Like many others, I don’t have a trip to Europe or some exotic island cruise on my calendar. But I do have books. And I read, always.
And what a great time of year to pile up some wonderful reads, because I live in Chicago, and it’s fall, the leaves shouting out their autumn colors, though on our walk today I saw Lamb’s Ear (that’s a plant I love) roses, mums, marigolds, other annuals still holding on. But it’s getting late, and so we admire the brightness of pumpkins…they are every where, part of our Midwest autumn celebration.
BUT I HAVE TO ASK: WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN READING?
I’m curious, because The New York Times recently presented: BOOK REVIEW, THE 100 BEST BOOKS OF THE 21st CENTURY! And no one can resist flipping through 47 pages to see what books made the list and if you have read any of them.
HOW “BEST BOOKS” IS DONE
The Book Review sends a survey to hundreds of novelists, editors, critics, publishers, booksellers, and librarians asking them to pick the ten best books of the 20th Century. After going through all responses, the NYT creates a list of 100.
THE TOP TEN
And now I am wondering if you have read and enjoyed any of THE TOP TEN? So, here they are:
My Brilliant Friend, Elena Ferrante; Warmth of Other Suns, Isabel Wilkerson; Wolf Hall, Hillary Mantel; The Known World, Edward P. Jones; The Corrections, Jonathan Franzen; 2666, Roberto Bolano; The Underground Railroad, Colson Whitehead; Austerlitz, W.G.Sebald; Never Let Me Go, Kazuo Ishiguro and lastly, Gilead, Marilynn Robinson.
OUT OF THE TOP TEN, HERE ARE THE ONES I HAVE READ and RECOMMEND:
The Known World (amazing); most of The Corrections; The Underground Railroad and Gilead–one of my favorite books of all time, that lead me to read everything else Robinson has written. Love her work.
Many of the others I am familiar with, especially Isabel Wilkerson and her research; Hillary Mantel and her life work, early death; and how amazing that Elena Ferrante seemed to come from nowhere, capturing the love of readers world-wide.
AND THE LIST GOES ON
Here are some of the others I have read, and my brief recommendation. THANKS FOR, well, READING!
Lincoln in the Bardo George Saunders
Hateship, Friendship, Courtship, Loveship, Marriage Alice Munro
Atonement, Ian McEwan
Between the World and Me, Ta Nehisi Coates (a must read)
Small Things Like These, Claire Keegan (an absolutely must read!)
Olive Kitteridge, Elizabeth Strout (I fell in love with this novel that won the Pulitzer, and then read everything else she has written, as well as taking a class with her at the University of Iowa. I’m a fan.)
An American Marriage, Tayari Jones (I cannot say enough for this novel, beautifully written, fascinating story…worth reading again and again.)
And finally, Bel Canto, Ann Patchett (a wonderful writer who I admire. My favorite of hers: Commonwealth.)
WOULD LOVE TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE READING or YOUR FAVORITES, Beth
I recommend joining Goodreads to see what others are reading and loving.
6 Responses
I was reading Tell Me Everything by Elizabeth Strout, but I had to return the ebook over the weekend and now it’s back on reserve for me. I should have it in about four months (maybe less) I loved what I had a chance to read, and I finally got to meet Olive Kitteridge. Of the top 10 books, I only read one, Never Let Me Go, and I would consider it one of the best books I’ve ever read. I’ve also read parts of Lincoln in the Bardo. It was not an easy book but I need to go back one day and read the whole thing. The more you read, the better it got. My preferred genres (dystopian, SF) rarely get onto Best Books lists and that’s OK with me. Right now I’m reading Hum, by Helen Phillips.
Wow, Alana….thank you so much for this. It really makes me feel great when someone else reads, loves to read and shares their experience. I am delighted that you met Olive. She is a hoot and I would recommend reading the first book that Strout wrote and won the Pulitzer, OLIVE KITTERIDGE. From there you might get hooked as I did to read all the books. I find it interesting that you love dystopian SF, especially because you LOVE OLD MUSIC. That says to me you are truly a woman of
the future and the past. Hugs, Beth
I read and loved Warmth of Other Suns. I’m currently watching Wolf Hall (but probably won’t read it). I read The Underground Railroad and found it intriguing.
Between the World and Me and An American Marriage were also two important books for me.
I’m putting Bel Canto higher on my TBR — thanks!
Joy…yippee and thanks for your comment. Will look for you on Facebook. I need to read Warmth of Other Suns. Watching
Wolf Hall is a great idea, and I did some of it a few years back. The Underground Railroad was amazing and yes, I think
Between the World and Me and An American Marriage should be must reads for seniors in high school…and if not, in any
literature class in college. Bel Canto was not my favorite of her novels, but Commonwealth is.
I loved Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer. I read it and hubby tried it on audiobook which he found cloying, but better in the reading.
I also really like Island of Sea Women (2019) by Lisa See which I read after her wonderful book, Lady Tan’s Circle of Women (2023).
Hi Leslie, thanks so much for writing. I confess I have little knowledge of either of these books, though I am familiar
with Lisa See and have read one of her books. Books are life in so many ways. And as for cloying, we are all allowed an opinion. Thanks, Beth