Inspired by La Lady Lisa Westerfield’s article on Gather, I decided to create my own list of 50 books I think are worth reading, along with a 6-word review for each. I hope a lot more readers will do this. It’s fun to both create your own list, as well as getting new reading ideas from others.
One thing I have discovered from looking over this list is that it seems to be over-weighted with short stories and books about Indians (both from India and Native Americans). Hmmm.
The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan
Chinese mother-daughter relations challenge identity.
I Sailed with Magellan
Stuart Dybeck
Short stories of challenging Chicago childhood.
Julie and Julia: My Year of Cooking Dangerously
Julie Powell
Preparing entire cookbook in a year.
Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table
Ruth Reichl
“Gourmet” editor discovers wonder of food.
A Constant Gardener
John Le Carre
Pharmaceutical companies use Africans, ruin spy.
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail
Bill Bryson
Hiking Appalachian Trail brings big laughs.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog
Muriel Burbery
Uncovering hidden personality of French concierge.
I See You Everywhere
Julia Glass
Sisters quarrel, hiding true loving connection.
Miles from Nowhere
Nami Mun
Punk addict shares her street life.
Ultimatum
Matthew Glass
Global warming and Chinese relations mix.
The Pleasure of My Company
Steve Martin
Psychotic hero strives to live normally.
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
Michael Chabon
Coming-of-age tale opens eyes.
Interpreter of Maladies
Jhumpa Lahiri
Fantastic short stories rightly awarded Pulitzer.
A Spy by Nature: A Novel
Charles Cumming
MI5 recruits and tests new spy.
Pride and Prejudice
Jane Austen
All men should be Mr. Darcy.
Distortions
Ann Beattie
A writer’s writer, glorious short stories.
The Accidental Tourist
Anne Tyler
Unconventional man finds love again unexpectedly.
Angle of Repose
Wallace Stegner
Anguished family journey to settle West.
Music for Chameleons
Truman Capote
Pitch perfect dialogue, stunning short stories.
If on a Winter’s Night a Traveler
Italo Calvino
Missing book ending leads to absurdity.
Absurdistan
Gary Shteyngart
Culture clash: Russia meets hip-hop.
Light Can Be Both Wave and Particle: A Book of Stories
Ellen Gilchrist
Old Gilchrist characters emerge, new tales.
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
New Orleans gentle giant loves sausages.
A Suitable Boy: A Novel
Vikram Seth
Post-Colonial India families face world.
The Bell Jar
Sylvia Plath
Anguished young woman takes on Manhattan.
The Kingdom by the Sea: A Journey Around the Coast of Great Britain
Paul Theroux
Anglophile dreams smashed by harsh reality.
Bel Canto
The Patron Saint of Liars
Ann Patchett
Two lyrical novels laced with sadness.
Helping Me Help Myself: One Skeptic, Ten Self-Help Gurus, and a Year on the Brink of the Comfort Zone
Beth Lisick
Every month: new self-help plan.
Paint It Black
Janet Fitch
LA lovers struggle, mother holds secret.
The Artist’s Way
Julia Cameron
Tips for breaking down writer’s block.
The Bonfire of the Vanities
Tom Wolfe
Masters of Universe take a fall.
A Moveable Feast
Ernest Hemingway
Paris looks lovely, even when hungry.
How to Be Alone: Essays
Jonathan Franzen
Franzen shines when edgy and uncomfortable.
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius
Dave Eggers
Family grief, but brotherly ties bind.
The Orchid Thief: A True Story of Beauty and Obsession
Susan Orlean
Plant obsession captures author as well.
The Bingo Palace
Louise Erdrich
Native American quest for perfect woman
Into the Wild
Jon Krakauer
Seeking freedom, boy abandons worldly goods.
The Death of Vishnu
Manil Suri
Capturing life in Bombay apartment building.
Ten Little Indians
Sherman Alexie
Short stories tell Native American lives.
Slaves of New York
Tama Janowitz
Walk-ups and artist lofts populate stories.
Moon Palace
Paul Auster
Summer of moon landing fuels fantasy.
Still Life with Woodpecker
Tom Robbins
Satirical humor and outrageous plot, perfect.
Bird by Bird
Ann Lamott
Secret tips to successful writing life.
Heartburn
Nora Ephron
Life with Woodward, pie in face.
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Khaled Hosseini
Afghani women face hardships, survive together.
Howl
Allen Ginsburg
Beat poetry sings life’s drama eloquently.
Confessions of an Economic Hit Man
John Perkins
Inside big business in Third World.
The Soloist
Mark Salzman
Cello lessons for a musical prodigy.
Siddhartha
Herman Hesse
Angst and individualism can guide awakening.
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Comments: 48
I love it! I'll think about doing one :)
I hope you do a list! I loved the one La Lady Lisa did and it really was fun to think about books you love.
this is great, Christine. You have to put a lot of time in it and I seriously doubt any of these books can live up to your six-word description. This is a very challenging writing assignment, Can I do mine 10 at a time?
Of course, I'll recommend that everyone post it to your group, Bookin'!
If 50 seems daunting, just pick another number. I just love to see what books people enjoy, whether I have read them, what else I should read. I will look forward to seeing your list
Fabulous!
Wow - Christine - you know I always like your recommendations. I think it's an excellent idea to do a mini review - love the list! THANK YOU!
