Today's topic from The Broke and the Bookish is a fall freebie, so I'm listing off my Top Ten Books That Remind Me of Fall. Some of them take place partly or entirely in autumn, and some just feel like they ought to be read when leaves are turning colors and the air is crisp and invigorating. Here they are, with titles linked to my reviews when possible:
1. The Hound of the Baskervilles by A. Conan Doyle takes place in October, and every October for over a decade, I have felt the urge to either read the book or at least watch a film version of it. I re-read it earlier this month (but didn't review it again because I just did a read-along of it two years ago, and I don't have any new thoughts on it yet). It was the first non-abridged Sherlock Holmes book I read, when I was 13 or 14, and I've loved the characters of Holmes and Watson ever since.
2. Anne of Windy Poplars by L. M. Montgomery covers several years, but I envision Anne walking through fallen leaves when I think of this book, so here it is. Could be because the cover above is the one my copy has, and it has a somewhat autumnal feel, to me.
3. The Fellowship of the Ring by J.R.R. Tolkien has a lot of scenes set in autumn, and much of the movie does as well. Since I watched the movies before I read the books, that definitely swayed my feelings.
4. The Outsiders by S. E. Hinton does take place in fall, doesn't it? All that stuff up at the abandoned church, with piles of dead leaves and so on.
5. The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler takes place in the fall and definitely feels like it -- the whole book is permeated with an atmosphere of decay, ending, dying. I'm suddenly in the mood to reread this now.
6. Bloodlines by Jan Burke might not take place in autumn -- it might be winter instead, I'm not sure. But I have the impression of days getting colder, lots of dead leaves, but no snow, so there you go.
7. The Key to Extraordinary by Natalie Lloyd has lots of stuff about graveyards and ghosts in it, which makes me think of fall, though there's lots of stuff about flowers and growing plants that also gives it a springtime feel. Kind of a mix, I guess.
8. Middlemarch by George Eliot probably doesn't have much to do with fall, but I started reading it in September a couple of years ago, so it will always remind me of this season.
9. Samantha Learns a Lesson by Susan S. Adler takes place during the fall, when Samantha goes back to school. I read this series over and over and over as a kid -- back when Samantha, Kirsten, and Molly were the only American Girls! I remember when the Felicity books were released -- I went to a release party at my library :-o And got a free poster! But anyway, yeah, this was one of my favorite Samantha books because I love how she learns to care for those less fortunate than herself.
10. Little Men by Louisa May Alcott reminds me of fall, just like Little Women reminds me of spring. No clear idea why, it just does. Especially Dan and Nat -- something about them just says "fall" to me.
So there's my list for this week. What books remind you of fall? Did you do TTT this week, and if so, what topic did you choose?
I love this list! Some of these I wouldn't have associated with fall, but they just seem to make perfect sense on your list. I've always loved all of the Anne books, so I'm happy to reread them any time of the year. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jane! I've loved the Anne books since I was little, too, and this year I have reread all 8, which has been a treat. I'm reading "The Blythes are Quoted" for the first time now, and it's nifty!
DeleteThe Hound of the Baskervilles is such a good book! And aw Samantha Learns a Lesson! I had Samantha the doll growing up, and all her books.
ReplyDeleteBecca, I agree -- Baskervilles is one of my favorite books of all time. How cool you had a real Samantha doll! I never did, though I had a different doll I named Samantha and made all kinds of clothes for so she had dresses that looked a bit like the ones in the books. My best friend when I was like ten did have a real Samantha, so I got to play with her sometimes, and that was awesome :-)
DeleteWhat a cool list! I've only read the first two (still haven't finished Middlemarch, sigh).
ReplyDeleteAutumn is my favorite season, and I can't think of one book that would remind me of the season! Not one! I even scanned my shelves, but nope. I suspect this has nothing to do with books and everything to do with me simply not being Si, and therefore rarely linking things in this manner? Hee.
DKoren -- maybe you should try an audio book of Middlemarch to finish it off? Ohhhhhh, wouldn't it be amazing of there was a version with Rufus reading it? :-9 I'm sure there are audio versions of some sort, and that might be easier on your tired eyes?
DeleteIt's funny, but I was thinking as I made this list, "This is not something DKoren would do, finding books that remind her of a season. It's so metaphorical and not literal." Hee!
