January TIOLI: LT's top-rated books of 2010

This is the dedicated thread for TIOLI challenge #2: read a top-rated book of 2010. The main TIOLI thread is here.

Here's the list of qualifying books:

1. The Warmth of Other Suns
2. Unbroken
3. The Way of Kings
4. The Sky is Everywhere
5. The Lost Books of the Odyssey: A Novel
6. Nothing to Envy
7. Cleopatra: A Life
8. Room
9. Matterhorn
10. Nightshade
11. Revolution
12. Out of My Mind
13. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks
14. The Big Short
15. Matched
16. Paranormalcy
17. Will Grayson, Will Grayson
18. The Invisible Bridge
19. Dear Deer
20. Clockwork Angel
21. Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years
22. Last Call: The Rise and Fall of Prohibition
23. Under Heaven
24. Packing for Mars
25. Feed
26. The Kitchen House: A Novel
27. WAR
28. The Lotus Eaters
29. The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet
30. Before I Fall
31. Just Kids

You can find out more about the creation of the list here. Basically, it was created by sorting all the books published in 2010 by average rating, and excluding series continuations and books with fewer than 200 members.

Some starter discussion questions:

1) Do you think this list is meaningful? Interesting?

2) Have you read any of the books on this list? What did you think of them?

3) Do you generally put much store in LT's average ratings? E.g., do you deliberately choose books with higher ratings or avoid books with lower ratings? Do you look at the ratings but not let them influence your decision whether to read a book? Do you ignore the ratings all together?

ETA note: Books that are crossed out turned out to be published earlier. But for the purposes of this challenge, they'll still count.

I don't always take much notice of LT's average ratings - as well as some books which I am the first to add to LT (and in some cases still the only one) because of my review book, I read quite a lot of books which are sufficiently obscure that any rating relies on 3 people. Also, the meaning of some ratings, especially between 3 and 4, varies quite a lot, and there are raters on LT who use star ratings totally differently (I've come across one who rates on condition of her copy of the book, not about the quality of the read).

If I wanted to read a book I would look at ratings but wouldn't rule out reading a book whose ratings were a bit low on that alone. I also use online sources other than LibraryThing, or my own opinions of some writers' previous work...

I read quite a lot of books which are sufficiently obscure that any rating relies on 3 people.

At some point I should check the number of raters for each of the books on this list, but I figured requiring 200 owners would guarantee a reasonable number of raters. I think they should all have at least 20 ratings, probably 30. I hope they'll turn out to have even more than that.

I agree with you, Zoe, presumably that's the purpose of placing that limit. I was answering the question in general. There are at least two books on that list I'd love to read next month, and I believe one of them is waiting for me at the library and probably won't be renewable - Just Kids - I bought Nothing to Envy recently. I'd also quite like to read and already own Before I Fall.

>4 elkiedee: Ah, good, it just made me think that I should clarify that point about the challenge :)

Before I Fall is one of the three on the list that I've already read, and I really enjoyed it! It was on my personal best of 2010 list.

I'm tempted to sign up b/c I have three books from this list on hold at the library (Big Short, Just Kids, The Immortal Life). However, I'm pretty far back on the queues for all three of them and I doubt that I'll be able to get them by the end of January, much less read them.

I've read Before I Fall and really liked it. I have recommended it to a number of friends.

I have Clockwork Angel to read which is the start of a second series by Cassandra Clare.

I have jumped on the waitlist at the library for Paranormalcy, Revolution, Matched so I will see if any come in during January.

I notice that this list contains a lot a YA titles. Is this because teens rate their books high?

I think I'm on the waitlist for Revolution and Matched as well.

I noticed the high number of YA books too. Maybe it is just because teens tend to rate higher. But on the other hand, the one YA book that I've read from the list (Before I Fall) did make it to my best of 2010 list, beating out some adult books. So if I were feeling more generous, I could equally suggest that YA books tend to appear higher on the list because they have certain general characteristics that increase their appeal: they tend to focus more on the story than on achieving a literary writing style, for example.

There was also slightly more non-fiction than I might have expected.

I'm impressed that anyone has managed to get through MacCulloch's Christianity book, I brought it home from the library for a few days after watching a documentary series on Christianity, but it was too big a read for my level of interest. It would be a massive undertaking to read the 1200 pages of dense text. Just surprised to see it on a top-rated list, I would have expected to see more popular books that more people rated.

I've read two YA books on the list, both very trendy reads, and have another two of the books lined up to read.

Wow, 1200 pages! That definitely doesn't sound like a library read. If I wanted to get through it, I'd have to buy my own copy so I could take my time.

I know petermc is reading it, he mentioned on my thread the other day. I had requested the book online so didn't realise the sheer bulk of it till I went in to pick it up.

I saw someone recommending Feed on your thread, that's one I've read, it's pretty entertaining, though if you only read one book by MT Anderson it really should be his Octavian Nothing.

eta: not the same Feed I now see. This one looks more interesting.

