Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Quite a few results this round!

Top:
A book by an author that uses 3 names
A book involving a "group" with at least 4 members that's not a family
A book title that could be a country song

Bottom:
A book about someone fighting for their rights
A book from an animal or child's point of view

Polarizing:
A book that relates to things the bunny says goodnight to in "Goodnight Moon"

The next round of suggestions will open around 8 am CDT on Sunday, August 17.

Wow! I voted for all three of the top and one of the bottom...as well as the polarized one! First time my votes have come through so fully.

I like these prompts. I'm surprised the country song came out on top. I thought it would be polarizing.

I’m so surprised that 3 of my upvotes were voted in!

I didn't vote for any of these prompts but I shouldn't have a problem with them, especially the county song titles since so many can be made into songs. I wasn't so happy about the three name authors since I have already read many or all I want to read these authors. It may be time to re-read The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde and Other Tales of Terror again by Robert Louis Stevenson. Whenever Mark Twain's name is addressed, he is frequently presented given as Samuel Langhorne Clemens. Maybe A Connecticutt Yankee in King Arhturs Court.

Bummed that villain didn't make it in, but I can't wait to see what everyone comes up with for country songs!

The listopia title for author names doesn't match the prompt. I may read Claire North for it since she writes under three names, but can't add her to a listopia of authors "using their full names". I imagine lots of other authors that count aren't really using their full name.

Of the winners, the group was one of my top up votes, and I was neutral on the other two. I really thought country song title would be popularizing. It will be interesting to see what book everyone picks.

2 of my upvotes made it but 1 of my down votes also. I suppose the country song has to be about some sort of misery.

As always, the ones I downvote for the bottom, it results in them being the top picks.
The country song prompt is the worst one so far. It's way too general and wide. I find it might as well be "Just pick any book". It is not relevant at all and it does not serve as a good guideline for choosing books within certain parameters.

I am very disappointed in most poll results so far, as the prompts with the potential to offer interesting books are constantly being dismissed.

I'll admit, I downvoted the Country one as well, although I quite liked the other two. For four people I was thinking of a Found Family book, of which there are a lot out there, although things like Choirs, classes or the staff of a hotel, inn or restaurant might work.

Jill wrote: "2 of my upvotes made it but 1 of my down votes also. I suppose the country song has to be about some sort of misery."

Not necessarily! If you search for happy country songs, you will receive a number of them.

Trish wrote: "I'll admit, I downvoted the Country one as well, although I quite liked the other two. For four people I was thinking of a Found Family book, of which there are a lot out there, although things lik..."

There are also a number of mysteries, especially "locked room" mysteries, that involve four people.

Kaltra wrote: "I am very disappointed in most poll results so far..."

I feel like most the prompts require no planning, and I enjoy making a plan (even though I don't stick to it). So that's adding to the underwhelmed feeling I have with this year's list. I'm sure it will be fine when it comes round to actually reading for it.

I might do what Dalex used to do (where are they?) and pair each prompt with a reject, but I'll see how things look at the end of the year.

Ellie wrote: "Kaltra wrote: "I am very disappointed in most poll results so far..."

I feel like most the prompts require no planning, and I enjoy making a plan (even though I don't stick to it). So that's addin..."

I have been trying to add all the books that I preplanned for 2024 list and then didn’t read and probably won’t read this year to fill prompts for the 2025 list. I have also been wondering where dalex is.

Jill - I disagree. Country songs aren’t necessarily about misery. A few titles I thought of are Chances Are, Lost on Me, Streets of Laredo, My Antonia, and any title which is a 2 or 3 syllable woman’s name. All 4 examples are actual song titles, 3 are country. I looked up a couple of Alan Jackson songs (Remember When and Amarillo by Morning) and found books with those titles. That’s one way to approach the prompt- to put in a song title and search for a book.

Ellie wrote: "I might do what Dalex used to do (where are they?)"

