Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Top Ten Tuesday: My Top Ten Future Project Books.

Welcome to this week’s Top Ten Tuesday! The topic is an open one this week, so that we can pick our own topics and lists. I was struggling to find a subject to write about, but then I started poking around on my blog to look for future reads.


I am still in the middle of my 250 Project list, but there are a LOT of classics that are still on my TBR. The following is a list of the ten titles I am most anxious to get to when I finish my 250…or they might be books I get to sooner than that. ;) We’ll have to see.

In no particular order:

1. A Little Princess by Frances Hodgson Burnett: I just read The Secret Garden last week for the first time since I was a girl (loved it), but I’ve never read this title. I’m looking forward to discovering it as an adult (and…my new Puffin classic edition is on its way to my door RIGHT NOW).

2. Agnes Grey by Anne Bronte: Anne never made it on to my 250 list, so I am curious to see what her writing is like. I have loved everything by Charlotte and Emily that I’ve read, so I am hoping for some more wonderful Bronte action.

3. Writings on Nature by John Muir: Like I have said many times before, I work at a park in the summer. I’m not really a super “outdoorsy” kind of a girl, but I love being at the park and learning more about nature. This title has been on my mental TBR for a long time, as Muir was an individual who helped the government protect land in the form of National Parks. The edition I’m craving has pictures and such as well.

4. East of Eden by John Steinbeck: I left this one off the 250 list in favor of Travels with Charley, but I kind of wish I’d kicked off another book in favor of this one. This seems to be a favorite among Steinbeck fans, so I want to see why!

5. A Backward Glance by Edith Wharton: I am a Wharton fanatic, so you shouldn’t be surprised to see this. This is her autobiography, and I have wanted to read it since I found it in a used bookstore.

6. Nana by Emile Zola: I loved Zola’s Germinal since I read it early on in my project. It was the only title by him on my list, so I can’t wait to read more by him. I know that there are a few other bloggers who have been discovering Zola recently, so I am hoping to get to more of his work in the future.

7. Rasselas by Samuel Johnson: This will actually be a reread for me. I read Rasselas as well as many of Johnson’s other writings in college for a class (with the professor who had a Benjamin Franklin action figure), and I was really in love with them. Rasselas was my favorite of the collection, so I want to revisit and see if I still feel the same.

8. Diary of Anne Frank by Anne Frank: I am somewhat ashamed to say that I have never read this. I need to fix that.

9. Belinda by Maria Edgeworth: I read Castle Rackrent in college and fell in love with it. Since then, I have been meaning to get back to Edgeworth and her work, but simply haven’t had the time. This is yet another title that I want to read sooner, rather than later.

10. Northanger Abbey by Jane Austen: The only title of Austen’s “Big 6” not on my 250 list, I kind of feel bad not reading it. I am definitely not as familiar with the story (have only read this once), but I liked it when I first read it. I also have that pretty new clothbound that I got for Christmas, so…
What books are you most looking forward to reading in the future?

37 comments:

  1. East of Eden is one of my favorites! I can't wait to see what you think of it.

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    1. I've heard so many good things about it!

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  2. Reading Anne Frank's Diary for the first time is definitely a moving and unforgettable experience. Still remains one of the most powerful books I have ever read. Hope you enjoy it :)

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  3. East of Eden is so amazing- I hope you like it when you finally get to it :).

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  4. Diary of Anne Frank is definitely a must-read. I agree with adamsbibliomania. Unforgettable.
    Angela @ AJ Arndt Books Blog

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    1. Now I'm going to have to get to it sooner rather than later!

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  5. A Little Princess was my favourite book from childhood and is quite possibly still my favourite book now, it's so great. And I pretty much wore out the pages of my copy of The Diary of Anne Frank as a teenager, it's very moving and I really related to her coming of age.

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    1. I can't wait to get my copy of A Little Princess. I might just read it right away. :)

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  6. Oh, I really love East Of Eden. It is definitely my favorite Steinbeck book thus far.

    And sigh, A Little Princess, I like the movie, but I don't think I ever read the unabridged book.

    And oh man The Diary Of Anne Frank, prepare for major tears. It is amazing and heartbreaking and not an easy read.

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    1. So many people love East of Eden...Man I need to get to it!

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  7. Okay, listen.

