Fifteen notable works on lust

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog Kathryn Williams came up with a list of fifteen notable works on lust. One book she tagged:

Lolita, by Vladimir Nabokov

The most disturbing thing isn’t Humbert’s deviant lechery, but that he convinces himself—almost, even, the reader—that his pubescent paramour is as guilty as he is.

Read about the other entries on the list.

Lolita appears on Boris Kachka's six favorite books list, Fiona Maazel's list of the ten worst fathers in books, Jennifer Gilmore's list of the ten worst mothers in books, Steven Amsterdam's list of five top books that have anxiety at their heart, John Banville's five best list of books on early love and infatuation, Kathryn Harrison's list of favorite books with parentless protagonists, Emily Temple's list of ten of the greatest kisses in literature, John Mullan's list of ten of the best lakes in literature, Dan Vyleta's top ten list of books in second languages, Rowan Somerville's top ten list of books of good sex in fiction, Henry Sutton's top ten list of unreliable narrators, Adam Leith Gollner's top ten list of fruit scenes in literature, Laura Hird's literary top ten list, Monica Ali's ten favorite books list, Laura Lippman's 5 most important books list, Mohsin Hamid's 10 favorite books list, and Dani Shapiro's 10 favorite books list. It is Lena Dunham's favorite book.

Nabokov is on Thomas Flynn's list of 16 great writers snubbed by the Nobel Prize and Ben Frederick's list of ten influential authors who came to the US as immigrants.

--Marshal Zeringue

Five top maritime novels

Horatio Clare (1973 - ) is a writer, radio producer and journalist. His latest book is Down to the Sea in Ships.

One of his five favorite maritime novels, as shared with the Telegraph:

The second-best thing about writing a book about travels at sea, after circling the globe on giant container ships, is the research. One inspiration was Alistair MacLean’s HMS Ulysses (1955). MacLean survived two Arctic convoys. The product is a gripping, shivering story of endurance in hell.

Read about the other books on the list.

Also see: Bella Bathurst's top ten books on the sea.

--Marshal Zeringue

Six memorable marriage proposals in literature

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog Jill Boyd tagged six memorable marriage proposals in literature. One entry on the list:

THE COP OUT

Charles’ proposal to Emma (Madame Bovary, by Gustave Flaubert)

Actually, that should say “Charles’ proposal to Emma’s father.” Or, to be more accurate, his non-proposal to her father. Charles stammers as he attempts to ask Monsieur Rouault for his daughter’s hand in marriage. The old man, anticipating what Charles is going to say, tells him that while he is sure “the little one” will be agreeable, he will still go ask her opinion on the matter (gee, what a guy). Monsieur Rouault is not surprised by Charles’ matrimonial overtures, as he previously “perceived that Charles’s cheeks grew red if near his daughter.” (Please note that red cheeks don’t always spell an impending proposal, as one can learn the hard way when awaiting a “will you marry me?” from someone with rosacea.)

Yes, the proposal was a little lackluster, but what does it matter? I’ll admit that I never actually finished Madame Bovary, but I’m sure it all turns out well and Emma and Charles live happily ever after, right?

Read about the other entries on the list.

Madame Bovary is on Julia Sawalha's six best books list, Jennifer Gilmore's list of the ten worst mothers in books, Amy Sohn's list of six favorite books, Sue Townsend's 6 best books list, Helena Frith Powell's list of ten of the best sexy French books, the Christian Science Monitor's list of six novels about grand passions, John Mullan's lists of ten landmark coach rides in literature, ten of the best cathedrals in literature, ten of the best balls in literature, ten of the best bad lawyers in literature, ten of the best lotharios in literature, and ten of the best bad doctors in fiction, Valerie Martin's list of six novels about doomed marriages, and Louis Begley's list of favorite novels about cheating lovers. It tops Peter Carey's list of the top ten works of literature and was second on a top ten works of literature list selected by leading writers from Britain, America and Australia in 2007. It is one of John Bowe's six favorite books on love.

