My first thought when I saw The Broke and The Bookish’s topic for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday was “I don’t favour particular settings when picking a book!” (read between the lines here – “I’m so open-minded that I’ll read about any topic!”). But then I had a little think about it. *ahem* I am actually more likely to pick up a book if it has any of the following –
1. A New York city setting – it may not be terribly original but I really, really love New York.
2. New England (and more specifically, Maine) – don’t tell my husband but one of the reasons that I planned our New England honeymoon was John Irving. Say no more.
3. Universities and colleges – am I looking back on my university days with rose-coloured glasses? Perhaps. I like all the crap that goes with a stereo-typical college campus – crew, lacrosse and quadrangle encounters.
4. Boarding school – I’ve never really moved on from the fabulousness that is Enid Blyton’s Naughtiest Girl series.
5. 1920s – I’m sure with The Great Gatsby about to hit screens, there will be NO shortage of Art Deco glamour but it has been a passion of mine for nearly twenty years (and I have a garage full of furniture to show for it!).
6. 1980s – the decade of my youth. I love it all from the shoulder pads and the Choose Life tees to mixed tapes, Culture Club and Cyndi Lauper.
7. Melbourne – who doesn’t like to read a story set in their hometown?
That’s not ten but it’s enough.
For those of you that also like these settings, here’s a little quiz for you. The following is a list of books that I think are good examples of novels set in the places listed above. Do you know what goes with what? (and bonus points for those that match more than one setting e.g. the boarding school in Maine – of course I’m buying that book!).
a. The Cider House Rules by John Irving
b. The Art of Fielding by Chad Harbach
c. The Privileges by Jonathan Dee
d. The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
e. Loving Frank by Nancy Horan
f. The Starboard Sea by Amber Dermont
g. Less Than Zero by Bret Easton Ellis
I really had a hard time with this list as well. Oddly enough, I ended up with a similar list. New England is on my list (specifically Maine and New Hampshire, I grew up in Portsmouth, New Hampshire and Portland, Maine), as is the town I live in (Boulder, Colorado). I also chose a favorite decade (but it was more historical). Although I didn’t include it, I love the ’80’s. Flash Dance, John Hughes, Jellies, The Cure…
I don’t know if I should take you quiz though. It’d almost be like cheating.
I suspected we’d have similar lists this week.
You could do the quiz with your eyes closed so no, don’t give away the answers! 😉
I read a lot of books set around Maine and Nantucket. Not sure why. It just works out that way. Read a lot about crafts too and I am the least art and carfty person you’d ever meet.
I think authors must favour a New England setting… But why?! That’s funny about books about craft!
Fiction that is about craft. Definitely not how to books.
Great list. I do enjoy a school setting. I think I like because often it goes hand in hand with a coming-of-age story. I also get a kick out of settings in Melbourne. There’s nothing like reading about places you grew up with.
Think you’re right about the coming-of-age thing and school stories.
Awesome list! I would also love to see more university/college settings in books too. I also love the photo you selected for New England, now I think I want to check books out with that state as a setting =D
Here’s my 10 places for this week’s TTT =)
I don’t know whether it’s because I’m attracted to books set in New England or if it’s because there’s dozens of them but there’s certainly no shortage! In fact, I could probably put together a TTT of those as well.
I think I’ve read three of those books, and loved each of them. I would love to read some more 1920s lit- good stuff!
I might have to put together a 1920s list for the next TTT freebie.
I’d love to see more books set in the 1920s and the 1980s! 🙂 My TTT list: http://aliceinreaderland.wordpress.com/2013/01/21/settings/
Alice @ Alice in Readerland
I had a hard time with this list as well. 1920’s was one I should have thought of.
As for universities, with the surge in new adult books, college based books are actually becoming quite popular. Have you read The Coincidence of Callie and Kayden? That one was quite good.
Here’s mine
~Danica Page
Taking It One Page at a Time
Thanks for the suggestion – I’ll check it out.
I’d definitely love to read more 1920’s books too! I also like books set in New York, there’s definitely something about that city that is very appealing.
My Life Next Door had a pretty cool New England setting and made me want to read more books with that location! I definitely agree with the college one, there needs to be more awesome books about the best time in a person’s life!
Thanks for stopping by My TTT
I’m all for more college/boarding school and New York stories! I can never really get enough of those 🙂
I love all these photos! Maine is a lovely place for a story, and it’s right around the corner from me. Oh and I also love the Art Deco period, so more books at that time would be fantastic.
Thanks for stopping by my blog. And if you really do have suggestions for Australia books, I’d love to hear them. 🙂
~Danica Page
Taking it One Page at a Time
ooh all of these photos are lovely! I would love more boarding schools, 1920s & 1980s settings too!
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New boarding school novel, which is also set in the 1980s/90s, is out in January 2019: The Islanders by FJ Campbell. More info here: http://www.fjcampbell.net