This week, we’re talking about memorable books. Here are 10 books that I didn’t want to put down and then couldn’t stop thinking about when they were over.
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Books I’ll Remember Forever
1. The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith (Ripley #1)
Adult
Crime / Thriller
In this first
novel, we are introduced to suave, handsome Tom Ripley: a young striver, newly
arrived in the heady world of Manhattan in the 1950s. A product of a broken
home, branded a "sissy" by his dismissive Aunt Dottie, Ripley becomes
enamored of the moneyed world of his new friend, Dickie Greenleaf. This
fondness turns obsessive when Ripley is sent to Italy to bring back his
libertine pal but grows enraged by Dickie's ambivalent feelings for Marge, a
charming American dilettante.
Why I Remember It: Tom Ripley is
a devious dude. This novel is full of near misses. I wanted Ripley to be caught
because he’s a dangerous criminal, but I didn’t want the story to end. I was
gripped by how far Ripley would push his crimes.
2. Where The Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
Adult
Historical Fiction
For years, rumors of the "Marsh Girl" have haunted
Barkley Cove, a quiet town on the North Carolina coast. She's barefoot and
wild; unfit for polite society. So in late 1969, when handsome Chase Andrews is
found dead, the locals immediately suspect Kya Clark.
But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.
But Kya is not what they say. Abandoned at age ten, she has survived on her own in the marsh that she calls home. A born naturalist with just one day of school, she takes life lessons from the land, learning from the false signals of fireflies the real way of this world. But while she could have lived in solitude forever, the time comes when she yearns to be touched and loved. Drawn to two young men from town, who are each intrigued by her wild beauty, Kya opens herself to a new and startling world—until the unthinkable happens.
Why I Remember It: The nature
writing. Seriously, some of the best nature writing I’ve ever read. The North
Carolina marshes are so vividly described that I can picture every detail, even
though I’ve never seen them in real life.
3. Educated: A Memoir by Tara Westover
Nonfiction
/ Memoir
Tara Westover
was 17 the first time she set foot in a classroom. Born to survivalists in the
mountains of Idaho, she prepared for the end of the world by stockpiling
home-canned peaches and sleeping with her "head-for-the-hills bag."
In the summer she stewed herbs for her mother, a midwife and healer, and in the
winter she salvaged in her father's junkyard.
Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent.
Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.
Her father forbade hospitals, so Tara never saw a doctor or nurse. Gashes and concussions, even burns from explosions, were all treated at home with herbalism. The family was so isolated from mainstream society that there was no one to ensure the children received an education and no one to intervene when one of Tara's older brothers became violent.
Then, lacking any formal education, Tara began to educate herself. She taught herself enough mathematics and grammar to be admitted to Brigham Young University, where she studied history, learning for the first time about important world events like the Holocaust and the civil rights movement. Her quest for knowledge transformed her, taking her over oceans and across continents, to Harvard and to Cambridge. Only then would she wonder if she'd traveled too far, if there was still a way home.
Why I Remember It: I had to keep
reminding myself that this story is true. The author’s childhood is intense and
bizarre. I don’t know how she survived it. This is an edge-of-your-seat memoir.
4. Born A Crime: Stories From A South African Childhood by Trevor Noah
Nonfiction
Memoir / Essays
One of the
comedy world's brightest new voices, Trevor Noah is a light-footed but
sharp-minded observer of the absurdities of politics, race and identity,
sharing jokes and insights drawn from the wealth of experience acquired in his
relatively young life. As host of the US hit show The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, he provides viewers around the
globe with their nightly dose of biting satire, but here Noah turns his focus
inward, giving readers a deeply personal, heartfelt and humorous look at the
world that shaped him.
Noah was born a crime, son of a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents' indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the first years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, take him away.
A collection of eighteen personal stories, Born a Crime tells the story of a mischievous young boy growing into a restless young man as he struggles to find his place in a world where he was never supposed to exist. Born a Crime is equally the story of that young man's fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother—a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that ultimately threatens her own life.