I think I will have to get Christianity for my Nook. No way can I read 1200 pages of small print!

OMG the January TIOLI is already UP?!? *sigh* A few days of distraction, that's all, a few crummy days, and the 75iverse blows past me at light speed....

>11 avatiakh: Oops, I should have included author names in the list. Yeah, it's Feed by Mira Grant, not Feed by MT Anderson (and I've encountered a weird touchstone problem: if I have one Feed touchstone, I can't add a second touchstone for a different Feed?). Anyway, I have read the latter, though unfortunately I didn't like it much. It will probably be a long time before I read another MT Anderson, but I should get around to Octavian Nothing eventually.

>13 richardderus: :D

Hmm, it looks like Dear Deer was actually published in 2007 and the CK is wrong.

#9 Diarmaid MacCulloch's Christianity: The First Three Thousand Years was published in 2009 rather than 2010 which might explain how people have been able to read it. I've changed the CK now.

I wonder how many more of these will turn out to have been published in different years. I had always thought CK was more reliable, but the 1970 TIOLI challenge also turned up a book that was listed for the wrong year.

If four more turn out to be wrong, that would bring us to a nice Top 25 list :)

Oh, I think this is a different-country issue....

Sorry for the multiple posts in a row. I'm going to say that for the purposes of this challenge, you can read any books that were on the original list, even if they later turn out to be wrong. I know I would be disappointed to start a TIOLI book only to find that it had been disqualified.

I read The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and thought it was very good.

I like David Mitchell's work but haven't been able to get excited about the idea of a romance in feudal Japan. The high ratings for The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet make me wonder if it's worth it to give it a shot.

I had already decided that The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet was going to be my first read of 2011, so this particular TIOLI challenge worked well for me!

There are a couple of these I've been meaning to read; how does this work? Do I have to commit to one now if I want to do this, or can I retroactively meet the challenge after I read one? (I guess I can just see which of Nothing to Envy or The Big Short the library has available, and decide then!)

>22 lorax: You can add a book to the wiki before you read it (and many people do, to encourage group reads and keep track for themselves), but you're under no obligation to complete it. If you don't get around to it, you can just remove it with no guilt.

When you do finish a book, you mark it as completed on the wiki (and post about it if you're so inclined). A couple of weeks after the end of the month, someone will go through and remove all the ones that aren't marked as completed, so even if you add books now and completely forget about them--not to suggest that you personally would do that, but in general--it won't do any harm.

In the spirit of ambition and optimism, I added myself to this TIOLI. Maybe I'll get to The Big Short or Just Kids this month (I know there's no way I'll be able to start Immortal Life). Worst case scenario, the queue doesn't move fast enough, the books get deleted and I'll have to read them later. Who knows, maybe they'll satisfy a later TIOLI challenge.

Thanks, _Zoe_.

The library has long holds on both, so I ordered Nothing to Envy from Better World Books; I'll add myself to the wiki if it arrives in time (since BWB can be slow).

I'm going to try for Clockwork Angel and The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet if I manage my big January list.

I can thoroughly recommend both Room and The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks (the ethical scientist in me believes everyone should read that one, but it is a phenomenally engaging read).

As for ratings, I do find that I gravitate to paying some attention to them. I won't read reviews before I read a fiction book because I find it spoils my experience somewhat so ratings do give me some kind of gauge of popular thought. That said, it comes with a big, fat *BUT*. They are only one thing I pay attention to. I pay far less attention to them than I do to personal recommendations (which are a big push for me to read something, although I'm a sucker for absolutely random determiners of future reading matter like the back blurb or the cover art!).

My good friend Donna828 has finally convinced me to give the TIOLI a try, but since I'm new to this I may not do everything correctly -- so bear with me! (Donna's not available for me to consult with right now because she's in Texas with her new baby grandaughter!)

I had already decided to read The Invisible Bridge in January, so I'll start with that one.

I'm looking forward to being part of the 75 Book Challenge and the TIOLI.

>25 lorax: I'll look forward to seeing what you think of Nothing to Envy; it's definitely something that I want to read, though I almost certainly won't have time for it this month.

>26 klarusu: Clockwork Angel is also on my TBR list, though I have to read her other trilogy first.... So again, unfortunately not something I'm likely to get to this month.

>27 Nancy618: Welcome to the group! There are lots of people here who will be happy to help with any questions when Donna's not available.

Welcome Nancy! I don't think you can mess up. I started The Invisible Bridge yesterday and I think Suzanne is reading it too.

I get most of my book recommendations from other LTers but sometimes check the LT rating and am discouraged if it's not at least a high 3.

From the list I've read and enjoyed The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, Nothing to Envy, Packing for Mars and The Lotus Eaters (really loved that one).

