Around the Year in 52 Books discussion

It's now time to get ready to vote for our next set of prompts! The thread will be open for at least 24 hours before the poll gets posted. This is a good opportunity to ask any question you may have regarding the prompts, do some research, or ask for recommendations.

Voting will open in the morning of Thursday, August 1 and results will be posted in the morning of Monday, August 5 (CST time).

How it works:
- When the voting opens, follow the link to the mini-poll that will be added at the end of this post
- You have a total of 8 votes this poll to spread across your favorite and least favorite prompts (you can also use less than 8 votes)
- You can find examples of acceptable voting practices on the Introduction thread.
- The prompts with the more favorable votes (comparing top votes to bottom votes, and looking at the overall number of votes it received) will be added to the final list

We are asking people to include their Goodreads profile address when they vote. To find this, just go to your own profile and then copy the URL/web address. If for some reason you can't link to your Goodreads profile, please post your full Goodreads name with enough identifiable information that we'll be able to access your profile.

Poll Prompts:
1. A book connected to one of the phrases attributed to Shakespeare
2. A book connected to mushrooms
3. A book related to National DNA Day
4. A book that comforts you
5. A book with a lock or keyhole on the cover
6. A book with a tv or film adaptation
7. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears
8. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines
9. A book about or involving modern media
10. A book with an occupation in the title
11. A book about breaking up or breaking down
12. A book by an author whose publishing career spans at least ten years
13. A book set in a country bordering the Caribbean Sea
14. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time
15. A book involving an island

Feel free to discuss the prompts below, but please remember to be respectful to the other group members.

VOTE HERE: https://forms.gle/9qcPVkzSGS4EY4k2A

THOUGHTS AND IDEAS FROM THE SUGGESTIONS THREAD

1. A book connected to one of the phrases attributed to Shakespeare
"
These can be found on many sites, but this one seems the most complete and concise to me. It gives a VERY brief description of what the phrase means, and the Play>Act>Scene where it can be found. If you are aware of a better one, please let us know!

https://www.shakespeare.org.uk/explor...
Here are the phrases:

• We have seen better days

• Too much of a good thing

• Neither rhyme nor reason

• I have not slept a wink

• Cruel to be kind

• The clothes make the man

• In my heart of hearts

• Own flesh and blood

• He hath eaten me out of house and home

• A dish fit for the Gods

• It’s Greek to me

• Sterner stuff

• The be-all and end-all

• Jealousy is the green-eyed monster

• What’s done is done

• Something wicked this way comes

• Foregone conclusion

• Wear my heart upon my sleeve

• All that glitters isn’t gold

• A blinking idiot

• The world is my oyster

• Short shrift

• A tower of strength

• Star-crossed lovers

• Wild-goose chase

• Break the ice

• Brave new world

• Melted into thin air"

2. A book connected to mushrooms
This could be a book featuring mushrooms, having a mushroom on the cover or in the title, a cookbook using mushrooms, a book with a character who does shrooms, a more abstract creative connection to the name of a mushroom, a book about nuclear bombs (mushroom clouds), a romance book involving a man…

Listopia of mushroom/fungi books: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Listopia of mushroom horror: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Listopia of mushroom fiction: https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
Listopia of mushrooming guides: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...

Fun mushroom names: Poison Pie, Terracotta Hedgehog, Weeping Widow, Stinking Parachute, Devil’s Stinkhorn, Liberty Cap, The Sickener, The Flirt, Old Man of the Woods, Fairy Inkcap, Destroying Angel, Caesar's Mushroom, Charcoal Burner, Ink Cap, Field Mushroom, Puffball, Lion's Mane, Giraffe Spots, Hawk Wings, Slippery Jack, Wine Cup

3. A book related to National DNA Day
National DNA Day is April 25, 2025
(https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...)
This could include a variety of genres, etc.
Any science-related book regarding DNA:
(1) KIS—the word “April” in the title, a book with a character named April, a book set in the month of April
(2) it’s discovery
(3) it’s usefulness in investigations/solving crimes
(4) our ability to map biological relations (23 and Me, etc.)
(5) Any book regarding genetically caused diseases/afflictions or a character dealing with one:
Cleveland Clinic--https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health...
(6) A book written by an author suffering from a genetically caused disease/affliction

4. A book that comforts you
This could be a go to author or genre, a re-read or a book you find soothing

5. A book with a lock or keyhole on the cover
Two example listopias:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...

7. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears
(BIO option a book related to two or three of the words).

Helpful listopias
The word blood, sweat or tears in the title https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Best Non-fiction War Books https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/824
Best Heart Pounding Books https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Fantastic Future Warfare novels. https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1... (there are some books on this list that don't belong)
Working Up a Sweat: Female Athletes in Romance Novels https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
Popsugar 2023 #33 - A Book About an Athlete/Sport https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Books that Made You Cry! https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

8. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines
I thought this would be a fun prompt to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Back to the Future.

Possible titles I came across:
1. Dark Matter by Blake Crouch
2. OutlanderDiana Gabaldon
3. Neverwhere by Neil Gaiman
4. A Thousand Pieces of You by Claudia Gray
5. 11/22/63 by Stephen King
6. The Night Watch by Sergei Lukyanenko
7. Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell
8. The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
9. The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman
10. The Time Machine by H.G. Wells

9. A book about or involving modern media
Would be open to fiction and non-fiction, to social media, podcasts, TikTok & Co., but also historical books dealing with media that was new/modern at the time (e.g. a historical novel where the emerging technology of photography or home TV plays a role). It could even refer to a Shakespeare play written by an AI if that's your fancy.
I think we've had social media and podcasts prompts as well as multimedia prompts in the past (or was that Popsugar? Or prompts that didn't make it in?), but I don't think we've had this particular one

10. A book with an occupation in the title
The Judge's List
The Annual Banquet of the Gravediggers' Guild
A Manual for Cleaning Women: Selected Stories
Doctor Sleep
The Fishermen

11. A book about breaking up or breaking down
It could be a romantic break up, or a band breaking up, corporation breaking up, a country or an empire breaking up. Disaster/societal collapse/breakdown. Mental break down. Characters stranded caused by a breakdown.

Some break-up/down books off the top of my head:
Someone Else's Shoes (both relationship and mental breakdowns)
The Fifth Season (environmental breakdown)
The Wake-Up Call (hotel is falling apart and there's a scene in a broken down car)
The Husbands (well she stuffs the husbands back into the attic to get rid of them but close enough)

Some lists:
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
https://www.goodreads.com/shelf/show/...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

13. A book set in a country bordering the Caribbean Sea
Basically Mexico, central America, Cuba, all the Lesser Antilles, and the top part of South America
Map of Caribbean Sea: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caribbe...
Possible listopia: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/6...

14. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time
People can choose how long the lapse has been

If "occupation in the title" gets in, I will definitely use it as an excuse to reread The Watchmaker of Filigree Street.

And the sequel The Lost Future of Pepperharrow works perfectly for alternate timelines.

There's too many good ones; how am I supposed to pick just 8?

Totally agree Jackie! And when the results roll in I can guarantee I’ll be both very pleased, and very disappointed.

I'm definitely using 8 upvotes. It's now about narrowing it down.

I like all of these! Great ideas, everyone. I think I might be upvoting 8 for the first time ever.

This will be the first week i will have more up votes than down!

shakespeare, 'shrooms, dna, time travel, and blood will be definite upvotes.

For the DNA prompt, here are some additional resources and suggested titles...

A book related to National DNA Day.

National DNA Day is April 25, 2025
(https://www.calendarr.com/united-stat...)

This could include a variety of genres, etc.
(1) KIS—the word “April” in the title, a book with a character named April, a book set in the month of April, a book released in the month of April
Any science-related book regarding DNA:
(2) it’s discovery
Her Hidden Genius by Marie Benedict
(3) it’s usefulness in investigations/solving crimes and healthcare
A Crack in Creation: Gene Editing and the Unthinkable Power to Control Evolution
The Code Breaker: Jennifer Doudna, Gene Editing, and the Future of the Human Race
The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
Genome: The Autobiography of a Species in 23 Chapters
Forensic Analysis and DNA in Criminal Investigations: Including Solved Cold Cases by RJ Parker
Fair Warning by Michael Connelly (Victims of a serial killer all signed up for a DNA site called GT23)
A Deadly Discovery by J.C. Kenney
DNA Detective by Tanya Lloyd Kyi, illustrated by Lil Crump
The Forever Witness: How Genetic Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder by Edward Humes
Hiding the Past (Forensic Genealogist #1) by Nathan Dylan Goodwin (There are 10 books in this series)
What DNA Evidence Reveals About Criminals: Cold Case Criminology by Matthew Delisi
What Doesn't Kill Us (Mac McKenzie #18) by David Housewright
(4) our ability to map biological relations (23 and Me, etc.)
(5) Any book regarding genetically caused diseases/afflictions or a character dealing with one:
Cleveland Clinic--https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health...
Love Anthony
(6) A book written by an author dealing with a genetically caused disease/affliction
Temple Grandin
Listopias:
Genetics in Science Fiction
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Fiction with Genetic Engineering Themes
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Best Popular Genetics Books on Goodreads
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...
Altered: Romance Heroes and Heroines whose DNA has been Altered
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/8...
Genetics for Non-Scientists
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
Genetics
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/3...

