Play Book Tag discussion

From Lit Hub:
https://lithub.com/the-20-best-novels...

Joy D wrote: "From Lit Hub:
https://lithub.com/the-20-best-novels..."
Such a different and really interesting and unexpected list. News of the World surprised me a bit on there. It is a book I love, but it is so homey and sweet in a sense that I don't expect it on a list of the best.

Surprisingly, I have read exactly half of those.

I was also surprised to see Indian Horse on there. I loved that so much and if you haven't chosen a book for this month's horizon, that is not a bad one. It is by a Canadian Native author, who sadly passed, last year, I think. He was quite brilliant.

And not for nothing, the latter half of this decade has made me extremely sympathetic to the quest to spend a year asleep. As long as I’d still be able to vote (absentee ballot?), I would happily agree to be unconscious for 2020. Just think of all the bullshit I’d miss. –Emily Temple, Senior Editor- OMG ROTFL

I have read only a few, but I do have 5 -6 on my TBR-mostly from the add-ons at the end - One I have been wanting to read for a while (since I read French Exit) is The Sisters Brothers, another is News of the World

I've read 5/20 and have another 8 on my TBR.

Of the honorable mentions, I've read 10 and have about a dozen on my TBR.

Joanne, I thought The Sister Brothers was quirky and good.

And I love seeing Brown Dog by Jim Harrison (Michigan author) on the list of honorable mentions. Brown Dog is one of my favorite characters in literature.

That is really quite a list when you consider the top 20, Dissenting opinions and Honorable Mention.

I've read 5 in the top 20, 5 from dissenting opinions and at least 21 from honorable mention. Truthfully I would put several of the honorable mention in my top 20.

Kimber wrote: "I've read 5/20 and have another 8 on my TBR.

Of the honorable mentions, I've read 10 and have about a dozen on my TBR.

Joanne, I thought The Sister Brothers was quirky and good.

And I love seein..."

Did you read French Exit-I enjoyed it so, so much-talk about quirky!

After thinking about this a bit, I love the idea of this list. I wondered if along with our years best books, if we might also put together a best books of the decade.

Booknblues wrote: "Joy D wrote: "From Lit Hub:
https://lithub.com/the-20-best-novels..."
Such a different and really interesting and unexpected list. News of the World surprised me a bit o..."

As much as I like to read Paulette Jiles, I didn't think this her strongest novel, and I really was sorry to see that All The Light We Cannot See didn't make the top 20. Of course I have had other 5 star reads from this decade, but I just thought this one fantastic.

Joanne wrote: "Did you read French Exit-I enjoyed it so, so much-talk about quirky!"

I have not read French Exit, but with your recommendation I'll add it to my TBR! I like quirky books. :)

(Ignore this - I had the wrong year!)

Thanks - this is great and has actually got me more enthusiastic about the 2015 tag than any of the other lists I've seen...

(Ignore this - I had the wrong year!)

Also - strange coincidence - I picked up a non-fiction book about the way the Vietnam war is remembered at the library today because it jumped out at me from their Veteran's Day display (Nothing Ever Dies: Vietnam and the Memory of War) and now I learn that the same author has written a novel with the same theme (The Sympathizer) which was published in 2015 and won a Pulitzer, so I think I've finally solved my December tag problem :-)

I've read 2: A Little Life and Trust Exercise, neither was I particularly thrilled with.

There are a few others I will likely read next year: Fates And Furies, Normal People, and My Year of Rest And Relaxation come to mind.

Nikki wrote: "Also - strange coincidence - I picked up a non-fiction book about the way the Vietnam war is remembered at the library today because it jumped out at me from their Veteran's Day display ([book:Noth..."

I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but the tag is 2005-😌

I have read seven of these, and I’m actually reading the news of the world now for our horizons tag. For Native American. I’m actually thinking it’s beautiful writing, even though I’ve only hit 20%. But I didn’t expect I would have read 8 out of the top 20. On that list that I have read includes the Tigers wife, the Buddha in the attic, americanah, I am now forgetting the other four. Another one of them I just read this year. Oh yes salvage the bones is on that list. Funny how someone gets to be the arbiter of such things. But it’s an interesting list

Amy wrote: "I have read seven of these, and I’m actually reading the news of the world now for our horizons tag. For Native American. I’m actually thinking it’s beautiful writing, even though I’ve only hit 20%..."

