Tuesday 29 May 2012

Top Ten Tuesday

I should probably prefix this week's top ten Tuesday (of course hosted by The Broke and the Bookish) by admitting that I have really read very few books published in the last ten years. There are loads of reasons for this, probably no good ones, but it's mainly just that there are so many books that seem pretty awesome that I must read, that more recent books are left by the wayside because, well, how do I know they're any good? Have they stood the test of time (even of just a few years)? I guess that makes me a bit of a reading follower rather than a trendsetter, which is a bit alarming! So, as a peace offering, I here give you a highly uninformed list of books that I think could, or even should, stand the test of time.

Top Ten Books Written in the last 10 years that I hope people are still reading in 30 years

1. The Harry Potter Series by JK Rowling- Ok, so the series started slightly more than 10 years ago but the last book was published in 2007, and so this counts. I really just think these books have it in them to be children's classics FOREVER, cause, let's face it, they're amazing.

2. Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides- I just really liked this book, and I think it's kind of non-time specific enough to keep being relevant. Or, maybe, I just really like it so I want everyone to read it forever!

3. 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami- I have no idea if anyone will want to read this in 30 years, but I'm pretty sure that I'll still want to, and that I'll still be recommending it then. Have I mentioned that I love Murakami enough times yet?

4. How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran- I don't want to think of a time where people don't know who Caitlin Moran is, and therefore I want everyone to read this book forever and ever. The end.

5. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen- I think this book is so intrinsically about family and relationships and general life difficulties that are kind of universal and timeless, and so this should still apply in 30 years. And if not then, well, I'll still like it.

6. Room by Emma Donoghue- I bloody love Emma Donoghue, and this book is really exceptional (that's what I call a book when I read it in a day, I guess). But seriously- I don't think time can do anything to make a lot of the events in this book any less shocking, and it seems like it really could face the test of time.

7. The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King- Also a bit of a cheat since the series began in like 1982, but I think it ended in 2003, so... I win. And also, shhh. I really think that these books deserve to be remembered as some of King's best work, and not be forgotten in favour of some of his more famous stuff.

8. The History of Love by Nicole Krauss- I really loved this book a lot, and it's loveliness deserves not to be lost in the sands of time (lost to the sands of time? Clearly I need to learn more sayings). So, yeah. Let's remember this one and recommend it lots, yeah?

9. Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer- I'd actually rather live in a world where no one has to read Eating Animals in 30 years because raising animals for meat has become so humane that no one can even believe the way things used to be done, but I don't think that's going to happen. So, I'd like people to still be curious and horrified about where their food comes from, basically.

10. A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson- And all the Bill Bryson books ever. But especially this, because it literally blew my mind, and I think that, of the ones I've read so far, this is the one which will maybe be best for the future people because it's basically a history of science, and you don't really need to know too much about right now to enjoy it, and have your mind BLOWN.

So! I really do hope people are reading all of these in 30 years because I love them and they rock. I'm pretty impressed that I managed to come up with 10, actually, and I've basically only read these in the last 2 years. Progress! I'm really interested in seeing other people's lists today, because I feel like, the books which you want to still be read in 30 years, are books that you really really love. Or is that just me?

22 comments:

  1. This isn't related to your post (although the books I have read from there I completely agree with!) but I just wanted to say that I found your blog recently after looking for people writing about The Year of the Flood, and then realising that you seem to have pretty much the same taste in books as me! :) So, after poking around a bit, I saw you talk about Emma Donoghue (who I'd never heard of - I guess that living in Japan for 4 years leaves you a bit out of the loop), and when I saw Room in the library the other day I got it out, and I finished reading it this morning. I really really liked it, and I just wanted to say thank you because if it hadn't been for this blog I never would have read it!

    Also I was wondering, what Stephen King book would you recommend for someone who has never read any of his stuff?

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    1. This=the sweetest comment ever, thank you! I'm so so glad you liked Room- I only really discovered Donoghue myself last year and I LOVE her, so I'm so glad you do too.

      Living in Japan sounds so so awesome (I'm a tiny bit obsessed with Japan atm), care to elaborate? Hehe.

      As for Stephen King... SO much to recommend! If you're not really used to horror I'd probably say start with The Green Mile and then work your way up to something scarier, but if you're ok with being scared then I'd go straight for It, because it's my favourite! OR you could always start with Carrie because I really think it's a good jumping off point for what comes later. Hope that helps!

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    2. Yay!

      What part do you want me to elborate on?? Hehe. I studied Japanese at university, spent a year abroad then went back once I'd graduated (and saved up enough money to!) I was working as an English teacher (if you ever wanted to go, it's very easy to work as an English teacher) for 3 years, and recently I got married and moved from where I was (Fukuoka) to Yokohama to be with my husband, who is Japanese :) So I don't have a new job yet, and I'm in the UK to prepare for our wedding ceremony which we haven't had yet, so I'm trying to read as many English books as I can while I'm here and can buy them cheaply/get them from the library/borrow them from friends and family. I miss reading in English!! I normally read in Japanese because it's cheaper to do that, which is really awesome for reading stuff like Haruki Murakami, because there's some stuff that just doesn't translate properly, but I really miss English books.

