Gebied 19 – Esther Gerritsen

Gebied 19 can be translated as ‘Area 19’ and is the only Dutch book on the list. The book is shortlisted for a Dutch literature prize and is part of the promise I made myself to read more Dutch literature. More being at least 3 or 4 a year, because last year I only read one if I recall correctly. 

Beloved – Toni Morrison

This novel has been on my shelves and my list for a very long time. I have been putting it off for quite a while, as I had heard that it is loaded with heavy themes and I already read loads of those every year. 

The Brothers Karamazov – Fyodor Dostoyevsky

The list would not have been complete without a Russian chunker on there wouldn’t it? It took me 3 times to actually finish Crime and Punishment by Dostoyevsky and now I feel I need to read everything the man has ever written. But for the sake of moderation, I have chosen this big boy to start with. 

The Illiad – Homer

The Greek tragedies are probably part of many TBR lists and like me, people are probably very intimidated by them. After doing some research and having read a Puffin book on Greek Mythology, I finally dare to pick it up. After this one, I’ll probably feel I have to continue with The Odyssey and Virgils work, but that’s something to worry about later this year. 

To the Lighthouse – Virginia Woolf 

Whenever I tell someone I have yet to pick up my first Woolf, people tend to stare at me in disbelief. But it is very much true: I have, till this day, not yet read anything by Virginia Woolf. So it makes sense to add one to the list and after some careful deliberation I decided to go with To the Lighthouse. Not too big, very often recommended to me and I like the idea of a lighthouse. 

Metamorphosis and Other Stories – Franz Kafka

Of all books on this list, Metamorphosis might be the one I have been most intrigued by for many years. I have no idea why, I just feel very drawn towards this book and Franz Kafka in general. Seems beyond logical to add this one to the list, right?

The Salt Path – Raynor Winn

I know what you think, you think I chose this book because of the title and taking place along the coast, right? Well, that might be a little true. Above all, I chose this book because I am probably too shitscared to ever embark on such a soulsearching adventure, even though it would be my dream to do so. Add to that that I have always wanted to go to Cornwall and Devon, and well, here we are. 

The Housekeeper and the Professor – Yoko Ogawa

This highly praised novel by Yoko Ogawa might be the most recommended book I own. Apparently, other people think I would love this book more than anything else, so who am I to not give it a go? 

To Have and Have Not – Ernest Hemingway

Saying you have never read anything by Hemingway kind of triggers the same response as with Woolf, so that basically explains it all. Apart from that I do really want to read some of his work, as I am just very interested in it. 

Tess of the d’Urbervilles – Thomas Hardy

This one is a special addition to the list. Gifted to me by my bookstagram friend Nicola and very, very often recommended to me. I have heard so many people raving about this book, and about Hardy in general, that this became a must-read and the offical 10th addition to the list. 

The Eden Express – Mark Vonnegut

While I’m not sure whether I should call this the odd one out, it really is the 11th book on a list with 10 books. It kind of fits the book, as it is an autobiography by Mark Vonnegut, about his life in the sixties and seventies and his mental illness. I stumbled on this book by accident in a charity shop and found out that he is indeed the son of Kurt Vonnegut. This book is not about that though, but about his life as a free spirit with a mental illness. As my current read and with the above mentioned description, this made the list by default.