Play Book Tag discussion

The voting was neck and neck until the very end. But I'm pleased to announce, for Nicole's sake, that the winning tag for January is:

science

For future reference, London had more voters, but the science crowd used their participation points in a big way assuring the win.

Please share your reading plans and recommendations below!

Remember, for the regular monthly reads, the book can be shelved as science on Goodreads, or be a book that is not yet shelved that way but you feel should be.

To find books to read for this tag, please visit:

https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...

Yay! That's what I was hoping for (though I would have been ok with any of them). Haven't yet chosen something, but will do that soon.

I'm sure I'll have recommendations, as well. I just posted a review for The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World. For anyone who read and enjoyed "Remarkable Creatures", this is nonfiction about Mary Anning.

I'm on the waiting list for a couple of science books at the library, but right now, I'm planning on kicking off the month with Spillover: Animal Infections and the Next Human Pandemic.

If I get lucky at the library, other alternatives are:

Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

or

A Short History of Nearly Everything

In terms of recommendations, I'll suggest:

Lab Girl - one of my top 10 for this year

LibraryCin wrote: " I just posted a review for The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World. For anyone who read and enjoyed "Remarkable Creatures..."

Loved that book.

Oh well. I'm sure there's something scientific that happened in London. And I never finished that fossil hunter book.

How long will it be before London goes back into the randomizer? I can't remember if rejected tags are pulled out of the running for a while.

Yay!!!!! I will be reading Lab Girl!!!!!!!

I have 5 books I own that I can choose from; all will help with my personal Clear the TBR challenge:

The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women

Galileo's Daughter: A Historical Memoir of Science, Faith and Love

A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos

Wicked Plants: The Weed That Killed Lincoln's Mother and Other Botanical Atrocities

Wicked Bugs: The Louse That Conquered Napoleon's Army Other Diabolical Insects

Recommendations:

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History - Erik Larson

The Signature of All Things - Elizabeth Gilbert

The Martian - Andy Weir

Remarkable Creatures - Tracy Chevalier

Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time - Dava Sobel

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot

Jgrace wrote: "How long will it be before London goes back into the randomizer? I can't remember if rejected tags are pulled out of the running for a while. ..."

I'm pretty sure if it's not chosen via the vote, it goes back in the running right away. Anita could answer that for sure, though.

Ladyslott wrote: "Recommendations:

Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History - Erik Larson

The Martian - Andy Weir

Remarkable Creatures - Tracy Chevalier

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks - Rebecca Skloot..."

I'll second all of these! "Isaac's Storm" and "Henrietta Lacks" both made my favourites list the years I read them.

Ladyslott wrote: "The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women..."

And this is also a possibility for me. I think I already put it on hold, as it fits one of my other January challenges, so it may just depend whether or not it comes in for me at the library!

Other possibilities for me:
An Astronaut's Guide to Life on Earth / Chris Hadfield
The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind: Creating Currents of Electricity and Hope / William K (also fits another challenge)
Plastic: A Toxic Love Story / Susan F (I already have this at home from the library I work at)
Some We Love, Some We Hate, Some We Eat: Why It's So Hard to Think Straight About Animals / Hal Herzog (this has been on my tbr for ages!)

More recommendations:

- The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science
- The World Without Us
- The American Plague: The Untold Story of Yellow Fever, the Epidemic that Shaped Our History

For people who like animals;
- Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
- When Elephants Weep: The Emotional Lives of Animals

As mentioned above:
- The Fossil Hunter: Dinosaurs, Evolution, and the Woman Whose Discoveries Changed the World
- The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks

I was angling for London, but very happy with Science as well.

I think I'll use the tag as a mini-NBR.

I've had Almost Like A Whale: The Origin Of Species Updated on the shelf for ages and I recently got AN Wilson's controversial new Darwin biography Charles Darwin: Victorian Mythmaker. Then I just need to find a link to another science book from there - any biography of a different scientist would get me there.

On that score, like Linda, I totally recommend anything by Dava Sobel particularly The Illustrated Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time. The story is great in any edition but try to get the illustrated one if you can for extra delight. And if you happen to be in London - yes, this links back to London! - Harrison's clocks are at the Greenwich Royal Observatory and are absolutely mind-blowingly stunning.

I just bought The History of Bees for my older (beekeeping) son for Christmas, so in the true spirit of Christmas book giving I will have to snaffle it back from him and read it myself.

I'm excited for science. I already have The Violinist's Thumb: And Other Lost Tales of Love, War, and Genius, as Written by Our Genetic Code. If I can get to it I'd also like to read The Death and Life of the Great Lakes

LibraryCin wrote: "More recommendations:

- The Killer of Little Shepherds: A True Crime Story and the Birth of Forensic Science
- The World Without Us
- [book:The American Plague: The U..."

