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Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Top Ten Books for 30 Years

This week's topic from The Broke and the Bookish is: Top Ten Books Written In The Past 10 Years That I Hope People Are Still Reading In 30 Years

Wow! Talk about a challenge! I started trying to think of books, and kept thinking of things that had been published in the 90's. Ah, this makes me feel old, already. The 'aughts went so quickly, didn't they? I immediately pulled up my list of books from Goodreads (yay, sorting by published date feature!) and realized that this will be no easy task. I do a LOT of reading, and particularly in the last five years, I've read a lot of newly published stuff.


1. I hope it's not cheating to say Harry Potter, considering books 5, 6 and 7 were all published in the past 10 years. I don't "hope" people will still be reading Harry Potter in 30 years. I know they will!







2. Okay, another "cheat" - A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket. Books 9-13 were published in the 'aughts.









3. The Bartimaeus Trilogy by Jonathan Stroud - I loved these books! I love the extensive footnotes. I love the snarky demon. I love the whole system of magic. I hated and pitied the magician's apprentice Nathaniel for being such an annoying prat... until he turns things around and then I loved him, too. I don't know if enough people know about these books.




4. The Gemma Doyle books by Libba Bray. Ah, these books were so swoonworthy. I'm feeling a very Anglophile sort of theme to this list.
5. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. Well, I am really learning something about myself here. Clearly, I put magical works of fiction with a British flavor on some sort of pedestal.







6. The City of Dreaming Books by Walter Moers. An aspiring-author dinosaur (yes, really) travels to Bookholm and uncovers a magical plot. This book was translated from German, and it is amazing. It is hilariously weird and wonderful. Like all the other books on my list, it takes you to a completely different world, one that I want to go to.




7. Babymouse by Jennifer L. Holm. Babymouse, forever! I hope Babymouse is always being read.








8. Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney. These books crack me up.
9. Graceling by Kristin Cashore. Does it stand up to the 30 year test? I don't know, but I did really love this trilogy. Why not?
10. The Night Fairy by Laura Amy Schlitz. What a perfect little book! It already feels like a classic. I hope girls will read about this tiny, yet brave garden fairy for ages to come.

20 comments:

  1. I think Graceling is totally allowed. I've already read it at least 3 times, so that has to count for something right???

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    1. Yes! I loved Bitterblue - and am re-reading Graceling now.

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  2. Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell! Loved that book sooo much!
    Great list. :)

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    1. I think there are two kinds of people. The kind of people who see the length of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell as problematic, and the kind of people who see the length of Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell as a bonus.

      (I'm definitely in the latter category.)

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  3. Oh I loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell! and the city of dreaming books sounds like something I might have to check out :)
    Thanks for stopping by my blog!

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    1. I love the kinds of books that you don't have to be afraid of overhyping them. No matter how many good things I can say about either book, it will totally surpass any and all expectations.

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  4. Every kid loves Wimpy Kid, but I wonder if it will survive for thirty years.

    I must try Dreaming Books. Thanks for the heads up!

    Here's my
    Top Ten Books I Hope We'll Still Be Reading in Thirty Years.
    I'd love to have you stop by!

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    1. I don't know - they are so, so funny. Lots of stuff in them seems universal to growing up. Although the last book, with all the references to cell phone addiction and helicopter parenting - maybe that will date the series as time goes on.

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  5. The Gemma Doyle cover catches my attention...I've somehow missed that one along the way..will have to check it out! Great list!

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  6. Seeing Gemma Doyle reminds me that I really need to finish the rest of the series. Graceling is a really good choice too, and I kind of wish I thought to include it. The sort by published date on Goodreads was such a lifesaver for this post, but it was still hard to pick just 10!

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  7. Thanks Madigan, this is a good list and might help me get my sons to read more (they'd rather play video games, which I don't understand since I'd rather read and am an avid reader). Many "new to me" ones on here!

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  8. I've never heard of The Night Fairy before. I'll have to check it out!

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  9. I'm with you on Harry Potter. It will stand the test of time. It's going to be a bit weird to think of it as a traditional classic book though!

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  10. Oh my gosh, Bartimaeus! Yes! I LOVED that series! You have some really great books on your list! Somehow, I never read a Series of Unfortunate Events book, but they sound fun! And your description of The City of Dreaming Books has definitely piqued my interest!

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  11. Great List! I really need to read A Great and Terrible Beauty. I have had it sitting on the shelf for far too long!!

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  12. I can't imagine folks not talking about Harry Potter and Series of Unfortunate Events thirty years from now! Great choices!... Thanks for stopping by Jorie's Reads

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  13. Great list! I've been meaning to check out The City of Dreaming Books, glad to hear that you've enjoyed it! Going to have to bump that up the list now xD

    Thanks for dropping by my blog yesterday! =)

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  14. I havent read any of them, except for HP. I was wanting to read Libba's book and maybe this is the time to do it.
    Great list!
    Lis @ The reader lines

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  15. love this list!! especially for the summer! we are always always looking for more book to red...haven't read 9 and 10...with a house full of boys now, a trilogy sounds good for the summer...thanks!!
    i am your newest follower..pls follow back if you can.

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