Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Top Ten Tuesday: Top Ten Books I'll Be Reading This Winter...



Well, you know there will be many more, but let's just keep it at ten for now.

Top Ten Tuesday is the weekly meme hosted by the gals at THE BROKE AND THE BOOKISH. Each week there's a new topic and new lists. Don't forget to check in and see what other Top Ten Books other bloggers are talking about today.

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1) 11/22/63 by Stephen King

I'll probably be reading this next, since its sitting here glaring at me. A time traveler tries to stop the Kennedy assassination. It's gotten great reviews and though I'm not a real King fan, I couldn't resist.




2) WICKED AUTUMN by G.M. Malliet

The first in a cozy new series featuring Max Tudor, the Vicar of St. Edwold. I love a good mystery set in an English village. I am really looking forward to this one.




3) DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY by P.D. James

No more need be said. I am anxious to see what James does with Austen's masterpiece.




4) REAMDE by Neal Stephenson

I was lucky enough to win a copy of Stephenson's new book, but I would have picked it up at the library regardless. I loved Stephenson's CRYPTONOMICON and I'm hoping this new book about a tech entrepreneur caught up in his own online war game, will be something equally wonderful.




5) COLD VENGEANCE by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

Eccentric FBI agent, Pendergast, is devastated by the death of his wife, especially since he's found out she was murdered. Now he is out for revenge. A quest that will take him from Scotland, to NYC to Louisiana and will unearth deadly secrets he could never have imagined.




6) THE LONG NIGHT William L. Shirer and the Rise and Fall of the Third Reich by Steve Wick

I have this near the top of my tottering pile of TBR books. Shirer was one of the great reporters working in Berlin at the beginning of WWII. His judgement, wisdom and reporting skills were legendary. I read his masterpiece, THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH many years ago, and I was happy to see this new book about Shirer's reporting work.


The following four books are on my Official Christmas Wish List.




7) CATHERINE THE GREAT Portrait of A Woman by Robert K. Massie

I've never read any of Massie's work, but I know his reputation as a great biographer. I've always been intrigued by this woman, Catherine, Empress of Russia. I think this will be a great read by a writer who, at 82 years of age, is still going strong.




8) IN THE GARDEN OF BEASTS by Erik Larson

An American family in Hitler's Berlin. Larson, author of the THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY, a fabulous read, now tells the story of a naive family's cruel awakening to the evil spreading throughout Germany and Europe.




9)  THE GREATER JOURNEY Americans in Paris by David McCullough

I've read a few snippets and am dying to read more.





10) THE AFFAIR by Lee Child

The very latest entry in the rock 'em, sock 'em, Jack Reacher series. If you love great thrillers, you will love Lee Child's work.

21 comments:

  1. Great list! I'm also curious about James's book Death Comes to Pemberley.

    Here's my TTT for this week if you want to check it out: http://www.rulethewaves.net/blog/?p=3006

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  2. Thanks, Li. I'm anxious that it be as good as it sounds...!

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  3. I just finished 11/22/63 and posted my review last night and I LOVED IT. LOVED IT! I hope you enjoy it, too!

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  4. I KNOW!! Natalie I've been avoiding your post because I didn't want to learn too much more than what I knew from the Times review (which I skimmed). I want to hit this one fresh. :)

    We can compare notes after I've finished.

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  5. Yvette: You are so organized! I have barely decided upon the next book I will read let alone the top 10 to read.

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  6. You said it, Bill!

    Steve Wick's book on William L. Shirer's reporting is definitely worth reading. I have been reading THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH in parts for over two decades now (would you believe that!) and I'm pretty sure I've read it all by now. The other Shirer work I enjoyed was the pocked-sized THE RISE AND FALL OF ADOLF HITLER, a short and crisply written biography of Hitler. I also enjoyed reading his column on the finer nuances of the English language. I think NYT ran it for years.

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  7. Wicked Autumn and Garden of Beasts are two that really stand out for me, Yvette. I loved Devil In The White City, and have always been fascinated with the history of the Third Reich. Thanks for all of the wonderful reading ideas!

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  8. Oops, got titles mixed up. I want to read Wicket Autumn because I love stories set in English Villages too. But I also want to read the one about the Third Reich!

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  9. The ending of 11/22/63 tugs even now at my heart-strings. Hush, I have said too much.!! No more. :-) Loved the book. REAMDE hmmm now that does look interesting, plus WICKEN AUTUMN, GM Mallet... another yes.. I must investigate.

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  10. Yvette,

    I must admit that I'm irrational, biased, whatever on the subject of sequels to classics, serious or otherwise. I have not read any of the various sequels or revisions of any of Austen's works or any of the other add-ons of other works.

    That being said, PD James is my favorite mystery writer. I heard her in a interview say that Austen was her favorite writer and that if Austen was writing today, she'd be writing mysteries.

    So, I'm going to break my unbreakable rule and take a peek at _Pemberly_.

    I've read the three earlier Maillet mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed them--a great change from many of today's mysteries. So this latest one is also on my list.

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  11. I'm quite interested in Wicked Autumn. I've bought the King book for Tom.
    It is exciting to think about winter reading, isn't it. I have some plans myself.
    I LOVE your blog header and all the Christmasy pictures on the sides. Always a beautiful place to visit, Yvette.

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  12. Bill: Organized? Ha! That's the first time, I think, anyone's ever said that about me. :)

    These books will find their way to my house, but that doesn't mean I'll be reading them in the order listed OR that I'll be reading them immediately. I guess you could call this my HOPEFUL list. :)

    However: The King book and WICKED AUTUMN are two slated for immediately.

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  13. Prashant: I read RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH many MANY years ago when I was in my early twenties. Most of it has faded from memory except the general ideas. But I do remember it was a transformative book. I've been thinking to reread it, but just haven't found the time to wedge it in between other books.

    Another book by Shirer that I keep an eye out for is BERLIN DIARIES.

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  14. Becky: I, too, am fascinated by events leading up to and including WWII - always have been.

    And, of course, we share a love of mysteries set in English Villages.

    Speaking of which, I'll be talking about a television series I've been indulging in - all about murders in a - ta-da! - small English villages. Stay tuned.

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  15. Dave: Ha! You couldn't help yourself, you tease. :)

    I'll be reading up a storm this month.

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  16. Fred: Good for you. It's not good to be TOO rigid about rules one sets for oneself. :)

    I haven't read any reviews or any synopsis on purpose. I want to approach the James book with a fresh eye.

    WICKED AUTUMN is waiting for me at the library as we speak.

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  17. Thanks SO much, Nan. It was fun to fiddle with my blog - design-wise. A little holiday pizzazz never hurts. :)

    Coming up next will be the King book and WICKED AUTUMN. Then the rest to follow, I hope. Unless I get sidetracked with another book or something vintage catches my eye. You know how it is. :)

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  18. Like has been already said, the PD James book looks quite intriguing. Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book.

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  19. Mine too, iluvcinema. Mine too. Can't wait for Santa to bring this one! Keeping my fingers crossed.

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