Ditto on Alex and Me. I'm going to suggest some animal books as well. I know there are a few of us here who love them.

I voted for London, and it turns out the book I borrowed from the library in case that tag won I can use for the Linda leg of the Decathlon, so yay multitasking!

I loved Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers last year, so I'll be picking up something else from Mary Roach for science. A quick check informs me my library has both Gulp: Adventures on the Alimentary Canal and Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void. Any recommendations for one over the other?

I voted for science, but I would have been fine with London. I will probably read Radium Girls, maybe finally get around to The Disappearing Spoon, or some Oliver Sacks books which have been on my TBR forever.

Here's what appeals to me for science. i was hoping for London, but this will do. I just had taken out of the library a non-fiction book called the Whole Brain Child - 12 revolutionary strategies for developing children's minds. I had found it when I was looking for (in conjunction with a case for work) Wired for Healing, which is also on my library request queue. Lately I have been thinking a lot about brain and emotions and neuroplasticity - and these I really need to read. Plus, there are two novels on my TBR that I just ordered. One is The Einstein Prophecy and the other is The Other Einstein. I highly doubt I will get to four books, what with getting excited about Listopia lists, and picking out the perfect Linda book of the month. I have so many to choose from. Maybe I list out five choices that I think are matches and let her pick! I am liking that sudden idea. I also have a book club January 11th, (Commonwealth) and a bunch of books out from the library. This is going to take some delicate planning for sure.

For 2018....most of not all my votes and challenge picks will be based on what is on my TBR.....it is too long for me.

I voted science because I have a few books that I want to read and need a nudge to shove them to the top. Here they are first to last choice:

The Death and Life of the Great Lakes
Are We Smart Enough to Know How Smart Animals Are?
Mean and Lowly Things: Snakes, Science, and Survival in the Congo
Farmacology: What Innovative Family Farming Can Teach Us About Health and Healing

Recommendations:

Like Cindy and some others I read a good share of books about animals, but I do have some others that fit in the science field that are fiction, memoirs and others.

Animals-

Alex & Me: How a Scientist and a Parrot Discovered a Hidden World of Animal Intelligence—and Formed a Deep Bond in the Process
The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating - this is also a memoir.
An Indomitable Beast: The Remarkable Journey of the Jaguar
Rewilding the World: Dispatches from the Conservation Revolution about conservation, ecology and preserving our animal resources in their native habitat.
The Great White Bear: A Natural and Unnatural History of the Polar Bear
The Bluebird Effect: Uncommon Bonds with Common Birds - memoir as well
Elephant Destiny: Biography Of An Endangered Species In Africa
Never Cry Wolf
Gorillas in the Mist

other nonfiction -
Silent Spring
Isaac's Storm: A Man, a Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness

Fiction-
Brave New World
1984
2001: A Space Odyssey
Frankenstein
Brazzaville Beach
The Signature of All Things
Easter Island
To The Bright Edge of the World

Yes, I am responsible for Science - and Wahoo it was chosen!!

Recommended:
On Thin Ice: An Epic Final Quest Into the Melting Arctic by Eric Larsen
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe
A Smile as Big as the Moon: A Special Education Teacher, His Class, and Their Inspiring Journey Through U.S. Space Camp by Mike Kersjes
Body Brokers: Inside America's Underground Trade in Human Remains by Annie Cheney
Most books by Mary Roach (wasn't a fan of Spook)

I will read at least one of these:
Incendiary: The Psychiatrist, the Mad Bomber and the Invention of Criminal Profiling by Michael Cannell
Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner by Judy Melinek
Smoke Gets in Your Eyes: And Other Lessons from the Crematory by Caitlin Doughty

Undoubtedly some great science must have happened in London.

Ellen wrote: "Yes, I am responsible for Science - and Wahoo it was chosen!!

Thank you! It was what I was hoping for.

Awesome! I'm excited that Science won!

I plan to read Artemis as my choice.

I recommend:
Dune
The Hunger Games
Jurassic Park
The Host
Dark Matter
Divergent
The Golden Compass
Still Alice
Across the Universe
Ender's Game
The Time Traveler's Wife

Well this tag is way out of my normal zone, so I don't have any recommendations, but from browsing through the list, I may tackle one of these:

Brave New World (a reread as I read it back in high school)
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Hopefully I can get through one. LOL!

I'm going to attempt Every Second Counts: The Race to Transplant the First Human Heart. I say attempt because I have had a heart transplant (15 years ago now!) but it is still a bit raw on occasions. I'm going to have The Radium Girls: The Dark Story of America's Shining Women on standby if I can't finish it.

I was hoping for London but I can handle Science! I’m going to give Lab Girl a stab.