Noah was born a crime, son of a white Swiss father and a black Xhosa mother, at a time when such a union was punishable by five years in prison. Living proof of his parents' indiscretion, Trevor was kept mostly indoors for the first years of his life, bound by the extreme and often absurd measures his mother took to hide him from a government that could, at any moment, take him away.
A collection of eighteen personal stories, Born a Crime tells the story of a mischievous young boy growing into a restless young man as he struggles to find his place in a world where he was never supposed to exist. Born a Crime is equally the story of that young man's fearless, rebellious and fervently religious mother—a woman determined to save her son from the cycle of poverty, violence and abuse that ultimately threatens her own life.
Why I Remember It: Another
memoir where I don’t know how the author survived his childhood. This book is
both accessible and hilarious. You’ll learn a ton about South Africa’s history,
culture, and government, but you’ll never feel like you’re learning because
Trevor Noah is an entertaining storyteller.
5. Stay With Me by Ayobami Adebayo
Adult Literary Fiction
Yejide and
Akin have been married since they met and fell in love at university. Though
many expected Akin to take several wives, he and Yejide have always agreed:
polygamy is not for them. But four years into their marriage—after consulting
fertility doctors and healers, trying strange teas and unlikely cures—Yejide is
still not pregnant. She assumes she still has time—until her family arrives on
her doorstep with a young woman they introduce as Akin's second wife. Furious,
shocked, and livid with jealousy, Yejide knows the only way to save her
marriage is to get pregnant, which, finally, she does—but at a cost far greater
than she could have dared to imagine.
Why I Remember It: Every time I
thought I knew where the plot was going, it completely changed directions. The
characters are complicated. I was so invested in their story that I downloaded
the audiobook so I could listen to it at work. I’d get mildly irritated when I
had to pause the book to help a customer. I didn’t want to be rudely jerked out
of Yejide’s world. I could have read this novel in one sitting if work hadn’t
gotten in the way.
6. Wolf Hollow by Lauren Wolk
Middlegrade
Historical Fiction
Growing up in
the shadows cast by two world wars, Annabelle has lived a mostly quiet, steady
life in her small Pennsylvania town. Until the day new student Betty Glengarry
walks into her class. Betty quickly reveals herself to be cruel and
manipulative, and while her bullying seems isolated at first, things quickly
escalate, and reclusive World War I veteran Toby becomes a target of her
attacks. While others have always seen Toby’s strangeness, Annabelle knows only
kindness. She will soon need to find the courage to stand as a lone voice of
justice as tensions mount.
Why I Remember It: That ending.
Middlegrade books usually have sweet endings. This one goes for
ultra-realistic. I would have loved it as a preteen. I preferred intense books
that dealt with real-life topics. This one is very “real.”
7. The Smell of Other People’s Houses by Bonnie-Sue Hitchcock
Young
Adult Historical Fiction
Alaska, 1970,
being a teenager here isn’t like being a teenager anywhere else. Ruth has a
secret that she can’t hide forever. Dora wonders if she can ever truly escape
where she comes from, even when good luck strikes. Alyce is trying to reconcile
her desire to dance with the life she’s always known on her family’s fishing
boat. Hank and his brothers decide it’s safer to run away than to stay
home—until one of them ends up in terrible danger.
Why I Remember It: It’s a story
about small gestures and the impact that people can have on each other’s lives.
There’s a quote on the back cover from Eowyn Ivey that says “This book is Alaska.”
I fully believe that. The setting is vivid, and the characters are products of
their environment. This story couldn’t exist anywhere else. I love that. The
setting is important!
8. This Monstrous Thing by Mackenzi Lee
Young
Adult Historical Fantasy
In 1818
Geneva, men built with clockwork parts live hidden away from society, cared for
only by illegal mechanics called Shadow Boys. Two years ago, Shadow Boy
Alasdair Finch’s life shattered to bits.
His brother, Oliver—dead.
His sweetheart, Mary—gone.
His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.
Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.
But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.
Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay.
His brother, Oliver—dead.
His sweetheart, Mary—gone.
His chance to break free of Geneva—lost.
Heart-broken and desperate, Alasdair does the unthinkable: He brings Oliver back from the dead.
But putting back together a broken life is more difficult than mending bones and adding clockwork pieces. Oliver returns more monster than man, and Alasdair’s horror further damages the already troubled relationship.
Then comes the publication of Frankenstein and the city intensifies its search for Shadow Boys, aiming to discover the real life doctor and his monster. Alasdair finds refuge with his idol, the brilliant Dr. Geisler, who may offer him a way to escape the dangerous present and his guilt-ridden past, but at a horrible price only Oliver can pay.
Why I Remember It: All of
Mackenzi Lee’s books stay with me, but this one needs more hype. It’s
compulsively readable with a fast-paced plot. The characters are morally gray
anti-heroes. If you love Vicious by VE Schwab, you should give This Monstrous
Thing a shot.
9. The Stranger in the Woods: The Extraordinary Story of the Last True Hermit by Michael Finkel
Adult
Nonfiction / Biography
In 1986, a shy
and intelligent twenty-year-old named Christopher Knight left his home in
Massachusetts, drove to Maine, and disappeared into the forest. He would not
have a conversation with another human being until nearly three decades later,
when he was arrested for stealing food. Living in a tent even through brutal
winters, he had survived by his wits and courage, developing ingenious ways to
store edibles and water, and to avoid freezing to death. He broke into nearby
cottages for food, clothing, reading material, and other provisions, taking
only what he needed but terrifying a community never able to solve the
mysterious burglaries. Based on extensive interviews with Knight himself, this
is a vividly detailed account of his secluded life—why did he leave? What did
he learn? As well as the challenges he has faced since returning to the world.
It is a gripping story of survival that asks fundamental questions about
solitude, community, and what makes a good life, and a deeply moving portrait
of a man who was determined to live his own way, and succeeded.
Why I Remember It: The history
of hermits is surprisingly fascinating. This is another nonfiction book that
you’ll have to keep reminding yourself is true. Christopher Knight is an
unusual person. I’m not a people-lover, but I don’t think I could live like he
did.
10. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Adult
Mystery
“Last night I
dreamt I went to Manderley again.”
So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive, past the beeches, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten, her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant—the sinister Mrs. Danvers—still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca.
So the second Mrs. Maxim de Winter remembered the chilling events that led her down the turning drive, past the beeches, to the isolated gray stone manse on the windswept Cornish coast. With a husband she barely knew, the young bride arrived at this immense estate, only to be inexorably drawn into the life of the first Mrs. de Winter, the beautiful Rebecca, dead but never forgotten, her suite of rooms never touched, her clothes ready to be worn, her servant—the sinister Mrs. Danvers—still loyal. And as an eerie presentiment of evil tightened around her heart, the second Mrs. de Winter began her search for the real fate of Rebecca.
Why I Remember It: The mystery.
What happened to Rebecca? Why is Mrs. Danvers so creepily loyal to her dead
mistress? Is the narrator’s new husband a murderer? My feelings about the
characters were constantly shifting. I never knew what to believe or who to
trust.
What book will you remember forever?
Ripley is such a great character. I read the first three books and enjoyed them. I found myself rooting for him as the characters he was harming were all horrible!
ReplyDeleteI've heard so many good things about Where the Crawdads Sing.
ReplyDeleteMy TTT .
I am an avid reader, Lydia, and I have to say ... I think this is in the top 5 of my most-enjoyed reads! I was captivated and upset that the book actually ended! It was just one of those reads that you don't want to end!
DeleteMy all time favourite book. I feel as though I lived in the Marsh with Kya. Beautiful life story.
DeleteI have to disagree. I thought Crawdads was one of the worst books I have ever read. And during the pandemic, I was reading a book a day. The book is so flawed that I just cannot understand the hype. I almost didn’t even finish it. It’s a completely incredulous story from beginning to end. But I can’t say why without spoiling the book for people. I don’t recommend it to anyone!
