Top Ten Tuesday: Popular Books That Don’t Suck

Top Ten Tuesday is hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl. This week’s topic is popular books that live up to the hype. Honestly, I’m usually disappointed with popular* books. That’s why I don’t read many of them. But, the books on this list deserve their popularity. All of them are excellent.

*I’m defining “popular” as more than 500,000 ratings on Goodreads. 

Popular Books That Don’t Suck

Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone – J.K. Rowling

Let’s get the obvious one out of the way. Like most of the world, I love Harry Potter. The first book came out when I was in elementary school. The final book came out when I was in college. I’ve spent most of my life obsessing over this series and will always love it. If I ever have kids, I might disown them if they refuse to read Harry Potter. Sorry, future kids.

“It takes a great deal of bravery to stand up to our enemies, but just as much to stand up to our friends.” – Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone

The Hunger Games – Suzanne Collins

This is the first non-Harry-Potter book that kept me awake all night. Once the action starts, it doesn’t let up. I couldn’t sleep until I knew how it ended.

I remember learning about The Hunger Games from an article in an actual newspaper. Remember newspapers? Those news thingies that aren’t Twitter? Anyway, I was flipping through the local paper when I came across an article about kids and summer reading. The reporter interviewed random kids at the library and asked them for book recommendations. Several kids recommended The Hunger Games. That’s why I read it. Great recommendation, random library kids!  

“Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor.” – The Hunger Games

To Kill a Mockingbird – Harper Lee

This book was forced upon me by 7^th grade language arts class. I didn’t hate it! When I reread it as an adult, I didn’t hate it then, either. Since I grew up in a small town, I could relate to Scout and all of the mysteries and confusion that come along with life in a rural place.

“Sometimes the Bible in the hand of one man is worse than a whisky bottle in the hand of (another) . . . There are just some kind of men who—who're so busy worrying about the next world they've never learned to live in this one, and you can look down the street and see the results.” – To Kill a Mockingbird

A Game of Thrones – George R.R. Martin

I don’t usually like high fantasy because the plots, settings, and characters are too similar, but I adore this series. I fell in love with the TV show and needed the books to get me through the show’s hiatus. I recently finished the third one in the series. These books definitely give me my fill of murder, betrayal, and royals behaving badly.

“Most men would rather deny a hard truth than face it.” – A Game of Thrones

The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

If I had to make a list of my favorite books ever, The Book Thief would be high on the list. I love it so much that I wrote my grad school thesis about it. It’s a story about children growing up in WWII Germany, narrated by Death itself. It’s creative and beautifully written. I’ve read it approximately eleven billion times and haven’t gotten sick of it yet.

“I am haunted by humans.” – The Book Thief

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time – Mark Haddon

Earlier this year, I was talking to a literary agent about books with autistic or mentally disabled narrators. She mentioned this novel and was surprised that I hadn’t read it. I guess it’s a modern classic? Well, I can now report that I’ve read it. I think the plot becomes tedious at the end, but the rest is excellent. The narrator has a unique way of seeing the world. When his neighbor’s dog is stabbed to death in the middle of the night, he sets out to find the killer and ends up uncovering years of family secrets.

“All the other children at my school are stupid. Except I'm not meant to call them stupid, even though this is what they are.” – The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time

Looking for Alaska – John Green

I read Looking for Alaska for the first time when I was in my late teens or early 20s. I don’t remember exactly when I read it, but it quickly became a favorite. I think I was drawn to the funny, intelligent teen characters and how the author doesn’t write down to his readers. Now that I’m an adult, I may be outgrowing John Green. I don’t like his recent books as much as his older books. Not sure if that’s my fault or his.

“The only way out of the labyrinth of suffering is to forgive.” – Looking for Alaska

Holes – Louis Sachar

Another childhood favorite. I was in middle school when I first read this one. I’ve reread it many, many, many times since then. The characters are loveable, and anything can happen in the dangerous desert setting. For a kid’s book, the structure is surprisingly intricate. There are several different storylines that somehow fit together perfectly at the end. I’m currently in the process of reading all of the Newbery winners, and Holes will definitely make my list of favorite winners.

“I'm not stupid. I know everybody thinks I am. I just don't like answering their questions.” - Holes

The Outsiders – S.E. Hinton

Another book that was forced upon me by middle school (and again later by grad school). I still have the first line memorized: “When I stepped out into the bright sunlight from the darkness of the movie house, I had only two things on my mind: Paul Newman and a ride home.” (You’ll just have to trust that I didn’t Google that. Also, I hope it’s correct. That’s embarrassing if it’s not. Please don’t Google it and check my work.) The “greaser” characters in this novel have a lifestyle that is very different from anything I’ve experienced, but they’re still relatable. They act tougher than they actually are. This novel taught me that I love reading about found families.

“I am a greaser. I am a JD and a hood. I blacken the name of our fair city. I beat up people. I rob gas stations. I am a menace to society. Man do I have fun!” – The Outsiders

All the Light We Cannot See – Anthony Doerr

I gave a lecture on this book a few years ago, and I didn’t end up loathing the book! I can’t say the same about Jennifer Egan’s A Visit from the Goon Squad. I taught a class on that book and now want to throw up every time I see the cover. That’s a random tangent. Back on topic: All The Light We Cannot See. There are so many WWII novels in the world that it’s hard to find a unique one. This one is unique. It’s about a blind girl, a stolen gem, some Nazis trapped in a basement, and the city that’s crumbling around them.

“You know the greatest lesson of history? It’s that history is whatever the victors say it is. That’s the lesson. Whoever wins, that’s who decides the history. We act in our own self-interest. Of course we do. Name me a person or a nation who does not. The trick is figuring out where your interests are.” – All the Light We Cannot See

Do you read popular books? Which ones have lived up to the hype for you?