I am drawing a huge blank when it comes to specifics for this week’s top ten tuesday, a weekly book meme run by The Broke and the Bookish. I think I’m so focused on completing my bookish resolutions for this year, that I can’t even think beyond 2014. Especially, since I was way over ambitious and am way behind. So, yeah … aside from reading 83 more books this year (including Don Quixote and Atlas Shrugged) I’m not totally sure what belongs on my bucket list.
So far my ideas range from finishing all the books I’ve bought on my kindle, writing more amazon reviews for books I like, and going on a literary road trip (like going to Faulkner’s house and to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum). Do you have any other ideas for me? Or suggestions for stops on my fantasy literary road trip?
Also do you have a bucket list? If so what is on it?
Alison Doherty 
Maybe reading all the books your mother suggests?
hardy har har
Along the same lines as the road trip – maybe read some travel writing? Or do some travel writing of your own? As someone with a bent towards the historical, I can’t recommend Tony Horwitz enough. A Voyage Long and Strange was just so amazing and following his path as you read the book sounds like such an amazing idea to me.
Reading and trying travel writing is a great idea! Thank you for the suggestion.
What about meeting an author or getting an author you love to sign a book? Or going to a specific literary place referenced in a book or connected to an author – like someone’s grave (morbid, I know).
My Top Ten
That’s a good idea. I would really like to go to book fairs in Boston and NYC. Also I live near F. Scott Fitzgerald’s grave and I can’t believe I’ve never been.
Bucket lists should always include popular but little known books from foreign lands — especially since you’re already reading Spanish and Russian Classics. There are great books in translation available these days. The Year of the Hare by Arto Paasilinna (Finland, 1975); Gösta Berlings saga (1891; novel). Translated as The Story of Gösta Berling by Selma Lagerlof (Sweden, Noble prize winner) I Am A Cat by Aiko Ito (1905, Japan) or Amy Yamada’s Bedtime Eyes; My Name is Red by Orahn Pamuk (Turkey, 1998); Climates by Andre Maurois (French, 1928); After the Divorce by Grazia Deledda (Italy, 1902); Women of Algiers in Their Apartment, Assia Djebar (Algeria, 1992).
Thanks for the suggestions Indra! I can’t wait to look these up.
Are there any classics (or non-classics) that you’ve always wanted to read? Or reading through all the books on a particular list? (For me it’s the International Thriller Writers’ 100 Must-Reads.) A literary road trip sounds amazing too, and you could visit not only sites associated with authors but also impressive bookstores or libraries. Visiting the Library of Congress is on my list!
I will start looking for lists. I went to the Library of Congress a few years ago and it was such a fun place to visit!
I probably need to read Anna Karenina at some point, as well as War and Peace. Other than that, I can’t think of anything for my list. As for yours, I concur with Charleen. That top 100 list is a good place to start.
Thanks! I am definitely going to look up the top 100 list!