If I can get it from the library I will read The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History. It serves double duty because it is on my listopia list. Other science books I may read include:

Archimedes to Hawking: Laws of Science and the Great Minds Behind Them
The Hunt for Vulcan: . . . And How Albert Einstein Destroyed a Planet, Discovered Relativity, and Deciphered the Universe
Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

Ladyslott wrote: "I have 5 books I own that I can choose from; all will help with my personal Clear the TBR..."

Such a great set for your reading choices and recommendations. I second your recommendation for Signature of All Things. Similar pull in Remarkabe Creatures, but it wasn't as peneteating about the ways of science.

Booknblues wrote: "I voted science because I have a few books that I want to read and need a nudge to shove them to the top. Here they are ..."

That Great Lakes book is sure getting a lot of kudos. Great list of recommendations. For the fiction slot, I second Brazzaville Beach and To the Bright Edge of the World.

I would recommend for general readers:
Beyond Words: What Animals Think and Feel--Safina
Lab Girl--Jahrens
The Botany of Desire: A Plant's-Eye View of the World--Pollan
The Wright Brothers--McCullough
Winter World: The Ingenuity of Animal Survival--Heinrich
Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex--Roach
Genius: The Life and Science of Richard Feynman--Glieck
Sea of Glory: America's Voyage of Discovery, the U.S. Exploring Expedition, 1838-1842--Philbrick

For more ambitious reading, I loved these:
Behave: The Biology of Humans at Our Best and Worst--Sapolsky
The Diversity of Life--Wilson
The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution--Isaacson
The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History--Kolbert
The Hidden Reality: Parallel Universes and the Deep Laws of the Cosmos--Greene

I look forward to reading:
Naturalist--Wilson
The Snoring Bird: My Family's Journey Through a Century of Biology--Heinrich
My Family and Other Animals--Durrell

Amy wrote: "Here's what appeals to me for science. i was hoping for London, but this will do. I just had taken out of the library a non-fiction book called the Whole Brain Child - 12 revolutionary strategies f..."

I certainly look forward to any book you pick on the mysteries of psychology and strategies for therapy or sound child rearing. So much progress seems to have been made in treating PTSD, I would expect a good book out there. The works of the late Sacks on neurological conditions is another area that deserves more readers.

I think you could benefit from "Behave" on my list given its expansive and accessible review of research on the roots of violence and empathy. But it has a whole cartload of other topics and is a challenge at about 700 pages. There are certain books that critically examine the science and poor science behind psychiatric drugs (such as Robert Whittaker and Peter Breggin) that I would like more people to discuss.

I AM SO EXCITED! It will also be great after my month of binge reading cheesy Christmas romances, which have likely lowered my IQ by a few points! lol

First of all, I recommend The Hot Zone: The Terrifying True Story of the Origins of the Ebola Virus, which is one of my favorite books of all time. It is a nonfiction that reads like a thriller. I have read it like 3 or 4 times and each time it scares the bejesus out of me.

I have over a dozen books on my shelf and I am not sure what I will read! I may see if the library has any of these on audio:

Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone
Darwin's Backyard: How Small Experiments Led to a Big Theory
Rigor Mortis: How Sloppy Science Creates Worthless Cures, Crushes Hope, and Wastes Billions
Cannibalism: A Perfectly Natural History
Testosterone Rex: Myths of Sex, Science, and Society
The Wasp That Brainwashed the Caterpillar: Evolution's Most Unbelievable Solutions to Life's Biggest Problems
Horseshoe Crabs and Velvet Worms: The Story of the Animals and Plants That Time Has Left Behind
The Beak of the Finch: A Story of Evolution in Our Time
The Atomic Weight of Love
Cosmos
Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind
This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate
Walking Sideways: The Remarkable World of Crabs
The Narrow Edge: A Tiny Bird, an Ancient Crab, and an Epic Journey
The Secret Lives of Bats: My Adventures with the World's Most Misunderstood Mammals
The Tale of the Dueling Neurosurgeons: The History of the Human Brain as Revealed by True Stories of Trauma, Madness, and Recovery

AAAHHHH!!! How will I ever decide?!

I voted for London, but started reading my London book now (3rd book in trilogy — couldn’t wait!!). I’m good with science though. My goal this year is to read my tags from books I own.

My two picks are The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness and/or The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements

Many of my recs have already been mentioned so I will go with a non fiction: The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals (really anything by Pollan) and for fiction A Thousand Pieces of You (ya and 1st in a trilogy)

Whoop Whoop. Way to go Science geeks making those participation points work.

I am going to start with The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History, Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed, and The Code Book: The Science of Secrecy from Ancient Egypt to Quantum Cryptography.

All of those are also for Listopia.

