“Top 10 Tuesday” is a weekly meme by The Broke and the Bookish
Instead of listing my favorite fictional dads (because let’s be honest, they’re few and far between), I want to share some of the books my own dad and I have read together. I inherited my love of reading from both of my parents, but it was my dad who read out loud to me, who gave me my love of fantasy, and who read 90% of the books I read while growing up. Any time I set a book down, it was at risk of being whisked away and read by my dad. It was great to have someone to talk about my books with, though, and I always appreciated the effort he made to stay informed of my reading choices. Even now, we enjoy swapping book recommendations back and forth.
Harry Potter series – J.K.Rowling
Anyone who says this series is for kids is a liar, an asshole, or both. My dad (and mom) read these books along with me as they were released, and I know my dad has picked them up off my shelves more than once to reread.
Tamora Pierce
I was obsessed with Tamora Pierce in middle and high school and read them repeatedly. Any time I took them out to reread, my dad would pick them up again as well. I’ve lost count of how many times the two of us have read the Tortall quartets.
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings – J.R.R. Tolkien
My first experience with Tolkien was when my dad read The Hobbit out loud to me as a young child. Later on, he generously let me read his old, battered copies of The Lord of the Rings so I could share in the magic. We also went to see all three of the movies together. (The Chronicles of Narnia is another classic series that my dad read aloud to me as a kid.)
Robin Hobb
My dad is the one who originally recommended Robin Hobb’s Tawny Man trilogy to me, and she quickly became one of my favorite fantasy authors. I’m so grateful! Before I found the #HobbSquad on bookstagram, my dad was the only one I knew who could talk about these amazing books with me.
Glenda Larke
After Terri recommended Glenda Larke to me, my dad and I both binged her Isles of Glory and Watergivers trilogies. I always appreciate having someone to discuss epic fantasy with!
Blackthorn & Grim series – Juliet Marillier
One of the few authors my dad wouldn’t read while I was growing up was Juliet Mariller. (Her books are too sad, maybe?) Imagine my surprise when I came home one day a couple years ago to find my dad reading Dreamer’s Pool, which I’d left sitting out somewhere. I’m so pleased that he finally read Marillier’s books, and we read the next two in the series together as well.
Murder Must Advertise – Dorothy L. Sayers and The Artful Egg – James McClure
Long before my current mystery/thriller obsession, my dad recommended two of his favorite classic mysteries. I thoroughly enjoyed both of them! I never managed to read any others in the series, but the two I did read have a special place in my heart.
Cormoran Strike series – Robert Galbraith
After Murder Must Advertise and The Artful Egg, I didn’t read another mystery until J. K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike series. My dad is reading it as well, and we’ve had fun discussing possible suspects and cliffhanger endings.
Books of the Raksura – Martha Wells
This is another fantasy series that my dad started and then recommended to me. I never would have discovered it without him! (Yes, I do judge books by their covers.)
A Killing Winter – Tom Callaghan
I read this on Sebastian’s recommendation and immediately passed it along to my dad to read. It’s a little grimmer than he prefers, but it led to some interesting conversations about life in Kyrgyzstan. We also read the sequel together, and even though I’m no longer in the same city, you can be sure that I’ll put a library hold in his name on the third book when it comes out later this year. (It’s handy knowing his library account password. ?)
It was difficult to limit this list to ten, so honorable mentions go to Lunar Chronicles, Saga, the Insignia trilogy, the Old Man’s War series, the Foundation series, Rite of Passage, an entire summer’s worth of Jane Austen spinoffs, the Green Rider series, and The Martian.
Aww, I actually really love this spin on the TTT prompt, Maraia! I love that you get to do buddy reads with your dad. My dad and I have completely different tastes in books, haha. We did also go see the first two Hobbit movies together. 🙂
Thanks for reading, Inge! It was fun to write, although it made me miss my dad. Haha, what does he read? Maybe you can convert him! (But at least he reads, right?) And there’s always Tolkien, haha.
My Mom was a huge reader growing up, but we definitely wouldn’t be caught reading the same books. When I was younger, she was a huge Danielle Steel fan, and that genre was far from my interests lol. She’s moved on from her Danielle Steel days, but she doesn’t read much fiction anymore. It’s awesome that you have someone in your family that you can read with!
It took me YEARS before I realized the name was Danielle Steel and not Daniel. I thought they were mysteries. ? I honestly don’t understand how people can read only or mostly non-fiction. I know I should probably read more than I do, but man, I really have to force myself. But hey, at least your mom reads at all!
I hope this works. I’m not sure if I am replying correctly lol.
Oh my gosh, I know. I’ve tried to read a few to „better myself“ but I. Just. Can’t. Do. It. The last one I read was The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, which I really liked, and it was short.
It worked! ?
Oh well, reading is supposed to be fun, right? I should probably read that book, though. I could use some help, lol.
The Hobbit and the Narnia books are the perfect books for reading aloud at bedtime. It’s lovely that you got to read them with your dad.
My Father’s Day TTT
I agree! If I ever have kids, I’m definitely going to read those stories out loud to them. Harry Potter as well. I have friends whose parents read every single HP book to them as they came out. I wouldn’t have had the patience, but I think it’s such a cool idea!
How very sweet. I’ve never read anything with my dad, but I think it would be a really interesting experience. We sometimes like the same kind of television shows, so I could maybe see us sharing love for certain books. Glad to see you’ve enjoyed so many books together!
What kind of TV shows do you both enjoy? Maybe you should suggest it! ?
