The OF Blog: Here is a list of books that I would love to see readers/reviewers consider

Friday, September 20, 2013

Here is a list of books that I would love to see readers/reviewers consider

I have been fairly quiet the past couple of days, but that's in part because I have spent time looking at what others' have had to say about books in a variety of genres.  The Booker Prize shortlist and the National Book Award longlists have been announced (and yes, I will be reading as many of the shortlisted titles as possible, like last year, and most, if not all, of the longlisted fiction and YA titles).  There have been discussions elsewhere of other interesting books (and conversely, how certain segments of the reading population will not consider reading X because of Y...or XX). 

These have somehow melded in my mind to create a mish-mash of thoughts, but instead of elaborating on it right now, I thought I'd challenge those reading this, whether they are reviewers or just "average" readers, to choose one book from this list and tell me in the comments which book it is.  Then, if possible, they can talk about it on their blog, on Twitter, Facebook (granted, I likely won't be able to read most FB entries unless they are public), or anywhere else that they feel so inclined.  All I ask is that I hear about this, as I am curious to see what readers think.

Now this list will purposely be diverse in a number of ways, so hopefully there will be something of interest for someone (and hopefully more than one title will be unfamiliar, at least until investigated further).  So here goes:

Shani Boianjiu, The People of Forever are not Afraid

Leena Krohn, Tainaron

Sofia Samatar, A Stranger in Olondria

Nimad Sirees, The Silence and the Roar

Sherman Alexie, Blasphemy

Alaya Dawn Johnson, The Summer Prince

Liliana Bodoc, The Days of the Deer

Milorad Pavić, Second Body

Jean-Marie Blas de Robles, Where Tigers are at Home

Kate DiCamillo, Flora and Ulysses 


Was originally going to write 5, but a few more immediately came to mind, so here's a list of 10.  Should be interesting to see which works are chosen and why.  Let me (us?) know!

5 comments:

Mihai A. said...

I've read Sofia Samatar's "A Stranger in Olondria" while on holiday and when I get to usual schedule I'll write my review of it. Anyway, it is one of the most pleasant surprises of this year. But then again I expected as much since I loved Sofia Samatar's short fiction. It is not a perfect novel but it has plenty of excellent things to enjoy in this novel. One of my favorite readings of 2013. :)

Meytal Radzinski said...

There are quite a few titles here I've wanted to read for a while. Honestly, the only one I wouldn't consider reading is the Boianjiu, but that's because from the excerpts and reviews I've read, I have some issues with the authenticity (basically, I think as an Israeli myself, I am absolutely not the target audience).

Liviu said...

The irony is that in 2008 when I first decided to start a blog (called Future and Past which still has its 9 posts in all their original glory) - to review books - just before deciding to accept Robert's offer to collaborate with him at FBC - Second Body was the first book i reviewed there together with Last love in Constantinople and I just discovered I have not posted that on FBC so I will do it soon with some revisions and c/p it on Goodreads as usual (eg Second Body was free online at the time and I think I saw that link here on this blog, but today it is a Kindle ebook)

I also reviewed Where Tigers Are at Home in March and I have the Krohn, Samatar and Bodoc books to read - all started and will finish sometime

As a small corrections, it is Nihad Sirees as I discovered when looking for that book which is on my wanted list now

Aisha said...

I hope you've read Abigail Nussbaum's wonderful review of A Stranger in Olondria? (I also wrote about it, but with much less detail or clarity.)

I'm interested in some of the others on your list, particularly Krohn, Boianjiu and Johnson.

James said...

I have The Days of the Deer and A Stranger in Olondria has been on my list forever. Whether or not I will ever get around to talking about them or anything for that matter is another story.

 
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