Lisa posted this challenge, which she got from Lizzy Siddal, who nicked it from somewhere on Instagram! Love the provenance here!
Each of us has interpreted it in ways that suits us. For me, my interpretation is to draw on authors who have died (except for #1) because there are too many living authors that I love for me to choose from. So, with that proviso, here goes …
#5 Books I love
In author’s birth order:
- Pick an Austen any Austen, let’s go with Persuasion (my post), which has such a lovely, mature heroine who, nonetheless, had to learn to make her own decisions.
- Edith Wharton’s The house of mirth, which I read before blogging, but which has left a lasting impression for its story of a woman who was torn between love and integrity, and (what she thought would be) security.
- Patrick White’s Voss, which I read in my teens, long long before blogging. It was the book that turned me on to White.
- Albert Camus’ The plague/La peste (my post) which I also first read in my late teens, which I encouraged my reading group to read many years later, and which continues to resonate with me.
- Thea Astley’s Drylands (my post), which is just one of Astley’s novels that has stuck with me for its expressive writing and intellect.
#4 Autobuy authors
After the 19th century classics, my first autobuy author was
- Albert Camus
who was followed by …
- Edith Wharton, whom I discovered in the 1980s during our first posting in the USA, and
- E.H. Young, who was recommended to me by a Kiama, NSW, bookseller, in the late 1980s. I subsequently bought, or was given, all of her books that were published by Virago.
And then an Aussie, but which one? Perhaps the first Aussie, besides Patrick White, whom I wanted to autobuy was
- Elizabeth Jolley (my favourite writers post).
#3 Genres I love
Most of you could probably guess this:
- Literary fiction
- Classics
- Literary biographies
#2 Places I like to read
Where else but stretched out on a sofa, or in bed.
#1 Book I’m Going to Read Next
I haven’t quite decided, but my next reading group book is Audrey Magee’s The colony. This will not be my next review, however, as I am currently reading a First Nations’ book, and will probably read a couple more before I read my reading group book!
Whispering Gums 
Oh, this must’ve been designed for YOU, ST ! 😀
And people like me, M-R!
No-one like you, mate !!
And that’s probably just as well!
#Snap We both read in the same places!
We do , Lisa … l noticed but couldn’t tell a lie and say something different … I guess some read on the beach etc but I love a sofa.
#5, books read in 2022 that I loved: A Theory of Justice by John Rawls; Changing Places and Small World by David Lodge; On Beauty and Being Just by Elaine Scarry.
#4, autobuy authors: G.E.M. Anscombe, Jacques Barzun, Mary Beard, George Kennan, W.V.O. Quine.
#3, genres I love: Autobiograpy, biography, memoir (provided always that the memoirist has live long enough to have or at least watch out for gray hair); fiction, not necessarily literary; history; philosophy; poetry.
#4, places I like to read; on the front porch, if the weather is decent; at the dining room table if I am at all tired.
#5, next book. Not sure: Hobbes’s De Cive? I wouldn’t mind taking along a book by Philippa Foot on a vacation that is coming up, but the bookstores of Washington don’t seem to have anything by her on their shelves.
Subversive as always George! I don’t know Philippa Foot but I’m glad you have a vacation coming up.
I have yet to read David Lodge though I do have him on my TBR.
And, oh yes, re memoirists! There are some far too young ones out there, I agree. Occasionally, they may be justified anyhow, but not often.
I would never have heard of Elizabeth Jolley but for you and Lisa.
I am so glad Karen to have been part of introducing you to her.
You have included some wonderful books. An interesting post. Looks fun.
Thanks Pam … it was a bit of fun.
Hi Sue, The 5 books I have read and loved in 2022: Horse by Geraldine Brooks, Young Mungo by Douglas Stuart, Dinner with the Schnables by Toni Jordan, French Braid by Anne Tyler, and Elizabeth Finch by Julian Barnes
Auto buy authors Geraldine Brooks, Ian McEwan and Helen Garner
3 Genres I love, fiction, non fiction and memoirs
Places I like to read, inside – sitting on the couch, and outside – sitting on my balcony
Next book to read will be non fiction Seven Pillars of Science by John Gribbin, and alternate with Cowboy by Robert Bolano.
Thanks for playing along Meg … I will be reading the Barnes later this year. Not sure about the others in your 5, though I would like to read most of them.
I’m enjoying seeing not only the different books and authors on each list so far, but also the different parameters each of you are setting.
It’s cheeky setting parameters, I think Brona, but why not?
I like it. Makes me think what I would put in each one too.
I’d like to know what you would.
I have Albert Camus’s The Plague on my TBR. I think I added it in the early days of the pandemic!
Oh, Melanie – it’s well worth a read if you haven’t. It is a really humane work.
I will!
Lovely to see Edith Wharton in your list, especially The House of Mirth. Lily Bart is probably my favourite Wharton character so far, although I’ve been saving The Custom of the Country for ages, just to have a top-tier Wharton to look forward to!
Ha ha, I know what you mean, Jacqui, I saved an Austen till my 30s which was hard given how few books she wrote. I agree with you re Lily Bart. A thing I love about The custom of the country is the heroine’s name. Undine Spragg! Unforgettable for the name, but Lily Bart is unforgettable for who she is.