Top Ten Tuesdays is a weekly meme created at The Broke and the Bookish. This week’s list:
The Top Ten Books I’m So Happy Were Recommended to Me
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott. My mom gave me her lovely hardcover edition many years ago. She is largely responsible for sparking my love for reading.
- The Idiot by Fydor Dostoyevsky. My Russian best friend Julia recommended this novel. The characterization in this novel is amazing.
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This book was also recommended to me by Julia. In my opinion, this novel is a mix of genres: fable, self-help and fiction. It resonated with me at the time I read it.
- All of Juliet Marillier’s books. Thanks Krista! I love them.
- Bloody Jack by L.A. Meyer. My library coworkers introduced me to this awesome series.
- Airborn by Kenneth Oppel. My coworker Sam recommended this book. I think I started falling in love with steampunk while reading it.
- The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby. A library patron recommended this book to me when she returned it. This is an amazing memoir about the power of communication. I read this book when my father was sick with a terminal illness which made it more bittersweet.
- The Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks. This novel is one my officemate’s favorites. What dark but beautiful prose.
- Wolf Hunt by Gillian Bradshaw. This novel was also recommended by my officemate Beverly. I love Gillian Bradshaw’s historical fiction. She chooses time periods that haven’t been overexposed instead of setting her novels in the “trendy” eras.
- Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende. Again, this was recommended by Beverly. Allende’s writing is so captivating that she deserves not only to be read, but to be studied.
Gossamer and Lichen 
It’s great that you have so many literary friends to get recommendations from. Little Women was an early favorite of mine as well. I want to check out Wolf Hunt and Airborn from your list. Thanks for sharing!
I’ve been wondering about The Idiot ever since I read Crime and Punishment last year. I’ve seen it on a number of lists today so I’ll have to give it a closer look. I also have Year of Wonders waiting for me on my TBR shelf – I’m hoping to get to it next.
What an interesting and eclectic list. I’m planning to reread The Idiot this month-you have lots of titles on this list that intrigue me….
I’m sure someone recommended The Alchemist to me at some point. I remember everyone I knew reading it at a time in my life.
Check out my list here