Mystery/Thriller Reading Friends discussion

To Kill a Mockingbird was voted Best Loved Novel by the PBS program The Great American Read.

Well, yeah. When I play book list games I always tell the players to leave off TKaM, consider it a gimme. What was number 2? For all the reading I do I am not well read, disliking most classics.

Maureen wrote: "Well, yeah. When I play book list games I always tell the players to leave off TKaM, consider it a gimme. What was number 2? For all the reading I do I am not well read, disliking most classics."

LOL, Maureen. My post was intended for ancient members who remember the years (and years) I spent browbeating everyone into reading To Kill a Mockingbird. It wasn’t a gimme to everyone!

The PBS program was strictly a popularity contest with all ages eligible to vote. The top ten (out of I’ve forgotten how many candidates) were:

To Kill a Mockingbird
Outlander (Series)
Harry Potter (Series)
Pride and Prejudice
Lord of the Rings
Gone with the Wind
Charlotte's Web
Little Women
Chronicles of Narnia
Jane Eyre

This makes me remember my first year of teaching when I was doing something with my kids involving interviewing teachers about books. I was shocked, I’m serious shocked! to find out not many teachers had read Little Women. Not all teachers are readers, but at least the audience for this show are!

Pride and Prejudice would be in my top ten also, or maybe Persuasion if I could only have one Jane Austen. The rest of these are meh for me.

OMalleycat wrote: "To Kill a Mockingbird was voted Best Loved Novel by the PBS program The Great American Read."

Outlander

Chronicles of Narnia. Every so often I do a reread of them

Nancy wrote: "Chronicles of Narnia. Every so often I do a reread of them"

Nancy, believe it or not I’ve never read The Chronicles of Narnia. I tried them when I was around twelve years old and couldn’t get interested. But I recently added the books to my Kindle so maybe I’ll finally get around to reading them.

Jan O’cheerleaderCat
I am not surprised; a good list and thanks immensely for the years ago nudge, ....it was raining when I was at the Southern Festival of Books a week ago so I didn’t stop in the booth and vote; I believe it was 100 books before they narrowed to the top ten.
OMalleycat wrote: "To Kill a Mockingbird was voted Best Loved Novel by the PBS program The Great American Read."

Ann wrote: ". . . thanks immensely for the years ago nudge. . .

I’m glad you read it and liked, Ann. And thanks for saying “nudged.” It’s a much nicer word than “badgered.”

I immediately thought of you, Jan, when I saw the winning book. I remember all that "badgering"! Fortunately, I had read it years before. Of the others in the top 10, I tried several times to read the first Outlander book and was never able to get beyond about 75 pages. The last time was just before the TV series and am done trying. I read the first 3 or 4 Harry Potter books and liked the first one best. Have never read Jane Austen, Narnia or Jane Eyre. Read The Lord of the Rings many years ago and don't think I'd like it that much today. Little Women was my favorite book growing up and I also loved Gone With the Wind and Charlotte's Web!

Melodie wrote: "I immediately thought of you, Jan, when I saw the winning book. I remember all that "badgering"!"

That wasn’t badgering, Melodie. It was “nudging.” Just ask Ann!

Nudging, my (below the back, above the knees).

Dan in AZ wrote: "Nudging, my (below the back, above the knees)."

Thighs?

OMalleycat wrote: "Maureen wrote: "Well, yeah. When I play book list games I always tell the players to leave off TKaM, consider it a gimme. What was number 2? For all the reading I do I am not well read, disliking m..."

before you posted the list i was guessing Pride and Prejudice would be #2. That would be my vote. Then I remember seeing the list somewhere and going Ugh, Outlander. But everyone's tastes are not the same, that's why God invented benches.

Carol: you'll appreciate this UOOOR twist to my reading Outlander. I've tried three times to listen to the first book and can't get through it. I did enjoy the Starz first season on TV and reading out of order years ago enjoyed a mid series book, A Breath of Snow and Ashes (#6)
Carol/Bonadie wrote: "then I remember seeing the list somewhere and going Ugh, Outlander. But everyone's tastes are not the same, that's why God invented benches..."

Ann wrote: "Carol: you'll appreciate this UOOOR twist to my reading Outlander. I've tried three times to listen to the first book and can't get through it. I did enjoy the Starz first season on TV and reading ..."

Good to know I'm not the only one who was unable to get through Outlander after multiple tries! I've been told there MUST be something wrong with me! Guess that makes 2 of us! LOL

Melodie wrote: "Little Women was my favorite book growing up and I also loved Gone With the Wind and Charlotte's Web ..."

I didn't read GWTW until well into my adulthood (and after I'd seen the movie many times) but I remember being completely engrossed in it. But I'd have a hard time picking between that and Lonesome Dove, which I also loved, loved, loved.

Melodie wrote: "Ann wrote: "Carol: you'll appreciate this UOOOR twist to my reading Outlander. I've tried three times to listen to the first book and can't get through it. I did enjoy the Starz first season on TV ..."

I read the first Outlander and loved the central characters, but there wasn't enough plot for that long a book. It seriously annoyed me. I think the second book is actually the heart of the series and is the only Outlander novel that I've read which impressed me at all. Since then I've read books dealing with that era in Scottish history that I liked better. OTOH, Gabaldon has written a really amazing Lord John book which I consider her best.

The books on that list that I've read and still love are TKAM, Little Women and Jane Eyre.