Top Ten Reads of 2018 | + Honorable Mentions
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- Опубликовано: 18 окт 2024
- Here are my favorite reads of the year!
*honorable mentions
How to Breathe Underwater / Julie Orringer
Interpreter of Maladies / Jhumpa Lahiri
Tin Man by Sarah Winman
Autobiography of a Face / Lucy Grealy
Normal People / Sally Rooney
*top ten
10) Howards End / E.M. Forster
9) Jane Eyre / Charlotte Brontë
8) Days Without End / Sebastian Barry
7) The Luminaries / Eleanor Catton
6) Pilgrim at Tinker Creek / Annie Dillard
5) Outline / Rachel Cusk
4) Home / Marilynne Robinson
3) The Story of a New Name / Elena Ferrante
2) The Waves / Virginia Woolf
1) The Idiot / Elif Batuman
Have you read any of these / want to / don't see something I SHOULD have read by now on here? Let me know!
Thanks for watching : )
Happy New Year, Alex! Tin Man was one of my favourites this year, too. It was beautiful.
AND NORMAL PEOPLE. It was a punch in the gut in a good way. So, so good.
Thanks Winnie! I hope your new year is off to a great start!
I am cosying up in bed super early just to have a BookTube catch up/binge, and I can't wait to see all your videos. I love that you couldn't narrow down your list, haha, why didn't you just cheat and make it a top 15? But I do like hearing about honourable mentions, they're sort of like a cute little bunch of things that are so special BUT NOT SPECIAL ENOUGH, hahaha, although I know it's not exactly like that... but it kind of is really isn't it? Haha
To be honest, ever since I've known about Sally Rooney's books, I always thought that you would really enjoy them, so seeing Normal People on this list despite finishing it only recently isn't too much of a surprise - will you check out Conversations with Friends now? Or have you already read it? I can't remember...Oh wait, you answered the question for me, haha!
It seems like I should really check out Howard's End given the way that both you and Jasmine rave about the book, I mean it does sound like a nice book, but it also seems a little bit too domestic for me? Like I think that's something that tends to put me off classics, just like with Jane Eyre, but maybe I'm just fabricating this false opinion haha, I don't know.
I swear that your voice changed when you were talking about Days Without End, like you were absorbed in your own memory of the book and caught in this dreamscape of love for it haha, it was nice to hear you talking about it this way, and you've made it sound so wonderful, I'm pretty sure I don't remember you talking about this book during the year, so maybe I must have missed it somewhere down the line, but it certainly does sound intriguing!
It was really lovely to hear about Outline from this sort of end-of-the-year perception, and how it kind of changed places through the 'top of the leaderboard', haha, a lot of my favourite books had been ones that I read at the right time, but I think they're also so deeply rooted in that time within my own memory, that they still feel as fantastic as they were when I read them! I'm definitely curious how you went about deciding the order of these top tens?
I think you'll be pleased to know that I managed to convince my step-dad to buy my mum My Brilliant Friend for Christmas, and she's literally read it in a few days, so it's now sat on my shelf waiting for ME to read it, so it's definitely going to be read this year by me, so I HOPE YOU'RE EXCITED! BECAUSE I AM! (though I bet it'll be ages until I read it haha!)
and OFCOURSE The Idiot is your number one, I feel like this is one of those books that I just absolutely attach to you! Every time I see it, I think of you and how much you enjoyed it, and I keep thinking whether or not I would like it, I think I would... but I still haven't yet been compelled to pick it up, and I feel a little wary given your comparison with the stylistic choices of Normal People, so we shall see if I ever get around to read that, but we can always hope!
A lovely video as always though, Alex... two more to binge, huzzah!