I'm with Amanda, I think I need to do a list of ten of my own recommendations, I'm not up to 50 any more:)
The number isn't important. I just love to see what books people like, and six words (while challenging) makes the reviews go pretty quick. It took me longest to look up book titles or author names I'd forgotten. I'd be telling myself, "oh, yea, that book by Paul Auster...what was the name of it?" I guess I am really getting old.
I hope you will do a list (of whatever length). I love the Newsweek one you posted a day or two ago.
Thanks for the list
That's a good idea, to make my own list. But I think it would take all day to do 50. I can try. But tomorrow I'll be spending time at a funeral home and the next day is the funeral mass. We'll see.
Sorry to hear about your plans. There's no rush about the list. Anytime you can get to it. Look foward to seeing your list.
I am curious, Christine. How long did it take you to do this? It's really great.
I'm curious about that, too. I just made a list of 52, and I divided writing it into 3 days.
Amanda: It did take me awhile to do this list. I thought of the books I wanted to include the first night, and I wrote about 1/2 the 6-word reviews. Then I had to look up the rest. I would know the author, but not the title (or vice versa). Once I had all the proper titles and authors, it went by quickly.
How fun! Thanks for the mini reviews.
Thanks, Mary. I hope you'll think of posting your own list of favorite books. I'd love to see it.
Christine, I'm speechless, touched, and happy that you did this article - let a lone dedicated it to me. I loved it and I saw some books, Steve Martin's for instance that I must, must read!
I discovered this while reading your six word reviews - it really only does take six words to grasp the novel as long as you have the title with it.
The Steve Martin book is exceptional. I thought "Shop Girl" was amazing until I read this one! Don't miss it.
I'd love to hear which of these you've read.
I love this idea, whether yours or La Lady's. Oddly, six discriptive words was enough in some cases to make me want to read the books.
I hope you will create your own list. I love to see what other people like to read. Six words can be a challenge, but it does force you to boil things down to their essence.
Very erudite list. No wonder you're such a good writer/reviewer yourself! For most of my adult life, I primarily read non-fiction, including a number of science books. Therefore, I'm not well--read in top-notch novels. It's only recently I've begun to read fiction.
Verie, when I did this list I was shocked at myself and how little nonfiction there is. I read a ton of political books and couldn't think of a single one worth including. Afterward I did think I should have included "Freakonomics," which I found interesting and provocative.
I hope you will consider compiling a list of your own. Think of the six word descriptions as a new game. LOL
Christine, the problem I have in compiling a list such as yours is that although I keep some quotes, I haven't kept a record of what I've read. Most of what I've bought over the years has been given away in three moves since 1991 so the titles don't sit on a shelf where I could quickly peruse them. Even if I remember the books, I doubt I could remember enough specifics about them to describe them in six or more words. I tend to assimilate the ideas in the books I read rather than analyzing them. Analyzing them would help me remember them better.
In the last couple of years, I've "read" a lot of books by listening to them on CD while doing housework, exercising at home or while driving (if the traffic isn't too awful).
The books I read while traveling are generally light books. I especially like mysteries set in a historical era. Three favorite authors in this genre are Anne Perry, Lindsey Davis, and Elizabeth Peters.
I might be able to do a short list (about ten) of books that have influenced or expanded my thinking in recent years.
This is neat!
This one drew my interest:
The Mysteries of Pittsburgh
Michael Chabon
Coming-of-age tale opens eyes.
This is a wonderful book. Most people love Chabon's "The Adventures of Cavalier and Clay," but this is the only one of his I've read. I do plan to read more, however.
Ok, I have to read this one;
The Death of Vishnu
Manil Suri
Capturing life in Bombay apartment building.
Another great one. I passed this book along to a friend who loved it and passed it along to friends of hers who once worked in the Peace Corps in India, and they loved it too.
I think you & I have similar book interests. I have a few of these, but many sound interesting to me & are going on my to read list.
I do hope you create your own reading list to share. I loved reading Lisa's list and would like to see yours as well.
Thanks so much for the list. I might have to check some of these out.
what a varied list, and yet lets us know something about your point of view as well. really like the six word review form.
I agree, the format makes it challenging and fun. Of course, it was not my idea...but I thought I would capitalize on it anyway.
This was great...thanks for sharing!
Wonderful list. While I have no real desire to construct my own list, I loved reading yours and your six words have inspired me to read some on your list. I also found myself in complete agreement with your 'review' of the books on your list that I have read.
Thanks so much Christine I love Jane Austen and many more on your list.
I sure enjoyed
Siddhartha
book and movie
I didn't even know there was a movie. I will have to find the DVD...how long ago did the movie come out?
Christine, did you see that you are feature on Gather Picks?
No, thanks for mentioning it. I do hope more people will take up the challenge.
Thanks for the list!
Fantastic!!!! I have more books to add to my library list!
What a great list! I'm always on the lookout for new reads, especially ones for airplanes. I've read a few up there but I'm very pleased to be introduced to some of the others. Good job, Christine!
I read A Walk in the Woods. Bill Bryson bores me.
I read Pride and Prejudice so long ago I forget it.
Same with Accidental Tourist.
I read A Thousand Splendid Suns. I thought it was better than Kiterunner.
I will have to check out some of these. Thanks for sharing.