Play Book Tag discussion
Annual Top 10 Lists
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Top 10 List for the Decade
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I've actually read every single on of these titles (just finished The Martian, lol), and I think it's really a great list.I'm a little surprised to see The Martian on there. I liked it, but it is so technical, and I didn't realize our readers had that inclination to the extent it made #6. For the decade.
But none of the others came as a big surprise.
Ha! I have read every single book except for Educated, which I swear I am going to get to this year. I agree that this is a great list! Many of these books have been on my personal Top 10 lists over the years, but, more than that, I remember PBT buzz surrounding them. Members writing reviews and encouraging other members to give these books a chance.
Not every member liked every single book, but they were definitely books that sparked discussion on PBT, whether on GR or Shelfari.
I've read 7 of these. Good list, though only two made my personal list. I personally found The Martian unreadable, but I loved the movie. I read only two from the HM list.
Again, four of these were on my list for their top 10 for the decade. I’ve read almost all of them. And have enjoyed the ones that weren’t on my list. I think it’s a great list. I just think it’s interesting that a few years ago, my favorites would not have been matched with everyone else. Shows me how PBT has shaped and directed my reading and the way I think about books. Glad to see the Nix got an honorable mention. That was on my list too!
Meli, 😂 I literally just said on another thread that we do have some overlap in our reading and then I read here that we have literally no overlap on this list 😂
I've read four of the top 10 and four of the honorable mentions:The Night Circus
Constellation of Vital Phenomena
The Martian
All the Light We Cannot See
HR:
Born a Crime
Educated
The Nix
The Tsar of Love and Techno
Going on my TBR: A Man Called Ove and A Gentleman in Moscow
I think one of the reasons I may have read a few of the top books here is that for the past 3 years I've been working to complete the 2017 PBT Hitting the High Notes Challenge, so I've been delving into the backlist of PBT Top Ten.
I added another book for each of the years I didn't have the challenge finished yet, 2017 and 2018 (penalty books?), and have finally completed the full list of 11 books this year! So I was able to retire that challenge and not carry it over into 2020. Although, I'm certain I'll be continuing to read at least one book from the PBT Top 10 going forward into infinity...
I have read 2 and DNF one-don't want to get pelted with tomato, but A Gentleman in Moscow was just not for me.3 are on my TBR.
Proving once again I am a solo weirdo here
Meli wrote: "I've read ZERO of these!"ooo...so I am not so alone!
I've read six on the top 10 and four of the honorable mentions.One of my books made the top 10 and 2 made the honorable mentions.
So while I read a number of those I did not consider them best, so I guess I veer from the crowd there.
@ Joanne, I don't want to get pelted by a tomato either. I also DNF "A Gentleman in Moscow". We can be weirdos together.
Nicole R wrote: "Meli, 😂 I literally just said on another thread that we do have some overlap in our reading and then I read here that we have literally no overlap on this list 😂"🤣 We have some strange obscure overlap!
I just wanted to thank the moderators for the incredible work which they do in December and early January. The challenges, the new tags, the best of the year and the decade.Wow! I'm really impressed with it all. I feel that I am working hard enough putting together my personal lists and organizing for the challenges, but really that is nothing.
Meli wrote: "Nicole R wrote: "Meli, 😂 I literally just said on another thread that we do have some overlap in our reading and then I read here that we have literally no overlap on this list 😂"🤣 We have some s..."
Meli, I don't think your reading is strange. Some of the books that are there, I decided I just did not want to read and I was surprised that there was one which I had never heard of, so the buzz must have sailed over my head.
Thanks so much, BnB! You all make it so very rewarding with your enthusiasm, gratitude and kind words.
Booknblues wrote: "Meli, I don't think your reading is strange. Some of the books that are there, I decided I just did not want to read and I was surprised that there was one which I had never heard of, so the buzz must have sailed over my head."I think she was replying to me that she and I have some strange overlap in our reads! Which is totally true! We are pretty polar opposite readers but there are occasional books where we are totally on the same page. And they are often books you wouldn't expect! LOL
Thank you, BnB! December and January are definitely busy months for the admins, but we have such a blast doing it! And it is definitely all worth it when members not only sign up for the games we come up with, but also enjoy them!