Hello Nancy. I'm also new to the 75 Book Challenge and TIOLI. I do choose books partially based on ratings, not only by Lters, but also editors, book store owners, friends, etc. I have read several of the titles listed for this TIOLI challenge: I was really disappointed with The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet which got great reviews everywhere.
I really liked Room, The Kitchen House, Unbroken: A WWII Story. . ., and am currently enjoying reading The Warmth of Other Suns. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and
Just Kids were two of the best books I read in 2010. The Invisible Bridge is on my short list . . . I'll read it in January. Looks like I should add The Lotus Eaters.

> 27

Hi, Nancy!

Welcome!

Do not fear the TIOLI challenge. Have fun here. Anything that might inadvertently get "messed up" can easily be corrected. Just let us know if you have any questions because it may seem a bit overwhelming at first (as it has grown so much over 2010).

The TIOLI challenge is supposed to be an enjoyable, "no guilt" way of increasing the number of books you read - particularly books you share with others. Enjoy!

Hi, brenpike!

Nice to have you with us here on LT, the 75 books challenge for 2011, *and* the TIOLI challenges. You've definitely come to the right place! Have a grand time here with us.

Emjoy your 2011 reads!

>28 _Zoe_:, >29 brenzi:, and >31 SqueakyChu:

Thanks for the welcome _zoe_, brenzi and SqueakyChu! For me, the best thing about the TIOLI challenges is that it will encourage me to finally read some of the books I own. I have so many TBRs on my shelves that it gets overwhelming when I try to decide what to read next. I'm sure lots of you have that same feeling!

>30 brenpike:

Hi, brenpike! I choose books a lot like you do -- based on ratings and recommendations from every source available to me! But there are just way too many good books out there, right?!

I've read some other books on this challenge, also. I enjoyed The Thousand Autumns of Jacob de Zoet, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and The Kitchen House -- and thought Room was incredible.

Happy New Year, everyone!

I finished Feed for this challenge. It was an entertaining read, but I don't think I liked it quite as much as the ratings and recommendations had led me to expect. Of course, over-inflated expectations are always a risk with books like this. I also think lists like this lead me to read books that wouldn't normally be my first picks; although Feed does have some dystopic elements, which I generally love, it was a bit more political thriller than I normally read. Still, it's a pretty solid book.

I reserved Just Kids at the library last month and picked it up last night, so I'm reading that for this challenge. It was serialised on the radio here last year, so I already wanted to read it anyway.

I just got notices that Matched and Nothing to Envy have come in for me at the library, so I've added those to the list as well. I think I may be getting too ambitious.

It's interesting to see that the Matched rating has dropped by about 0.05, so that it would barely be on the list if it were regenerated today. I'll be curious to revisit the list in a few months or a year and see what's changed.

I finished The Invisible Bridge by Julie Orringer and cannot recommend it highly enough; a 5 star read for me. If you can face one more Holocaust story, this is a beautifully written story, gut wrenching and full of emotional ups and downs but also, in the end, with hope.

I've nearly finished Clockwork Angel. I'm enjoying it (I liked her original trilogy) but one of the best books of 2010? Not particularly a stand out. Enjoyable YA fare but nothing significant or daringly original about it.

Started Feed on audio yesterday. A bit underwhelmed so far. I love zombies but this is just not as good as World War Z which is my go-to zombie text. We'll see. It may improve.

>37 brenzi: Despite hearing so many good things about that one, it doesn't appeal to me for some reason. I think I like my historical fiction to have less recent settings.

>38 klarusu: I suspect that Clockwork Angel benefited from inflated series-type ratings, since I think it's set in the same world as her last trilogy? But I do also wonder whether YA books tend to have higher ratings in general.

I've never been a big zombie fan, but I think I'll read World War Z eventually. I'll look forward to hearing your final impressions of Feed.

#39 Yep, I think series inflation definitely comes into play. It is an engaging read, don't get me wrong, but I just expect more from a book for it to count as a 'top' book.

I guess I tend to rate YA books relatively higher than others. For the most part, I rate within genre, I guess. That doesn't mean I think of YA as a lesser genre but my criteria are probably subconsciously different for YA books. Actually, also for series books of any kind. I have a tendency to compare within a series as well as against other reads.

I just read through my copy of Room for the read-a-thon today and would very much recommend it. It was so engrossing I kept forgetting to stop and post my updates to the thread!

I'm a few chapters into The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks and am finding it gripping reading, and horrible (have just read about her radiation treatment).

The only other book I've read from the list is The Big Short, and I didn't love it - I read 6 financial crisis books last year and think I ranked that one 5th or 6th. It's not a bad book, just didn't make me desperate to keep reading.

My copy of Nothing to Envy arrived today; turns out it was actually published in 2009, but as _Zoe_ suggested in post 19 I'm still counting it.

Bah! Silly CK. At least it was very late 2009.

Something that might be of interest to people doing this challenge: it looks like Wither may end up on the list for 2011. It's very early still, but there are 26 ratings with an average of 4.33.

I'm currently reading Nothing to Envy -- anyone else?

I picked up Nothing to Envy from the library last week, but haven't had a chance to start it yet. Hopefully soon. Is it as good as everyone says?