Top Ten Tuesday ~ Top Ten Books on My Fall 2021 To-read List

    

"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.

This week's topic is: Books on My Fall 2021 To-read List

I still have two books from my Books On My Spring 2021 TBR list but that doesn't mean I don't have more that I want to read before the end of the year. I joined quite a few challenges this year and therefore have no problem filling in this list.

So, here is a collection of books, fiction (A Column of Fire, Del Boy, Dracula, The Incredible Journey, Much Ado About Nothing, The Satanic Verses, The World of Jeeves), non-fiction (Der Geist fiel nicht vom Himmel, Narcissus and Goldmund, The Silk Roads), English (A Column of Fire, Del Boy, Dracula, The Incredible Journey, Much Ado About Nothing, The Satanic Verses, The Silk Roads, The World of Jeeves), German (Der Geist fiel nicht vom Himmel, Narcissus and Goldmund), funny (Del Boy, The World of Jeeves), serious (The Incredible Journey, Narcissus and Goldmund, The Satanic Verses, The Silk Roads), classic (Dracula, Der Geist fiel nicht vom Himmel, The Incredible Journey, Much Ado About Nothing, Narcissus and Goldmund, The World of Jeeves), modern (A Column of Fire, Del Boy, The Satanic Verses, The Silk Road), short stories (The World of Jeeves) and a play (Much Ado About Nothing), a selection of all sorts of books I like to read.

Ditfurth, Hoimar von "Der Geist fiel nicht vom Himmel: Die Evolution unseres Bewußtseins" [The mind did not fall from the sky: the evolution of our consciousness] - 1976
Follett, Ken "A Column of Fire" (Das Fundament der Ewigkeit) - 2017
Frankopan, Peter "The Silk Roads. A New History of the World" (Licht aus dem Osten: Eine neue Geschichte der Welt) - 2015
Hesse, Hermann "Narcissus and Goldmund" (Narziss und Goldmund) - 1930
Martin, Catherine "The Incredible Journey" - 1923
Rushdie, Salman "The Satanic Verses" - 1988 (Buddy Read/Buddy Read)
Shakespeare, William "Much Ado About Nothing" - 1598/99
Stoker, Bram "Dracula" - 1897
Trotter, Derek "Del Boy" (Family of John Sullivan) "He Who Dares" - 2015
Wodehouse, P.G. "The World of Jeeves" (Jeeves #2-4: The Inimitable Jeeves #2, Carry On, Jeeves #3, Very Good, Jeeves! #4) - 1923/1925/1930

And what's on your TBR list for the next season?

Jackson, Shirley "The Lottery"

Jackson, Shirley "The Lottery" - 1948

Once a month, Kate at Books Are My Favourite and Best invites us to participate in her challenge Six Degrees of Separation (see here my latest post).

Often, we have not read the book but still can start our chain with the information given. This time, since it is the first time she started with short story, she said there were no excuses for not reading the starting book, right? While I don't care much for short stories, I thought this was as good a reason as any to read it. And it is available online (here). I don't read books online but for a short story that I have to get quickly, I thought I could do it.

It is hard to review this story without telling the whole story. In any case, a lot of towns in the USA seem to hold this lottery once a year. (Don't forget, this is fiction!) Nobody wants to win in this case but someone has to. This story reminded me of "The Hunger Games" by Suzanne Collins. Mind you, since that novel was written in 2008 and this short story in 1948, we can only imagine who copied the idea from whom, if that was the case.

A very dark, sinister and shocking story that could have been made into a series and probably would have as "The Hunger Games" and "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood and several other stories demonstrate.

While looking for a picture for this post, I saw this "joke":
"I hope you win the Lottery soon. Not the state-run lotto, but the Shirley Jackson one."
I'm glad to say I don't know anyone to whom I would say that. I know that these kinds of things happen in other parts of the world and I don't wish it on anyone.

From the back cover:

"In a small American town, the local residents are abuzz with excitement and nervousness when they wake on the morning of the twenty-seventh of June. Everything has been prepared for the town’s annual tradition - a lottery in which every family must participate, and no one wants to win.

'The Lottery' stands out as one of the most famous short stories in American literary history. Originally published in The New Yorker, the author immediately began receiving letters from readers who demanded an explanation of the story’s meaning. 'The Lottery' has been adapted for stage, television, radio and film."

Another book that this reminded of is "The Wave" by Morton Rhue, it's a good addition to this short story.

Book Quotes of the Week

     
Word cloud made with WordItOut

"I like to write when I'm not supposed to be writing. Like, in a bathroom at a party, just hiding in there for half an hour. On the subway, or just walking around New York on my phone." Melissa Broder

I totally understand her. I have the best ideas when there is nothing to write on anywhere in my surroundings.