    I love John Steinbeck and I love Jane Austen.

    My favorite Steinbeck book is East of Eden.
    My favorite Austen book is Northanger Abbey.

    This means... YOU MUST GET ON THOSE NOW! NOW! NOW!

    ....NOW!


    :)

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    1. Buahahaa. I love them both too! And I've read Northanger Abbey, so I don't feel as bad not getting to it soon...but I'll find time for East of Eden. Promise. :)

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    2. Oh, okay. Well, that makes my shouting 50% less necessary. But the other 50% is still righteously ringing!

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  8. I, too, am dying to read some Edgeworth. I haven't yet read anything of hers. Belinda and Patronage are sitting on my shelves, waiting to be read -- just need to find the time!

    I hope you enjoy Anne Bronte. I love her and desperately wish she got the same amount of attention as her sisters. She's equally talented!

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    1. Edgeworth is a great writer. I hope you enjoy her work.

      And Anne...yes, I agree. Sad that she doesn't get the same recognition.

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  9. I LOVED East of Eden. Its really the only Steinbeck I ever read but I really enjoyed it.

    And Diary of Anne Frank is so fantastic and powerful - I'm interested to know what you think of it.

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    1. I'm going to have to get to those two sooner rather than later!

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  10. I loved A Little Princess when I was little, better than The Secret Garden even. (And now I'm tempted to reread...) Also a fan of Northanger Abbey, which I haven't read in ages. Enjoy!

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  11. East of Eden is on this year's TBR list for me, I've been meaning to read it for about five years. I listed it for the TBR challenge, plus it would count for the Classics Club AND the Chunkster Challenge -- so that's a win/win/win! And I've loved most of Steinbeck so far. Though I can't fault you for choosing Travels with Charley, it was my first Steinbeck and I loved it.

    I'm also hoping to read Agnes Grey for one of my Victorian Celebration books. Maybe something by Zola also, but probably The Masterpiece or The Ladies' Paradise.

    And I loved A Little Princess more than The Secret Garden also. Northanger Abbey is good too.

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    1. Thanks for all the insight! But this makes me want to toss the rest of my 250 aside and get to these!

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  12. I've been wanting to read Northanger Abbey too! I meant to read it a long time ago but never got around to it. Great list!

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    1. It's a good one, I just don't remember it all that well!

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  13. I plan to read all (or as many as I can) Zola's books in my life. I don't give myself a target, because Zola's book is quite emotionally shocking that you'll need some time to really recover before reading his book again.

    Diary of Anne Frank is a-must-read! You'll enjoy it very much. I have read it twice, and perhaps some other time will reread it.

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    1. Zola is such a great writer...I can't wait for more of his work!

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  14. Agnes Grey is on my list too, though I can't decide if I should read that first or The Tenant Of Wildfell Hall. Northanger Abbey is excellent, so it's good it would be a re-read for you in future.

    I want to read more Dickens, Thomas More's Utopia, and Vanity Fair. The last two are on my list of goals for this year but I don't know if I'll get to them.

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    1. Utopia isn't too bad! I've read it a couple of times-it will definitely make you think!

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  15. Austen should definitely be on the list. I agree that East of Eden might need to bump something else off your list. I love Travel with Charley more, but Eden is intense!

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  16. A Little Princess and East of Eden are both on my want-to-read list, too. Sadly, I'm one of 8 people in the universe who did not enjoy Anne Frank and thought she was a brat-a-tat. lol

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    1. lol. Nothing wrong with that opinion! ;) I'm one of 8 people who hated Great expectations so.... :D

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  17. I also need to read Anne Frank, and I just added Belinda to my Nook for a near future read ;-)

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  18. I've been waiting to read East of Eden for ages! I want to read it before I watch the film, but I just never seem to get around to it. Everytime my reading calendar frees up a bit, I feel the need to pick up an easy-read, and I'm not sure East of Eden quite qualifies :s

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  19. When I was younger, I really wanted to read The Diary of Anne Frank - but my mom thought I was too young and wouldn't let me. Now, I'm 35 and I've never read it ... So when I was in Amsterdam and visited the Anne Frank house, I bought the book. Still haven't read it, but at least I own it now and can just pick it up. Maybe we should have a Anne Frank read-a-long so we all can sit and cry together...

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