--Marshal Zeringue

The top ten locked-room mysteries

Adrian McKinty's novels include Dead I Well May Be, Fifty Grand, Falling Glass, and the Detective Sean Duffy novels:The Cold Cold Ground, I Hear the Sirens in the Street), and the newly released In the Morning I'll Be Gone. Born and raised in Carrickfergus, Northern Ireland, McKinty was called "the best of the new generation of Irish crime novelists" in the Glasgow Herald.

He named his top ten locked-room mysteries for the Guardian, including:

The King Is Dead by Ellery Queen (1951)

King Bendigo, a wealthy munitions magnate, has been threatened by his brother Judah, who announces that he will shoot King at midnight at his private island residence. King locks himself in a hermetically sealed office accompanied only by his wife, Karla. Judah is under Ellery Queen's constant observation. At midnight, Judah lifts an empty gun and pulls the trigger and at the same moment, in the sealed room, King falls back, wounded with a bullet. No gun is found anywhere in the sealed room and the bullet that wounds King came from Judah's gun – which didn't actually fire. Good, huh?

Read about the other entries on the list.

Visit Adrian McKinty's blog.

See McKinty's list of the 10 best lady detectives.

The Page 69 Test: Fifty Grand.

--Marshal Zeringue

The top seven bromances in literature

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog Becky Ferreira tagged her top seven bromances in literature, including:

Aramis, Porthos, Athos, and D’Artagnan, of Alexandre Dumas’ The Three Musketeers

Who says bromances have to be duos? The swashbuckling shenanigans of these bros show that quartets are double the fun as far as male bonding is concerned. This group of rogue warriors laugh, weep, and party together—when they’re not taking down the most powerful man in the land, that is. It’s no wonder they sum up their deep friendship with the iconic motto, “All for one, and one for all.”

Read about the other entries on the list.

The Three Musketeers also appears on John Mullan's list of ten of the best cardinals in literature.

--Marshal Zeringue

Ten top contemporary war novels

Adrian Bonenberger is a combat veteran who writes essays on military topics. His new memoir is Afghan Post.

At Publishers Weekly Bonenberger shared his list of ten of the best contemporary war novels, including:

Sand Queen by Helen Benedict

The only compelling fictional account I’ve read of a woman in combat, Benedict’s writing is impressive, passionate, and visceral. I never visited Iraq, and I’m not a woman, but I felt like I understood what it was like to experience the trials of a deployment as a female through her main character’s eyes. Reading this book is the best literary path to understanding the particular challenges of being female in the military during warfare.

Read about the other entries on the list.

My Book, The Movie: Sand Queen.

The Page 69 Test: Sand Queen.

--Marshal Zeringue

Nine of the best last lines in literature

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog, Chrissie Gruebel tagged nine of the best last lines in literature, including:

“I should hope, then, that by the time of my employer’s return, I shall be in a position to pleasantly surprise him.”
—Mr. Stevens, The Remains of the Day

Why it tears us up: Stevens has totally nailed being a butler for his whole entire life—to his emotional detriment, let’s face it—and now, on top of everything else, he’s gotta learn how to banter? He’s been listening to other people talk so he can learn how to joke around?! It’s heartbreaking and he doesn’t even know it! Stevens—just Thelma and Louise it off a damn cliff. No wait, don’t. We love you.

Read about the other lines on the list.

The Remains of the Day is among Lucy Lethbridge's ten top books about servants and Tim Vine's six best books.

Also see Robert McCrum's list of ten of the best closing lines of novels and the American Book Review's list of the 100 best last lines from novels.

--Marshal Zeringue

Six top books about amusement parks

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog Nicole Pasulka tagged six great amusement parks in books, including:

Mermaids on the Moon, by Elizabeth Stuckey-French

Who doesn’t secretly wish that mermaids were real? Inspired by the mermaid shows at Weeki Wachee Springs, Stuckey-French’s novel takes place in Mermaid City, home of the Mermaid Springs underwater show. When protagonist France’s mother, a former mermaid, goes missing, France attempts to track her down among the “merhags” from her past.

Read about the other entries on the list.