Jiles is an excellent writer, and if you like this, I strongly recommend you read more. I am fond of her novel Enemy Women which is quite good. Sadly, she has nothing that came out in 2005.

Joanne wrote: "I hate to be the bearer of bad news...but the tag is 2005-😌."

That's hilarious, I now have TWO 2015 books reserved at the library! Back to the drawing board for me....

Karin, I agree with you about All the Light We Cannot See. I'm surprised it's not on the list. I am always a bit skeptical about these lists, especially the criteria for selecting them, but I must admit a lot of these are either on my Read or TBR list.

Booknblues, I'd love to see PBT do a "Best of the Decade"!

Joy D wrote: "Booknblues, I'd love to see PBT do a "Best of the Decade"! ."

I haven't stopped thinking about that. I've read so many great books the last 10 years.

Of course, I was heavily influenced by PBT and other Shelfari and Goodreads groups. I discovered Shelfari in 2010 and joined PBT in January 2011.

I have read 4 in Top 20, 4 in Dissenting, and 11 in Honorable Mention. Which tells me there are a lot of potential TBRs. But …… which ones?
So.... If you could pick 1 Honorable Mention book that you feel should be in the Top 20, which one?

I will start....
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena

and here is my review: 2019)

I didn't even look at the honorable mentions yet! So long :(
Many are on my physical TBR.

In a quick scan of honorable mentions I found a few I loved:
The Great Believers
Everything I Never Told You (not a favorite, but I love Celeste Ng)
There There
Pachinko
Circe
The Nickle Boys (probably one of my favs of 2019)

Entertainment Weekly's best books of the decade:

https://ew.com/books/2019/11/25/best-...

I read 7 of the 20 on the lithub list. I disagree strongly with three of them. I can get on board with Goon Squad and A Little Life. A toss up as to whether I disliked Milkman or The Sellout more. Probably Milkman.

The alternates look more interesting in some ways. I only read three of those, but loved all three.

Booknblues wrote: "After thinking about this a bit, I love the idea of this list. I wondered if along with our years best books, if we might also put together a best books of the decade."

Oh, just seeing this idea. I will try to incorporate this . . .have to give it a little thought so glad you are bringing it up now!

Joy D wrote: "Karin, I agree with you about All the Light We Cannot See. I'm surprised it's not on the list. I am always a bit skeptical about these lists, especially the criteria for selecting them, but I must ..."

So noted!!

Shelly wrote: "I have read 4 in Top 20, 4 in Dissenting, and 11 in Honorable Mention. Which tells me there are a lot of potential TBRs. But …… which ones?
So.... If you could pick 1 Honorable Mention book that yo..."

Great question! Constellation would be my second choice. My first is:

Lincoln in the Bardo

A Little Life, why oh why is this on anyone's list, hate hate hate.

I know that is pretty controversial because people who love the book are very protective of it, but I do not like!

Anita wrote: "Entertainment Weekly's best books of the decade:

https://ew.com/books/2019/11/25/best-..."

I've read 6 of them.

Wonderful list for scoping out neglected but worthy readings. I had 8 and 7 on top 20 and 2nd string, and 30 of honorable mentions. Disappointed not to see Elizabeth Strout, Rushdie, or Bakman on lists.

Dubious about placements in Honorable Mention for Flight Behavior, Age of Miracles, Gone Girl, and Bowlaway.

I was thrilled to see The Fifth Season in the top!
Fantasy usually doesn't enter into these lists

Joanne wrote: "I was thrilled to see The Fifth Season in the top!
Fantasy usually doesn't enter into these lists"

Agree Joanne! Loved this trilogy. Also loved Indian Horse and was very glad to see it on the list.