I nabbed this from Kat at Book Thingo. Here is the top 101 books that Dymocks ascribes as Australia's favourites (I assume it is either voted or the top sales of 2009?), with my annotated notes if I read them (or nearly read them, or plan to read them etc).
1 The Twilight Saga by Stephenie Meyer – I was obsessed with the first three books until the fourth came out. I had problems with feminist issues but still enjoyed the ride
2 The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling – Loved them!
3 Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen – Favourite book
4 The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
5 The Lord of the Rings Trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien – Grandfather of fantasy. I love Tom Bombadil!
6 The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak - Got a free copy, couldn’t get into it
7 To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee – Watched the old movie, haven’t attempted the book
8 The Millennium Trilogy by Stieg Larsson
9 My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult
10 The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
11 The Bronze Horseman by Paullina Simons
12 Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte – Love it
13 Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte – Still trying to read it
14 The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold – Considering it
15 Vampire Academy by Richelle Mead - Great YA vamp fiction
16 Magician by Raymond E. Feist – BEST FANTASY!
17 Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
18 The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown
19 Cloudstreet by Tim Winton
20 The Host by Stephenie Meyer – It is better than Twilight, a great read, and more deserving of the hype.
21 Mao’s Last Dancer by Li Cunxin
22 Atonement by Ian McEwan
23 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien – I love it. I also loved Alan Lee's illustrations
24 Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - I read one page and threw it down in disgust. This is why I am thinking of starting an account at eBay
25 A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
26 Cross Stitch by Diana Gabaldon
27 Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts
28 The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas
29 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell – I plan to read it one day
30 Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden – I loved the film, but it isn’t the type of book I would read
31 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams - Must read
32 Tomorrow When the War Began by John Marsden - A defining novel of my teen years
33 Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody - A defining novel of my teen years
34 The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas by John Boyne
35 The Inheritance Series by Christopher Paolini – I got halfway through Eragon before I had to return the book. Plan to buy it second hand
36 The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
37 Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer
38 The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde - I bought the Vintage Classic imprint (awesome cover) but I lost it, and I haven’t been able to read it yet. Did I lend it to you? Or did the mutant dust bunnies eat it?
39 The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins – Best book of 2009! Add Catching Fire, and it was the best series of 2009! Cannot wait for Mocking Jay!
40 Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
41 Ice Station by Matthew Reilly
42 The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay – Read as a teen
43 Persuasion by Jane Austen - One of my favourites. My second favourite Austen novel
44 Tully by Paullina Simons
45 Seven Ancient Wonders by Matthew Reilly
46 Breath by Tim Winton
47 The Mortal Instruments Series by Cassandra Clare - Started reading this series, but freaked out when it seemed like incest. My friend assured me it wasn’t, so I plan to reread them
48 Life of Pi by Yann Martel
49 A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
50 The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
51 Emma by Jane Austen – I kept thinking of the movie Clueless way too much, so I didn't enjoy it at all. When you start thinking of the protagonist of a Jane Austen film as a plastic Paris Hilton type, all is lost!
52 The Other Boleyn Girl by Philippa Gregory
53 The Bible - Still haven’t finished it. I am maybe not the good little Christian girl I was as a child? I can still recite the names of the New Testament. Does that count?
54 Six Sacred Stones by Matthew Reilly
55 A Fortunate Life by A.B. Facey
56 We Need To Talk About Kevin by Lionel Shriver
57 The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald – I love the imagery. Currently reading (along with 9 other novels - Sofia, don’t hit me! will finish it one day...)
58 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery – Loved it!! It is very indicative of my childhood reading
59 The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
60 The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon
61 People of the Book by Geraldine Brooks
62 The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
63 The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
64 Interview with the Vampire by Anne Rice - Hated it. Read it for uni, wasn't impressed, mostly because of the interview styling. Currently reading The Vampire Lestat, and enjoying that more.
65 Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky - It is on my unread shelf. One day....
66 The Sookie Stackhouse Series by Charlaine Harris - I love the Sookie Stackhouse series. I also love the Harper Connelly series!
67 Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
68 Five Greatest Warriors by Matthew Reilly
69 On the Jellicoe Road by Melina Marchetta – I haven’t read it, but I love Melina Marchetta. I met her at the Italian Film festival a few years ago.
70 The Princess Bride by William Goldman – I love the movie, should read the book.
71 The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
72 Wicked by Gregory Maguire
73 Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
74 Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama
75 Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
76 Dewey by Vicki Myron
77 Dirt Music by Tim Winton
78 Marley and Me by John Grogan
79 Anna Karenina by Leo Tolstoy
80 Dune by Frank Herbert – One of my favourite science fiction novels of all time
81 The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
82 The Memory Keeper’s Daughter by Kim Edwards
83 Frankenstein by Mary Shelley - Read it
84 War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
85 The Road by Cormac McCarthy – Read ir
86 Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
87 The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis – I loved it as a chid. Still think The Horse's Boy is the best in the series
88 The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton
89 Possession by AS Byatt
90 Finnikin of The Rock by Melina Marchetta – I want to read it
91 No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
92 Graceling by Kristin Cashore
93 The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
94 The Secret History by Donna Tartt
95 Silent Country by Di Morrissey
96 Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
97 Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger
98 The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd
99 Still Alice by Lisa Genova
100 The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
101 Gallipoli by Les Carlyon
Read 22
Reading or have attempted reading 7
Want or plan to read 8
4 comments:
You love Tom Bombadil too! I can't stand talking to people who have only watched the movie because they never know who I'm on about...
Highly recommend To Kill A Mockingbird. It's a great book. I have a copy lying around somewhere. I think.
Can understand why The Time Traveler's Wife is on there too. That's such a great book.
It looks like what might have sold in 2009 unless they do it how Angus and Robertson do which is get people to vote for their 8 favourite books (or maybe it's 4).
Some people keep going on how he was "pointless" but Tom Bombadil was my favourite character. There was such a cry that went out in the world when he was cut out of the movie! Such a facinating creature, and I never thought he was pointless. Aside from being a port in the storm, a waypoint if you will, he imparted advice that made a difference to the quest, and he added a sense of wonder and a sense of mythology that was needed at that point of the story. I wish they could have fit him in *sigh*
Really? I vaguely remember loving the movie, but at that time I was about 9 and mum decided it was too big for me (as in themes).
Everyone keeps saying that about the Time Traveller's Wife and its movie.. Might have to go on my "one day" list :)
I think this is a better book list than any other that I stumbled upon... :) The New Penguin classics cover is so beautiful that I love owning a collection of it. I'll probably do my own list soon and share it out. I am just so obsessed about book lists!! :)
I love these covers too JoV! I am collecting the Vintage Classics, but if I had the money I suspect I would be buying these too.
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