Visit Elizabeth Stuckey-French's website.

Writers Read: Elizabeth Stuckey-French (March 2011).

--Marshal Zeringue

Eleven+ of the best Manic Pixie Dream Girls in fiction

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog, Lauren Passell tagged at least eleven of the best Manic Pixie Dream Girls [Passell explains the term: "In 2005, film critic Nathan Rabin coined the term Manic Pixie Dream Girl after seeing Kirsten Dunst in Elizabethtown, calling her 'that bubbly, shallow cinematic creature that exists solely in the fevered imaginations of sensitive writer-directors to teach broodingly soulful young men to embrace life and its infinite mysteries and adventures.'"] in fiction, including:

Sam (The Perks of Being a Wallflower, by Stephen Chbosky)

Common in many MPDG meet-cutes, it’s love at first sight when protagonist Charlie meets Sam. (Also common in many YA novels: she has hypnotizing green eyes.) We learn (from Charlie) that she’s nice, nonjudgmental, humble enough to hang with Charlie (who’s younger than she is), has life-changing music taste, used to be promiscuous, has a hot studmuffin of a boyfriend, and has dabbled in illegal drugs. So she’s a badass with a soft side. But that’s what Charlie tells us: the description we get of an MPDG from the MPDG’s victim is usually delivered through rose-tinted glasses.

Read about the other entries on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

The three best books on the Philippines

At the Guardian, Pushpinder Khaneka named three of the best books on the Philippines. One title on the list:

Dusk by F Sionil José

Dusk is the first novel in José's acclaimed Rosales Saga, five books that follow the fortunes of one family through 100 years of Philippine history.

The story begins during the last days of Spanish rule and ends with the entry of America as the new colonial master. It recounts the lives and hardships of the Samsons as Spanish rough justice drives them off their land and forces them to flee their village.

On their long and arduous journey to find new land to farm, the extended family are harried by other ethnic groups, bandits and the colonial Guardia Civil. They finally settle in what becomes Rosales.

The main character, Eustaquio (Istak) Samson, although a farmer's son, is taken under the wing of a liberal Spanish priest for a time and learns Spanish and Latin. Eventually, his educated status obliges him to play a role in the struggle for independence, transforming him from poor farmer and would-be seminarian into rebel fighter.

José's engaging and sympathetic storytelling puts the reader right alongside the protagonists as they struggle for a better life. The novel vividly captures the oppression and smouldering discontent of Filipinos under colonial rule, showing how the unifying struggle against imperialism forges Philippine identity.

José is one of the most widely read Filipino authors. The Rosales novels, set in his home town, are bestsellers in the Philippines.

Read about the other books on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Five pyromaniacal books

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog Alexandra Silverman tagged five books for a pyromaniac's reading list, including:

Firestarter, by Stephen King

With this now classic 1980 release, King begat the term “pyrokinesis,” which—for those poor souls who haven’t come across the term in one fictional universe or another—is the ability to generate and manipulate fire WITH YOUR BRAIN. How cool is that? Very. And very dangerous. King’s young pyrokinetic protagonist, Charlie, may be able to melt bullets midair, but she’s relentlessly pursued by the evil government agency that experimented on her parents. If you haven’t read/seen it, I’ll just say this: don’t mess with a firestarter unless you wanna get burrrrrrrrned (or exploded).

Read about the other books on the list.

--Marshal Zeringue

Seven great YA titles that take place on the road

At The Barnes & Noble Book Blog, Dahlia Adler tagged seven great YA titles that take place on the road, including:

Just One Day, by Gayle Forman

One of the best parts of traveling is stepping outside the comfort zone of the home you know, and seeing how that colors not only your experiences but your actions and decisions. Not that running off to a foreign country with a strange boy is a universally wise idea, but for Allyson, spontaneously joining Willem on a train to Paris truly is the beginning of the rest of her life. Forman is a master of beautiful writing on the art of self-discovery, and this stands up there with her best.

Read about the other entries on the list.

Writers Read: Gayle Forman (April 2011).

--Marshal Zeringue