This is a hard one, because I don’t even get close to reading all the books that come out. I don’t even read all the big titles each year. So choosing future classics from the tiny sliver of books I’ve actually read is somewhat of a challenge. I’ve got some here that I legitimately think could, but also some that I just really wish would, because I personally loved them so much. And a couple that I’m hoping will become Canadian classics.
Literary Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Non-Fiction
Books I hope will become Canadian classics
That’s it for me today! For those of you who manage to read many more books in a year than I do, which books were at the top of your list? I don’t suppose the answer will be yes, but did anyone choose any of the same books as I did?
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.
Ducks, Newburyport is a book that sounds completely fresh.
It was a lot of work, I’ll admit, and I wouldn’t have read it if it weren’t for being assigned it for BookTube Prize reading and getting it on audio. It’s the best suited to audio book I’ve listened to, and I enjoyed it much more in that format than I did in print. Unlike anything else I’ve read!
I think The Fault In Our Stars will become a classic for sure. Lots of parents will pass it on to their kids. I’d love to see Furiously Happy become a classic. It’s one of the most relatable books I’ve read.
Yes. I know I will! I agree. I love that it shares her experiences so openly and honestly, which isn’t a common thing. Broken is fantastic as well!
Fault in My STars and Guernsey are two all-time favorites of mine–I love that you included them.
Oh that’s lovely to hear! They’re faves of mine as well. Do you like the film versions of either (or both)? I like going back and reading then when I need a familiar, friendly book. Guernsey is particularly good for that, I find!
Same! I actually sort of avoid the BIG books, you know? Maybe that’s why I haven’t read any of the books on this list. Ha ha.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Yeah – most of the ones I’ve read is thanks to judging the BookTube Prize. I would never have read Shuggie Bain or Ducks, for example, had it not been for the prize! I don’t have the motivation or discipline to get to them in a timely manner otherwise!
Of these I’ve only read The Fault In Our Stars, which I was a bit of an outlier on as I really didn’t like it at all. There are a few on here I would like to read though, like Girl Woman Other and Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race.
My TTT: https://jjbookblog.wordpress.com/2022/03/29/top-ten-tuesday-361/
Interesting! I think every book has readers who love it and readers who don’t – even one as popular as this! What was it you didn’t like about it? Girl, Woman, Other is a great book and unlike anything else I’ve read. I thought it deserved to win the Booker the year it came out and I wasn’t impressed with the shared prize. Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race is a great book – one of my favourites on the topic, and just so well written. She really manages to pull no punches and say exactly what she means – something that’s a lot harder than it sounds!
The characters didn’t really feel like realistic teenagers to me, I was the same age as Hazel and Gus when I read it, and I can’t say I knew any teenager who spoke or acted like they did and I found the story kind of predictable. My best friend who has very similar taste in books to me also really liked Girl, Woman, Other so I’m excited to give it a try. I’ve not read it or Margaret Atwood’s book, so I can’t really judge, but the shared prize did seem like kind of a cop out to me too when I heard about it. Everyone seems to rave about Why I’m No Longer Talking To White People About Race, so I really feel like I need to see why!
Yeah I read it as an adult and I think that makes a difference. I didn’t necessarily buy all of the quirks (the metaphorical cigarette prompted a whole gymnastic range of eye rolls from me), but I enjoyed the mixture of cynicism, humour, sarcasm and hope. I also got my first chronic illness at 13, so that experience of being a teenager while dealing with serious physical issues (though of course mine weren’t in the same league as these) creates a particular outlook on the world that I’ve very rarely even seen attempts at conveying in books. Even though this wasn’t perfect, I did appreciate the attempt to put that experience out there and to show that the perception of the angelic sick kid really isn’t that realistic, and we often did resort to non-age-appropriate cynicism and humour. It’s been a fairly common coping strategy I’ve seen in a lot of people who dealt with chronic illness as kids and young adults. So for just putting that out there I did appreciate it. But I can see not connecting as strongly if you’re reading it at that age and seeing how it doesn’t really match what you’re experiencing. I imagine I would have felt similarly had I read it at that age. I loved Girl, Woman, Other. It was unique and really interesting and well done. I haven’t read Atwood’s book either as I hadn’t read the original and it’s a sequel, and I have zero interest in either. But I’ve heard a lot of people’s reviews and most seemed underwhelmed. There was a general consensus that it was given to the sequel to make up for the oversight of not giving it to The Handmaid’s Tale. I just hated that the rules say only one book can win, and the year they chose to bend that rule was the year a Black woman’s book was up for the number one slot. Felt icky to me, regardless of whether that played into the decision. And WINLTTWPAR (too lazy to type it out) really was excellent. It’s confronting in a way most of the other books I’ve read about race aren’t, but I liked that about it. She’s got a knack for really going for the jugular and not a hint of a pulled punch. Plus it’s interesting to read about her experiences in England as a counterpoint to the accounts of racism by American authors to see where there are overlaps and where they diverge. Worth a try, anyway!
