Tuesday, May 14, 2013

Top Ten Tuesday (5-14-13)


Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly feature hosted by The Broke and The Bookish. Each week, 
they post a different topic, and you get to create your own top ten list. So, this week's 
topic is:

Books Dealing With Tough Subjects

1) Alice Bliss by Laura Harrington - a coming-of-age novel where a teenage girl must deal with the deployment of her father to Iraq. I tend to shy away from coming-of-age novels, but this one was fantasticly written.

2) Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah - this was such a well-written novel and it touches on a variety of tough subjects. The one that really hit home for me was the death of Tully's grandmother.

3) The Middlesteins by Jami Attenberg - this novel touches on how personal choices not only affect us as individuals, but also those closest to us. Focusing on how Edie's obesity affects the whole family is a harrowing tale not only of personal choices, but the obesity epidemic here in America.

4) The Help by Kathryn Stockett - I loved this novel for so many reasons, but the chapters told from Aibileen's perspective are so moving. Definitely a fresh take on the civil rights movement.

5) Unbearable Lightness by Portia de Rossi - her personal memoir detailing her struggle with anorexia and bulemia, de Rossi takes you inside her illness to see what it's like for someone struggling with these issues. This was a tough book to read, and while I'm glad that I did, it's something that really stuck with me.

6) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee - a fantastic piece of literature that tackles prejudice and how it affects people. I could talk for hours on this book, but I'll leave it alone and just say that if you haven't read it, you must.

7) Night by Elie Wiesel - I read this book in high school and it has stuck with me since then (I read it over 10 years ago!) Wiesel recounts his experience in a Nazi concentration camp. While difficult to read, I think it's necessary for everyone to do so and gain some understanding of thise awful event.

8) The Pact by Jodi Picoult - dealing with teenage suicide (in a Romeo and Juliet way), Picoult details how the death can affect everyone differntly, from the boyfriend to the neighbors to the parents.

9) Faith by Jennifer Haigh - this novel tackles the tough subject of child molestation, using the Catholic church sex scandals that were occurring in the 2000s. This was a great study in how far people will go when they are pushed.

I can only think of nine, but I know that there are so many books that handle tough subjects. These are the ones that popped in my mind first. So, which books made your list? Let me know!




6 comments:

  1. Good picks! A bunch I have read but did not originally think of and several others that I have yet to pick up. The Help was a great book and a very tough subject.

    CeCe @ Steaming Mug of Books

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  2. I loved Firefly Lane and The Pact (My favorite Picoult book)!! Did you read the sequel to Firefly Lane? It came out a few weeks ago and I'm really curious if it's as good!!

    My TTT

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  3. Oh if you liked Faith then you should read Perfect Match by Jodi Picoult if you haven't already. I haven't read Faith but by your description, they sound so similar!

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  4. Great list! I didn't get to 10 either this week.

    Here's my TTT post.

    Happy reading.

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  5. I have read 4 of yours, loved Firefly Lane, going to read the new one soon.

    The movie The Help was also worthwhile, very good.

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  6. Night and To Kill a Mockingbird made my list too. They're both fantastic books. I really want to read The Help, but I haven't gotten around to it yet.

    My TTT Post

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