1. A book that has been previously abandoned
– this would have to be The Kindly Ones (GULP)!
2. A re-read. Didn’t quite get it/thought there was more/made promise to self to re-read? Time to make good.
– this is Fringe of Leaves by Patrick White … I am sure that I burned my old copy and the danced joyous jig around the flames.
3. A book that has sat on the shelf, like, forever. (Decades.)
4. A book that paralyses one with dread.
– Easy, Ulysses, James Joyce.
5. Investigate a canonical writer hitherto most shamefully overlooked.
– Kurt Vonnegut. Is he cannonical?
6. Seek out a book by an author who has earned ostracism by being so good that any further novel could surely never measure up…?
– This is terribly subjective. I am going to have to go with Lionel Shriver who I have personally ostracised based solely on the awe inspiring and terrifying We Need To Talk About Kevin, which, by the way, after all these years I still feel as though I really need to talk about!!!
7. And the opposite… That author who was supposed to be really good, but didn’t go down too well? Give him/her another go!
– huh hmmm. This will require some thought.
8. Take a chance. Read a book which you would rather not. For instance when the OH says ‘you’ll really like this’ and you’re thinking ‘no, I really won’t…’
– more thinking required …
9. A book from an unfamiliar genre.
– even more thinking needed …
10. Ask a friend (preferably a person of impeccable taste, and definitely not someone who might have an axe to grind) to choose a book that you will, in their opinion, like. (This does not mean ask a dozen people until you get the right answer!)
– ok, friends, help me out here?
-
Join 1,215 other followers
Reading Now
Blogroll
MUST READ BOOKS
To The End of the Land
Michal Govrin
Yael Hedaya
Beatrice and Virgil
Limassol
Nomad
A Short History of Women
My Happiness Bears No Relation to Happiness
The Museum of Innocence
A Gate at the Stairs
Twitter Updates
- @BramPresser Oh Bram. Baruch Dayan Haemet. I’m so so sorry to hear this. 1 month ago
- @BramPresser Seriously I love your grandma and I’ve never met her. Your posts about her bring me such enormous joy. 2 months ago
- Garry Disher, The Way It Is Now longingtobe.wordpress.com/2021/12/15/gar… 8 months ago
- Carol Major, The Asparagus Wars longingtobe.wordpress.com/2021/11/14/car… 9 months ago
- Chris Hammer, Treasure and Dirt longingtobe.wordpress.com/2021/10/17/chr… 10 months ago
Top Posts
- Garry Disher, The Way It Is Now
- Carol Major, The Asparagus Wars
- Chris Hammer, Treasure and Dirt
- Paul Kalanithi, When Breath Becomes Air
- David Grossman, More Than I Love My Life
- Craig Silvey, Honeybee
- Diana Wichtel, Driving to Treblinka
- Sarah Krasnostein, The Trauma Cleaner
- Witness, Ariel Burger
- A Slurry of Thrillers ...
- American Literature Australian Literature belonging Children's Fiction Classic fiction General Literature Historical Fiction Holocaust Literature Inspirational Literature Israeli Literature Jewish Memoir Non fiction Play poetry Prize Winning Literature Russian Literature Short story Teen Fiction Thriller Uncategorized Young Adult Fiction