Great list! I have read the top ten books and all except one of the honorable mention ones and enjoyed them all.
I've read 8 of the top 10. I don't think I could handle Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End or Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption. I think they'd both hit too close to home since my grandpa was a POW during WWII and I've already dealt too much with mortality after my husbands death. I really did like the other 8 books.
Nicole R wrote: "I think she was replying to me that she and I have some strange overlap in our reads! Which is totally true! We are pretty polar opposite readers but there are occasional books where we are totally on the same page. And they are often books you wouldn't expect! LOL "Yes, I know. I was just reassuring Meli, not to consider her reading strange.
We all have some reading idiosyncrasies. I love the slow travel books and medieval mysteries, not exactly standard fare and what can I say about your Christmas bodice rippers! ;p
Anita wrote: "The Night Circus
The Help
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
The Martian
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
A Man Called Ove
The Heart's Invisible Furies
A Gentleman in Moscow
All the Light We Cannot See
Our Honorable Mention list
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Doc
Educated
The Nix
The Tsar of Love and Techno..."
Interesting. Number one was one of my lowest rated this year. (All the Light We Cannot See).
I have read and enjoyed The Night Circus, The Help, Being Mortal, Unbroken, The Heart's Invisible Furies, Born a Crime.
I think I put The Help and The Heart's Invisible Furies on my top 10 of the decade. I think.
A Man Called Ove, I either rated ok (3 stars) or good (3.5). I did not like Doc, either.
I've read half of the top 10 and am so happy that All the Light We Cannot See did so well since so far it;s was my FAVOURITE novel of the century.
Holly R W wrote: "@ Joanne, I don't want to get pelted by a tomato either. I also DNF "A Gentleman in Moscow". We can be weirdos together."😎
Unless someone "makes" me read it (i.e. for my f2f book club), I will never read "A Gentleman in Moscow". Probably not "Constellation" (though I really haven't paid enough attention to it to really make a decision on that one). I think the title just puts me off for some reason.
Don't know enough about The Nix or The Tsar to decide. The title of The Tsar, I'm mixed on - sometimes I think it's a fun title, sometimes I really dislike it. Probably more often than not I dislike it, so I could fit it into the Constellation category above.
I can see myself reading "Educated" at some point, though it's not officially on my tbr.
Joanne wrote: "I have read 2 and DNF one-don't want to get pelted with tomato, but A Gentleman in Moscow was just not for me.3 are on my TBR.
Proving once again I am a solo weirdo here"
You are not a solo weirdo! Did you see my comment just above. I disliked the most favourite one on the list! LOL!
Nicole R wrote: "Booknblues wrote: "Meli, I don't think your reading is strange. Some of the books that are there, I decided I just did not want to read and I was surprised that there was one which I had never hear..."Yes, you are correct.
Not only is the app crap, but the quote function is also pretty much crap 🤣
Booknblues wrote: "Yes, I know. I was just reassuring Meli, not to consider her reading strange."Thank you, BnB, I appreciate that.
Actually, my reading is probably pretty vanilla, in the sense that all these books were mentioned somewhere accessible to the public and likely popular (ie Bookriot, New York Times Book Review, Lithub, etc etc)
I've added the top 10 to our shelves for our decade list, as well: https://www.goodreads.com/group/books...
Just out of interest, as I was adding them, I looked back to see what other years (and how many other years) these made our annual top 10 lists, so:
The Night Circus (2011, 12, 13)
The Help (2009, 10, 11, 12)
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (2015, 16)
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena (2013, 14)
The Martian (2015)
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption (2010, 11, 12)
A Man Called Ove (2015, 16, 17)
The Heart's Invisible Furies (2018)
A Gentleman in Moscow (none)
All the Light We Cannot See (2014, 15, 16)
A great, if somewhat surprising, list. Thanks admins, and Cin!
So interesting, Cindy!!! Great analysis . . .