I’m here. :) I haven’t been following/participating in the 2025 voting process until this poll so it’s rather ironic that I saw this post mentioning me. Hi!

I didn’t follow any of the discussion about voting so I thought the prompt “A book by an author that uses 3 names” meant exactly that - an author that publishes using three different names, like Seanan McGuire aka Mira Grant aka A. Deborah Baker. I’m glad I was wrong. An author with a three part name is definitely much easier!

dalex wrote: "I’m here. :) I haven’t been following/participating in the 2025 voting process until this poll so it’s rather ironic that I saw this post mentioning me. Hi..."

Welcome back!

@Jill the dog, wife, and truck trope for country songs is very incorrect. Shania Twain, Dolly Parton, Patsy Cline, Chicks, Highway Women all write songs about strong resilient women. There are songs about good times and happiness.

Many pop songs and rock songs are originally country songs or have been released by both country and rock stars at the same time.

Ellie wrote: "Kaltra wrote: "I am very disappointed in most poll results so far..."

I feel like most the prompts require no planning, and I enjoy making a plan (even though I don't stick to it). So that's addin..."

I've started voting only for ones that would be restrictive and need planning... clearly my voting doesn't matter!

Seems like people are interpreting the country songs as "read any book," I'm gonna take it literally and finally read Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics

I too though country lyrics would be polarizing! I didn't expect a prompt that got so much discussion in-thread to get voted in!

Cracks me up that Goodnight Moon was "polarizing". I totally understand why the vote went that way; I just love the mental image of families being torn apart by their strong feelings on the topic of Goodnight Moon.

Pamela - I don’t know who is interpreting the prompt that way. Not me! I have 6-8 ideas.

Hey, welcome back Dalex! I thought you had abandoned us for StoryGraph.

Pamela wrote: "Seems like people are interpreting the country songs as "read any book," I'm gonna take it literally and finally read Dolly Parton, Songteller: My Life in Lyrics"

I feel like this is a prompt that lends itself really well to KIS or BIO. Yes, just about any book title could also be a (country) song title, but you can also look for a title that mentions country song tropes or is punny/ insulting.

Ciara wrote: "I too though country lyrics would be polarizing! I didn't expect a prompt that got so much discussion in-thread to get voted in!

Cracks me up that Goodnight Moon was "polarizing". I totally unders..."

Raised hand-- many families have been torn apart by Goodnight Moon! "I wanna read it again!" "No, time for bed" "Again!" "What about a different book?" "No! Moon!"

I really liked the prompt and hope it'll get revoted for. Mostly cause I can always use a moon prompt to read a space book. Although I can use the elements and Mercury as well.

Hi dalex — welcome back!

I upvoted the group and the country song. Those will be fun. I can't remember if I was neutral or negative on three part name.

I guess the KIS version is to also count intitials: C.S. Lewis or
J.k. Rowling

I'd never heard of Goodnight Moon before so I had to base my vote on the things listed with the prompt and it just didn't appeal.

I upvoted one of the winners and nothing I downvoted made it, so this was a good one for me. I like the ones I didn't vote for, but there were some I wanted to downvote and we get "only" 8 votes (that's generous, but that doesn't mean I don't sometimes which I had more ;) but of course too many would backfire).

Oh the country song listopia is going to be so fun! I can't wait to see what ends up there!

I think the country song title will be fun. Here are a couple older books with stereotypical titles

I Been in Sorrow's Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots
Been Down So Long It Looks Like Up to Me
A lot of the titles by Carl Hiaasen and Tim Dorsey - Florida Roadkill, Torpedo Juice, etc.

Those are amazing examples Robin P!

Robin P wrote: "I think the country song title will be fun. Here are a couple older books with stereotypical titles

I Been in Sorrow's Kitchen and Licked Out All the Pots
Been Down So Long It ..."

🤣😂

I like the idea of reading a book that matches the title of an actual popular country song.

Coal Miner's Daughter was a good movie.

I searched for Stand by your Man after the Patsy Cline song, and it returned 5 pages of books by different authors! I didn’t add any to the listopia because I had no idea which one to pick.

I upvoted two of the three winners and can’t remember the third. ;)

I may keep it simple and use an initial for one of the three names if nothing else jumps out at me.

I, knowing next to nothing about country music, did a quick perusal of my TBR and listed a few titles that I felt reflected themes of country life, heartbreak and the pursuit of happiness (which I've learned are pretty much the essence of country music) and which I could imagine sung by Johnny Cash, Garth Brooks, or Dolly Parton (whose voices I think I know well enough to even imagine in the first place) — what do you think, would those who know a but more agree on any of those? (On the app, so no links, sorry about that!)

Ship Wrecked
The Last Coyote
One For Sorrow
Seven Sins
Choose Me
Loathe to Love You
We Sold Our Souls
Yours Truly
Boys Life
Say You're Sorry
The Other Side of Midnight
Picture Perfect Lie

Connie - Those all sound good to me! 😀

Conny wrote: "
The Other Side of Midnight
Picture Perfect Lie"

These last two are especially good. I hope some country music song writers are paying attention.

Conny wrote: "I, knowing next to nothing about country music, did a quick perusal of my TBR and listed a few titles that I felt reflected themes of country life, heartbreak and the pursuit of happiness (which I'..."

Great job Connie! Especially for "knowing nothing about country music"! Maybe in a past life...

I don't like listening to country as a music genre, but I am very glad it got through as a prompt! I read a lot of crime, and from what I understand about country that should be a fun and easy fill. :D

I voted for 2 of the tops and I'm sure I'll find something for country song, it just seems wide open to me, like I'm sure I can make any title I want fit into country music.
My husband is a country music fan but it's not my jam.

I voted for two of the three winners, and I'm fine with the country music one although I still think it will be hard for me to look at a title and "know" that it fits. Many of the examples that people have given above don't make sense to me, for some reason.

Rachel wrote: "I voted for two of the three winners, and I'm fine with the country music one although I still think it will be hard for me to look at a title and "know" that it fits. Many of the examples that peo..."

I feel you. A lot of the suggested titles would work fine, I guess. They just seem really generic. Like they could be the titles of country music songs...or honestly practically any other genre of music.

I might read Bottoms Up and the Devil Laughs: A Journey Through the Deep State for that one. Now THAT'S a country song title.

I dreaded this outcome - meaning the country song - but I'm not at all surprised, I thought it would be a winner so ve I think I was the only one disliking it. Anyhow, I have been promised help to find a book for it so I trust you to help me when the time comes.
I like the group of four and I've nothing against the three names.

I'm sure we will have a fun listopia for country song names.

Robin P wrote: "I'm sure we will have a fun listopia for country song names."

👌💕

Tracy wrote: "Great job Connie! Especially for "knowing nothing about country music"! Maybe in a past life..."

I just thought of every cliché and prejudice I had about country music and matched that to some book titles, haha. Perhaps I had a bit more passive knowledge than I was aware of^^ Glad to know the titles would work! Will add them to the Listopia when I have a moment :)

Nike, feel free to use these as well :)

Conny wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Great job Connie! Especially for "knowing nothing about country music"! Maybe in a past life..."

I just thought of every cliché and prejudice I had about country music and matched th..."

Oh, great! That's a really good idea, maybe I should do the same 😂!

For the ultra BIO option for a 3 name author, does anyone have options where someone writes under 3 different names, at least one of which is triple-barreled?

I've got Jayne Ann Krentz who also writes as Amanda Quick and Jayne Castle.

Apparently Joyce Carol Oates also writes as Rosamond Smith and Lauren Kelley.

Any others?

Lol, I went through my TBR and tried to "hear" someone singing the title with a twang. Mostly I stuck with tropes, but a few titles just screamed "I'm a song lyric!!" I added When the Stars Go Blue to the listopia. I just googled it, it IS a song by Tim McGraw- a country singer!