Top 5 Tuesday is hosted by the wonderful Shanah @ Bionic Book Worm.
I love this week’s topic! I do not usually think to much about book titles, but there really are a lot of good ones out there. I have realized that I love when a book title is meaningful and it always makes me excited when the titled shows up somewhere in the book.
Turtles All the Way Down by John Green
When I first heard this title I thought it was a little ridiculous but then I looked up the meaning and thought it was clever. Here is a reference to Turtles All the Way Down that you can find in Stephan Hawking’s book A Brief History in Time”
A well-known scientist (some say it was Bertrand Russell) once gave a public lecture on astronomy. He described how the earth orbits around the sun and how the sun, in turn, orbits around the center of a vast collection of stars called our galaxy. At the end of the lecture, a little old lady at the back of the room got up and said: “What you have told us is rubbish. The world is really a flat plate supported on the back of a giant tortoise.” The scientist gave a superior smile before replying, “What is the tortoise standing on?” “You’re very clever, young man, very clever,” said the old lady. “But it’s turtles all the way down!”
The Lonely Hearts Hotel by Heather O’Neill
You may know by now that The Lonely Hearts Hotel is one of my favourite novels, and I never would have picked it up if it were not for that title. I saw it at the bookstore and was instantly intrigued. This is a very heavy and heartbreaking love story that has stayed with me.
I Am, I Am, I Am: Seventeen Brushes with Death by Maggie O’Farrell
Is that title not so intriguing? Seventeen brushes with death! I absolutely loved this memoir, and Maggie O’Farrell does indeed share her seventeen brushes with death, and they range in intensity. The title “I Am, I Am, I Am” is also taken from Sylvia Plath’s Bell Jar, which I thought was pretty cool.
The Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera
The title is potentially a spoiler! I thought that was a really creative choice. This is the one instance where the title actually affected by reading experience. I kept thinking and hoping that the title would end up being a lie. So clever!
Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
This is another case where the title caught my attention before I knew anything about the actually book. There is something charming and dreamy about this title. The book is also fantastic and I like how the idea of doorways in to other realms in referenced in the title.
How brilliant is They Both Die at the End?! It made my list too! x
Such an amazing book! The title made for a unique reading experience!
Fantastic choices! I almost added Every Heart A Doorway to my list as well. And Turtles All The Way Down is one that I hated in the beginning (the title I mean – still haven’t read the book lol) and now it’s totally growing on me! Thanks for participating 🙂
Thank you! It took me awhile to come around to Turtles All the Way Down as well. Once I read the book though I really thought it was the perfect title!
Both “They both die at the end” and “Turtles All the Way Down” almost made it to my list, they really have amazing titles. They both die at the end specially is quite brilliant,it gives you the ending but instead of taking the fun out of it makes you more curious to read it!
Exactly! I never had a book title quite affect my reading experience in the way They Both Die at the End Did- in a good way!
These are so pretty.
Here is my list
https://bookstalebyme.wordpress.com/2018/12/04/top-5-book-titles/
Thanks!
Oh my goodness, Every Heart A Doorway DOES have an amazing title!!
It is so perfect!
Sounds like the old lady Hawkins refers to has been reading too many Disworld novels by Terry Pratchett. 😂😂
They Both Die at the End and Every Heart a Doorway are both such beautiful titles, how didn’t I think about them?? 😅
Haha aren’t they? So clever!
Of course this title is major spoiler LOL Great list!!! Mine is …different to say the least.
Thank you! I will have to check out your list!
I’m really interested in reading I Am I Am I Am just because its in reference to The Bell Jar.
It’s such an awesome memoir. It reminded me how good non-fiction can be!
They Both Die at the End breaks my heart, and I haven’t even read the book. I’m too afraid.
I was avoiding it because of the title too! It does make for a different reading experience. You keep questioning if the title is true!
See, but now I want to ask you if it is!
That is the beauty of it!
I totally agree about all of these, they’re all so good!! I especially love I am, I am, I am
Me too! One of my favourite memoirs!
oooh these are great choices!! I Am I Am I Am and Every Heart a Doorway are both so striking
Amazing books with perfect titles!
All of these book titles are so lovely! I especially adore The Lonely Hearts Hotel and Turtles All the Way Down. Both are on my tbr! 🙂
Both are amazing books! I hope you enjoy them!
I really like every heart a doorway.
Me too! I have to continue on with the series!
I came so close to choosing Turtles All the Way Down as well – it’s such an amazing title. Plus turtles are brilliant haha.
So true! Once I read the book I realized just how perfect the title is!
I honestly love all these titles (even if I didn’t love the book or plan to read it) Excellent list!
Me too! I didn’t absolutely love a copy of these books but they have perfect titles!
Great article!
I bought Turtles All The Way Down when it first came out. I still haven’t read it yet though, LoL. I’ve heard really great things about this book, and it’s yet another book I hope to start reading within this upcoming new year.
I also have been hearing about the book They Both Die At the End by Adam Silvera a lot also. Definitely another book to add to my ongoing growing list of books to read. How was it?
I was really impressed with Turtles. John Green can be hit or miss for me and it was my favourite book of his! I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I definitely understand meaning to read books but never getting to them!
I have mixed feelings about They Both Die at the End. I loved the idea but never really connected to the characters. I can’t explain it! I still think it is worth reading though!
Awesome! Thanks so much for the insight in these books =). Hope to start them sometime soon.