First of all, GOOD/FINALLY. Welcome aboard to the My Brilliant Friend train. Granted, it's the WORST of the series haha so persevere!! I organized this top 10 list based on a combination of craft of writing, unique, how long I've thought about the book since reading, how relateable, and if it left an impression with me. For example, Howards End as I said, I think is a perfect novel! But perfect novel specifically to me? No. In general with writing, story, and characters? Absolutely. SO READ IT. Meanwhile, The Idiot tickles my brain and makes me feel like goo so it gets the gold for this past year.
I can't believe you watched three of my videos back-to-back for what was at least half an hour of your life gone!! Anywho can't wait to see so many of my picks here appear in your 2019 top reads obviously!!
What a great list of books. I didn't read Autobiography of a Face, but I did read Ann Patchett's memoir about Lucy Grealy and their incredible/confining friendship, which might be interesting to you as a different perspective, called Truth and Beauty.
This list shows what a great reading year you had Alex. You know I want to get to most of these eventually but keep on reading great books so I don't run out of ideas- ha! 😉
haha of the single book I've read so far this year (A Manual For Cleaning Women) it looks to be off to a great start!
SUCH a good list, ahh! So glad to see Tin Man get an honourable mention, and Normal People as well, as I received it for Christmas😊 I am so happy to see Howards End on here, yay!! It’s such a lovely book. And it made it onto both of our end of the year lists, which is fun. Days Without End isn’t a favourite of mine, but it is a special book, I think. 2019 is going to be the year of more Virginia Woolf for me!
Jasmine's Reads hearing your rave review of Howards End is actually what prompted me to pick it up! And yes Woolf! I’m going to try reading just as much by her this year as last. It almost feels like wrong to not read Woolf every year of my existence from now on??? Hah
Hey just found your channel! Love your calming voice:)
Hello! Thank you : )
Hello! Happy new year!!. Have been looking forward to hearing about your favourite books this year.
I also love Howard's end - and I love the movie too.
I really want to read some Annie Dillard - maybe in 2019! You make me want to read Rachel Cusk too.... I enjoyed Elif Batuman but it didn't really stay with me.... Woo hoo!x
I need to see the movie! Dillard is a great choice to dip your toes in the water if looking for a nonfic rec.
Happy new year to you too!
I didn't love The Idiot as much as you did - although I loved parts of it - but I can see why you do. Totally set on reading Normal People since hearing endless love for it, from so many different kinds of readers too. Also sure to read Elena Ferrante in 2019 since just recently picking up the first of the Neopolitcan books!
Normal People, now sitting on it overtime, is a book that I think has a great total package feeling despite its strong commitment to the romance genre. I hope you like it! Also! I’m reading What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt next as per hearing your positive feedback on it so I’m excited to get to it!
YESS, THE IDIOT!! So good :D What an amazing list! So many books that I love on here (Jane Eyre! Annie Dillard! Ferrante!!) We have such similar taste, and I'm so glad (because I think that means that I'm going to like all the books here that I haven't read yet-I really want to get to some Virginia Woolf in particular in 2019). Thanks for being you, Alex, and can't wait to see what you end up reading this coming year :)
Claire Reads Books it would have been a crime to not give The Idiot my #1 spot-it’s the sole book I’ll allow myself to be completely subjective about and ditch my usual objective nature of reading books! I ticked a lot of checkboxes this year so I’m excited to knock more anticipated writers out this year!
Thanks Claire : )
Loved hearing your list! You're really selling Howards End... I've only read a Passage to India so far, but it sounds like I need to try out some more Forster. Also, I'm motivated to get through The Luminaries this year as well! The Waves is such a brilliant novel-- so glad to see it getting some love on your list. I know it's a book I'll be returning to throughout my life and I'm curious to see how my opinions of the characters will change as my perspective changes over time. Also, yessss, The Story of a New Name is my favourite of the Neapolitan novels (or at least it's the one that seemed to cut the deepest!). I really wanted to like The Idiot, but it unfortunately didn't seem to work for me. I'm reading A Terrible Country by Keith Gessen right now and it is giving me similar vibes though. Thanks for sharing your list :)
bigalbooks any sense of familiarity with The Idiot is good enough reason for me to check that out! I think you’ll love The Luminaries and Howards End!!
