Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

Another round of results-- and omg, we have 4 prompts! Plus the summer reading challenge raffle winner prompt! So sit back for five new prompts!!


Top: 
A book related to a painting by Vincent Van Gogh:
A book with a number, ordinal, or iterative numeral in the title
A history or historical fiction book
A Vacation book

Bottom:
A book featuring a lawyer, politician or member of the clergy
A book that has been made into a movie

No Close Call or Polarizing

Summer Reading Challenge Prompt from Ciara:
A book set in the wellness or beauty industries

The next round of suggestions will open on Thursday September at 10:AM US Eastern time

Go forth and fill up the listopias!!

YAY! Fantastic results! So happy with all of them, especially van Gogh :)

Agreed — especially happy that Van Gogh made it in on the second try!

Yay! Fantastic results! Very happy with the top 4. Not so sure about wellness/beauty industries.

Shannon SA wrote: "Yay! Fantastic results! Very happy with the top 4. Not so sure about wellness/beauty industries."

It's a toughie! Why is the summer reading one always the hardest? However, you can always KIS it and do a book where someone goes to yoga class or a spa.

And it could be interesting- I read the microhistory Eyeliner: A Cultural History this year and while I would argue it's more about than set in the beauty industry, it was fascinating and I learned oodles. And even changed how I did my own eyeliner, putting some on my "water line."

There's a romance book series Gray Hair Don't Care where all the FMC are in beauty execs, so will read the 3rd one in that series. They're fun and for those of us, cough cough, of a certain age, empowering.

None of the books that I voted down were chosen, which, for me was a good thing. One that I voted up (history or historical fiction) was selected, which makes me happy. The others I can live with; however, I do remember that I had difficulty with a vacation book that last time we had this one. Hopefully, people will add to the possible choice other than the few that are there.

John - maybe you are also in another group? As far as I know we haven’t had A Vacation Book in ATY52 before. I’ll be adding more options to the Listopia later when I have access to my computer.

I upvoted 3 of the winners, but downvoted history. I'm not sure how this prompt makes it every year - but it isn't because of me.

I don't dislike the summer winner prompt. (Unlike the year we had western.) It might push me to read Rouge.

John wrote: "None of the books that I voted down were chosen, which, for me was a good thing. One that I voted up (history or historical fiction) was selected, which makes me happy. The others I can live with; ..."

Just read a book you would read on vacation... I like reading books related to where I'm going so when I went to Rome last year I read The Marble Faun and for this year's Paris trip I did The Secret Life of a Cemetery: The Wild Nature and Enchanting Lore of Père-Lachaise and there's always Cape Cod books to read on those trips: Sandwich, Rental House, The Shores of Bohemia: A Cape Cod Story, 1910-1960.... for this prompt, I will personally be reading Anne of Green Gables cause BFF and I are going to Green Gables for my birthday vacation!

I had 12 upvotes this time. I think I've only done that one other time. Three of them made it. I was neutral on the Van Gogh, but I alerady have a book selected for it. White Nights is what I chose. It was on a list somewhere. If it doesn't fit, can someone please let me know.

I'm bummed that the lawyer, politician, or clergy didn't make it as I read Steve Cavanagh's Eddie Flynn series. Eddie is a bad guy attorney gone good, and it's a great series.

Not sure about wellness or healthcare, so I'm open to suggestions. I think you could include books about topics such as cancer, diabetes, forms of exercise. They could all be considered wellness. Also, books like The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma or books about emotional health. They could all fall under the wellness category.

Pamela wrote: "John wrote: "None of the books that I voted down were chosen, which, for me was a good thing. One that I voted up (history or historical fiction) was selected, which makes me happy. The others I ca..."

I always buy a book when I visit a new place. I just got this one from my trip to Alaska so that'll be an option for me: Good Time Girls: Of the Alaska/Yukon Gold Rush

Shelley wrote: "Pamela wrote: "John wrote: "None of the books that I voted down were chosen, which, for me was a good thing. One that I voted up (history or historical fiction) was selected, which makes me happy. ..."

Ooo! I bought The Big Burn: Teddy Roosevelt and the Fire that Saved America in Wyoming!

FOUR PROMPTS! This is outrageously grand! And one of them is Van Gogh. I'm so happy. ETA: FIVE prompts!

I feel like there's been a bit of trend recently of books with wellness/beauty settings. Definitely with horror there's been a lot of "they're beautiful but at what cost" type of books

A vacation book could just be a book you bought on vacation. I bought The Street of Crocodiles on a trip to Indianapolis. I'm counting it even though it has absolutely nothing to do with Indianapolis.

I must have missed this in the discussion, but what is "an iterative numeral"? I looked it up and got a bunch of mathematical formulas.