Hi Emily. The details for the Shakespeare prompt (#1 on the list) are still not showing up on the mobile app. I've sent you another version in a Goodreads private message. I'm hoping this one works as I've replaced the bullet points with list numbers.

Would you mind replacing what is currently there in the prompt details with this new version? I just don't want mobile users to be left in the dark! Thanks

Can we just have all of these on this year’s list? There isn’t a single prompt that I dislike. It will be tough to choose just 8.

It looks like I’ll have 8 upvotes this week! I haven’t been reading the wild discussion, so I love the surprises. Good work everyone!

My favorite new ideas are breakup up-breakdown, Shakespeare phrases, and National DNA day, time/alt universes, and countries bordering caribbean (I love the Mediterranean prompt this year).

There are several strong and updated listopias for time travel variations, and alternates, and for tv/movie adaptations (there are many new ones), There should be some for occupations, Caribbean, islands, and others. I don’t have time to look today, but I know these are all doable.

I like the two author prompts, but they’re competing so I will wait to see which has a better chance. I always wish people would wait longer to bring back repeat ideas until the new ideas start slowing down.

Excellent ideas here! Can't wait to see what gets chosen.

Thanks Brittany for putting breaking up/down forward for me!

Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me out because I associate them with damp, icky places, they taste like dirt, and the texture is just weird to me.)

If mushrooms get in, I may have to search for a book that was about a poisoner's garden in London(?). I may have dreamed that up.

Jennifer W wrote: "Thanks Brittany for putting breaking up/down forward for me!"

You're welcome! Happy to help anytime.

I've been wanting to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks for forever so the DNA prompt would help me get that done. And it would be fun to see what all people come up with for the Shakespeare prompt.

Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me out because I ..."

There's always Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland / Through the Looking-Glass.

Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me out because I ..."

I keep randomly finding books that have a connection to mushrooms.

Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me out because I ..."

I associate them with the woods I walk the dog in everyday which is a beautiful place! They are fascinating, with so many different species, but I get why people are creeped out by them. Hence why mushroom horror is a thing. But I also like books set in dark, dank places, and mushrooms are a reasonably common design motif for fantasy book covers.

Tracy wrote: "Hi Emily. The details for the Shakespeare prompt (#1 on the list) are still not showing up on the mobile app. I've sent you another version in a Goodreads private message. I'm hoping this one works..."

Hey Tracy, I didn't receive your message, if you sent it already!

Ellie wrote: "I associate them with the woods I walk the dog in everyday which is a beautiful place! They are fascinating, with so many different species, but I get why people are creeped out by them. Hence why mushroom horror is a thing. But I also like books set in dark, dank places, and mushrooms are a reasonably common design motif for fantasy book covers."

I really didn't need to know that mushroom horror existed. {Shudders}

Harini wrote: "Can we just have all of these on this year’s list? There isn’t a single prompt that I dislike. It will be tough to choose just 8."

Agreed! This is a great list.

NancyJ wrote: "There are several strong and updated listopias for time travel variations, and alternates, and for tv/movie adaptations (there are many new ones), There should be some for occupations, Caribbean, islands, and others. I don’t have time to look today, but I know these are all doable...."

I was getting ready to comment that it makes a big difference to my voting whether there is a link to a list attached or not. A list of a dozen examples doesn't have the same effect at all -- I want to scroll down a long linked list and see if books I want to read are there. I encourage everyone who proposes prompts to search for and include Listopias, or links to lists from other sources, if they can find them. Seeing several books I want to read on a list can change a downvote to an upvote, in my case at least. Here is one for time travel and one for occupations in titles:

https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/1...

Agree with others that this is a really strong list. I think my only downvote will be A book related to National DNA Day just because of the wording. Related to DNA would be interesting but there's no real reason for the April connection as it seems to mark the day of publication not "discovery" anyway.

Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me out because I ..."

because they are so varied and can be the smallest to the largest organism.

they come in so many colors and varieties. there's this ultra tiny blue one that is so beautiful. its the a little bigger than size of a pin head.



fairy rings are essential to celtic fae tradition.

there are so many cool things about them.

At first glace, the 'occupation' prompt seemed like it might be a tough one, but it turns out I'll have many options from my to-read list! Between straightforward jobs (Ferryman, etc), society-imposed titles (Queen, King..) and the less sanctioned ways of making a living (Thief, assassin.. ) and others I haven't considered, this prompt has a ton of fun interpretations. This will have my upvote for sure.

Regarding mushrooms, someone in another thread mentioned mushroom clouds.. that could be a possible avenue for that prompt as well. I'm still undecided whether it'll get a vote from me in either direction.

Angela wrote: "At first glace, the 'occupation' prompt seemed like it might be a tough one, but it turns out I'll have many options from my to-read list! Between straightforward jobs (Ferryman, etc), society-impo..."

I recently came across this title (which I have on hold at my library, JIC) which would also fit. It's non-fiction by James Patterson and Matt Eversmann, and is set up to sound very intereting.

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading


I know I have at least several others to choose from. UP vote from me also!

Angela wrote: "Regarding mushrooms, someone in another thread mentioned mushroom clouds.. that could be a possible avenue for that prompt as well. I'm still undecided whether it'll get a vote from me in either di..."

Another less "eww" way to go is something about truffles. Could be a culinary book, or something like this true crime book about the truffle trade: The Truffle Underground: A Tale of Mystery, Mayhem, and Manipulation in the Shadowy Market of the World's Most Expensive Fungus

Mandy wrote: "Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me ..."

OMG - the doesn't even look real! Before I saw the photo for scale, I thought it was a sticker or piece of jewelry!

I think for the first time ever, I have 8 upvotes on a poll. And I have already selected 13 "definite" prompts and 7 "maybe" prompts for the rejects challenge.

Tracy wrote "
Another less "eww" way to go is something about truffles."

Truffles are a good direction. But the clouds are only as Eww as you go for. It doesn't have to be direct non-fiction about the bombs (though it could be for history buffs). It can be WWII historical fiction, a post-apocalyptic book of a world, earth or otherwise, that has been destroyed via some climate or meteor or war driven cataclysm. This could branch into most genres.

Brittany wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Thanks Brittany for putting breaking up/down forward for me!"

You're welcome! Happy to help anytime.

I've been wanting to read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks...

Ooh, Henrietta Lacks is an *excellent* book, definitely make time for it.
I read a lot of crime books, so DNA is an easy one for me, but I'd like to get to The Forever Witness: How Genetic Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder. I've wanted to read it since it was published, it's about solving cases based on the DNA people submit for genetic testing and the ethical issues with that.

Regarding mushrooms, aren't they now using "magic mushrooms" to treat mental health disorders? Seems like there could be some interesting nonfiction books about that! I don't have strong feelings for or against it as a prompt, I'd probably go the mushroom cloud route and get around to reading (and then watching) American Prometheus.

Rosalind wrote: "Agree with others that this is a really strong list. I think my only downvote will be A book related to National DNA Day just because of the wording. Related to DNA would be interesting but there's..."

I agree on that too... I feel it's one of those trying to be everything to appeal. If you don't think the central idea of a prompt will hold up, then it shouldn't be a prompt. (I'm voting cause there's a genealogy related book I've been wanting to read)

Jennifer W wrote: "Brittany wrote: "Jennifer W wrote: "Thanks Brittany for putting breaking up/down forward for me!"

You're welcome! Happy to help anytime.

...I read a lot of crime books, so DNA is an easy one for me, but I'd like to get to The Forever Witness: How Genetic Genealogy Solved a Cold Case Double Murder. ..."

Thanks for this recommendation Jennifer — I've been looking for a book connecting DNA and forensic crime solving!

If the DNA prompt doesn't get it (I hope it does), then I can always read this for the Mystery/True Crime prompt. Of course that only works if Mushrooms gets in so I can read my Truffle True Crime for that...

I kinda wish I didn’t like so many of the prompts this week. It is going to make voting harder. Plus, it seems on polls where I really like most prompts very few are winners.

Hiroshima would fit for mushroom cloud. it's nonfiction.