I want to read but probably want get to in January
Curiosity: How Science Became Interested in Everything
The Cosmic Web: Mysterious Architecture of the Universe
A More Perfect Heaven: How Copernicus Revolutionized the Cosmos
American Eclipse: A Nation's Epic Race to Catch the Shadow of the Moon and Win the Glory of the World

My recommendations:
Einstein: His Life and Universe
Seven Brief Lessons on Physics
Longitude: The True Story of a Lone Genius Who Solved the Greatest Scientific Problem of His Time
What If?: Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions
The Innovators: How a Group of Hackers, Geniuses and Geeks Created the Digital Revolution
The Tumor (short free novella by Grisham)

I don't have much in the way of recommendations. I will suggest the following which I liked very much: A Whole New Mind: Why Right-Brainers Will Rule the Future.

In terms of what to read, I am trying to decide between either American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer or The Emperor of All Maladies: A Biography of Cancer. Please chime in if you have an opinion (and thanks in advance).

Many of what I would recommend have already been listed.

I will be spending much of January cruising and reading from my kindle. The only Science I have on my kindle is Reluctant Genius: The Passionate Life and Inventive Mind of Alexander Graham Bell - Charlotte Gray. So that's what I'll be reading.

For recommendations, I can say that A Short History of Nearly Everything, This Changes Everything: Capitalism vs. The Climate, and The Martian are all great on audio.

As for me, I'm going to read The Death and Life of the Great Lakes. I also recently purchased Lab Girl from my local book store, and would love to read that for the Science tag as well, if time allows.

Great tag choice, Ellen!

I think to add to my brain plasticity plan, neurology, neuroscience, and rewiring, I am also going to read Musicophilia, by Oliver Sacks. Yes, Michael, you helped me think of it. I do think this entire neurobiology conversation lends itself to Trauma and PTSD, so don't worry - I won't leave you hanging.

Ellen wrote: "Yes, I am responsible for Science - and Wahoo it was chosen!!

Now I'm doubly excited for science since it was Ellen's choice :-). Congrats on having your choice selected Ellen!

Ellen wrote: "Yes, I am responsible for Science - and Wahoo it was chosen!!

Recommended:
On Thin Ice: An Epic Final Quest Into the Melting Arctic by Eric Larsen
[book:What If?: Serious Scientifi..."

You are the first person I have found that has also read What If? It was such a fun book. Since you seem to have a love for science, I recommend a Youtube channel called Vsauce.

Ellen! I pegged you for movies!

Kimber wrote: "As for me, I'm going to read The Death and Life of the Great Lakes.

Oh, good. I am always happy to have a reading partner. I hope we both like it.

Somehow I want to read 90% of the books that have been posted here. I need a year of science . . .

Jenni Elyse wrote: "Awesome! I'm excited that Science won!

I plan to read Artemis as my choice.

I recommend:
Dune
The Hunger Games
Jurassic Park
[book:..."

I am glad someone added some fiction. I didn't even allow my mind to drift that way. Many books by Crichton would fall under science.

I have 2 books for this topic.

I will read The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat and Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks

I also have #1 in the Science book list:
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

If I have time, I will read the second book.

I am only going to read from my considerable
TBR shelves this year. I really don't want to buy
anymore (except maybe cheap e-books) until
I get the shelves under control !

I’ll recommend Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds by Bernd Heinrich. This made my top ten for this year.

I have tons to read for this. And I’m adding more as i read this post.

I second Botany of Desire- what an interesting book!
I’d also recommend Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers
or Bonk: The Curious Coupling of Science and Sex,
or The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements.
I have a boatload of books that qualify for this tag. I will listen to Get Well Soon: History's Worst Plagues and the Heroes Who Fought Them, and choose at least one more.
I love this topic! Thanks, Ellen!

Sushicat wrote: "I’ll recommend Mind of the Raven: Investigations and Adventures with Wolf-Birds by Bernd Heinrich. This made my top ten for this year.

I have tons to read for this. And I’m adding mo..."

That one is definitely on my list. I've been meaning to read it.
And I'd recommend The Genius of Birds

Was surprised and thrilled to receive my BookBub daily offers.
I have wanted to get this book for a while, but have to order it or go out of town. It was $2.99, more than what I usually pay, hoping it is worth it.

Hidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space RaceHidden Figures: The American Dream and the Untold Story of the Black Women Mathematicians Who Helped Win the Space Race by Margot Lee Shetterly

Don't know what I'm going to read yet but I highly recommend:

The Hot Zone (terrifying!)
The Hidden Life of Trees (fascinating!)

~*Kim*~ wrote: "Well this tag is way out of my normal zone, so I don't have any recommendations, but from browsing through the list, I may tackle one of these:

Brave New World (a reread as I read it back in high school)
Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness
The Omnivore's Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals

Put The Omnivore's Dilemma on the top of your list - I loved it! I recommend it to others all the time!