Much better list - I've read 12 of them!! and got a few others on my TBR pile!
Books #43
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They definitely need to rename it. Many from that list would be better labelled quietly devastating.
hammet?! small things like these?! the book thief?! this is not a “bookshelf to spark joy”
I was about to say the same - Man Called Ove = actual tears!
Speaking of actual tears.. almost finished The Everlasting and feel immense pressure to read something great next before I end up in a gigantic slump.
Sorry you haven't enjoyed it! Her books seems to be hugely hyped (and the new illumicrate edition looks gorgeous!), but I've also failed to connect with the ones I've read.
Feel free to post the books you're considering here, and then you can blame us for any duds
Just went through Good Reads, found these gems but they didnt make the list because I went with the top reads from my head but these are also really good!
Twice- Mitch Ablom.
The Shadow of the Wind.
All the Light we Cannot See
The Book of Lost Names
The Posionwood Bible
The Things we Cannot Say
I am Pilgrim
Twice- Mitch Ablom.
The Shadow of the Wind.
All the Light we Cannot See
The Book of Lost Names
The Posionwood Bible
The Things we Cannot Say
I am Pilgrim
Jilly Cooper sparks joy.....hammet?! small things like these?! the book thief?! this is not a “bookshelf to spark joy”
I absolutely love 1984 but I wouldn't describe it as "bringing joy"! 
I can’t get over the proportion of 5 stars ratings this book has on Goodreads!Sorry you haven't enjoyed it! Her books seems to be hugely hyped (and the new illumicrate edition looks gorgeous!), but I've also failed to connect with the ones I've read.
Feel free to post the books you're considering here, and then you can blame us for any duds
I’ve realised I don’t like it for similar reasons to Babel - so much heavy handed telling.. only 40 pages to go! I’m not usually a DNFer but I do wish I’d given up on this the first time I considered it - I didn’t expect 300 pages to be so tough to get through.
ATM I’m eyeing up a palette cleanser of London Falling (narrative non fiction could be a good change of genre!?), Paige Toon’s latest for some low reading effort/romance, Cecile Pin’s Celestial Lights (liked wandering souls plus it’s shortish) OR staring at a wall until the official thread top 100 lands and picking whatever I haven’t read that’s got the most votes!
Right my top ten books - mainly novels. I've gone on the view that if I can still remember them and think that was a really good book or I've read it more than once then it must be a top ten book:
(in no order)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (read three times, although only once by choice)
Hogfather - Terry Pratchett (read three possibly four times - could actually be so many of his)
1984 - George Orwell (read twice in my teens - I was a cheery youth)
Fortunes Rock - Anita Shreeve (read twice possibly 3 times and it broke my heart every single time - possibly my fave of the list)
Bring Up The Bodies - Hilary Mantel (read twice - love the whole trilogy but the execution of Anne Boleyn (spoilers!) gives me goose bumps)
Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell (I know its problematic now but read in my early twenties and stayed up past 2am to finish it praying the famous line I thought was in it wasn't!)
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (read the first time last year and its just such a lovely story)
The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak (just another heartbreaking read)
Captain Corellis Mandolin - Louis De Berniers (heartbreaking - oh there's a theme!!!)
Cacaphony of Bone - Kerri ni Dochartaigh (a memoir but the most beautiful book I've ever read)
(in no order)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (read three times, although only once by choice)
Hogfather - Terry Pratchett (read three possibly four times - could actually be so many of his)
1984 - George Orwell (read twice in my teens - I was a cheery youth)
Fortunes Rock - Anita Shreeve (read twice possibly 3 times and it broke my heart every single time - possibly my fave of the list)
Bring Up The Bodies - Hilary Mantel (read twice - love the whole trilogy but the execution of Anne Boleyn (spoilers!) gives me goose bumps)
Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell (I know its problematic now but read in my early twenties and stayed up past 2am to finish it praying the famous line I thought was in it wasn't!)
Little Women - Louisa May Alcott (read the first time last year and its just such a lovely story)
The Book Thief - Marcus Zusak (just another heartbreaking read)
Captain Corellis Mandolin - Louis De Berniers (heartbreaking - oh there's a theme!!!)
Cacaphony of Bone - Kerri ni Dochartaigh (a memoir but the most beautiful book I've ever read)
I loved Gone with the Wind, it would have been on my list but was worried that people might think it's problematic, it is an epic read.
Also adored Captain Corelli and have never forgiven the crew who made the terrible film for ruining the storyline in the cinema!
You're ahead of me on both London Falling and Celestial Lights which are on my radar - I at least own Celestial Lights, which looks really good
I wouldn't read it again now but I have such a vivid memory of finishing it and being so captivated it has to go on the list.
I never watched the Captain Corelli film and sounds like I never will.
I understand how older books can be problematic now, but I think when they are a reflection of their time then allowances can be made. Reading it isn’t endorsing the behaviour or mindset, it’s learning about a time when it was normalised.
it’s always an interesting debate isn’t it. Also about authors who turn out to be wrong ‘uns.
i can’t remember much about gone with the wind (other than the late night finishing it) but this is making me want to re-read it to reassess what I know now and what is acceptable.
i imagine some of the classics are problematic in some ways
Aye. I think it all depends on context, at least it does for me. Say it’s a long dead author whose views reflected social norms at the time, then that’s different to a living author whose current views may questionable.
I know JKR causes a lot of debate in this area, especially because she actually takes a lot of action in support of her beliefs. She puts her money where her mouth is. If I don’t agree with her beliefs, must I dispose of everything she’s ever done, or just not fund future endeavours etc etc.
I saw Kevin Spacey was in Cannes recently, he wasn’t convicted of any wrongdoing, should we now support his endeavours again?
Apparently there’s even controversy around Sarah J Maas and anti-Irish place naming? “Maas setting up the ACOTAR world with a cultured, civilized, forward-thinking fantasy England and a violent, lazy, drunken, and rapacious fantasy Ireland”
I don’t think there is a right or wrong here by the way. It’s all very complicated and nuanced and individual.
I enjoyed Ender's Game but since reading it found out Orson Scott Card is a fool. So I haven't bought any more of the series. If I see them in a chazza where he won't make any money off my purchase I might buy them.
Yeah, I go off my own personal feelings with living authors, is it someone I want to support. Neil Gaiman's my personal grievance given how he used his wealth and status. He was one of my favourite authors.
Neil Gaiman has had so much of my money but never a penny more.
I wouldn't think anything negative of someone who said Gone With the Wind was their favourite book. I will add though that there were significant protests when the film was released (think this was maybe a decade after the novel was published) against the racial stereotypes used and the film's minimization of the realities of slavery. I've never read it myself, and have only seen the film once. My main takeways were 'that was long' and 'why the heck Scarlett would pine over such a wet lettuce as Ashley'