5.03.2011

Top Ten Recommended Books


Book recommendations are a tricky thing, and the people who recommended these titles to me got it right:

1. Fanny and Zooey (Salinger)/ recommended by my friend Ben @TyrusBooks: I didn't like The Catcher in the Rye and neither did he. But he recommended this lesser-known Salinger and I happened to love it.

2. The Yellow Wallpaper (Perkins Gilman)/ recommended by a college English professor: I can't remember what work we were studying I do remember my professor suggesting The Yellow Wallpaper as a complementary text. It was fantastic.

3. Norwegian Wood (Murakami)/recommend by Ben at Dead End Follies: This is a recent read and this book is still glowing in my mind. Best recommendation of the year so far.

4. The Shadow of the Wind (Ruiz Zafon)/recommended by my friend Nicholas: This was pre-book blogging and I hadn't heard any of the hype surrounding this novel. Nicholas told me it was one of his favorites and it quickly became one of mine as well.

5. Dreams from my Father (Obama)/ recommended by my friend Vanessa: I may have picked this one up on my own, but I picked it up after V told me to buy it while we were at our University Bookstore and it was fantastic. She also recently recommended Patti Smith's Just Kids, but I haven't gotten it yet.

6. Persepolis (Satrapi)/ recommended by a college English professor: The same professor that I mentioned above, she clearly knows whats up. She recommended this a few years before the movie came out.

7. The Dud Avocado (Dundy)/ recommended by a college friend: This is a classic example of something I wouldn't have picked up on my own, but loved to pieces.

8. How I Became A Famous Novelist (Hely)/ recommended by Jackie at Farmlane Books: Another recent read that is fresh in my mind, I can't say I would have picked this one up on my own. It's not the type of book I am normally drawn to, but I really liked it a lot.

9. Blankets (Thompson)/ recommended by Nymeth at Things Mean A Lot: I'm not huge into graphic novels, but after I read Nymeth's review I picked this one up and read it in one sitting.

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

21 comments:

  1. Some good titles here! Norwegian Wood and Shadow of the Wind are both on my TBR shelf. I should probably get my hands on some Salinger again too.

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  2. I've heard good things about Dreams from my Father. I'm typically reluctant to read any book by a political figure but that might need to be an exception.

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  3. Great list! I have loved so many from this list. I bought a copy of Blankets after reading Nymeth's review - I really should get around to reading it - told you I was slow at getting to recommendations!

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  4. I made the list *raises the roof*. Murakami and Japan in general contains hidden treasures. After you're done with Murakami, I'm sure you'd like Yukio Mishima.

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  5. Trish, Those are both great! Very different but each very good.

    Red, I am too and the thing about Dreams From My Father is that Obama wrote it after he graduated from Law School, before he had (realistic) hopes of becoming president. It doesn't read like a political memoir. You can check out my review in "The Books" tab. I'd recommended it.

    farmlane, Haha you weren't lying! Blankets is a good one for a cold weekend afternoon.

    Ben, Thanks! I'll add him to my "authors to read" list.

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  6. I ddi love Norwegian Wood, The Shadow of the Wind and The Dud Avocado, too. Wouldn't I have read them already I would add them to my list of recommended books now. I'll go woth Franny and Zooey instead. Hope I'll like it as much as you did.

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  7. I've read Franny and Zooey and it really didn't make an impression on me - not that I expected anything to compare with the brilliance of 'The Catcher in the Rye'.

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  8. Sabrina, It sounds like we have the same taste in books!

    Eclectic Indulgence, I didn't like The Catcher in the Rye. The whole thing felt contrived. To each their own I guess...

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  9. Great list! I was actually planning to reread Franny & Zooey and Norwegian Wood (there's a Japanese film that was released this year). I love those 2!

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  10. Brenna, I linked to you for Norwegian Wood...I haven't read it yet, but it's at the top of my stack, thanks to you.

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  11. I am not familiar with most of the others (except for the Obama one), but I love "The Yellow Wallpaper" too. When I taught English, I studied it every semester. If you like feminist or female centered short stories, you may also enjoy "Janus" by Ann Beattie and "A Jury of Her Peers" by Susan Glaspell.

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  12. I thought of Norwegian Wood when I saw your list on my reader earlier today. It was recommended to me by a friend and I loved it as well. I also have Blankets on my shelf, possibly from reading about it on your blog.

    Check out my list here

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  13. Lovely list - I still need to get a copy of Norwegian Wood. I remember loving Franny and Zooey too though it's been years since I've read it. Blankets sounds like something I might have to check out as well!

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  14. Gerat list. I especially love Fanny and Zooey and The Shadow of the Wind (both read pre-blogging). I just finished Persepolis (so great) and have wanted to read The Dud Avacado for awhile.

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  15. Excellent list! I loved Norwegian Wood and Blankets and Persepolis. Now I suppose that I need to seek out Dud Avocado.

    Here's my gratitude list: the Readerbuzz Monthly Giveaway. This month I'm giving away Divergent.

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  16. I saw Franny and Zooey and sort of sighed because I hated Catcher in the Rye -- and then I saw the rest of your sentence and rejoiced! So I'm adding this to my TBR based on your recommendation.

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  17. Yes! You! Yes! Great picks! In partics, I am a HUGE fan of Murakami and Dundy. I've heard great things about FAMOUS NOVELIST and SHADOW OF THE WIND, must pick those up in the near future. Thanks for the smart, thoughtful list

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  18. Shadow of the Wind is one of my favourite books of all time. The only other one I've read is Persepolis, my first encounter with a graphic novel. Much to my surprise, I couldn't put it down. And there's a movie? I had no idea!

    I have many to thank for book recommendations, too. But I admit I've had far more recommendations than books read...I can't keep up!

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  19. Old follower stopping by :-) great list, very inspiring.

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  20. Very happy to hear I encouraged you to pick up Blankets! It was also recommended to me by fellow book bloggers :)

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  21. yay! I made the list!
    You need to make a list of books for me to read...I've given up working out and need to find another hobby.

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