Ah that’s interesting, not being a chronically ill teenager, I obviously didn’t approach it with that viewpoint, so it was more, “these kids don’t sound or speak like anyone I know” but I appreciate your insight in how it connected with your experiences. This is what I love about books, they can mean so many different things to different people! Yes, I definitely agree on that count, it did feel quite glaring that the year a Black woman’s book was set to win that they had to do a split prize. That does sound really interesting, I’m excited to try it (and I don’t blame you, that title is super long!).
It’s just my take – I’m sure there are also people who’ve been through medical issues at that age and don’t see themselves in it at all! I think it’s just one of those things. No book works for everyone, and it doesn’t mean there’s anything wrong with the book or anything wrong about the person who doesn’t connect to it. Everyone’s experiences and perspectives are different, which is what makes the huge diversity of books out there so important! Yes, I fully agree. I’ve gone off the Booker a bit since then. That was the last year I tried to read any of the nominees before the prize was announced.
Of course! It’s what I love about reading though, that every single person who reads a book will have such a different take on it, and yes, I agree, definitely makes access to a range of diverse books and viewpoints super important. It was definitely a bit iffy-to be honest, I don’t think I’ve ever read any books nominated for the Booker as they’re not usually my genre!
I’ve come to think that prize lists are always going to be hit and miss, because they have different judges each year. So even if it IS your genre, it’s never going to be exactly your type of books every year. There have been years when I read the whole Women’s Prize shortlist, and others where none appealed. I like following them because then I at least have a sense of the books that are getting talked about and why, but I don’t really try too hard to read the books that win, let alone get nominated! Only if I also think they sound interesting. Life’s just too short!
How could I forget to include Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets to the Universe in my list?!?! Gosh, this is a great list and I love how you separated by genre.
My TTT: https://nonbinarylibrarian.wordpress.com/2022/03/29/ttt-21st-century-books-i-think-will-become-classics/
I almost forgot it too! I just happened to be scrolling through my Goodreads list and saw it. Definitely one destined to become a classic of YA literature I think! Thank you!
I had Shuggie Bain on my list (although I haven’t read it) but not Hamnet as I seem to be one of the few people in the world who didn’t think it was that great. I’m seeing There There on quite a few lists but it’s the first time I’ve heard of it!
Shuggie was a dark, dark book, but I did like that it portrayed alcoholism in a different way than I’ve seen before, and that it also showed the complexity of familial relationships. Well done, I thought. I think the thing with Hamnet is that it was better than I expected. Had I gone into it with really high hopes, it might not have made as much of an impression. I don’t think it was perfect by any stretch – the ending felt off to me – but I liked the perspectives she chose and the writing. I definitely don’t think it’s for every reader though. I can see why it might have been a miss for some readers! There There is brilliant, in my opinion. I think it’s a really important voice and I liked how it was structured and the way the stories were interwoven. Well worth a read!
So many! Furiously Happy is one of my favourite ever covers, although I do think of Rocket Raccoon every time I see it.
HAHAHAHA! I hadn’t thought of that, but I will from now on! Thanks for that!
Have you seen the film version of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Society? I’ve heard it’s really good.
My post: https://lydiaschoch.com/top-ten-tuesday-21st-century-books-i-think-will-become-classics/
I have! I loved it (I didn’t love the casting for Juliet, but I do have a crush on the guy they cast as Dawsey, so that was good enough for me!). It was just such an engaging and emotional story and there’s so much to connect to for book lovers! Definitely worth watching if you liked the book – the film is quite close as films go!