DeleteI felt the same way about Crawdads. I can’t understand why people loved it as much as they did. Each to his own.
DeleteI personally hated that book. It wasn’t the writing. It was the fact that the author asks us readers to suspend belief on so many occasions that it got to be utterly ridiculous. I found myself groaning so many times while reading it. To me, it was more like a bad soap opera. YUCK!!
DeleteI will never forget The Gentleman in Moscow. The elegant writing, the lessons in history, and the ineffably wonderful man who tied everything together. I didn’t want it to end.
DeleteI felt the same way about Memoirs of a Geisha. What a literary masterpiece! I learned so much about that culture and was mesmerized by the characters and their stories.
I have tried to find other books by Arthur Golden because I also love Memoirs of a Geisha.
DeleteGreat list! I love Rebecca - it really is du Maurier's masterpiece - and I really enjoyed Stay With Me too. I think about that one quite a lot, actually!
ReplyDeleteI do want to read This Monstrous Thing, and I'm curious about Rebecca too!
ReplyDelete-Lauren
www.shootingstarsmag.net
My mom has been trying to get me to read Rebecca for probably 30 years. LOL I saw the movie many years ago but I know that’s not the same. Maybe one days of these days I’ll make her happy and read the book.
ReplyDeleteYou will be happy you did.
DeleteI just got Where the Crawdad Sings from the library. I am even more excited to start it now after seeing it made your list!
ReplyDeleteGlad you enjoyed these books and they stayed with you. https://pmprescott.blogspot.com/2020/02/ttt-021820.html
ReplyDeleteOooh, fantastic list as always. My responses:
ReplyDelete1. Only know this story from the movie.
2. Liked, but didn't love this one, but I see what you're saying. Ramona Blue was like that for me--such a vivid sense of place.
3. Yes! I still bring up details from this book in conversation.
4. My all time favorite audiobook AND my all time favorite celebrity biography. Because even if Trevor Noah had grown up to be a car mechanic in Boise, this memoir would be well worth reading.
5. All right, you've convinced me. Adding to my TBR immediately.
6. Meh.
7. YES. Though I don't remember it was well as some on this list. I should re-read it, right?
8. See #5.
9. I think we've established that we both really liked this one.
10. Oh the DRAMA. I read this in my early teens, which is PERFECT.
Other People's Houses would have made my list had I gone back further. It was a phenomenal book. Once I saw the way all these people's lives were connected, I was awed. I love when author's do that, and it was fantastic story too.
ReplyDeleteI loved Rebecca - creepier than I expected, and all those revelations!
ReplyDeleteIt's funny, for the longest time I never knew Mr. Ripley was a book! I knew about the movie of course but not the book. The Smell of Other People's Houses sounds pretty good, and Rebecca is a book I've heard so much about over the years, but I've never read her either.
ReplyDeleteAfter reading Rebecca, I had to read all of her books. After all these years I remember almost all of them. She was an incredible writer.
DeleteI did not know these books but I've added some of them to my TBR! One of the books I'll never forget is a book about Christiane F, written by her mother. And also the book Salt to the Sea made a deep impact.
ReplyDeletePersonally I'll always remember Allegiant by Veronica Roth because it's the first book that made me cry for like 3 days straight lol
ReplyDeleteWhere The Crawdads Sing sounds so good and I've heard so many raves, I'll need to try it for myself ASAP!
ReplyDeleteI wouldn’t buy it if I were you. I did and it was one of the biggest mistakes I ever made. I hated the book. As you read it, ask yourself if a child who basically raised herself in a swamp could possibly do all the things the author wants us to believe she could do. I had a daughter her age who was exceptionally bright. But without the proper resources, contacts, books, and supplies, I can’t imagine her being able to accomplish all the Kya supposedly does. It’s ludicrous. And I won’t add any spoilers other than to say that the ending is ridiculous as well.
