A little over a week ago, Anne of Modern Mrs. Darcy suggested that we all “make Autumn Reading a thing” and shared a TBR list for fall. Anne’s fall TBR contained some of my favorite books – L.M. Montgomery’s Emily series, for one, and I Capture the Castle for another – and some books that I’ve been wanting to read for awhile – Crossing to Safety being the big one; I need to read some Wallace Stegner. I loved the idea, and making a fall TBR seems like a good way to get out of my current reading slump. So here are ten books I’d like to take on this fall (oh, I won’t get to all of them, but I hope to cross at least a few off of this list):
Anne of the Island, by L.M. Montgomery. I love the Anne books, as you all surely know, and Anne of the Island is my favorite. I think that this installment, in which Anne goes off to Redmond College, finds new girlfriends, learns to be independent, and ultimately falls in love, is the perfect book for back to school season.
Great Expectations, by Charles Dickens. “Read some Dickens” is one of the items on my fall list, since there is a serious Dickens-shaped hole in my reading career thus far. I’ve read Oliver Twist, like a million years ago, and A Christmas Carol a few times around the holidays, but nothing else. I want to read it all, but let’s start with what I’ve always thought of as the Big Kahuna of the Dickens Bibliography.
Village School, by Miss Read. It’s been too long since I’ve visited Fairacre, and a spell with my favorite fictional teacher-friends is in order. Another great back to school season read, the first Fairacre novel introduces us to the charming village and all its eccentric residents. I can’t wait to go back.
All the Light We Cannot See, by Anthony Doerr. I just keep hearing fantastic things about this new release, and I think it’s time to pick it up.
Lion in the Valley (Amelia Peabody #4), by Elizabeth Peters. Fall is also a good time to pick up a cozy mystery (I mean, the word “cozy” is part of the genre, for goodness’ sake) and the Amelia Peabody books are my current series. I loved the first, liked the second, and really liked the third, so I’m excited to get back to my favorite indomitable Victorian Egyptologist.
Miss Buncle’s Book, by D.E. Stevenson. I bought this charming reissue of a 1930s comedic tale shortly before we moved. The story of a woman who writes a book featuring the residents of her small English town, with ensuing hijinks, sounds like such fun, and perfect for reading on a chilly fall day with a cup of tea in my hand.
Jane Austen’s England, by Roy and Lesley Adkins. Fall is back to school time, as I’ve already mentioned a few times in this post, which means it’s time to get our learn on! With Jane Austen’s England I’ll immerse myself in Georgian England and, hopefully, pick up a bunch of new facts about my favorite author.
Amy Falls Down, by Jincy Willet. I read and loved the first novel featuring Amy Gallup, The Writing Class, and fall strikes me as the perfect season to visit with my favorite antisocial professor again.
What We See When We Read, by Peter Mendelsund. More learning for fall, and I think this book looks crazy fascinating.
Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson. Added because it’s been on my TBR forever and a day, and it sounds like just the kind of compelling book that would make for perfect snuggling-under-blankets-and-getting-lost-in-words reading material.
I almost certainly won’t read all of these books this fall. Life continues to be busy and crazy, and many of these choices are books I own but that are still packed in boxes with no hope of getting out anytime soon. (I have to find the 2T hand-me-downs my BFF J sent for Peanut before I do anything else. Then I have to organize my kitchen, find the rest of my work shoes, locate my slippers…) But if I get the chance to sit and read at all this fall, I’m hoping it will be one of these books in my hands.
Are you making autumn reading a thing? What’s on your fall TBR?
Oh, Gilead is so gorgeous. I hope you love it. And All the Light We Cannot See is so tense and beautifully written.
I’ve been meaning to read Crossing to Safety, too. And I’m tackling a couple of classics this fall, along with a reread of the Emily books. A visit to Fairacre also sounds perfect!
I am so excited for Gilead! Everyone I know who has read it (including you) has raved about it. The next time I get to the library, it’s coming home with me. And I REALLY need that visit to Fairacre, as you know. I’ve been tearing apart my boxes of books (still not unpacked from the move) in hopes of finding it, but so far no luck. In the meantime, I’m reading and loving The Four Graces, which is scratching my itch for some calming vintage fiction.
Anne of the Island is my favorite one too! I’m also looking forward to reading Anthony Doerr’s book. I just finished The Shell Collector, his collection of short stories. It was a very interesting read.
I’ll have to check it out! I’ve never read any of Doerr’s work, but I keep seeing the novel pop up and get raves on many of the book blogs I read, so I’m thinking I must check it out.
Reading Anne right now… it’s a good week for some comfort reading and there’s nothing like L.M. Montgomery to deliver on that front.
Ooohhh Anne of the Island! *swoon* Such a good Autumn read.
I’ve also been interested in picking up All The Light We Cannot See. Looking forward to reading your thoughts on it 🙂
Still waiting patiently for that one to come in at the library! I think I’m first in line now, so I should have it before long. 😀
Yay!
🙂