If you could recommend me one book to read which I haven’t read before, what would it be? It can be fiction or nonfiction. (Bonus points if it’s on my to-read list!)
If you could recommend me one book to read which I haven’t read before, what would it be? It can be fiction or nonfiction. (Bonus points if it’s on my to-read list!)
Classics Considered 
Probably the best book of the year for me was: Transcendence – How Humans Evolved through Fire, Language, Beauty and Time by Gaia Vince.
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Noted, thank you! 🙂
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If you are trying to fill a gap in your African Literature, I recommend God’s Bits of Wood, by Ousmane Sembene. It was written in what was called at the time of publication French West Africa, and what is today called Senegal and Mali. It is about a railroad strike and told from many different perspectives from many different characters. It is not too long either, which is always a bonus. I read it a while back and very much enjoyed it.
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Sounds really good, thanks Joseph!
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OK, I had to peruse your TBR list, though not all of it. So many interesting topics/books. Of the books on your list that I saw and are my favorites:
Night by Wiesel is a super short and powerful read. It will stay with you forever.
All Quiet on the Western Front – a coming of age story from WWI – was memorable.
Infidel by Hirsi was unbelievable (in a good way). Puts racism in a new perspective, among other topics.
My Bondage and My Freedom was my favorite of Douglass’s three autobiographies.
Doctor Zhivago is excellent.
In Order to Live is EYE OPENING!! Everyone should read that.
Testament of Youth is a definite read.
Hiroshima by Hershey is another good read.
If I have to choose one: In Order to Live by Naomi Park.
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It’s been a while since I read a North Korean memoir (had to take a break) but I remember how much they impacted me. Thanks for reminding me about Park’s memoir, and the other recommendations, too!
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The Everlasting Man (I’ve just started it and going slowly)
Gorgias
All Quiet on the Western Front
City of God
The Social Contract
The Dead Secret (for a bit lighter read)
My, your to-read is stocked with heavy-hitters!
Have you ever read I Capture the Castle? It’s delightful and uplifting. Or something by Elizabeth von Arnim or Elizabeth Goudge. Those are lighter recommendations.
As for non-Fiction, anything by David McCullough or Christopher Hibbert.
I wouldn’t say any of these are must-read except for The Everlasting Man and I Capture the Castle but I worked with what I had, lol!
Please let us know what you choose.
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My TBR looks horribly depressing and pretentious, I fear… 😆
Ooh, I’ve not read I Capture the Castle but I think there’s an adaptation of it with Romola Garai, which intrigues me. And I’d like to read Goudge’s The Little White Horse. One of my other friends recommends The Everlasting Man as well – that’s two votes for it!
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I thought having close to 150 books on my goodreads wanna-read list was overkill, but I stand in awe of yours! As far as recommendations go, I’d say Jim Kunstler’s “Geography of Nowhere”. It’s about cities and urban design, but Kunstler wrote it as a journalist for a popular audience, so it’s VERY accessible history.
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Ooh thank you! My brother and I have been talking about this topic frequently. Could be a great buddy read 😮
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Weeeell, if you like that one I can recommend plenty more. 😉
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I couldn’t find where to search the list, I was using the app, but I’d suddenly remembered I had read a book The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsyukiyama…Yrs ago I think you shelved it ‘to read’ but I would recommend that one! I can’t wait to read it again myself. 😀
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Ooh I remember that!! Thanks for the reminder, Jade! 🙂
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I would recommend books by Knut Hamsun. I love all that I have read so far: Growth of the Soil, Hunger, Mysteries and Pan. Victoria and Wayfarers are on my TBR.
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Thanks, Diana! His name sounds familiar, I’ll look him up 🙂
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