Have you fulfilled (if any) your reading goals this year? As the days of 2009 are numbered, and that the holiday seasons imply considerable disruption to reading routine, do you have an immediate list of books that you’d like to finish before year-end? Willful abstinence from joining reading challenge affords a flexibility to peruse books that I have wanted to read for so long: Gone with the Wind back in March, several titles in African-American literature, and considerable amount of GLBT literature in the second half of the year.
Dear fellow readers and book bloggers, help me decide what I should read the next two months. I have drawn up a list of books with the recent consolidated list of 100 novels in mind, since the revelation of what I haven’t heard has been shocking to some of you. Consider that I average about 5 to 7 books a month, my goal is to read 15 books before the arrival of 2010. Which one(s) should I give the priority? Here is the list for you to consider:
Lives of the Circus Animals Christopher Bram
Howard’s End E.M. Forster
Brideshead Revisited Evelyn Waugh
Anne Of Green Gables L.M. Montgomery
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin Louis de Bernieres
Persuasion Jane Austen
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini
The Calligrapher’s Daughter Eugenia Kim
The Wind in the Willows Kenneth Grahame
The Angel’s Game Carlos Ruiz Zafon
The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath
The Bone People Keri Hulme
The Hour Between Sebastian Stuart
The Year of Ice Brian Malloy
The Enchanted April Elizabeth von Arnim
Theatre W. Somerset Maugham
The Women’s House Marilyn French
Molly Fox’s Birthday Deirdre Madden
Stone’s Fall Iain Pears
Death with Interruptions Jose Saramago
Indignation Philip Roth
The Book of Lost Things John Connolly
The History of Love Nicole Krauss
Although I have a burning desire, I will not get to The Help by Kathyrn Stockett because I just read that the publisher has delayed the release of trade paperback. This one is out. I don’t plan to peruse any more chunkster because my attention span tends to be shortened at this time of the year.
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Hi, Matt! Considering the amount of time left, I suggest that you read the shorter novels for the rest of this year (or those that are “easy” reads). I enjoyed The Enchanted April and I’m sure you’ll find this novel delightful as well. As for the easy read, you can always read The Kite Runner. It’s a very engaging novel.
I think you should pick ‘Persuasion’ or ‘The Bell Jar’. I think you’ll enjoy those. Otherwise, just close your eyes and pick one out.
I’ll be glad to help!
My choice will be (not in any order):
Anne Of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
Persuasion by Jane Austen
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
The Calligrapher’s Daughter by Eugenia Kim
The Angel’s Game Carlos by Ruiz Zafon
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly
Can’t wait to hear what you’ll be reading!
Wind In The Willows is adorable if you’re looking for something light and fun! And I’d love to see your thoughts on Indignation by Philip Roth. I’ll throw in my votes for those two.
I see you’re reading Maurice. How are you liking it? I almost picked it up the other night.
Lezlie
Matt, Indignation is a very short book, even almost like a novella, but very good. You should read that, I think. Also The History of Love, which I loved so much. It’s not that long either.
As for the others on your list that I haven’t read but WANT to: The Bell Jar and Stone’s Fall.
These are the ones from your list *I* really want to read:
Brideshead Revisited Evelyn Waugh
The Kite Runner Khaled Hosseini
The Calligrapher’s Daughter Eugenia Kim
The Bell Jar Sylvia Plath
Stone’s Fall Iain Pears
And, the ones I’ve read, that I loved:
Anne Of Green Gables L.M. Montgomery
The Angel’s Game Carlos Ruiz Zafon (didn’t like this as much as his Shadow of the Wind or the beloved Anne, though)
That is quite a list you have there! I will pick five that I have read or want to read.
Anne of Green Gables – loved it! I wanted Anne as a friend.
Book of Lost Things- favorite read of mine last year
Kite Runner- own it and haven’t read it yet but want to!
History of Love- mixed reviews but I really liked it.
Persuasion- love Austen, haven’t read this but feel like it could be the most challenging one all.
Can’t wait to see what you decide to read!!
I’ve not read them all, but I loved Brideshead Revisited, and definitely The Angel’s Game (that is if you’ve read Shadow of the Wind). That review of mine is coming up next week. The whole list is really pretty excellent.
As far as my goals, I’m doing pretty well. I failed to meet one challenge, but other than that, I am kicking ass.
I really enjoyed The History of Love and The Book of Lost Things. And The Bell Jar is good.
Without a doubt Howards End should make the cut. I don’t even want to mention any others….but I will. Brideshead should be number 2.
Thomas:
Bingo! Howards End is up on top of the list. It’s sitting on my night-stand. I’m on a Forster binge. Brideshead is very much likely #2 since I have never read Waugh!
The Bell Jar!
The History of Love is a great short read – you could easily read it in a day or two, and it really is so very lovely.
