Sunday 16 January 2022

336. 501 Must-Read Books by Emma Beare

BOOK REVIEW: 501 Must-Read Books by Emma Beare

To a bookworm, books like these seriously are a curse and a boon. How many books can a house even hold at this point? Mine is beyond bursting! Even so, I did learn quite a few things from this thick baby of a book.

This book was compiled by lecturers, writers and book lovers (aren't we all 🤣), sharing their pleasure, surprise or even indignation with the rest of us. Reading is of course subjective, but the reviewers have set aside their personal preferences to share their thoughts and impressions with book lovers everywhere. 

This comprehensive guide will inspire you to read more widely and to explore previously untrodden aisles in your bookstore or library. In these pages you will find travel rubbing shoulders with memoir, modern and classic fiction nestling together, sci-fi and thrillers, children's books and history all gathered and reviewed in sometimes surprising but always stimulating essays.

What I found informative is the writing style of each review. Each of the contributors have injected their own version of their view on the book and have gone in depth towards literary style, characters and overall feel of the book.

The only dissapointing part was the lack of a chapter dedicated to horror books. Since it is a genre close to my heart, I felt that a certain homage should have been paid to it. Otherwise, this book is a must-have for all book lovers worldwide (blame the book if there is a proverbial hole in your pocket).