      I'm not used to reading horror (or watching it, really, unless Buffy counts as horror? Hehe) so I think I will start with the Green Mile! I've been meaning to read some Stephen King for ages, hopefully I'll be able to before I go back to Japan :)

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    3. Yeah, that was pretty well elaborated on! Aaaand now I want to go and teach English in Japan... Also, I love your reading plan for while you're over here, it sounds very wise! The idea of reading Murakami in Japanese is astounding and exciting to me (even though I look at Japanese and just go 'omg... I want to cry' because, you know, DIFFICULT!) cause I'm very very obsessed with him right now (which is probably where most of the Japan obsession thing comes from, obviously).

      Buffy is the best thing! Not sure it counts as horror... although I guess vampires and demons and stuff are kind of what King writes about, only there's not really a superhero to save everyone, so it's a lot scarier! I hope you fit in lots of Stephen King before you head back to Japan because, obviously, he's the greatest because I say so ;). Let me know how you get on with The Green Mile! :)

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    4. I don't think Japanese is as difficult as it seems to be at first! If I can learn it anyone can. Although I'm not sure it would be worth it just to read Murakami, as the translators do a really good job! I love Murakami <3

      I think some Buffy episodes could be seen as horror, Hush perhaps? It freaked me out anyway, haha.

      I hope I can get hold of The Green Mile soon! And that I like it! :)

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  2. A nice list! I totally agree with you on Harry Potter. My list is all kidlit and YA.

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  3. Eating Animals! Such a great choice. I wish I would have put it on my list. It's one book that I can say truly changed my life. I haven't ate meat in two years thanks to that book.
    My Top Ten Tuesday

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    1. Hey, me too! I mean, I only haven't eaten meat for...3 and a half months but... I'm not sure I can again. It's a pretty important book for me too!

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  4. So many great books! I especially loved The History of Love!

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  5. HP totally counts for this question. And I really need to read the Dark Tower series. But it seems like such a commitment. (Also there's apparently a new Dark Tower series in the works that seems like it's sorta part of the series but maybe not totally? So says Wikipedia anyway.)

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    1. A new Dark Tower series? A whole series?! What?! There was The Wind Through The Keyhole which was released this year, but, there's more things?!

      You have perplexed me, Alley, nice work!

      ANYWAY, read The Dark Tower! I read all 7 in about a month (and not for like, the entire month or anything) so it is quite a commitment but it's TOTALLY worth it. And I give you permission to skip most of the 4th book if you want, cause it's very backstory-y. BUT it's all amazing and the last book made me cry SO HARD, and it really deserves more recognition!

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    2. Ah, maybe not series. Just that Keyhole one.

      I've read 1 short story from the series (or inspired by the series or something). It was in the Everything's Eventual short story collection and I liked it but felt sort of lost as to what the hell was going on.

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    3. I think I might have read that too, like, pre-reading The Dark Tower, and I totally didn't get it, and basically just ignored it lol! Sooooo read The Dark Tower and then it'll make sense to you! It'll be amazing!

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  6. I do agree with the King selection you have on your list. It is truly representative of some of his greatest work, a list that includes The Stand (my personal fave). I didn't think of that one, because I have not read the entire series, but what I have read is stellar.

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    1. Yay! I love Stephen King so so so so so much, it's unreal! I haven't read very many of his books published in the last 10 years at all, so they were the only ones I could really think of, BUT I picked them because I LOVE them.

      The Stand is awesome too. Albeit maybe a teensy bit long...

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  7. 1Q84 has been on my TBR list forever! I really need to pick up a copy of this novel, ASAP.

    I also have King on my list (though I went with all of his novels). However, I haven't read The Dark Tower series yet. My sister has a copy laying around the house somewhere.

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    1. I recommend them both, so get on that! :)

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  8. Great list though I've only read Harry Potter. I do like Bill Bryson's other books though I still have to read the one you listed. I love how you chose a lot of books other people didn't.
    +New GFC follower :)
    Here's my TopTenTuesday Post :)

    -Kimberly @ Turning The Pages

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    1. Oooh, if you like Bill Bryson, you'll definitely like A Short History- it's completely in his voice, AND it's so incredibly interesting (even if you're not that into science which, really, I'm not. But I sort of am now... lol)

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  9. Eating Animals and Freedom are both on TBR shelves...trying to get those read this summer :)

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  10. This is a GREAT list L. I haven't read all of them but can see valid points for each. Also, I TOTALLY foresee HP being around 30 years from now.

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