"We live for books." Umberto Eco

Definitely. I couldn't live without them. And I'm glad my husband supports me in this.

"I tell you these stories because these things happen to everyone. It’s not about being starched or polished or cute or polite. It’s about having ears that stick out, about breaking yet another glass. It’s about seeing something for the first time and making a million mistakes and not ever getting completely discouraged." Maira Kalman

Sometimes when I read something I think, oh yes, this sounds so familiar, happens all the time. Other times I think, I'm glad that doesn't happen to me.

Find more book quotes here. 

Top Ten Tuesday ~ Top Ten Books With Numbers In the Title

   

"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.

This week's topic is: Books With Numbers In the Title

What an interesting subject. I found so many books with numbers in the title. First I thought I might just take some with years but in the end I thought I'd rather count from one to ten.

Hislop, Victoria "One August Night" - 2020

Dickens, Charles "A Tale of Two Cities" - 1859

Mortenson, Greg & Relin, David Oliver "Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time" - 2006

Shalev, Meir "Four Meals" (Hebrew: כימים אחדים aka "As a Few Days" or "The Loves of Judith") - 1994

Murphy, Jill "Five Minutes Peace" - 1986

Scott, Mary "Breakfast at Six" - 1953

Fo, Dario "My first seven years (plus a few more)" (Italian: Il Paese dei Mezaràt: I miei primi sette anni (e qualcuno in più)) - 2004

Cognetti, Paolo "The Eight Mountains" (Italian: Le otto montagne) - 2016

Brown, Daniel James "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" - 2013

Yu, Hua (余華/Yú Huá) "China in Ten Words" (Chinese: 十個詞彙裡的中國/Shi ge cihui li de Zhongguo) - 2012

Do you have any books with numbers on their title that are special to you?

Leaf, Munro "The Story of Ferdinand"

Leaf, Munro "The Story of Ferdinand" - 1936

The first time I heard of Ferdinand, the bull, was in a small little German book. Pixi books are 10x10 cm (3.94 inches) and always consist of 24 pages. They have always been cheap and were lovely little presents for kids. My boys loved them. They would have many classic stories but also some just written for that purpose.

Well, one of the stories they published was "The Story of Ferdinand" about Ferdinand, the bull, who was peaceful and rather sat in his pasture smelling flowers than going to a bullfight. It is a sweet story for children about peace.

I was reminded of this when I watched "The Blind Side", a wonderful story based on real life about a homeless boy who is taken in by a family and becomes a big sports star. They read the book and compare this boy to Ferdinand the Bull because he also wants peace. So cute.

In any case, it's a wonderful story for children, they all love it.

From the back cover:

"Ferdinand, the peaceful bull who loves to sit and smell flowers, is mistakenly carted off to a bullfight in Madrid, where he is believed to be the fiercest bull around. Ferdinand trots into the ring, only to sit and smell the flowers in the ladies' hair. No matter what the frustrated matador and his helpers do, they cannot get Ferdinand to fight. Lawson's memorable black-and-white pictures speak volumes in this childhood classic."

Book Quotes of the Week

    
Word cloud made with WordItOut

"I think what's rare is to have both a talent for writing and a pragmatic, stubborn sense that makes you go to the desk every day and keep doing it." Kevin Barry

I do think you need a lot of self-discipline to work in any independent job but for creative people it's probably the worst.

"We all suffer alone in the real world. True empathy's impossible. But if a piece of fiction can allow us imaginatively to identify with a character's pain, we might then also more easily conceive of others identifying with their own. This is nourishing, redemptive; we become less alone inside. It might just be that simple." David Foster Wallace

I truly believe that reading helps us empathize with others better.

"Women with clean houses do not have finished books." Joy Held

So true. Mind you, I always try to have a clean house even if not always a tidy one. I hate dirt.

Find more book quotes here. 

Describe Yourself Book Tag

I found this meme via Lectrice Vorace by Cath (Read-warbler), through Lark's blog (Lark Writes). The idea is to answer the questions with the titles of the books you've read in 2020. That year has been over for a while, so I thought I'd just use any books I have read in the past.

If you decide to do this, leave a link in the comments so I can check out your post.

Here are my answers!

Describe yourself: The Uncommon Reader 

How do you feel: Displaced 

Describe where you currently live: At Home 

If you could go anywhere, where would you go: Away From It All, especially now during Corona times

Your favourite form of transportation: A Boat 

Your best friend is: A Woman of No Importance, except for her friends

You and your friends are: The Reading Group

What’s the weather like: Before the Storm, at least they predict one every day

You fear: The End of Days

What is the best advice you have to give: Live and Remember

Thought for the day: I'd Rather Be Reading, always