orangeadeprince's review

Go to review page

5.0

Its genius, its so fun, i learnt so much and some of the facts are genuinely funny, like the botched bibles, i highly recommend !

Thanks rigby for buying me my copy <3

9magix's review

Go to review page

informative reflective fast-paced

3.5

miracchin's review

Go to review page

informative relaxing fast-paced

4.0

barefootmegz's review

Go to review page

4.0

“Five thousand years ago, humans invented writing in order to write lists.”

I want this book. I mean, I want it on my coffee table, in hardcover, fabric-bound (is it fabric-bound? It should be). Elliot’s Book of Bookish Lists is perfect for the reader who finds themselves obsessively making lists.

It starts innocently enough: to-do lists, bucket lists, to-be-read lists. Soon you learn you can make “done” lists. Sometimes your lists are pretty - washi tape, calligraphy - and sometimes they are scribbled, maybe you’ll redo it as a beautiful spread one day, you argue.

Top Ten lists abound, and when you’ve exhausted the top ten of every genre, it becomes more obscure… and that’s where Elliot comes in.

A list of the worst opening lines of books (even more entertaining than bad pick-up lines).

A list of authors who had limbs amputated.

A list of cats of authors - and dogs of authors - and their names. (This was one of my favourites.)

Some of these lists will ring a bell, and some are entirely new, adding book after book to the TBR pile.

I not only want to own a copy of this book, I also want to make my own.

My criticism is that while Elliot is clearly very well read, and obviously focuses on acclaimed works and interesting authors, his mention of recent works is sparse, and at risk of alienating younger readers. It is concerning that “educated” and “well read” book lovers and critics do sometimes spurn younger readers, and the books they enjoy.

Of course, authors and their works become best known after their death, so perhaps this is not preventable, although it certainly sets the scene for some morose musings about the state of modern literature, and even the very reader’s own place in history.

Thank you to Netgalley and Penguin Press UK for providing an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

bookishjade's review

Go to review page

funny informative relaxing slow-paced

5.0

interloperandy's review

Go to review page

funny informative lighthearted relaxing fast-paced

3.0

luli_boy's review

Go to review page

funny informative inspiring lighthearted relaxing

4.75

maevec's review

Go to review page

funny informative lighthearted medium-paced

5.0

alexa_d90's review

Go to review page

informative slow-paced

3.0

katiej's review

Go to review page

informative lighthearted fast-paced

4.0

Fun little book. Perfect for all kinds of readers and book lovers. I picked this up on a whim but it would make an excellent gift for any book lovers in your life. Some of the lists were really interesting, some were really funny and some were very odd!