Loved _Howard's End_ so much. I need to read more Forester.
Loved _Gilead_ and want to read more Robinson.
I've only ever read _To The Lighthouse_ by Woolf. Need to read more of her.
There seems to be a theme to my comment.
haha I hope my takes give those nudges!
So many great books! I'm so keen to read Normal People, your review has made hopeful it will live up to the hype for me
Even after reading it I can totally see why it may be hit or miss with some people.I hope you like it!
I love, love, love Howards End. The subject is timeless and the characters are so memorable. Leonard Bast is probably my favorite fictional character. I'm so glad you like the novel :)
I'm going to definitely reread Howards End a good lot to fixate more on certain characters than others, like Leonard Bast. I was so transfixed by Margaret, she's such a good character.
Oh man I have been waiting for this video!!! Let’s see:
1. I really need to read How to Breathe Underwater, have had it for ages sitting on my shelf.
2. Howard’s End sounds wonderful! You totally sold it.
3. You just reminded me, I NEED to read Elena Ferrante.
4. Your story about Jane Eyre and your wisdom teeth is priceless, I feel like that’s something I would do too.
5. The Idiot sounds very appealing! You always talk so passionately about it, it’s infectious and makes me wanna read it.
I’m so grateful for having gotten to know you this year, Alex. Thanks for all your wonderful reviews/videos, keep ‘em coming! - Juan Q.
The wait is over!!! Oh I would LOVE to know how you'd perceive Selin as a character, especially her relationships with people in her orbit, like the Ivan character I mentioned, but other characters too like her mom and her friend she made while in school.
Thank you Juan! I'm so glad to have encountered your channel this year!
The only Forester I've read is Maurice and that was six years ago now...Howard's End Is definitely one I need to pick up. I WISH I enjoyed Days Without End as much as you did. It definitely had a lot of good aspects but ultimately I was just bored...I think it's a great book, and I think my disagreement is more of a me thing than anything else, and I'm really happy to see that so many other people enjoyed it. The Luminaries has been sitting on the shelf of my favorite used bookstore for a year and a half now...and I always gravitate towards it but like you said -- it's just. so. long. Also!! I picked up a copy of My Brilliant Friend from said bookstore !! Unfortunately I didn't bring it home over break, but by the end of winter she will have hopefully read it !! Good luck in your 2019 reading :)
Anna Reads how! Has! The Luminaries! Been on that shelf for so long!
I think I remember hearing a review of yours on Days Without End?? I can’t remember if it was before or after I read it but I remember you not favoring it entirely. I ought to reread it because I think I was propelled by my constant surprise at enjoying the read and sort of patting myself on the back for grasping the writing style overtime lol.
Ok so My Brilliant Friend is the worst of the series I’ve realized lol BUT from the second book on it’s magic!!
Interesting that you loved The Idiot so much. Yours is the first high opinion I’ve seen of The Idiot, and the fact that it was your first-time favorite read of the year - it must be deeply polarizing.
I just find its story so timeless for some reason. I know that Claire of Claire Reads Books also has a glowing review of it! But I agree, I only ever see praise or displeasure with this particular work
Well I completely coincide with you on The Idiot, and Woolf, but Normal People turned out to be a great disappointment for me this year -- maybe something to do with the hype, but I picked some really strange phrases/writing that became so obvious once I did-- lots of inhaling happened in that book haha. I need to get on this Howard's End: I enjoy Forster so much. I want to read his essays too! Looking forward to your new year of videos :) Thank you for them.
I wasn't too sold on Normal People until the second half I think. I think a lot of my thoughts on it are always because I was comparing it to Conversations With Friends a lot, I'm curious to see if my opinion of Normal People changes when I reread it sometime in a few years!
Thanks for the kind words, too! : )