Tuesday 4 December 2012

Top Ten Tuesday

I know, I know. It's been a while. And to be completely honest, I haven't even been keeping track of which list is coming next or anything, for I am lame. But, everyone's been getting their 'Dear Santa, please can I have this?' faces on, and frankly I can't let an opportunity like this just slide by. You must ALL know which books I want from Santa, and dammit, I'm going to tell you!

Top Ten Books I wouldn't exactly turn away from this Christmas

1. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo- It's worth noting that I ONLY want the Penguin Clothbound Classics edition of this, because SO pretty, but also Les Mis seems to be eeeeverywhere at the moment, and frankly, I want in! Also, soooooo pretty...

2. The Chronicles of Narmo by Caitlin Moran- Frankly, it's a little ridiculous that I haven't read the novel Caitlin wrote when she was like 15 because, you know, CAITLIN! This needs to be rectified, you know?

3. Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell- Clearly it's going to be awesome. Because, Attachments. I think that if no one gets this for me, it's probably going to be the first book I buy after Christmas. Because, Attachmentssssss...

4. Tiny Beautiful Things by Cheryl Strayed- Collected columns from Dear Sugar. I heart Strayed's writing SO much and to date I believe she is the only advice columnist to have made me cry. Like, ever.

5. Quiet: The power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking by Susan Cain- This book has been on my radar for a while now, and I'm definitely intrigued by it on account of my very introverted state and the ways in which this makes me powerful. So basically I want to read it because I'm a narcissist.

6. Tolstoy and the Purple Chair by Nina Sankovitch- Don't ask me why I want to read this SO much, but I really really do. Really. It's a whole thing I have, with the wanting to read it and all. Yeah.

7. The Filter Bubble: What the internet is hiding from you by Eli Pariser- I'm very very very interested in the whole idea of us creating our own little bubbles through the internet that means we effectively live in a world of our own creation where, if we don't want to, we don't have to hear any opinions that differ from ours. Which I think can be both a good and a bad thing, and frankly I want to read some stuff about it because I'm really interested in it.

8. Drood by Dan Simmons- Now. I'm convinced that there's no way that this book can be good, but since it seems to be a mystery narrated by WILKIE COLLINS and involving him and Charles Dickens, I'm also convinced that there's no way it can't be good. And I think the only way to find out is to read it. So this is totally what I'm going to do. Whenever someone buys it for me.

9. What Maisie Knew by Henry James- There exists in the world an updated movie version of this where Alexander Skarsgard plays what I hope can only be described as a pivotal and naked role. Either way, the story sounds like an interesting one, and I'd like to read the book before I see the film. Which you know I'm going to do.

10. As Always, Julia: The Letters of Julia Child and Avis de Soto- DAMN, I love books of letters. Even though it feels mildly intrusive, and even though I got the letters of Kerouac and Ginsberg last Christmas and have barely opened that book... I really want this. Because Julia Child seems awesome when Meryl Streep's playing her, so I have to assume that she really was!

So yeah. If I find any of these in my stocking this year, I'd be pretty thrilled. Just so you know, Santa *winks all around at everyone ever*

22 comments:

  1. I have quite a few of the Penguin Clothbound Classics editions on my list too! I just love them.

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    1. They are the prettiest books ever and I just want to touch them all day. Which is completely normal.

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  2. Now that's an idea, list the books I want -- I can do that!

    Loved this! Hope Santa is accommodating!

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    1. Haha, I know right! Easiest blog post I've ever written.

      And I hope so toooo! His sleigh is sure going to be weighty with all these books though...

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  3. Ah, dear me! Les Mis would be a perfect choice for winter reading. Love it.

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    1. It's so big and... snuggly? Nope, wrong word. But yeah, I looooves big books in the winter.

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  4. I am intrigued by Quiet. There was actually a short internet video inspired by it (I'm like 90% sure it was about this book) that was talking about introverts, extroverts, people that are shy, people that are outgoing and how those are actually 4 separate categories. (So there can be shy extroverts and outgoing introverts.) What I'm saying is I hope you get this and then you review it so I can see if it's good :)

    Attachmentssssssssssssssss!

