Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and the Bookish. This week we're talking about the books we recommend most often. I've broken mine into categories... regular readers will find no surprises here.
Classics:
Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
Literary Fiction:
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner
The Easter Parade by Richard Yates
Olive Kitteridge by Elizabeth Strout
Mudbound by Hillary Jordan
A Darn Good Story:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
The Homecoming of Samuel Lake by Jenny Wingfield
Non-fiction:
Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake by Anna Quindlen
What books do you find yourself recommending over and over again?
Visit The Broke and the Bookish for more Top Ten Tuesday posts.
I loved Mudbound! It is such a sad story, and was holding my breath with anxiety by the end. Great Top Ten!
ReplyDeleteWhitney - Thanks! I want to read Jordan's other book now.
DeleteI see several of my favorites here, like The Easter Parade, The Help, Mudbound, The Good Earth (haven't thought of that one in awhile!), and Lots of Candles, Plenty of Cake.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting my Tuesday post.
Laurel-Rain Snow - I think we have similar tastes in books :-)
DeleteQuite a few of these I have not read, but I do have The Good Earth loaded on my iPod because of you! Maybe that was the nudge that I needed to actually listen to it!
ReplyDeleteSandy - I've enjoyed two of Pearl Buck's books on audio, Pavilion of Women and Peony. Chances are The Good Earth will be good on audio, too!
DeleteThis is an interesting category because I don't usually recommend books unless specifically asked, although I guess buying certain books as presents is tantamount to a recommendation.
ReplyDeleteI've recommended The Help several times since I read it and agree that it's a darn good story. P&P I recommend when people want to read Austen, and East of Eden is another good book for Steinbeck neophytes.
I'm looking forward to Crossing to Safety, hopefully this year.
JaneGS - My mother and sisters frequently ask for recommendations. They've enjoyed many of these books, too. I'm hoping to reread Crossing to Safety soon.
DeleteI've only read 4 on your list. It really depends on who I'm recommending to: The Help, Louise Penny's mystery series, At Ease: Stories I Tell My Friends by Eisenhower.
ReplyDeleteCarol - I've got Louise Penny on my wish list :-)
DeleteOoh love Pride and Prejudice, I should have put that on my list! Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteMy Top Ten Tuesday!
Annabelle - There's definitely something special about Pride and Prejudice!
DeleteNo arguments from me!
ReplyDeleteEmma, Excellent Women, Howards End, Old Filth, All Passion Spent...there are so many, this is a fun exercise! I may have to do a blogpost on this topic as well!
ReplyDeleteSunday Taylor - I hope you do... would love to see the rest of your list!
DeleteLoved all the ones you selected as well; great choices.
ReplyDeleteDiane - Thanks!
Deletegreat selections! Crossing to Safety is a favorite of mine too.
ReplyDeleteColleen - Thanks, I hope to reread Crossing to Safety later this year.
DeleteSuch an interesting list! I love seeing these, even when there's not much overlap with mine. You've reminded me again about the Quindlen book - with the end of the TBR dare in sight, I'm starting to build up my library list again.
ReplyDeleteLisa May - I'd love to see your list! The TBR Dare just about over and High Rising is waiting for me :-)
DeleteEast of Eden is a book I recommend often too. I find myself recommending Please Look After Mom by Kyung-Sook Shin and The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka often.
ReplyDeleteP.S. You're the new winner of A Tale for the Time Being. ;-)
Vasilly - Please Look After Mom sounds like a great book. So happy to get a chance to read A Tale for the Time Being -DM'd you my address this morning.
DeleteI am tempted by a few on your list especially - Crossing to Safety, Easter Parade, Mudbound. Thanks for reminding me of them! I find myself recommending Excellent Women, Coventry and The Lost Garden by Helen Humphreys, Truth & Beauty by Ann Patchett, The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje, My Antonia by Willa Cather...so, so many. No one I know wants to read them, though, unfortunately!
ReplyDeleteAnbolyn - I loved Excellent Women, Truth & Beauty and My Antonia (almost as much as O Pioneers!). The English Patient intimidates me, but I should really give it a try.
DeleteLoving your list and I have many of the same books because of your reviews!! :)
ReplyDeleteStaci - Thanks! TTT is a perfect exercise for list makers like me ;-)
DeleteMoving the ones I haven't read up the list right now!
ReplyDeleteLisa - Happy Reading! ;-)
DeleteI love seeing everyone's lists. I've read about four of these, but still have so many good books I haven't read.
ReplyDeleteCarol - So do I, and I keep adding more books to my list!
DeleteAll great choices! I have recommended East of Eden more times than I can count. Others are The Good Earth (love this book), Gone With the Wind and To Kill a Mockingbird. I newer books I always veer to recommending my favorite authors rather than books for the most part.
ReplyDeleteDarlene - Do you know I have never read Gone With the Wind? I really need to remedy that soon, it seems like a summer book to me...
DeleteGood list! Also, I'm with Darlene and you should definitely read Gone with the Wind. I'm planning on re-reading it this summer.
ReplyDeleteMelissa - Summer seems like the perfect time to red Gone With the Wind. I'm hoping my schedule will allow it this year!
DeleteThe only one of those I've read is P&P, but so many of them are on my wishlist. Yesterday I went to lend a book to a friend and realized that I'd already loaned it to someone else. Tell No On by Harlan Coben is one I always recommend for a thriller.
ReplyDeleteStacybuckeye - I haven't read Harlan Coben, so will look into Tell No One.
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