Monday 7 May 2012

It's Monday, What Are You Reading?

This week, I wanted to share where I go for my reading ideas -
 The Dymocks 101 Club:


In this club, when you vote for your favourite book you have to provide a reason why it is your favourite book of all time. But how do you choose just one! I could possibly get my list down to a top 10, but even that would be hard.  

I keep going back to the 101 list because I know people have really thought about their choices, so the books must be pretty good to make an appearance, especially the ones that have been on there for a few years. It seems the most popular books have a shock factor about them, a very unusual character, narrator, setting, twist, or main idea. Some on the list I didn't take to, like The Slap, and Pride and Prejudice (don't hate me!) but others have made me awe-inspired or stunned at their beauty, cleverness, or devastating sadness, like The Kite Runner, The Time Traveller's Wife,
and The Book Thief. 

To me, for a book to be in the top 101, the story should be beyond the day to day experiences of many reader's own lives, make them gasp and feel emotional, and stay in their minds for days if not years after. I plan to try all the books on the list, because I love finding those books that
really make a difference.

Check out the list here, and see how many you have already read. I have read 30 of them, but I am reading three more at the moment, and have more on my bookshelves just waiting for me! 

This week I finished reading:


and


Two beautiful books about how to find true happiness. Essential reading, and the first one requires you to have a box of tissues nearby!

I am currently enthralled by:


This book is so exciting, I'm just loving it!

Pop on over to Sheila's Book Journey, where readers share other bookish stuff like this!


xx

14 comments:

  1. I will take a look at this list. Thank you for sharing it. I've always used lists to find good books. There are so many books out there that it's hard these days to find the best reads.

    Here's my
    It's Monday! What Are You Reading?
    Please stop by!

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    1. I always get a thrill out of reading the same book as someone else, so I can share the experience. People do it with films all the time, but not often with books. That's why I like it when something like Harry Potter or the Twilight Series comes along, because the general population end up reading the same book and have a shared knowledge. Even better when those books are made into films because then even more people can enjoy the story. I have always had a fondness for popular culture for its ability to unite people. xx

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  2. I've read 23. Interestingly several of those weren't books that I really enjoyed. I tend to have weird taste though.

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    1. Funny you should say that...of the 30 books I have read on the list 13 of them were not the best books I've ever read. And of those 13, the ones that have been made into films I preferred as films, because the drawn out writing was abridged, for example, Cloudstreet, Atonement, the Austen books and the Lovely Bones. :)

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  3. I hope to start reading 11/22/63 soon! It's sitting patiently waiting for me....

    But here's MY MONDAY MEMES POST

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  4. I love the Dymock's 101 List! I get a lot of my ideas from there too. I'm actually reading Pride and Prejudice at the moment and so far I'm not really enjoying it... it seems a bit slow and boring so I'm hoping it will pick up soon. The Time Traveler's Wife is probably one of my all-time favourite books along with The Alchemist. I read Tuesdays with Morrie a couple of years ago and really enjoyed it. Another good one is The Last Lecture if you enjoy Mitch Albom.

    Megan @ Storybook Love Affair

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    1. Pride and Prejudice just plodded. Emma wasn't any better. But I really enjoyed both movies. Funny...

      Time Traveller's Wife was so superb. It is Number 1 on my list of favourite books.

      I haven't read The Last Lecture. I'll keep an eye out for it. xx

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  5. Fun list, I've read 43 of those. I tend not to read from lists, because I have enough books on my own shelves and wishlist. But it's a great idea to find good books this way. The books that I've read off that list were almost all very good.

    Happy reading!

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  6. Interesting list, I've read a fair amount of the books which was kind of neat to see.

    I really liked Tuesdays with Morrie!

    It's been a slow week for me with kiddos home sick -- I've been playing nurse more then reading but hopefully that will shift as they get back to school :-)

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  7. Pride and Prejudice isn't my favourite either Wendy - I much prefer Emma

    Thanks for stopping by Book'd Out earlier, have a great reading week!

    Shelleyrae @ Book'd Out

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  8. There are some good books on that list! I enjoy reading from lists too. I have several of them as a part of my gigantic tbr document.

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  9. I read Tuesdays with Morrie years ago. I think I was on an airpline, too -- heh. I am interested in the Miranda Kerr book. I am curious to what she has to say. Hope you have a great week!

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