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    1. Oooooh, I am intrigued by this shy extrovert/outgoing introvert thing, because I think I might be one of those two combinations! Possibly the outgoing introvert. Iiiiiinteresting indeed! I'm definitely going to get it at some point, but maybe just not for Christmas.

      I feel like Attachmentsssssssss should be our new battle cry. Because it's AWESOME (I love how I have just said new battle cry, like we have on old one!)

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    2. I suppose our other battle cry would be WILKIEEEEEEEE

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    3. Why yes. Yes it would. Oh, WILKIE.

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  5. OMG my library doesn't HAVE Attachments. RIDICULOUS! I had to request it from inter-library loan. Gah! I like your list. I'm swinging by the library today and I intend to pick up Drood to check this nonsense out for myself.

    I've been on this "getting rid of things" kick since I moved into a slightly smaller place with significantly less storage than my last one, so my TTT was really a Top Two Tuesday, and then I just didn't write the post.

    Plus both the books were in Latin and I'm not sure I'm ready for my nerd flag to fly that high.

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    1. This is INSANE! I actually found Attachments BY ACCIDENT in a library, so it was pretty awesome. Ahhhhh *sighs over that book*.

      You know you have to like it though right? It's like pressurepressurepressurepressure with it haha! (not really. Well, a bit.) You should definitely read Drood and tell us all if it's worth reading or not! Because I don't think it can be good, but also it should be AWESOME, you know?!

      That is... Both nerdy AND impressive. It's like you went to a private school over here, because I'm fairly sure that's the only place they still teach Latin, man!

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  6. Yay for introverts!! Anytime I see a book about introverts or left handed folks I cheer, if I ever see a book about left handed introverts I may just die.

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    1. Oh ma gawd, maybe you should write that book?! I don't think I've ever read a book about introverts and therefore have always believed that my introvertedness is wrong. BUT IT ISN'T IT IS FINE!

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  7. Tolstoy in the Purple Chair. That was....that was fine. And I think I wrote down some books from it that I wanted to read. Just know that it deals a lot with her family.

    Eleanor & Park's really good, just super-different in tone. I didn't think I'd re-read it, but now that it's been a while, I think I would. I just really love Rainbow Rowell's writing style.

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    1. That's cool, I can deal. I'm just really really obsessed with reading it for no good reason! Madness.

      Rainbow is the best and has the best name and ALMOST has the same surname as me and I love her. So obviously Eleanor and Park is going to be excellent.

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    2. That was....that was fine.

      *snickers*

      Seconded.

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  8. Oh, I had no idea there was a clothbound edition of Les Mis! I have the pretty yellow hardback one, which I love, but I wouldn't say no to a clothbound one too! It'd go so nicely with my other clothbounds...

    Three 'clothbound' in three sentences... There must be some kind of award for that.

    I have Tolstoy and the Purple Chair. Shall I send you it? I'm unlikely to read it again :)

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    1. It's new! I think that and some collected CS Lewis poems are the two new ones? EXCITING! Clothbound clothbound clothbound!

      I would LOVE to have your copy of Tolstoy and the Purple Chair, that is SO nice of you! Shall we email? I would also like your address because CHRISTMAS CARDS (I don't know why I had to shout that. But, CHRISTMAS!)

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    2. Yeah, I'll e-mail you shortly. Pretty much right after my hands have unthawed as I've just taken the dog out and typing = much effort.

      I get excited about Christmas cards too! :D

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  9. Ooh, I would totally take #4, 5 and 10 too!

    And The Filter Bubble was sooooooo good. I'm so glad I had to read it for class. I don't know if I would've gotten around to it otherwise!

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    1. Now that I've written them down, I kind of want them ALL really really badly. But especially #5 because it seems like it was written FOR me!

      I'm glad you read The Filter Bubble and got me all interested in it! Because I really do think about this bubble thing all the time!

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