DeleteWell, you're not her and many, many more loved it than didn't, including me. And yes, children throughout history, and even in modern times, have done such things and more to survive. That said, there's nothing wrong with suspending a little belief now and then to be entertained. And who says buying a book "was one of the biggest mistakes" they ever made? Talk about having to suspend belief, LOL
DeleteI totally agree with Where the Crawdads Sing AJ! Yesterday I visited Waterstone in Brussels with a friend and I pushed her to buy it at half price. Then I talked the cashier so ...buy it too!
ReplyDeleteI don’t understand why you all love this book so much. The story is completely incredulous. I could write an entire thesis in all the incongruities the author expects readers to believe. I personally wasn’t willing to do that. The list had just gotten so long. Just one example. Do you really think that this young girl who lived alone in a swamp her whole life can suddenly begin speaking like a college-educated woman? And we are led to believe that she is this innocent, loving girl who throughout the books has shown no signs of anger, hatred, resentment, or violence, has schemed to viciously murder someone? Seriously? I say… what a crock!
DeleteTotally agree with you!! Hated this book!
DeleteI love it when books stick in my mind and I keep thinking about them long after I've put the book down. I definitely agree with you about Educated and Trevor Noah. And you've made me want to read Wolf Hollow and The Stranger in the Woods now.
ReplyDeleteNicole @ Feed Your Fiction Addiction
Ahh this is a lovely list! I've heard a whole lot of good things about The Smell of Other People's houses, I really should give it a try someday :)
ReplyDeleteEducated, and The Smell of Other People's Houses would be on my list, too! 📚✨
ReplyDeleteThis is a great list! I loved Educated and Born a Crime. I think I will be looking for the hermit book soon!
ReplyDeleteOkay, you've officially convinced me to read This Monstrous Thing! I've loved several of her other books and I love morally gray characters!
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I LOVE the new design! Second, I went down a Wikipedia rabbit hole involving Christopher Knight, so I must read this book! Third, I LOVE Smelly Houses and I am so excited to see it on your list! I also really need to read Trevor Noah, and Educated has been on my radar since I saw it on another one of your posts, so I clearly need to get to it.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I will be forgetting Born a Crime or Rebecca any time soon either. I so need to read Educated. I have Stay with Me and really need to read it too. And This Monstrous Thing has been on my kindle forever as well! I need to read more... Oh, and I recently got the Talented Mr Ripley.
ReplyDeleteI've been meaning to read This Monstrous Thing! I loved This Savage Song so I wonder if it compares to that Schwab's book as well :)
ReplyDeleteThe first two pages of Rebecca will hook you on this book. It is lyrical, haunting, and has a sense of doom. This is a must read!
ReplyDeleteI'd would recommend My Absolute Darling as one of the best books I've read in the last year. I couldn't put it down. The descriptive language was gorgeous and the story devastating in equal measures. Thank you for lots of recommendations!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing those recommendations. I would also recommend this one. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09T8FFZLQ?ref_=pe_3052080_397514860
ReplyDeleteI'm 64 and have been a constant reader since I was 14. Only one book has ever had that effect on me. The Grapes ot Wrath. It perfectly outlines man's inhumanity to his fellow man. I never want to read it again.
ReplyDeleteMe too..
DeleteI read Just Stay Away about a nine-year-old gaslighting a father and his family. Couldn’t put it down.
ReplyDeleteI would add Shogun, Gone with the Wind, The Color Purple and Roots.
ReplyDeleteI forgot to mention A Wrinkle in Time (YA). So good!
ReplyDeleteOne book I will never forget is Wildflower Hill by Kimberly Freeman. It was passed around in my office and everyone loved it. Check it out if you haven’t already read it. You won’t be disappointed.
ReplyDeleteThe narrow road to the deep north by Richard Flanagan is an extraordinary book. Well worth reading.
ReplyDeleteIt amazes me that Crawdads has attracted such a strong negative response from some, it’s a work of fiction people! It is beautifully written, engaging and quite addictive. Also well worth reading