Most of the books I buy are because of one of three reasons: 1) someone on BookTube raved about them, 2) they were nominated for a book prize or 3) they’re new releases that are getting buzz or are by an author I have read before. Occasionally I hear about books from friends or family or come across them browsing in a library or bookstore or online, but usually it’s one of those three. So these are a few I picked up for different reasons.
The Alchemy of Air is one I actually saw someone reading on the skytrain on my way to work one day. He seemed so involved in his reading experience that I got curious and looked it up. It looked pretty interesting. Crime and Punshment and Travels were both recommended to me by people who were important to me at certain points in my life, and I have kept both largely because of that (I have to admit I’ve never made it all the way through the former despite several attempts, but the latter is still one of my all-time favourites). Travels with My Aunt is one of the first books I remember my parents reading to me as a child. I must have been seven or eight and though a lot of it went over my head, I did enjoy it. Re-reading it as an adult, I loved it.
Notes from a Small Island and About A Boy were both from the same source. As a kid, whenever I went to stay with my paternal grandmother, she would have a revolving selection of books she’d recently finished on top of the dresser in the room I stayed in. Both of these were in that selection and both became favourites (along with several others). She had great taste in books, my nan. Long Bright River was a recent read that I picked up for Acacia Ives’ Patreon book club. I never participated in any discussions of it and have yet to write my review, because honestly I don’t know what to make of it. Bowie’s Books is one I came across browsing one of my favourite British bookshops online and was instantly intrigued. I am a huge fan of Bowie’s and have been curious about his taste in books since finding out that he used to pack a whole library to take with him when he traveled. It’s a list of his favourite books and what each one meant to him and how it corresponded to events in his life. The significant down side is that it’s not written by Bowie, and coming as it does after his death, I doubt if he had any input whatsoever. So I can’t really trust it and it just makes me mad I can’t find the reviews he actually wrote for Barnes and Noble online anywhere. That’s what I’d really like to read.
I first came across Lemn Sissay when he was a guest on a YouTube video set in Persephone Bookshop. He was so eloquent and thoughtful and I instantly admired him. So I was very curious to pick up this book. The New Jim Crow is one I’ve seen all over the place, but most recently when I went down a Netflix rabbit hole started by the film 13th. It’s an important look at race relations in the United States and is referenced all over the place. Patient is one I came across thanks to another book. I read Bedsit Disco Queen last year and in it Tracey Thorn talks about the time she spent with her husband when he was in hospital with an unknown condition getting sicker and sicker. I think she mentioned that he later wrote a book about it – either that or I did some Googling – but that’s how I came across this book. And I am so glad I did. It’s honest, heartbreaking but also humorous. I related strongly to some of his experiences being in hospital, and it brought back a lot of my own. It’s not something that’s necessarily easy going, but if you’re someone who has spent time in hospital and if you’re looking for a voice for some of your thoughts, this is a good place to look. The Book of Books I found because I watched the PBS show called The Great American Read that polled Americans and had them nominate their favourite book. I won’t tell you which one won, but the journey to get there is amazing for book lovers!
Well that was kind of fun! What about you guys? What are some of the reasons you included in this post for why you added certain books to your shelves? Have you read any of these?
Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly link-up feature created by The Broke and the Bookish and hosted by Jana at That Artsy Reader Girl. Every week TTT has a different topic, and everyone who links up has to create a link of ten items that fit that topic. To see past and upcoming topics, go here.
I’m glad you found some good ones through these different avenues.
I love that your nan encouraged you to read. My maternal grandmother was a big bookworm, too. She was widowed and lived alone for a long time – whenever we worried out loud about her being on her own, she’d say, “As long as I have a book to read, I’ll never be lonely.” Gotta love book-loving grandmothers 🙂
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
I haven’t read any of these, although my paternal grandmother was a big reader too. She always loaned books to me. I loved her so much.
I really would like to read Travels with My Aunt… I mean, wasn’t it the basis for the musical “Auntie Mame”?
Sometimes the stories of how we obtained books are as interesting as the books themselves.
The New Jim Crow was a very good read.
My TTT .
Not familiar with that one by Chrichton.