My dad isn’t much of a reader, but he loves the HP movie adaptations, especially the first three. 🙂
That’s still great! Maybe you can convince him to read the books one day. 😛
Awww, this is SO SWEET and also makes me mildly jealous. ? I don’t think my dad has picked up a book since highschool? (So he told us anyway haha.) And no one else in my family reads what I like (or with my sister does but she doesn’t have time) but afjdkslad it’s so great that you had your dad to read and discuss books with! i also can’t wait to get started on all the Robin Hobb books.?
<3
That's so sad. He's really missing out! But oh well, more books for you? (Let's pretend it works that way. xD) Is that your younger sister? Once she's done with school, maybe she'll find her way back to books!
I really hope you like Robin Hobb. You’ll have to let me know what you think of the narrator! I should look up who it is.
I love your spin on the topic! This is so amazing to see, that he read HP and The Lord of the Rings with you. And that he gave Juliet Marillier a go – I really love her books. I wish my dad was a reader, but unfortunately he’s not. My mom is though! Also: there is a #HobbSquad? What? Why didn’t I know? 😀
Thanks, Jolien! Haha, I’m still shocked that he not only read but enjoyed Marillier. That’s too bad about your dad, but I’m glad your mom does! Does your reading ever overlap?
Yes! A few friends and I are hosting a group readalong of all the Realm of the Elderlings books on Instagram. Our first post went live today, so you can check it out at @hobbsquad. 🙂
It is great that you can read books with your dad like that. Yeay for Robin Hobb. I just discovered her through the Farseers trilogy and I really want to dive further into this world. My mom also reads (though a lot less these days) but we don’t read the same kind of things.
Woohoo, I’m so glad you’re enjoying her books! Are you thinking about joining our readalong on bookstagram? We’d love to have you! ? Well, at least she reads. That alone is a good thing. 😀
The Lord of the Rings is the only piece of fiction my dad has actually read. He usually prefers non-fiction titles but when I was a kid he did read the Lord of the Rings to me and I really want to go back and read the books myself now.
If he had to pick only one, that’s a great one! Especially since he read it out loud to you. It would definitely be interesting to reread and see how your perspective changes as an adult. ?
Ooh, a post just by Maraia? How exciting! (No offense to you, Sea Bastard.)
I love that you and your dad share your reading experiences together. It’s great that it is part of your bond!
Unfortunately my dad isn’t much of a reader. He told me his favorite book was Green Eggs and Ham when I was a kid and that quickly became my favorite (I’m not so sure it was the book itself, though I do love Dr. Seuss, or just because my dad loved it), but beyond that we’ve never really talked about books. And my mom, she reads. But she mostly reads murder mysteries and celebrity memoirs, books that I tend to not care for. And when she DOES finally read something I like, we tend to have varying opinions on it. (It’s like that with most things though. My mom and I don’t have similar tastes when it comes to like 99% things in life, haha.)
I actually don’t mind that no one in my family reads like I do though because I don’t tend to be very talkative with my reads? Like, I take notes for my book club to make sure I have things to say during our meetings, but generally speaking when I read books I don’t have a desire to run off and talk to others about it. I’ll say „Ah, you need to read this! It’s so good.“ But the whole „Did you read page 65 yet? What do you think about so-and-so? I can’t believe that happened. Do you think they’ll find out?“ Like, to talk during and actually engage in a conversation about literature? It just doesn’t happen for me. (And that sounds so weird to admit seeming how I was a book blogger for so long. But again, that was more giving my opinions about a book after the fact in a vague manner and not really having a conversation with someone about it or talking specifics.)
That all being said, my dad and I do enjoy movies together! We like to watch a lot of cheesy monster movies together like giant frogs that eat people or whatever and he’s all about monkey movies – the new Planet of the Apes can’t come soon enough! haha.
Haha, thanks, Asti. It was fun to write!
LOL, that’s such a kid move, adopting your dad’s favorite book. (It is a good one, though.) It’s great that your mom reads, though! Even if you don’t overlap or agree. 😛
I know what you mean. I don’t usually have much to say, either, in part because I forget everything 5 seconds after reading. And my dad isn’t exactly wordy, so our „discussions“ were mostly one-sided. ? But it was still nice!
That sounds fun! You’ll have to buddy watch movies once you move to London. ?
I love that you and your dad have shared books! My dad and I read completely different things (he likes political/historical nonfiction), so I think maybe we’ve only read one or two of the same books?!
At least he reads! I can see why your tastes don’t overlap, though. ?
Woohoo, I finally found some time to read your post! \o/
I don’t think I’ve ever read a book together with someone in my whole family, so I might be a little bit jealous now ;P
I also don’t recall my parents reading books out loud to me when I was a child, maybe the typical children’s books but definitely not what I would call an actual novel like „The Hobbit“ or else.
You never mentioned those two classic mysteries to me, do you think I should read them some day, too? ;D I picture buddy reading crime novels with your dad being pretty annoying though, doesn’t he always read the ending first? ;P
I’m really surprised that your dad read the Lunar Chronicles with you, that really doesn’t seem like a typical dad book 😀
When I was young I think I only sometimes read books my father recommended and I think most of them were classic adventures like Robinson Crusoe etc. but we never actually discussed them. I also think I was grossed out by most of his books because they were all super old and ugly XD
Thanks! 🙂
Well now you have. 😉
To be honest, I can’t picture either of them reading novels out loud, haha.
I’d like to reread them some day, now that I have more experience with the genre, so that would be great! LOL, it’s so obnoxious! Even worse was when I’d come home to find him reading the ending of whichever book I was reading at the time. ?
There is no typical ‚dad‘ book when it comes to my dad. He’ll read almost anything if it’s in front of him for long enough.
Why doesn’t that surprise me? xD My dad and I didn’t really do *that* much discussing. It was mostly one-sided, haha.