April 30, 2013

I'm an easy sell if...

Hosted by The Broke and the Bookish

This weeks Top Ten Tuesday list is words or topics that instantly make you buy or pick up a book. At first I was like, "this is too hard, I'll never come up with 10", but turns out I'm a pretty easy sell if your book consists of (or promises to consist of) any of the following:

1. Eating Disorders: I have been fascinated by eating disorders for as long as I can remember. Whether it be  fiction or non-fiction, I will probably read/buy it.




2. The Holocaust: I wouldn't say I'm a huge history buff, but I find World War II, and more specifically, The Holocaust, utterly interesting, fascinating and haunting. I will read pretty much anything about it that I can get my hands on.




3. Pit Bulls: As this misunderstood breed is garnering more and more attention, I find there are more and more books cropping up about this breed, in both fiction and non-fiction. I am a huge dog-lover, but my heart lies with the bully breeds and I am always excited to see a book that features them. 




4. Medical Topics: And it's not just because I am a nurse! Mental illness, physical illness/disability, legal issues relating to medical issues - you name it, I'll probably add it to my physical TBR if I haven't already read it.




5. Midwives: This deserved it's own category apart from medical topics because when I think of some of my favourite books, they are about midwives, and if I haven't already read it, my interest is immediately piqued if it's a story about a midwife.




6. Lori Lansens: One of my favourite authors and the author of my favourite book, The Girls. I will buy every book she publishes before I even know what it is about. And she's Canadian!




7. Autism: I have always been intrigued by this disorder (for lack of a better word), and I am always drawn to books that highlight any aspect of autism.




8. Animals as Narrators: Who hasn't ever wondered what animals are really thinking? Sadly, we will never truly know, but some authors have done a great job of portraying what we think animals are thinking.




9. The Beach: I've always been a little envious of people who own beach homes or who have the kind of life where they can spend an entire summer at a beach house. I love to read about summers spent at the beach - the descriptions of the smell and sound of the ocean, the possibilities of summer-romances - the place where the every-day noises and distractions of regular life seem to come to a stop. If I can't go there, then I can at least enjoy reading about it!




10. Books set in Canada: There's something really neat about reading a book that takes place in a city or province that I have either lived in, live in or have been to.





What words or topics instantly get YOU to pick 
up or buy a book?




18 comments:

  1. I haven't found an autism book I really connected with yet. Will have to check these out.
    Great list, Brie!
    ~Dannie @ Left to Write

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    1. It's been several years since I read it, but I really loved Daniel Isn't Talking - I remember it being such a raw and honest look at what it would be like to be a mom and stopping at nothing to get what your child with autism needs.

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  2. Oh these are great!

    Eating disorders - have you read any of Carolyn Knapp's books? They're memoirs. Drinking: A Love Story is my favourite, obviously about alcoholism, but gets a bit into anorexia. Appetites is more about the eating disorder side. Great books.

    I have a book called Call The Midwife on by TBR pile, maybe check that out. It's either based on a British TV show or the other way around, but I read a fantastic review a while back.

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    1. No, I haven't! I actually like most memoirs about addiction - I will go look for her on goodreads right now.

      And yes - now that you mention it, I have heard of The Midwife - I remember seeing it at Costco a few weeks back. It was the TV show cover and I remember thinking "I need to watch this show"...which needless to say, I haven't - but thanks for the reminder! :)

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    2. Are you gonna read Drunk Mom, speaking of addiction memoirs? Lots of talk about that on the interwebz...

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    3. Just looked it up on goodreads...add it to my list! ;)

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  3. I work with kids with Autism and I almost added it to my list as well! I also live in Canada so I really should read more books that are set here!I have also never read a book with an animal as the narrator but that sounds really interesting! Great list!

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    1. Oh you NEED to read The Art of Racing in the Rain - well, if you're a dog lover that is, otherwise this probably isn't for you lol ;) I still think about Enzo (the narrator - who's also a dog) once in awhile and it's been a couple years since I read it. He just sticks with you.

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  4. I've read a few of the blogs with the same post and yours is the only one that mentions the Holocaust as a topic of interest. I had to comment because it's one of mine too. In fact, I think I'm strangely obsessed with the subject and I find I can't get enough information about it probably because it's just so unfathomable that such a thing could happen.
    I also love books about Nova Scotia - why? I have no idea but it's a place I feel the need to visit one day.

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    1. Lori - those are exactly the words I was looking for when I wrote up this post - "strangely obsessed". It IS unfathomable. I think I feel similar about eating disorders. I can't fathom being able to restrict my food intake in any severe way.

      You should definitely visit Nova Scotia. It has a completely different feel from the rest of Canada - there is so much history there, so much to see, and the people are so friendly.

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  5. I'm so with you on medical topics (loved Wally Lamb's book and Still Alice is on my shelf). midwives, and the beach. I also love dogs, but greyhounds (rescue) are my current breed of choice.

    Hope you enjoy The Thorn Birds TV miniseries :-)

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    1. Ohh Still Alice was so good, as was Left Neglected. And thanks, I hope I enjoy it too! :)

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  6. Cool, there are quite a few topics you've mentioned here that I am not really familiar with when it comes to reading books, but I would be interested in giving a try at some point. Also, love that you included animals as narrators as one of the points on your list!

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    1. I just love the idea of articulating what we think animals are thinking/saying! I can't tell you how many times a day I wish my dog could talk ;)

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  7. I like medical topics too - another favorite of mine is an immigrant theme.

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    1. Immigrant theme is a good one too - do you have any in particular you would recommend?

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  8. I can SO not even handle the animals-as-narrators books; I avoid them like the plague because they make me sob every.single.time. And then I look at my puppy [that is no longer a puppy, but already 3 years old] and basically lose it, and then she's confused, and then I laugh because her confused face is RIDICULOUS, and it's just a mess all over the place.

    Also, I just picked up "Midwives" (with the blue cover) because I vaguely remembered someone recommending it to me but I don't remember who, so I'm glad that you enjoyed it!

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    1. But it's such a GOOD SOB! But I know, my eyes still water when I think of Enzo from The Art of Racing in the Rain.

      I REALLY liked Midwives! It's not so much about midwifing as it is about a legal case surrounding a midwife and one fateful night.

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