past, because they were already on my TBR list, but I’m still looking for other ideas.

Oh! Who Fears Death or If Not Now, When? might be perfect!

I'm thinking about going with Where'd You Go, Bernadette for this one as well. I've got The Girl Who Played with Fire and Why We Broke Up as alternative options.

Brittany wrote: "I'm thinking about going with Where'd You Go, Bernadette for this one as well. I've got The Girl Who Played with Fire and Why We Broke Up as alternati..."

I just started The Girl Who Played With Fire last week as an audiobook for this year's rated 5 by a friend book. I'd read Dragon Tattoo earlier this year for country you'd like to visit prompt.

I'll probably read either What Alice Forgot or Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End

Steve wrote: "Brittany wrote: "I'm thinking about going with Where'd You Go, Bernadette for this one as well. I've got The Girl Who Played with Fire and [book:Why We Broke Up|10798..."

I was thinking about The Girl Who Played With Fire for this week because I figured I would be more likely to want to read a longer book earlier in the year. I could always save Where'd you go, Bernadette for the name in a title prompt.

Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?

Now that I've started digging, I can't stop myself! I currently have 10 options... whoops.

I'll probably read What If It's Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera because I read books by both of them and they were some of my favorite LGBTQ+ books of the year. Plus, it will be a good, easy January book.

Other options include:

I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
Say What You Will
What Light
When All Is Said
This Is Where It Ends
Where All Light Tends to Go
This is Where I Leave You
Eat Only When You're Hungry
When Reason Breaks

(I just typed in the word "Why", "Where", etc. on the search bar and checked out what popped up. Which is very dangerous for my TBR...)

There are a surprising number of books I REALLY want to read that fit this category. Tops on my list: Those Who Walk Away (Highsmith), because I like to read at least one of her books each year, and it's been a while.

Back up plans:
The Girl Who Fell Beneath Fairyland (Valente)
What Was She Thinking? (Heller)
What it Means When a Man Falls From the Sky (Arimah)
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere (Packer)
Why I Hate Saturn (Baker)

Emily wrote: "Now that I've started digging, I can't stop myself! I currently have 10 options... whoops.

"

Same. This should be a pretty easy category for me. When I searched my books, I found dozens and dozens of books that would work.

Laura, head's up, I can't click the link to the list you posted in the first message. Not sure if it's just me or what...

Same - that link doesn't work for me

That was weird. I redid it and it works now :)

Maybe I will actually read Where the Red Fern Grows. I have started it many times but quit, because I don't feel like crying just then.

What are you reading for this category? The Nowhere Man by Gregg Hurwitz
- How did you find the book? its one of my Netgalley ARCs I didn't get to this year of 2018 plus is part of a series I'm reading .

I think I'll be doing The Woman Who Smashed Codes: A True Story of Love, Spies, and the Unlikely Heroine who Outwitted America's Enemies or When Dimple Met Rishi depends on what i'm in the mood for

So many to choose from! Since I'm also doing the Trip Around the World challenge, I may choose The Man Who Spoke Snakish. It takes place in Estonia (not easy to find books for!) and the Estonian ambassador to the US recommended it.

I am looking forward to reading What Alice Forgot I really loved Moriarty's books!!

Many options!! I'm thinking about:
How to Set a Fire and Why
The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf