Play Book Tag discussion

Please vote for the tag you would most like to read for July at the following link:

https://forms.gle/wAg5PeHr7cKw4y2P7

Here are the lists of books for each tag:

London: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
non-fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
speculative fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Remember, you may cast up to a total of 10 participation points for your choice. Every PBT member gets one vote for free so please vote even if you don't have any participation points!

You can see how many participation points you currently have in the spreadsheet below.

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/...

Happy voting! Please cast your votes by 12:00 pm EST on 6/22.

Three yummy shelves with lots of tbr books. Voted :-)

Voted.

I have a few books for each tag that I am very eager to read. I’ve been craving both mind bending reads and familiar characters (Maisie Dobbs in London), and I have many intriguing NF titles.

I know some might reject nonfiction out of hand, but I hope not. There are so many fascinating topics and lives to read about. Memoirs and narrative nonfiction are often as exciting as novels, but better because they’re true.

Speculative fiction tags can be found in many books labeled science fiction, alternative history, time travel, fantasy and general fiction. You might have more speculative fiction books on your tbr than you think you do.

I read enough books set in London that I set up a shelf for them.

I have read 23 nonfiction books so far this year, and I'm reading one right now, so it is likely that I will read another with or without it being tag of the month.

Speculative fiction is the one that surprised me as there are two on the first page that I want to read soon.

So if I voted it would be a toss-up for me and I will be happy regardless.

Three interesting choices. I have a book (or three) for each of them.

Voted

So what is speculative fiction? I think I thought it was something different than it probably is... But all of my "Read" books suggest its something else entirely. I actually thought Speculative Fiction was High Brow Literature Fiction. Apparently, that is not the definition.

Nothing on my shelves in 25 pages, but PLENTY I have read. I am sure I have plenty on my TBR. If I only knew what it was....

Amy wrote: "So what is speculative fiction? I think I thought it was something different than it probably is... But all of my "Read" books suggest its something else entirely. I actually thought Speculative Fi..."

Generally, Speculative Fiction is more genre than literary (although something like Orbital is both. I agree with Nancy that it includes science fiction, fantasy, alternate history, alternate reality, some horror, probably more.

I once saw a definition that said Literary Fiction is about things that can happen, Fantasy is about things that can't happen, and Science Fiction is about things that haven't happened yet.

Amy wrote: "So what is speculative fiction? I think I thought it was something different than it probably is... But all of my "Read" books suggest its something else entirely. I actually thought Speculative Fi..."

This might help
https://www.goodreads.com/genres/spec...

It all starts when an author imagines WHAT IF … and writes a story about it.

What if teenage girls started developing a power that exceeded the power of the men. How would they use it? Would they abuse the power? How might it change society in the future?

What if dragons existed during the age of napoleon? Could they help humans win the war? What circumstances could make them want to be loyal to a human?

What if the fertility rates dropped dramatically, and only some women could make babies. Would it give these women more power, or would others take control of them? What religious arguments would get people to go along with it?

Voted. I haven't picked a winner yet in my three monthly polls, but I'm OK with all three options. In fact, I am currently reading books in all three categories [The Dark of Summer has scenes in London, Gormenghast is speculative fiction that breaks genre borders, Citizens is non-fiction]

Spculative fiction is pretty broad, far broader than I had understood it to be. For example, The Master and Margarita has speculative fiction tags and I would never in a million years consider it fitting that genre. It's often used to tag genre books that dare to think 'outside of the box' of the usual genre definition - moving it into a different ethnic realm (both Marlon James and N.K. Jemison fantasy and scifi works are tagged speculative fiction because they center in part on ethnically diverse locations and characters.

Robin P wrote: "I once saw a definition that said Literary Fiction is about things that can happen, Fantasy is about things that can't happen, and Science Fiction is about things that haven't happened yet."

Not all scifi qualifies as speculative fiction, of course, but some of it does. Fantasy doesn't.

As a nearly lifelong reader of scifi, I disagree with the writer who wrote "things that haven't happened yet" part because there are things just made up as "science" to make plots work (various speeds of warp drive, beaming people around, travelling through space quickly via worm holes and many other fun things.)

Speculative does include a host of different types of fiction, but there is more than one good option in this list.

I am happy with any one of them this month, first time this year, but I have one picked for my first choice and still deciding on the second.

voted

Of course, as always, GR members use tags in all sorts of odd ways, so we might find the spec fic tag on all sorts of books.

Voted…two of my favorite tags. This will be good!

voted

Voted, but I would like any of these.

NancyJ wrote: "I have a few books for each tag that I am very eager to read. I’ve been craving both mind bending reads and familiar characters (Maisie Dobbs in London), and I have many intriguing NF titles.

I kn..."

I'm very much in the mood for non-fiction again this year. I had come out of my reading slump then life happened and just keeps on coming. When stressed I can manage non-fiction or zombies and that's about it.