A vacation book could also be a book about young people doing something on their summer vacation.

Like Stand by Me, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, or Dandelion Wine

Dubhease wrote: "A vacation book could also be a book about young people doing something on their summer vacation.

Like Stand by Me, the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, or Dandelion Wine"

Yes, or just a book where someone goes on vacation as part of the story.

Congratulations Ciara!! Thanks for giving us something fresh and different! My interpretation will likely be closer to health than to beauty, but you never know. I might surprise myself.

I’m happy with all the results, and very pleasantly surprised by Van Gogh and a vacation book. History or historical fiction is always good for me. I will cross-list an Obama’s list book with one of the simpler prompts.

So glad that Vincent is in. I am surprised about the history/historical fiction being voted in again, but I like those genres so no problem for me. Congratulations to Ciara, a prompt that's out of my comfort zone, but no doubt I'll find something new and interesting.

Robin P wrote: "I must have missed this in the discussion, but what is "an iterative numeral"? I looked it up and got a bunch of mathematical formulas."

Examples of iterative numerals are: Once, Twice, Thrice.

Joy D wrote: "Robin P wrote: "I must have missed this in the discussion, but what is "an iterative numeral"? I looked it up and got a bunch of mathematical formulas."

Examples of iterative numerals are: Once, T..."

Thanks! As a word nerd I should have known this!

Thrilled with the results! I love the Wellness/Beauty prompt, Ciara!

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "FOUR PROMPTS! This is outrageously grand! And one of them is Van Gogh. I'm so happy. ETA: FIVE prompts!"

Van Gogh was the highest scoring! (I didn't vote for it cause I knew it had plenty of votes)

And there's not 4 because it was me doing it and I screwed up- they were blessed by the other mods!

Pamela wrote: "And there's not 4 because it was me doing it and I screwed up- they were blessed by the other mods!"

That never would have crossed my mind, honestly! You did great, and sometimes things just line up. I think we had a lot of great suggestions and we all happened to agree on a few of them. I think we're down to fourteen prompts to choose now, and that's really exciting.

Very happy with Van Gogh and the number prompts! I am also very pleased with Ciara's suggestion its different but not too difficult.

The others are simple and easy and while I might not vote for many of those, I am usually grateful for them when it comes time to read.

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: I think we're down to fourteen prompts to choose now, and that's really exciting...."

I did!

Yup-- we have 38 prompts! A good list!

Can anyone help me figure out how to see a note that someone else added to a book on a listopia list? I can see my own notes but I don't know how to see other people's or if they can see my note. For example, can anyone see the note that I added to "Still Life" on the Van Gogh listopia? I realize most books on lists probably don't have notes, but I'd love to see ones that are there, especially if it's not clear to me why a book is on a list. Thanks so much!

Karen wrote: "Can anyone help me figure out how to see a note that someone else added to a book on a listopia list?"

On desktop, there is a link underneath the title on the list that says something like "3 people voted" (with however many people voted). If you click on that, you can see everyone who voted, and if any of them have added comments, they will show there.

Tracy wrote: "John - maybe you are also in another group? As far as I know we haven’t had A Vacation Book in ATY52 before. I’ll be adding more options to the Listopia later when I have access to my computer."

Prior to ATY52, I did PopSugar for a couple of years. It must have been with this group. When PS became so specific in their prompts, I was glad to have found this group. Much more flexible!

Dubhease wrote: "A vacation book could also be a book about young people doing something on their summer vacation.

What a great reason to go on vacation--to buy a book to read for for this prompt. Nova Scotia, here I come!

It's a shame the rivers one didn't make it - maybe it can get proposed again.

Shannon SA wrote: "YAY! Fantastic results! So happy with all of them, especially van Gogh :)"

Same here!!

Karen wrote: "Can anyone help me figure out how to see a note that someone else added to a book on a listopia list? I can see my own notes but I don't know how to see other people's or if they can see my note. F..."

I added a bunch of notes on the things I added this time- annoys me when I'm like "why on earth?"

Trish wrote: "It's a shame the rivers one didn't make it - maybe it can get proposed again."

Rivers wasn't close, but it wasn't far either! Maybe in a poll with less yes's.... this is why I always want to nominate a total clunker to raise the chances of the others!

John wrote: "Dubhease wrote: "A vacation book could also be a book about young people doing something on their summer vacation.

What a great reason to go on vacation--to buy a book to read for for this prompt...."

Plenty of books! https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

you could also read a book that takes place where you would want to vacation.

A very good week for me. I'm happy with both the winners and the bottoms. None of my downvotes made it in, a rare happening. I was neutral on two of the winners (Van Gogh - I thought it would make it & History/Historical Fiction - I'm surprised that it made it this year) but will have no trouble filling it.

