Beside the sea world book night
This years world book night giveaways are to be decided by us the public by choosing our top ten books .I looked at the current top 100 and have to agree with Meike from Peirene it is a bit bland and from the perspective of winstonsdad the translation choices which there are at this moment ten book are what I would call the ones people think they should read or put in a list even if they’ve not read to look good (sorry needs to be said) .I love Murakami and Marquez but some diffeernt book here would be great open peoples eyes.Well Meike has suggest if we could all choose Beside the sea by Veronique Olmi it is a lovely french gem and is one of my all time favourite reads any way ,at moment 35 votes will get it in the top 100 I ve vote so 34 would do it come on lets help the nymph and the lovely ladies of Peirene make the list ,all of us bloggers and tweeters know how much effort this publisher puts into social media and interaction with its readers more than any major publisher does .So put your hand up and say yes I want the small guy to win for once because we all love the underdogs in this country lets for once get them there ,Meike has written a blog post about this too here ,thanks stu .I will be put up for giving away this time as I was too shy to volunteer last year .
My top ten –
Beside the sea by Veronique Olmi – reason a french gem touching and it will make you gasp if you’ve not read it !
Rings of saturn by W G Sebald reason started my love of translation and it is a book that can be reread and still make you think .
Don Quixote by Miguel Cervantes – reason the first novel it has all in it that has followed since a true master piece .
Ficciones by Jorge Luis Borges reason he was a genius flash fiction avant grade fiction all look at this as a starting point
If on a winters night a traveller by Italo Calvino reason I love it and I know many people hate it but who can’t love a book that talks to you ?
My century by Gunter grass – reason short interlocking pieces covering the 20thcentury from the German master not his best but it is a good insight into Germany .
Cities of red night by William S Burroughs – reason he was a one off writer this book has all a young guy could want from a book and men shou,ld read more !
The last brother by Nathacha Appananah – reason a unheard corner of post ww2 history jewish refugees stuck on a tropical island told touchingly through two young boys tale .
Goodbye to all that by Robert Graves – reason my favourite memoir war is bad and read this you know it is ,a poets eye goes to war .
Walden by Henry David Thoreau – reason if more people had read this would the world be the way it is the simple life as he spent time in nature thinking whilst living in a wooden hut .
What are your choices ?
Oooh – I’d love to see Beside the Sea on the list! I’ll have to get thinking about my top ten now…..
Oh look forward to see what you include Jackie as a guess fine balance may be one ,all the best stu
As you know this has my vote, on the basis of trying create an awareness of the scope of literature out there, will complete my list & place it.Great post & hopefully a wake up call.
I like your list a lot.
Thanks Caroline ,all the best stu
Crows: from the life & songs of Crow-Ted Hughes
A Void- Georges Perec
Labyrinths- Jorge Luis Borges
A Reader on Reading-Alberto Manguel
If on a winters night a traveller- Italo Calvino
Last Evenings on Earth- Roberto Bolano
Being Human:more real poems for unreal times- ed, Neil Astley
Beside the Sea-Veronique Olmi
Stained Glass Elegies- Shusaku Endo
Gargantua & Pantagruel – Francois Rabelais
This list is not in any order & is subject to change, in fact I had to do it & get off the site as quick as possible as I’d never have left, constantly changing my mind. But It’s done now.
Greaty list Gary see we both have two the same ,and a borges each ,all the best stu
If on a winters night a traveller by Italo Calvino is on my MUST read soon list! Great list Stu and very inspiring.
Oh do Willa it is a great book if yopu don’t get to dragged into it ,all the best stu
Thanks for the info Stu. I joined the site and added my top 10. Very different from yours.
1
Love You Forever Robert Munsch
. 2
The Three Day Road Joseph Boyden
. 3
The Water Rat of Wanchai Ian Hamilton
. 4
Seven Little Australians Ethel Turner
. 5
The Day the Falls Stood Still Cathy Marie Buchanan
. 6
One for the Money Janet Evanovich
. 7
The Best Laid Plans: A Novel Terry Fallis
. 8
The Hummingbird’s Daughter Luis Alberto Urrea
. 9
Odd Thomas Dean Koontz
. 10
A Christmas Carol
Oh couple new to me heather I ll look them up ,thanks stu
Hi, Stu–
I was so interested that you included My Century by Grass. (You know me, and my German Postwar Literary Challenge!) I very much want to read it. Had it out of the library when it was new, but I could not renew, and so I only got to page thirty.
Time to return to it and finish it!
Thanks for listing your books and letting me know about this wonderful event.
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)
I loved my century when I read it the little pen picture he did were great ,all the best stu
That’s a great list, Stu. The actual list is in some respects disappointing,but then, as you observe, we are looking at it from the perspective of the enthusiastic reader. Still, there is no reason why non-habitual readers shouldn’t be introduced to writing which is both excellent but lesser known.
Thanks for bringing it to my attention. I didn’t participate to any degree last year, but I will this time, with my top ten. (Although still not brave enought to volunteer for the handing out part…)
Hope you may choice to volunter I want to this time ,yes the real list a little bland I hope some more interesting books scrap in ,all the best stu
Hi, Sarah I participated last time, giving away Cloud Atlas, with my 10 year old daughter, she thoroughly enjoyed it as did I, I think we got rid of all books in not much more than an hour & I’m not particularly brave, altho my daughter is, So If you fancy giving it a go, you’ll end up enjoying it, as did we.
Hi Parrish Lantern. Enlisting a daughter sounds like a good plan…. Thanks for the encouragement.
Interesting list stu. And some familiar names in there…
Yes there is Geosi
What an intriguing list! I wish we had something like this in the States.
Hope they do a us one too at some point ,all the best stu
I like to join too! I like giving books away, this would suits me!
Thanks Jov I wish I d done last year will do next one thou ,all the best stu
How fun! I wish we had this in Canada too!
Hopefully amy they may ,all the best stu