Yes, it would be amazing cuz Rufus's voice is so lovely... but... I don't do well with audio books. It's like trying to hear lyrics in a song... I just tune out and hear the sound of the voice instead, not the words. Takes way too much energy to try to make sense of a story that's read to me. Plus, my reaction to audio books is kind of like my dislike of vlogs. I'm forced to be there however long it takes the person to read the book to me, when I could read way faster than someone speaks. Don't tie me down!
DeleteThat was long-winded. LOL!
And hee! Your thought was so dead on! It IS so metaphorical, not literal, and that means I'm outta there. Quite funny. But also, I'm a bit sad sometimes that I don't think that way.
DKoren -- I'm so the opposite! I have a hard time doing anything besides listening to a story if it's on. Audio books are a lifesaver when I take the kids down to see my parents by myself, because it keeps them from being bored for huge chunks of time, but I have to work really hard at paying attention to driving and not getting lost in the story. I've been listening to that audio version of the Hamlet retelling that's read by Richard Armitage in the teensiest of chunks because it's not at all child-appropriate, and I have very few times when I'm away from them AND doing something I can listen to a story at the same time as. I tried listening to it while I exercise, and I kept losing count of my reps.
DeleteI'm curious -- did your parents read aloud to you a lot? Like, once you could read yourself? My mom read out loud to us for an hour before bed every night, all the way until we left for college. Maybe that has something to do with it?
I like this list a lot! I agree, some books just seem cut out to be read in the fall! The Outisders (great pick) and The Fellowship of the Ring- I wouldn't have thought of that, but yes Frodo's journey does begin in autumn doesn't it? The Big Sleep too.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Greg! The Two Towers makes me think of winter, and Return of the King is more like spring, to me.
DeleteThis was such a clever list! For some reason I had it into my head that it HAD to be horror because Halloween=Horror bit that is just an example of my fried brain and I was like NOOOOO HORROR!
ReplyDeleteFall is such a great season so books wth fall = awesome!
Thanks, Esther! Yeah, at first I was like, "I can't do that -- I don't read enough Halloweeny books." But then I read it closer and was like, "Oh, I can twist this to my own purposes, bwahahahahaha."
DeleteIsn't it interesting how some books have a distinct feel of one of the seasons?
ReplyDeleteHuh, I hadn't thought of Anne of Windy Poplars as a fall book, but I can see how it rather is...
tFotR for sure. Actually, the whole series, but especially tFotR.
Funny how you should put Little Men on here! I think of both LW and LM as spring-y, but I can see how LM has something of an autumnal feel.
Meredith, it's so true! I can't wait for it to be winter so I can reread The Blue Castle :-9
DeleteWhat a perfect reading list, Rachel. Of course, seeing an American Girl book on your list makes me all nostalgic. Those books/stories were well loved in my childhood and I still have my entire collection. Getting a book in that series was like the ultimate in "cool" at Christmas or a birthday. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rissi :-) I only had the Samantha books as a child, but I have gradually collected up Kirsten, Molly, and Felicity at yard sales and thrift stores over the years too. My son loved them for a while, and it won't be long before my oldest daughter is ready for them -- I can't wait!
DeleteThe Key to Extraordinary definitely has a Fall-ish feel to it! I know exactly what you mean. As does The Fellowship of the Ring! I think you're right though, about how watching the movie first gives that impression even more. Looking back, I can easily see that in my case anyway.
ReplyDeleteI've forgotten what all the American Girl books are about, guess I need a reread. :) But I just had to mention that I remember when it was just the three original girls too! And I also remember how big of a deal it was when Felicity was getting released. I was SO excited by that. :D
Kara, glad I'm not the only one who had that impression about TKTE!
DeleteThere are soooooo many American Girls now, but those first four remain my favorites. Felicity's debut was such a huge deal for my friends and I!
Even though I was an adult when I bought the Samantha doll and the set of books, I read them and found them wonderfully written. A friend who is our contractor would bring his daughter with him when he was working on my home. Gillian was bored one day and was looking through my bookshelf when she came across the Samantha books. We began reading them when she came with her dad. When the work was completed, I gave her the set. Her mom said she still loves those stories. I am about to become a great-aunt and hope it will be a girl so I can pass Samantha on. You are right, there are so many dolls now. I have a soft spot for the first four dolls, Samantha, Kirsten, Molly and Felicity.
ReplyDeleteHi, Susan! I must admit that, at 36, I would still be beyond thrilled if someone gave me a Samantha doll for Christmas. I would cry. How cool that you could share the stories with your friend's daughter! They're timelessly wonderful, I think.
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