Straight from The Broke and the Bookish comes this Tuesday’s question:
What are your best books of the year?
7. Mrs. Dalloway: I was pondering over whether to include this book. While I wouldn’t say it was one of my favourite reads, it has potential. I really need to read it again to get more appreciation for it.
6. Son Excellence, Eugène Rougon: so interesting to learn all about French politics under the Second Empire. Again, Zola’s wonderful descriptive powers made the journey into this story delightful!
5. The Old Man and the Sea: It redeemed my opinion of Hemingway and made me willing to try more of his reads. Very enjoyable!
4. The Warden: I had no idea Trollope was so much fun! I’m going to read the whole Barset Chronicles series.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia: I’d read it as a child, but as an adult I was blown away by the various scholarly themes imbedded in it ……… Pascal, Plato, the chronicles had them all.
2. The Odyssey: a re-read and a read-along. I truly gained a much greater love for this poem reading it the second time.
1. Paradise Lost: I’d been scared of this poem for years but I decided to plunge in with a read-along and what a plunge! Milton’s use of the English language is masterfully stunning; I looked forward to every section read and every post on my blog. Simple amazing!
Seven books was all I could come up with. I’ve realized that I had a much better “line-up” at the beginning of last year. I’m assuming that was simply coincidence, however I’m glad that I’ve posted on this topic because it will help me be more choosy in my reads for the rest of the year.
What about you? What are your favourite books for the year? Have you had good luck or bad luck with your choices?
I loved Paradise Lost when I read it in high school. I remember being the only one in my class to write an essay on that text. It is an incredible work!
I'm glad the Chronicles of Narnia are on your list! They are my favorite books of all time, for the precise reason that despite your age or interest, they always have something to offer.
I also had seven on mine, because I just haven't read very many books this semester. 🙁
awesome, what a list! I love very much Milton
Great list! I've been interested in reading Trollope for a while, now. I think that may be my project – next year?
With the exception of THE LION, THE WITCH, and THE WARDROBE, I haven't read any of these. Shame on me. I should definitely throw some classics into this year's reading lineup.
Now that I've read it, I can't believe that I was so intimidated by it. Yes, in a couple of parts I had to read slowly and carefully but overall his words just captured you. I think it will be my #1 of the year at the end of it.
Oh, good! Someone else who had less than 10. I feel like I'm in good company! 🙂
I was a little disappointed that I could pick out a few books this year that I didn't like. Perhaps I'm in a choosier mood, but, as I said, I'm going to be more selective with what I read until the end of the year.
Yah! Another Milton fan!
I think you'll enjoy Trollope very much. He's wonderful ….. funny, expressive, insightful and his characters are well-drawn and fun! The Barset Chronicles are very enjoyable reads.
Lewis is perhaps my favourite author. I love how he can stretch from a simple child's point of view, to a common man's, to an intellectual scholar's. The Narnia Chronicles incorporate all three into one narrative. I can only say, WOW!
I'm encouraged by how much you enjoyed The Odyssey – I've always wanted to read it but it does intimidate me a bit.
I definitely enjoyed it more the second time, since I was already familiar with the different characters and the peoples Odysseus met, so that allowed me to concentrate more on their actions and motivations.
I hope you enjoy your read of it, Sam!
Excellent choices 🙂 Glad Mrs Dalloway made the cut, even if it was hesitant!
Wow you've got some nice classics on your list….makes sense with the name of your blog and all! HA!
TTT
Sandy @ Somewhere Only We Know
Well, I loved To The Lighthouse so much, that I couldn't leave it out. And I do feel that I have more to learn from it —- I feel a re-read coming on!
I actually have been on classical overload this year and, while I love reading them, am actually looking for a little break. I have a few less heavy books planned for the summer and I can't wait for it to come.
Popping over now to check out your list. Thanks for stopping by!
I started re-reading To the Lighthouse last night. It was the first Woolf I'd read, and I knew nothing at all about her. Now with 10 years of Woolf knowledge my mind was absolutely blown by the first chapter!
Don't you dare make me want to pick it up again! 😉 I can see that you are getting MUCH, MUCH, more reading time than I am these days.
Perhaps I can revisit it this summer but with my list, I can see all of it will be spent trying to catch up on what I'm already reading. :-Z
It's because I'm desperate to finish my Classics Club list that I've dropped everything else 🙂 Not watched one single Law & Order episode all month. Really want to finish by September 🙂
LOL! Is that Law and Order UK? I like that series better than the U.S. ones.