30 Books I’d Keep If I Were Marie Kondo

So apparently I like to torture myself, because apart from 40 Days of Blogging ànd the O.W.L.’s Magical Readathon, I’ve decided to also participate in Bookending Spring 2019. Because, you know… I needed more of a challenge for myself, right? In total, you’re aiming at least 3 prompts executed – and I figured I might as well start right away, starting with today’s challenge by AJ @ For the Love of Diversity, hosted by Sam @ Fictionally Sam. So here’s 30 books I’d keep if I were Marie Kondo!

In general, I’ve taken this prompt to mean: the books that spark more joy than any others I have. And, honestly? That’s not an easy feat. After all, I’m reading almost always, so to get rid of that many books in one go? Well, I knew I’d have to be methodological about it. So I gave myself 5 categories, and 6 books per category. I’m not allowed to go over that per category. And let me tell you: it was rough.

Non-Fiction books

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Sophie’s World – Jostein Gaarner

This was my first real introduction into the world of philosophy, even before I had to take a course on the subject at uni. Even just because of that, I’d want to keep it, but I also just really like the way all the information is transmitted in, so… You know…

A World By Itself: History of the British Isles – J.C.D. Clark

Because history. And the British Isles. Maybe my favourite ever combination.

The Penguin Book of Lies – Philip Kerr

This is one of those books that’s just crazy enough in it’s concept, that it kind of stays fun to (re)read. Which I probably would have to, if I could only keep 30 books!

The Oxford Guide to Arthurian Literature and Legends – Alan Lupack

If I like history, I love the way it interacts with literature and mythology. Also, as I said before: the British Isles. Sometimes, that’s all I really need 🙂

Sapiens – Yuval Noah Harari

Because science, and antrhopology, and all that good stuff. Also, this one is really long, so it’d give me a lot to read for a while.

The Tough Guide to Fantasyland – Diana Wynne Jones

There’s a distinct theme to this entire post, and it’s basically: books I can read again and again and again. And because I really like a certain type of fantasy, this seems to me just the type of non-fictional but inspired by fictional-kind-of book that I would enjoy going through again and again.

Classics

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Persuasion; Pride and Prejudice; Sense and Sensibility – Jane Austen

This is the point in time where I really regret not owning one collection with all of Jane Austen’s work in it. It would’ve opened up at least two different spots for other classics. And even then, I had to choose just my absolute favourite Jane Austens.

Little Women – Louisa May Alcott

I did my bachelor’s thesis on this one, and also: this was one of the first books that made me realise that reading classics could actually be fun. So of course I’d have to keep it!

The Railway Children – E. Nesbit

I’ll just send you straight to my review of this book – that really should say it all 🙂

Peter Pan – J.M. Barie

The 2003 movie is the first movie (maybe the second) I remember watching in the cinema – it’s certainly the first one that had me crying in the cinema. Also, I just really like the entire concept and the world Barrie created in this book.

Children’s literature

Can I just go ahead and tell you that this category was by far the most difficult one to choose from? I mean, these are the books that made me!

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Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone; Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – J.K. Rowling

Look, if I just have these two, I can imagine everything that happened inbetween, okay?

Pippi Longstocking; Ronia the Robber’s Daughter – Astrid Lindgren

Because Pippi Longstocking always makes me smile, and because Ronia always makes me feel better and more calm.

The Crown of Dalemark – Diana Wynne Jones

It’s the last one in the series, but it’s also the first one I actually read. And it brings all the characters from the entire series. And it’s my favourite. I mean, I don’t know. I’m going to regret this no matter what I do, aren’t I?

Malory Towers-collection, Enid Blyton

Haha! I get to keep 6 books because I choose one book! (It’s not cheating, they’re technically one book, right?)

YA-literature

Weirdly, I thought I would have more trouble with this category than I actually did. I’m not sure what exactly that means, but there you have it nonetheless…

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The Perks of Being a Wallflower – Stephen Chbosky

This is one of those books that I had an instant coup de foudre with. So much so, that I kept recommending it to people, kept lending my copy, and have now had to re-purchase the book 3 times. Because people just won’t give it back.

Speak – Laurie Halse Anderson

Again, just read my review, that should make just about everything clear.

Fangirl – Rainbow Rowell

The first book that really validated me in my fangirl-ness. Also, just a cute story that I’ve reread a couple of times already, so most likely, I’ll be able to do so at least a couple more times.

The Book Thief – Markus Zusak

I mean, I might feel in need of a good cry, right?

I’ll Give You The Sun – Jandy Nelson

Sure, I only really read this one this year. But I also absolutely fell in love with it and it made me cry on three separate occasions, so, you know… That’s gotta mean something, right?

The Night Circus – Erin Morgenstern

I just realised that, although I classed it as YA on my shelves, I’m not technically sure it actually is… But, you know, I guess we’ll just go with my shelves-classification-system?

Adult literature

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The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger

This is the kind of book that I read once and immediately classed as “re-re-re-re-re-re-re-read” on Goodreads. ‘nuf said

Never Let Me Go – Kazuo Ishiguro

This is probably my all-time-favourite distopyan book. And, you know… A world where I’m only allowed 30 books? Already sounds pretty distopyan to me!

84, Charing Cross Road – Helene Hanff

A book about the love for books? Count me in! (review)

Good Omens – Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Because the level of intricacy that’s involved in the intertextuality of this book is just amazing – and if you’re trying to figure out what I actually mean by that: just go check out my review!

Persuading Annie – Melissa Nathan

Now, if you thought this was just going to be a collection of serious literature, you were wrong. This is a modern day retelling of my favourite Jane Austen, and as such, I’d be more than happy to read it again and again and again. So keeping it, I am!

The Once and Future King TH.H. White

Once, this one is very long. Two, I’ve already read the Dutch translation and I really want to make my way through the original. Three… Well, British Isles and legends. What more do you need from me? 🙂

And there you have it! That’s the 30 books I would keep if I were Marie Kondo – or at least, if I were to Marie Kondo my books. What books would you “save”, if you could? Be sure to let me know below!

-Saar