Tuesday 21 October 2014

Top Ten Tuesday - Series I Want To Start

My brain is so fried from my courseload/bookload lately that my reviews are progressing a sentence at a time, so I thought I'd participate in another Top Ten Tuesday!


Well, when I first read the title post, I recoiled.  I do not like series because EVERYTHING is a series now, and because this format is so popular, it makes me immediately not want to read anything remotely like a series (do you sense a little stubborness in my character?  I prefer to call it non-conformity.  ;-)  )   In any case, I then started to remember some series from a time when series weren't a sheep-flocking event (don't worry, I do know that there are some worthwhile series out there), and when I started to add some children's series, my list started to form:


1.  The Barsetshire Chronicles by Anthony Trollope

I've read the first three books in the series and have three to go


2.  The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien


a planned re-read for 2015.  I think that I've read this series about 6 times already!


3.  The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis


I'm reading it at the moment and trying my best to figure it out!


4.  The Pallisers by Anthony Trollope


I'll wait a little while after his Barsetshire series to read this parliamentary series.


5.  Finn Family Moonmintroll series by Tove Jansson



Finn Family Moomintroll was either my 1st or 2nd favourite children's book.  A great series!


6.  The Swallows and Amazons series by Arthur Ransome

Swallows and Amazons was my 1st or 2nd favourite children's book.  A series that takes you away!


7.  The History of the English Speaking Peoples by Winston Churchill


I don't know when I'll get to this but I'd love to read it!


8.  Books by Alfred J. Church
     

Not actually a series but books for children set in ancient and medieval times


9.  The Mitchells Series by Hilda van Stockum


This series sounds like a fun one and comes highly recommended!


10.  The Musketeers books by Alexandre Dumas


I LOVED The Three Musketeers, so I'm looking forward to reading the others.


Hmmm ...... interesting how my bent has run to quite a few children's series.  I think that's proof that my brain is overloaded and needs a break.  Now to get through the next few months before that need can become a reality!


12 comments:

  1. It's funny that you've mentioned a lot of children's series; when I was swamped with university work a few weeks ago I ended up watching a couple of Disney movies to cheer myself up. I think your brain probably needs something fun and comforting when you're stressed. :)

    I definitely want to read the rest of the Three Musketeers series too. The first book was brilliant. :D

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    1. Actually, my mind was blank when I first read the question. :-Z Scary, huh? But then it began working again and I made my list. I do need a little break so I can look forward to December for that.

      Wasn't the first book of the Musketeers amazing?! Just the right amount of adventure, danger and excitement. I can't wait to read the rest!

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  2. I keep on meaning to pick up the other Three Musketeers books - Count of Monte Cristo is probably my all time favourite book, and yet I've never gotten around to the next few books.

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    1. I really like the Count of Monte Cristo too but I'm not sure which is my favourite of the two. You're reminded me though, that it's time for a re-read.

      I once stumbled upon a set of about 20 Dumas books at an estate sale of a university professor, but I'd already purchased about $200 worth of books, so I passed them by. I am still kicking myself for that decision! Duh!

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  3. I'm looking forward to the Pallisers too! And I'm going to try and get a hold of the Swallows and Amazons - I love the first one :)

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    1. Ah, I thought that you'd be moving on to the Pallisers too. I'm expecting it to be a little more serious than Barsetshire but we shall see ......

      I've read the first four in the S&A series and I still like the first best, yet all of them are just excellent. I'm surprised that not more people know about them. I first found out about Ransome while reading How the Heather Looks: A Joyous Journey to the British Sources of Children's Books. I need to give that book a re-read sometime to make sure that I haven't missed another gem!

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    2. I think Amanda and Melissa were thinking about a Palliser read-along next year, I'm hoping they do because I really want to join it! :)

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    3. Argh! (and I mean that in the nicest possible way!) I guess I will have to prepare myself then. Denial until the end of the year and then I will look at it with fresh eyes. Yipes! I guess that means I'll have to finish up Barsetshire quickly. Does anyone have an extra brain to lend .....? Another set of eyes ......?? Anything ...??? ;-)

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  4. We own several Alfred Church books, but I did not know about The Days of Cicero. I looked at it on Amazon.com and got a copy for my iCloud for free. That copy is called Roman Life in the Days of Cicero.

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    1. I think I own Roman Life in the Days of Cicero. I'm a little light on his medieval books though. I have Stories from the East by Herodotus schedule for 2014 and I just hope I get to it. If I can start reading some more of his books, I'll really continue cleaning up my TBR list. I think I have about 15 of his books and have read 2 of them. Bad me.

      Kareni on the WTM forums recently posted a number of his books that are now available for free on Kindle (Amazon). I picked up a number of them that way.

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  5. Hi, found your blog via Nancy @ ipsofactodotme. One of my sons just finished reading through The Three Musketeers & the others in the D'Artagnan series. We found good kindle versions here: https://ebooks.adelaide.edu.au/d/dumas/alexandre_pere/

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    1. Hi Carol! I'm so glad that you found me. Nancy is such a gracious blogger; I've connected with a few people through her blog too.

      Thanks so much for giving me the link to the Kindle versions. I checked it out and WOW! They have everything. Even versions in French for when my French gets better. What a great resource!

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