Congratulations, Clara. I like your prompt suggestion and it will be a fun scavenger hunt for some light fiction for me.

I'm kind of middle of the road on these results. I was lukewarm on the number prompt and am generally burnt out on title prompts. I have a couple of things that will fit, though.

I like the Van Gogh idea, and I like the history/historical fiction. I read a lot of that naturally, so it's not a challenge.

Vacation book feels like a "read a book" prompt as far as I can tell. Lukewarm on that one.

I have no idea what to do for the wellness/beauty prompt, and the Listopia is not helping. It's not an industry that has an appeal to me.

*a few moments later* I just fled to AI and asked for cozy mystery recommendations that fit beauty/wellness. There are actually quite a few. Might be doable.

Amy (Other Amy) wrote: "Karen wrote: "Can anyone help me figure out how to see a note that someone else added to a book on a listopia list?"

On desktop, there is a link underneath the title on the list that says somethin..."

Thanks, Amy!

When I voted, I couldn’t think of anything for a vacation book other than The Wedding People which i already read. It turns out I picked one for the readathon, for the two authors prompt. The Honeymoon Crashers

I upvoted Van Gogh and Historical fiction, so this was a good week for me even though my suggestion didn’t get in. Wellness is broad and I’m happy about that too. I don’t think of it as a setting prompt though.

5 books on Van Gogh

https://www.dailyartmagazine.com/book....

Yay Van Gogh! I wasn't around to re-suggest it, so glad someone else did and it made it in this time! I like all of these, though I hope someone suggests the river or the Obama list prompts again - those are the two I would've liked to see go through this time around that didn't make it.

Angie wrote: "I'm kind of middle of the road on these results. I was lukewarm on the number prompt and am generally burnt out on title prompts. I have a couple of things that will fit, though.

I like the Van G..."

There must be cozy mysteries or small town romances where the heroine works in a hair salon, spa, nail salon, yoga center, etc.

Robin P wrote: "Angie wrote: "I'm kind of middle of the road on these results. I was lukewarm on the number prompt and am generally burnt out on title prompts. I have a couple of things that will fit, though.

I ..."

One of the core group of friends in the The Secret, Book & Scone Society is a salon owner!

I'm delighted with three of these, but downvoted one of the winners, but that's how the cookie crumbles :)

Yes, I do bring up expressions from many eras IRL, including ones from long before my time, and sometimes in posts (although I often edit them out.)

Hi Ciara.. I was wondering what you were thinking of including in the “wellness industry “. I am guessing that you were not meaning to include traditional medicine related topics? Thanks for the clarification.

Pearl wrote: "When I voted, I couldn’t think of anything for a vacation book other than The Wedding People which i already read. It turns out I picked one for the readathon, for the two authors ..."

Thanks for this list Pearl. I was planning to read one of the books about his sister in law Joanna, but these others seem more meaty.

The Yellow House: Van Gogh, Gauguin, and Nine Turbulent Weeks in Arles by Martin Gayford sounds fascinating. It might not be as readable as the others, but it might be worth the effort.

Robin P wrote: "Angie wrote: "I'm kind of middle of the road on these results. I was lukewarm on the number prompt and am generally burnt out on title prompts. I have a couple of things that will fit, though.
I ..."
For the beauty angle-
Garden Spells - in this book or the sequel, the MC’s sister becomes a hairdresser. I heard good things about a book(s) about Coco Chanel. Fashion fits the beauty industry imo .

NancyJ wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Angie wrote: "I'm kind of middle of the road on these results. I was lukewarm on the number prompt and am generally burnt out on title prompts. I have a couple of things that will f..."

I love Garden Spells!
As someone who loooves fashion history, I was thinking this prompt specifically excluded that-- I added a book about department stores to the listopia but noted that it is because the book goes into cosmetics departments

Of course at the end of the day, all prompts are up to individual interpretation, regardless of what the nominator recommended.

Angie wrote: "*a few moments later* I just fled to AI and asked for cozy mystery recommendations that fit beauty/wellness. There are actually quite a few. Might be doable."

There's a site called Cozy Mysteries Unlimited which sorts cozies into various categories, including State and Occupation. It lists these for Beauty Shop
https://cozy-mysteries-unlimited.com/...

And these for spa and yoga.
https://cozy-mysteries-unlimited.com/...
https://cozy-mysteries-unlimited.com/...

Pamela wrote: "NancyJ wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Angie wrote: "I'm kind of middle of the road on these results. I was lukewarm on the number prompt and am generally burnt out on title prompts. I have a couple of thi..."

I disagree with her fashion reason, but did Coco Chanel do cosmetics and perfume? There is a book about Chanel no 5 perfume on the list.