I'm stuck on the two author prompts. I want to up vote both, but I'm out of votes. I've looked at what I might read for both, and it is almost identical (but if both got in it would allow me to pull from that pool twice!).

I'm hoping to get a sense as to whether there is a preference in the group so we don't end up with both of them neutral!

You could also go for a romance book for ... metaphorical ... mushrooms ;)

Mandy wrote: "Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me ..."

Wow! It's so cute ❤️❤️❤️

Jette wrote: "Love this list!

My only certain downvote will be mushrooms. I know that many who posted loved it last year. Will someone explain the fascination to me, please? (They kinda creep me out because I ..."

They fascinates me since they are neither plants nor animals. They create a web through which the trees communicate with eachother which is so tremendously fascinating!
They remind me of fairytales, of dreamy worlds, of magic, medicine, healing, spirituality, vicious murders, mythology - they are so much 💜🍄

Tracy wrote: "Angela wrote: "At first glace, the 'occupation' prompt seemed like it might be a tough one, but it turns out I'll have many options from my to-read list! Between straightforward jobs (Ferryman, etc..."

The Secret Lives of Booksellers and Librarians: True Stories of the Magic of Reading is a great book.

Great batch of suggestions overall! First impressions:

1. A book connected to one of the phrases attributed to Shakespeare - Theoretically, I like this but I have no clue how I'd tackle it so I'll probably leave it neutral.

2. A book connected to mushrooms - I like this wording much better. Most likely an upvote

3. A book related to National DNA Day - Possible upvote, depending how many options I have on my TBR

4. A book that comforts you - I wouldn't downvote this, but I don't really actively want it either

5. A book with a lock or keyhole on the cover - I'd have to check my TBR and see how many options I have. I like it, but not sure if it's enough to vote for

6. A book with a tv or film adaptation - Most likely a downvote, just because I have major prompt fatigue for anything adaptation-related

7. A book related to blood, sweat, or tears - I strongly preferred the multiweek version of this, and since it's already on my rejects challenge anyway, I'm not sure I'd vote for it again. If it does get in, I'd probably turn it into a multiweek.

8. A book that deals with time travel, alternate universes, or alternate timelines - Maybe, but it is a prompt that I've done repeatedly before so I might prefer something else

9. A book about or involving modern media - Love this! I love books that involve podcasts or social media, so this is perfect for me

10. A book with an occupation in the title - Again, I'd have to check out my options but I like the idea of it

11. A book about breaking up or breaking down - Another favourite, and very glad this is the wording that made it through!

12. A book by an author whose publishing career spans at least ten years - Meh, it's fine but not a favourite

13. A book set in a country bordering the Caribbean Sea - Probably a downvote since I'm not interested in geographic prompts

14. A book by an author you enjoyed but haven't gotten around to reading again for some time - I find the wording of this a little clunky, but I love the idea! There's a ton of authors that I've tried and been meaning to catch up on so this would be a great one for me

15. A book involving an island - I'm pretty indifferent to this one

There's nothing at all on this list that I wouldn't be able to live with if it made it, but there are some that I definitely would want a lot more than others.

Deborah wrote: "Tracy wrote: "Angela wrote: "At first glace, the 'occupation' prompt seemed like it might be a tough one, but it turns out I'll have many options from my to-read list! Between straightforward jobs ..."

Glad to hear it! I've never read James Patterson.

I like all of the prompts but my 3 favorites are Blood, sweat or tears, Caribbean, and Shakespeare. I might vote all ups, which is rare for me.

Some ideas for Shakespeare:

“To be, or not to be: that is the question.” - Book that poses a question in the title or content; philosophy
Some other phrases with lots of options:
“All the world’s a stage”
“A horse! a horse! My kingdom for a horse.”
“We are such stuff as dreams are made on.”
“The course of true love never did run smooth.”
“If music be the food of love, play on.”
“Greek to me”

There are so many options for Shakespeare. And that's before you get to the insults! :-)

https://beelinguapp.com/blog/unmatche...

Voting is open!

https://forms.gle/9qcPVkzSGS4EY4k2A

I voted four up and three down. I can live with most of them. Regarding "a book about modern media", I voted it down since I don't really use much of this with the excepton of Goodreads.

6 up, 2 down. I too downvoted the modern media one.

Voted before I change my mind again!
6 up and 2 down. I also voted modern media down, as I use very little of it

So many good choices! I only downvoted one (modern media).