Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by the lovely Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl. Each week a new theme is suggested for bloggers to participate in. This week’s prompt is Books Written Before I Was Born (These can be books you’ve read or want to read!) (submitted by Davida Chazan @ The Chocolate Lady’s Book Review Blog)
Hello Readers! I’m not sure how I feel about this prompt that highlights how old we are… 😉 In honor of Valentine’s Day, I’m hoping to attempt to make my Top Ten Tuesdays all love-themed during the month of February. If you’re a regular visitor, you know my favorite genre is romance. We’ll see if I’m able to make it happen! <3
Today I’m mostly sharing books I own but haven’t read. I also made an effort to pick less obvious choices as opposed to the more well-known ones—like Pride and Prejudice and Romeo and Juliet—although I recommend those, as well. 🙂
(Link to Goodreads synopsis through book title.)
- The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery – I finally read this one for the first time last year for a read-a-thon. It was lovely and should get more attention.
- If Beale Street Could Talk by James Baldwin – I haven’t read the book or seen the film adaptation, but both seem to have positive reviews. Let me know if you’ve read or seen it!
- Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald – There seems to be a divide among readers on whether this or The Great Gatsby is Fitzgerald’s better book. I love Gatsby, so I’m anxious to find out how I feel about this one.
- Rose in Bloom (Eight Cousins, #2) by Louisa May Alcott – There is also a faction of readers who prefer the Eight Cousins series over Little Women. I believe this is the book that focuses on romantic relationships within the series. Someday I would like to finally read all of Alcott’s books.
- I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith – I intended to read this classic last year, but didn’t get to it. I’ve only heard great things about this love story. Hopefully I can make it happen in 2021!
- The End of the Affair by Graham Greene – So many readers love this book. Someday I want to find out why.
- North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell – I see this one compared to Pride and Prejudice—and I know there is a BBC adaptation—but I don’t know much else about it. It’s been on my shelf for years, though.
- Ross Poldark (Poldark, #1) by Winston Graham – I’d never heard of this series until I watched the adaption on PBS. I’ve only watched the first season, though. I need to read the book AND finish the adaptation. If you’ve read it and watched it, do you prefer one over the other??
- The Forsyte Saga (The Forsyte Chronicles #1- #3) by John Galsworthy – This has been called a multigenerational masterpiece. It seems to pop up on so many lists, but I don’t really know much about it. Someday I hope to give it a try!
- Doctor Zhivago by Boris Pasternak – This is another classic I intended to read last year, but it’s quite the commitment. It seems like it would be the perfect winter-read!
Did I include any of your favorites? Let me know in the comments!
Happy Wandering!
Eight Cousins made my list! I didn’t know there was a second book! Ahhhhh… I must find it 🙂 I hope you can stop by:
https://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2021/02/top-ten-books-written-before-1978-222021.html
Colletta
Oh wow! Really??!! I love that. I haven’t seen much attention for Eight Cousins before. <3
I remember liking I Capture the Castle the first time I read it. Not quite as much the second time around. My TTT list
Oh really? That’s interesting. I’m anxious to see what I think about it. <3
I am personally offended Pride and Prejudice isn’t on there ? I really want to read I Capture The Castle, the title just sounds so good and the premise is interesting ? Nice list!
Haha! Sometimes I feel like P & P is on every one of my lists. 😉 I agree, the title makes Castle even more intriguing!
Great list Dedra. I am probably not doing this weeks Top Ten because I don’t read a lot of classics and that is pretty much how old I am. ??
Ha! Same. This week was definitely a struggle–especially since I added the romance twist. <3
The Blue Castle is my favourite L.M. Montgomery story! Yes, it definitely deserves more attention.
My post.
Yes! I couldn’t believe when I finished it that it’s not mentioned more often. 🙂
Great list! I love the BBC adaptation of North and South, but I’d still love to read the book.
Oh, that’s good to know! Someday I hope to read and watch it. 🙂
If Beale Street Could Talk and Doctor Zhivago are both on my TBR and I’m looking forward to reading both of them–although Zhivago intimidates me ? I’ve seen North and South on quite a few lists today and I’d never heard of it before now… If it’s being compared to P&P I’m definitely curious to check it out! Great list, Dedra and I hope you enjoy all of these! ?
Oh I’m so intimidated by Zhivago, too! 😉 I can’t even remember when North and South came on my radar, but it’s not mentioned very often. I probably found it on one of those If You Loved Pride and Prejudice You’ll Love This lists… Haha!
What a great list. Can’t believe I haven’t read any of these books – altho I have read other books by some of the authors.
Hopefully we can both pick them up sometime! 🙂
I read If Beale Street Could Talk about a year ago for my book club and really loved it, Baldwin is an incredible writer.
Ooooh, that’s what I hear! I’m anxious to give him a try. <3
All I feel is old when looking at some of the books people are using today and the dates they were published!
Right??!! That’s why I did NOT include publishing dates. Haha!
I have read none of these, though I Capture the Castle has made a lot of lists, so it must be good.
That’s what I keep hearing! 😉
Ohhhh, I love this take on the topic! Poldark is so good. Although, it can be depressing at times. I still need to finish like half of the last season!
Uh oh. So have you read the book or just watched the adaptation? Or both? 😉
I haven’t read any of these, but they sound interesting!
Thanks Nicole!
North and South is a classic I really want to read!
I hope we can both get to it soon! <3
Forsythe Saga! When I was younger there was a TV series of the books, and I loved it so much I bought a 12 volume set of the novels. They’ve sat on my shelf for YEARS and I’ve never read them. A few years ago, they did another TV series of the books – good, but not as believable as the original one. Still haven’t read the books, though!
Oh wow! I knew there was an adaptation, but I didn’t know there were two! Hopefully we can both get around to reading it someday. 🙂
I love North and South! The book and the adaptation are great. I’d like to read I Capture the Castle someday too! I’ve watched the entire Poldark series, but haven’t read the books. They are on my tbr though. Here is our Top Ten Tuesday. Thank you!
Oh, thank you for letting me know about North and South! Hopefully I can get to it someday soon. 🙂