So much of this list resonated with me (a fellow book worm). I grew up reading Enid Blyton and adoring Ballet Shoes, graduating to being obsessed with the Sweet Valley books. I Capture the Castle is possibly my favourite ever book, while The Bell Jar and The Secret History are also up there as firm favourites. You’ve got me thinking about what I would include on my own list!
Yes, I was thinking while I was writing it: so much of this selection is, I’m sure, informed by my age. I wonder what would be on the lists of people younger than me. I expect Jacqueline Wilson, Harry Potter (I adored HP but it didn’t leap to mind as “life changing”) and maybe Colleen Hoover?! Food for thought!
Sweet. Valley. High. The besttttt... recently the two books that spoke to me were The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) and All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker... omg those books. Time Traveler's Wife and Gone Girl are my 2 other favorites along with Sharp Objects by Flynn as well. To Kill a Mockingbird as a kid and Bridge to Terabithia and Where the Red Fern Grows and one of the Mark Twain books I enjoyed so much in grade school, but possibly because we read it over a week with a snow storm. But SVH solidified my love for reading. I've read 30 of Stephen Kings books as well and all of Elin Hilderbrands 30. I'm on book 130 of the year, but haven't started yet because I'm torn between 2. Lol. ♥️😊♥️ great post! Got me thinking 🤔 and I'll be back with my head in a book in about 30 mins! Tata!
Note-- I read the secret history, but very quickly. Had to, was due for book club in 2 days. While I enjoyed it, it felt like a chore as I rushed it. Great prose though, definitely and the story itself. Interesting.
J'adore Gone Girl too! totally a seminal book. and also love Stephen King... haven't read that many but The Shining made a big impression and I can vividly remember curling my toes in fear while reading It!
Refreshing to have stumbled upon someone who reads books and reflects upon those she found imprtant. Hopefully, that, and much less time thumbing through contemporary apps. Of course, with a background such as hers, she might shed more enlightened interpretations of the constant stream of
So much of this list resonated with me (a fellow book worm). I grew up reading Enid Blyton and adoring Ballet Shoes, graduating to being obsessed with the Sweet Valley books. I Capture the Castle is possibly my favourite ever book, while The Bell Jar and The Secret History are also up there as firm favourites. You’ve got me thinking about what I would include on my own list!
Oooh I’d love to see your list!
Yes, I was thinking while I was writing it: so much of this selection is, I’m sure, informed by my age. I wonder what would be on the lists of people younger than me. I expect Jacqueline Wilson, Harry Potter (I adored HP but it didn’t leap to mind as “life changing”) and maybe Colleen Hoover?! Food for thought!
Sweet. Valley. High. The besttttt... recently the two books that spoke to me were The Nightingale (Kristin Hannah) and All The Colors Of The Dark by Chris Whitaker... omg those books. Time Traveler's Wife and Gone Girl are my 2 other favorites along with Sharp Objects by Flynn as well. To Kill a Mockingbird as a kid and Bridge to Terabithia and Where the Red Fern Grows and one of the Mark Twain books I enjoyed so much in grade school, but possibly because we read it over a week with a snow storm. But SVH solidified my love for reading. I've read 30 of Stephen Kings books as well and all of Elin Hilderbrands 30. I'm on book 130 of the year, but haven't started yet because I'm torn between 2. Lol. ♥️😊♥️ great post! Got me thinking 🤔 and I'll be back with my head in a book in about 30 mins! Tata!
Note-- I read the secret history, but very quickly. Had to, was due for book club in 2 days. While I enjoyed it, it felt like a chore as I rushed it. Great prose though, definitely and the story itself. Interesting.
oh I'm so annoyed you had to read it in a hurry. I suppose this is a downside of book clubs!
J'adore Gone Girl too! totally a seminal book. and also love Stephen King... haven't read that many but The Shining made a big impression and I can vividly remember curling my toes in fear while reading It!
Very much enjoyed this (though now of course I'm having to draft a similar list...). The Secret History is my favourite novel, I think:
https://inews.co.uk/opinion/the-book-i-read-every-new-year-the-dark-twists-of-donna-tartts-the-secret-history-seduce-me-every-time-2057002
It is the best, isn't it? Please do draft your own list and I'm looking forward to reading the piece on TSH
Thank you Isolde! 🥹♥️
Also love love I capture the castle. The movie too! A young Henry cavil !!!!
omg! I really do adore your substack - and yes, love the film if I Capture The Castle too, they actually really pulled it off
Just William by Richmal Crompton
James Bond by Ian Fleming
Para Handy Tales by Neil Monroe
Claudine by Collette
Myra Breckinridge by Gore Vidal
Tropic of Cancer/Capricorn by Henry Miller
Paying for Celtic No 8 signed by Jock Stein
Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh
The Perfumed Garden translated by Sir Richard Burton
Wow! Cool to see a man’s list… a lot of these I’ve not read so I should give them a go. Just William is indeed a classic
https://open.substack.com/pub/johnnogowski/p/the-salinger-finale-so-far-anyway?r=7pf7u&utm_medium=ios
Refreshing to have stumbled upon someone who reads books and reflects upon those she found imprtant. Hopefully, that, and much less time thumbing through contemporary apps. Of course, with a background such as hers, she might shed more enlightened interpretations of the constant stream of
memes, mimes and mush.