Tuesday 20 October 2020

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Top Ten Books I Read Because Someone Recommended Them to Me


"Top Ten Tuesday" is an original feature/weekly meme created on the blog "The Broke and the Bookish". This feature was created because they are particularly fond of lists at "The Broke and the Bookish".

It is now hosted by Jana from That Artsy Reader Girl.

Since I am just as fond of them as they are, I jump at the chance to share my lists with them! Have a look at their page, there are lots of other bloggers who share their lists here.

Books I Read Because Someone Recommended Them to Me
(tell us who recommended them, if you want!)


This was a very interesting challenge because it didn't just make me think of some great books I read during the last twenty odd years but about the friends who recommended them to me and who are now all so far away.

Barnes, Valerie "A Foreign Affair. A Passionate Life in Four Languages" - 2004
A recommendation by my Australian friend who worked as an editor and a ghost writer for many years and knew I worked in similar positions as Valerie Barnes. It was such an interesting read for me. Thanks, Marianne.

Clarke, Marcus "For the Term of His Natural Life" - 1870-72
That same friend recommended a classic book about her native Australia to me which was a highly interesting read. Thanks again, Marianne

Hamsun, Knut "Pan" (Norwegian: Pan) - 1894
The favourite author of a Norwegian friend. Quite an unusual book but it brings us back to nature and to ourselves. Thanks, Christina.

Holzach, Michael "The Forgotten People: A Year Among the Hutterites" (German: Das vergessene Volk. Ein Jahr Bei den deutschen Hutterern In Kanada) - 1980

A recommendation by a German friend who also lent this book to me. A German guy who spent a year in an ethnoreligious group in the seventies/eighties. Such a different world. Thank you, Ingrid.

Lawson, Mary "Crow Lake" - 2002
A Canadian friend suggested this book. Life in a village in Canada which is not all that different than life in a village in Germany. I loved this book so much; I have read all of Mary Lawson's books shn wrote ever since. Thanks, Mary. We lost you too soon. RIP.

Mitchell, David "Cloud Atlas" - 2004
A US American friend of mine gave me this book when she left the Netherlands and didn't want to take all her books with her. She thought I might find this interesting. And I did. I would never have bought or borrowed it because I don't think I would have liked the idea of it. But it was an exciting read. Thanks, Julie.

Rosendorfer, Herbert "Letters Back to Ancient China" (German: Briefe in die chinesische Vergangenheit) - 1983
A German friend recommended this. What an interesting idea. Imaging yourself being transported from today a thousand years into the future. This is what happens to this Chinese guy from the year 1000 who finds himself in Munich of the year 2000. He sends letters back home reporting about it. Hilarious. Thanks, Helmut.

Shriver, Lionel "We need to talk about Kevin" - 2003
Another book given to me by my US American friend. This would have been a book I would have read anyway and it was brilliant. Still keeps me shivering. Thanks again, Julie.

Skibsrud, Johanna "The Sentimentalists" - 2010
A present from another Canadian friend. Absolutely loved it. A story about Alzheimer but so much more. Thanks, Marianne.

Waltari, Mika "The Egyptian" (Finnish: Sinuhe Egyptiläinen) - 1945
I doubt I ever would have found this book if it hadn't been by a Finnish friend who said he was such a renowned author. This book doesn't just describe the life of an Egyptian doctor several millennia ago but also is a hidden accusation of the politics in Finland (and the whole world) at the time of its publication. Thanks, Kristiina.
 
I carried on reading more books by some of these authors. With others, I would have loved to read more but they haven't published any others. What a shame.

23 comments:

  1. I found Crow Lake and Cloud Atlas both through other bloggers.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And aren't they just great books? I especially loved Crow Lake.

      Thanks for visiting.

      Delete
  2. We Need to Talk About Kevin was such a good read.

    My post.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It was indeed, Lydia. One of those books that will stay with you for the rest of your life.

      Thanks for your visit and your link. See you on your page.

      Delete
  3. I love that this topic brought back so many great memories for you. I have a terrible memory and can't remember who recommended what to me. Ugh. I should really start writing these things down.

    Happy TTT!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. LOL, Susan. That's exactly why I remember some of them. But because I talked to the friends afterwards who recommended the books, I think I remember it better.

      Thanks for your visit.

      Delete
  4. I've never read We Need To Talk About Kevin, I've only *gasps* seen the movie, but that was pretty good.
    My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2020/10/20/top-ten-tuesday-286/

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I never watched the movie. Had to check who's in it. I'm not a big fan of Tilda Swinton but I can see why they chose her for the role.

      Anyway, I always say if only a very small amount of the people who watch a movie start reading that book and maybe afterwards read more than just that book, it was worth making the movie. LOL

      But I'm glad to hear you liked the movie. It is a very impressive story.

      Thanks for your visit and for your link. I'll come by soon.

      Delete
  5. It looks like you have been recommended some really great books!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have indeed. I'm lucky to have some great reading friends. And they know me quite well.

      Thank you for always being a faithful follower.

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. True. I love all sorts of books but they have to "give" me something. I hope someone finds a good book there, as well.

      Thanks for your visit.

      Delete
  7. I haven't read any of the books on your list, but Pan and Cloud Atlas sound good.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They're all great reads, it just depends what kind of books you enjoy. But I think there might be one for everyone.

      Happy reading and thanks for your visit.

      Delete
  8. Replies
    1. They're the best. I think someone who is an avid reader always tends to other readers.

      Thanks for your visit.

      Delete
  9. I have read Cloud Atlas and The Egyptian. I discovered Mika Waltari because of My Big Fat Reading Project. He had several bestsellers in the 1940s. I think his books are fantastic.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I totally agree. And I doubt I would have ever found him if it weren't for my Finnish friend. There are several in my online book club and we have read another one by him this year. He is indeed a fantastic author but far too underrated in other countries.

      Delete
  10. Thanks for the mention, Namie! There are many (better!)books I would recommend you, but they're books you would already have read, whereas these were novel (no pun intended).

    And thank YOU for the great titles you in turn have recommended, either privately or via your blog.

    Love your work x

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oh, I know you know many, many more but we have a similar taste in reading, so I've read a lot of them anyway, you are right there.

      I just had to add at least one of the books you recommended because you have been one of the greatest inspirations. We've "known" each other since 2009 now and seldom has passed a week where we didn't "talk". As we are both great bookworms, there must have been a considerable amount of conversations going on about reading, though not just that.

      Thanks for your visit here, I know you hardly ever check into the blogs, so it's even more appreciated.

      Delete
  11. Crow Lake is immediately going on my TBR pile. Thank you for the recommendation!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You're welcome. I loved it. It made me think back at my own childhood and proved once more that we all have the same dreams, no matter where we grow up.

      Delete
    2. I hope you will enjoy it as much as I did. Happy Reading.

      Delete