I love Anne of Green Gables and think it’s also a quick read, though I don’t know if you’ll love it as much as I do! Might be one of those books that you need to read when young (and might be more for girls than boys!
)
The Book of Lost Things is another great read, and really very engaging and fun. Not too challenging, and quite easy to read.
Haven’t read any of the others, so that’s as much help as I can be! But you’ve got a great list so I’m sure the rest of you year will be full of good reads!
The Bell Jar.
I’ve only read a couple on your list (although I have read others by the mentioned authors). “The Kite Runner” is very good.
I have “The Calligrapher’s Daughter” very high up in my TBR, and once I read it would want to know what you think of it also!
I don’t have “The Angel’s Game” yet, but that would be high up since I loved “The Shadow of the Wind”!
I haven’t read “Howard’s End”, although there are others by Forster that I’ve read. Would be curious what you think of it.
So many fine titles. I’d suggest Howard’s End, just because I’d love to see what you make of it. And especially Persuasion, it’s really Austen’s most mature book. It’s about steadfastness in love and that love requited after a long period of doubt and misunderstanding.
You must, must, must read Brideshead Revisited! I thought I was going to have real issues with it and find it really hard going but it was an absolute joy to read and beautifully written.
Absolutely – Brideshead!
Don’t try to rush the great books! I think you should read Stone’s Fall, as I am sure you’ll love it. I am going to try to get hold of Death with Interruptions by Jose Saramago and Indignation by Philip Roth before the end of the year, so I’ll let you know if they are any good!
Howard’s End, Corelli’s Mandolin, The Kite Runner, The Enchanted April, and Brideshead Revisited are five I’ve read and loved. Persuasion if you have time for another. I’ve been trying to find a copy of Molly Fox’s birthday for months…may have to order from the Book Depository. From the reviews I’ve read, this sounds like my kind of book!
The Book Of Lost Things is a fantastic book!! I’m quite a fan. I also loved Persuasion. It was the first Austen that I ever read. History of Love is a great book too.!!
Love that you ask for recommendations!
Dear Sir,
I would go with
Brideshead Revisited
Howard’s End
The Kite Runner
If you haven’t read any Jose Saramago, I would not start with Death with Interruptions–it’s a rather abrupt dive in.
While there are a great many good books on the list the three above would be what I would consider “essentials.”
shalom,
Steven
You should read “The Kite Runners” first.
You really, really should read Brideshead Revisited!
), and Death by Interruptions by Jose Saramago. Also, anything by Jane Austen, even though Persuation is not my favorite among her novels.
I would also vote for The Women’s Room by Marilyn French, Howard’s End by E. M. Forster, Anne of Green Gables by L. M. Montgomery, The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath (and please, do take a look at her poetry!
Greetings,
Tiina
You know Matt, there are quite a few titles on your list that I haven’t read either, or would like to re-read.
I’m actually creating a challenge myself, to make me read books I really should read in 2010. How sad is that?
Anyway here are my suggestions:
Persuasion (re-read)
Anne of Green Gables (re-read but orig read over 20 yrs ago!)
The Bell Jar
The Book of Lost Things (good one, but I didn’t write a review. It was before I blogged)
The Enchanted April
Good luck and I am excited to see what you choose.
You will not be sorry if you add The Kite Runner to your short list! I was mainly a non-fiction reader when I read it for my book club and the book literally brought me to tears and I am not a crier.
I absolutely adore telling other people what to read, so happily, I give my advice: Austen’s Persuasion, The Bell Jar, The Angel’s Game, and The Book of Lost Things should be your first four reads.
cuz I said so.
I am a bit late to the party, but I vote for Howard’s End, Brideshead Revisited, The Bell Jar, Stone’s Fall, and The History of Love. I’ve read all of them except Stone’s Fall, which I am hoping for the current time to experience vicariously through reviews.
Hi everyone:
I started The Calligrapher’s Daughter this morning because the the historical period in which Japan took over Korea by force intrigues me. I have Howards End and The Book of Lost Things on top of the pile.
Anne of Green Gables, FOR SURE. You just HAVE to.
The Bell Jar, bc it’s a classic.
The Kite Runner, bc you should. I didn’t like it, but it’s one of those books that is so well known at this point, you need to find out for yourself.
I can’t believe it is almost the end of the year – so many of my reading goals for the year are going to go by the wayside I think (especialy A Suitable Boy unfortunately). A History of Love was one of my stand out reads for last year so I would definitely recommend that you try and get to that one.
Hello Everyone:
I thought you would be interested in an update. I finished The Calligrapher’s Daughter and am now close to wrapping up Howards End.
Next week I’m going away for my birthday and I have decided to bring some books with me. For classics, I have The Bell Jar; The Book of Lost Things would be fun and good read, plus it’s on sale at the bookstore! I will also bring The History of Love since many of you have commented on how lovely it is.