Hey ladies and gents! Here we go with another Top Ten Tuesday, hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week the list is the Top Ten Books We Loved but Never Reviewed. Mine are all books I read before joining The Blue Bookcase.
1. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton
I read this in 11th grade, and I loved it right away. I called it my favorite book for several years. Unfortunately, that was a long time ago and I don't remember any specifics other than the Great Tragedy at the end. I need to revisit this one.
2. The Hundred Dresses by Eleanor Estes
This is another previous favorite. I read it way back in elementary school but (oddly) I remember way more of it than Ethan Frome. It's a nicely understated story with a great message.
3. You Can't Drink All Day If You Don't Start in the Morning by Celia Rivenbark
Miss Rivenbark is my favorite Southern Humorist, and this is her most recent book. She pretty much cracks me up, and this most recent collection of essays includes recipes! She has a weekly column where you can go to decide whether you like her or not.
4. Birth: The Surprising History of How We Are Born by Tina Cassidy
One of my favorite pieces of nonfiction ever. Part of why I enjoyed it so much was because I just like medical stuff. But it was also personally relevant for me, since when I read it I was pregnant. I'm not sure I would recommend it to all pregnant ladies; it does have some pretty disturbing material about birth practices over the years- especially when doctors first started getting involved.
5. Le Petit Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry
My French teacher used to cry when she read this book to us. I will never forget it.
6. The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski
This one totally blew me away when I read it a few years ago. Some readers would probably be annoyed with the slow pace and the detail-laden style, but I like that kind of stuff.
7. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon
Here's another stunner. Mr. Chabon is incredibly smart and creative. I had no idea where this story was going, but I loved the characters enough to want to go anywhere with them. Can anyone recommend another book by this author? I'd like another taste.
8. The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
AMAZING. I love Margaret Atwood. This one has a really cool story-within-a-story thing going on.
9. Ladders to Fire by Anaïs Nin
I read this one on my honeymoon, and I haven't read anything like it before or since. It's incredibly urgent, intense, emotional writing. I don't mean it's a great, absorbing story; in fact I can't really remember much of the plot. The writing itself was what was pulling me along and making me feel so much.
10. Don't Let's Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller
Here's a memoir of childhood in Africa. Ms. Fuller grew up in what was then Rhodesia, and her family had it rough. Hers is a fascinating story, and she has a fantastic way of finding and appreciating the humor and the happiness in life, even when they're in short supply.
Have you read any of these books? What did you think of them? I can't wait to see everybody's lists!