I just picked up The Night Circus recently and very much look forward to reading it. Also have The Heart's Invisible Furies.
AJ wrote: "I wonder why A Gentleman in Moscow didn’t make any lists until this one"I found that really interesting!
ETA: Maybe, in part, due to changing membership over the past 10 years?
I have readThe Help
The Martian
Unbroken
Born a Crime
Educated
Added to my TBR mountain.
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
AJ wrote: "I wonder why A Gentleman in Moscow didn’t make any lists until this one"A Gentleman in Moscow was on my list for decade. Loved it, it was something really special, and I am stockpiling my rotten tomatoes!
The Night Circus made my list. Most of the others listed I have not read.
I've read more of these books than I would of figured:Between the two lists-
The Help
The Martian
All the Light We Cannot See
Born a Crime
A Man Called Ove
Started but DNF:
The Night Circus
A Gentleman in Moscow
I think I'm going to add The Night Circus and A Gentleman from Moscow back onto the TBR list and give them a try again.
I just picked up The Night Circus and keep seeing it on many end-of-the-year lists, so good buy :)
Wow, only missed three of those! Of those two are on my TBR!
I've read all the top 10 EXCEPT The Heart's Invisible Furies (though it's on my TBR)The only one of MY top 10 for the decade that made this list is Being Mortal
As for the honorable mentions ...
I've read 3 (none of which made my top 10)
Have The Nix on my TBR.
Was not a great fan of CONSTELLATION so took TSAR OF LOVE off my tbr.
I've read all but 3 but none were on my Decade list.
I've read 8 on the list, plus 3 of the honorable mentions. While I enjoyed All the Light We Cannot See, it did not make my top 10 the year I read it. Constellation of Vital Phenomena was also a good one that did not make my top 10. And Tsar of Love and Techno did not appeal to me - I found it just ok, and it was a slog.I loved most of the books on the list. I am not inclined to read Educated unless some challenge drives me to it. The other books I have not read are on my TBR.
I've read 6/10 of the top 10, and none of the HR.Many of these I only picked up because of overwhelming PBT recommendations, and the top 10 challenge (2 years ago? When we read from the previous top 10 lists).
In my brain I want to try Anthony Marra but for some reason can never convince myself that I'll like it.
10 and 2 for me. TBR on 2 others from Honorable Mention (Educated and The Nix).Only 3 on my list made the group choices, but happy that "popular" in our group makes for a solid set.
I have read very few of these books, so it's a great list to have!
Honestly I'm surprised to see A Man Called Ove on this list. In the top ten for a whole decade?? I can't understand that one being on here. I really enjoyed it when I read it and can see it on a top ten list for the year but not a decade. I've never even heard of Being Mortal but I'm definitely adding that one to my TBR.
Tessa (FutureAuthor23) wrote: "Honestly I'm surprised to see A Man Called Ove on this list. In the top ten for a whole decade?? I can't understand that one being on here. I really enjoyed it when I read it and can see it on a to..."My thoughts on both of those.
I have read none of these books (top & HR)On my TBR - night circus and Educated
Being Mortal is outstanding. I honestly think everyone should read it who cares at all about the end of life for themselves or their family. It is an important book, but also very interesting.
Play Book Tag
Books mentioned in this topic
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End (other topics)The Nix (other topics)
The Heart's Invisible Furies (other topics)
A Gentleman in Moscow (other topics)
The Night Circus (other topics)
More...
This time, we'll show the results in reverse order.
Tied for 7th to 10th place, we have:
The Night Circus
The Help
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
A Constellation of Vital Phenomena
Alone in 6th place is:
The Martian
Tied for 4th and 5th place are:
Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience and Redemption
A Man Called Ove
Tied for 2nd and 3rd place are:
The Heart's Invisible Furies
A Gentleman in Moscow
And the overwhelming favorite with 11 mentions (3 more than any other title) is:
All the Light We Cannot See
Our Honorable Mention list is much shorter than our annual list, and required 4 mentions to achieve:
Born a Crime: Stories From a South African Childhood
Doc
Educated
The Nix
The Tsar of Love and Techno