Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature created and hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. Each week a new ‘top ten’ challenge is posted – anyone can join in.
This week’s topic is ‘Top Ten ‘Older’ Books You Don’t Want People To Forget About’. It’s a terrific topic because so often we’re attracted to the latest, shiniest new release, while some ace books gather dust on the shelves (or worse still, go out of print).
I’ve picked ten books that I remember really enjoying when I was reading them – you know the kind of book you don’t want to end? They may not necessarily finish on your ‘favourite books of all time’ list but they have the perfect combination of memorable characters and a gripping plot. In no particular order, here’s my top ten –
1. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers – exactly as the title suggests.
2. Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt – heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time. Gawd, I sound like a book jacket testimonial…
3. Bee Season by Myla Goldberg – weird, quirky, unexpected (avoid the terrible movie version starring Richard Gere).
4. Last Night at Twisted River by John Irving – twists in the plot that hit you like a punch in the guts.
5. When God was a Rabbit by Sarah Winman – a fairytale for grown-ups.
6. Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells – good, old-school fun.
7. The Secret History by Donna Tartt – I’m not normally into mysteries but this was gripping.
8. She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb – I read it before Oprah got her mitts all over it…
9. The Turn of the Screw by Henry James – the very best of ghost stories.
10. A Room with a View by E. M. Forster – so, so, so romantic.
The Secret History made my list too and John Irving on there too (The Hotel New Hampshire). I did my senior thesis on A Room with a View and still love it. Great list!
I swear our bookshelves would be almost identical!
The Secret History was such an unexpected read for me, and I absolutely loved it. Unfortunately I lent it to a friend who lent it to their mum who then lent it to another friend etc, so I haven’t been able to revisit it yet.
I loved Angela’s Ashes as well, such beautifully sad prose.
Oddly my copy of The Secret History suffered a similar fate! I recently bought another copy and plan to re-read.
Fantastic choices. I loved the ones I’ve read on your list, and will be looking into the ones I haven’t. I listened to the audiobook (cassette!) of She’s Come Undone. LOL.
Great list! I’m kind of sick of those shiny new releases lol. I read the Eggers book in High School but I don’t remember it much. Time for a re-read! Angela’s Ashes was horribly depressing but beautifully written. Here’s Ours
She’s Come Undone!!! I forgot all about that book, see?? People are forgetting about good books!
When God Was A Rabbit looks cool as well!
Thanks for stopping by My TTT!!
‘When God was a Rabbit’ is one of those rare books that has you laughing and then crying within the space of a page. Well worth a read.
I almost put She’s come Undone and The Divine Secrets on my list, as well…but then didn’t. Hmmmm….
So many that I need to ‘re-read’…
It’s official; I should have made my list a Top 20. I cannot believe that I forgot Angela’s Ashes and The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood! Two of my all-time favorites and they didn’t make it on to the list. I’m glad you remembered them.
http://www.theselftaughtcook.blogspot.com/2012/10/top-ten-tuesday-top-ten-older-books.html
It was hard to know where to stop, wasn’t it?! I could have stretched my list to twenty or thirty, easily.
I haven’t any of the books you listed. I’m intrigued and I’m adding a few to my TBR list for sure starting with A Heartbreaking Work… Thanks for the post.
Let me know which ones you picked!