A new book meme…

Had a funny little discussion on Facebook recently that got me thinking about 1) the books we recommend to others and 2) book memes. My friend seemed to contend that firstly, most recommendations seem to be ill-tailored to the recipient and are thus somewhat pointless, and secondly, that book memes often fall prey to the desire to impress others with our erudition and learning – or at least make a good impression.

Naturally, more discussion led to a more nuanced understanding of what she was actually saying (and what I actually thought about those things). But it did get me thinking about all the many books I’ve had recommended to me over the years – and some of the ones I picked up because they were repeatedly mentioned by bloggers or writers I respect – and how interesting it would be to see which recommendations have hit home, both for me and for others.

So my next post is going to be a new book meme – the “Recommended Reading” meme, wherein I (and others so inclined) would list the 10 books I am MOST grateful to have had recommended to me by others – and a shorter list of 5 recommendations that fell flat.

Ready?