I love The Way We Live Now and just finished my second read (thanks to Victober!). It’s all the dysfunctional relationships that make it so relevant, such as Sir Felix and his mother. Such a clear depiction of co-dependency…
Agreed -- I love it, razor-sharp hilarious satire in which nobody escapes, high or low. As I watch through the video, though, I think I just have different taste from Kate -- many of her lower-ranking books are among my favorites! (The Warden, Barchester Towers) And I can't stand Dr. Thorne. :D
13th place in my author list) Anthony Trollope 59) "He Knew He Was Right" by Anthony Trollope 71) "The Warden" by Anthony Trollope 86) "The Way We Live Now" by Anthony Trollope 101) "Can you forgive her?" by Anthony Trollope "Can you forgive her?" is the idea of idealized love and idealized disappointment. "The Way We Live Now" is much closer to the real characters who inspired and what happened. She married for money and left Europe not being a princess, but the dream of "Can you forgive her?" is still in her heart as what she wished had happened. You can almost tell it is the same characters, and wouldn't you wish the handsome man was actually true as opposed to sleeping around with the poor and with you. "The Warden" is better. People stab themselves in the back for their own desires to be realized. "He Knew He Was Right" even better. You know you're in the wrong, but you justify how it began and refuse to back down now, no matter what you lose in the process.
@@bellathereader1328, saw "Reagan" in the movie theatre and lots of books came to mind that I read and one I haven't. 71) "An Island Hell" by S.A. Malsagoff When Reagan was listening to a man who escaped from Communist Russia explaining the problem with their government. This book is published in 1926 and so it is an indictment of Lenin before Stalin was the dictator and is about the beginnings of Gulag. 5) "Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev The heart of Russia to hate religion and be atheist. One of my favorite books and my third favorite author is Ivan Turgenev. 44) "In the First Circle" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn Making the state their god and ripping down all the steeples of churches in Russia as the man explained to church Reagan was attending as a kid. 13) "Poland" by James A. Michener The collapse of the USSR. AND THE BOOK I HAVE NOT READ. The book that drove Ronald Reagan due to the story of his father and himself being in it. "That Printer of Udell's: A Story of the Middle West" by Harold Bell Wright
Oh my goodness, I loved The Way We Live Now. I'm so glad it was the group read choice. I've only read The Warden, and it was okay but didn't blow me away. I do have Dr. Wortle's School and The American Senator on my shelf, so I'll try one of those sometime next year.
Have just finished The Way We live Now ( helped by Timothy West reading along) and it was wonderful - I think you are right that you have to develop a taste for his books but following along while Timothy West reads is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in Trollope's world.
I've read 16 so far, my faves are can u forgive her, framley parsonage and last chronicle of barset. And while I get the critiques of the Warden, I just love Septimus Harding. What a good man, he lives his faith as best he can.
So excited to find this video! Angela Thirkell's Barchester series, set on Trollope's Barchester, is one of my favorite series of all time. I'm on my second read through! I read the warden and can't wait to read your recommendations!
Yes! Phineas Finn is one of my top favourite Trollope's❤ Phineas Redux is also good but not as great as Phineas Finn. 5 stars for Phineas Finn, 4 stars for Phineas Redux😊
I also loved Phineas Finn and Phineas Redux. The female characters are engaging. And Phineas's trial shows a man who suffers mentally from his court appearances and incarceration. As for the Eustace Diamonds, I wanted to strangle the protagonist with her ill gotten inheritance.
I think The Belton Estate would be a great place! It doesn't have multiple plot lines going so it's very straightforward and it's on the shorter side for Victorian literature.
If you have Timothy West reading to you, they are easy relaxing comfort reads. I love to read one in-between more challenging books. I would say, don't be put off by their length. I started with The Warden because it was smaller but it ended up being my least favourite by far.
According to Goodreads, the only Trollope I've read is The Small House at Allington which is Barsetshire #5. I still remember enough of it that I think I could jump back into the series.
Trollope is fairly new to me, starting with The Barchester series😮 and I do believe Framley Parsonage was my favorite as well! Such a wonderful video of your top picks for Trollope❣️
He Knew He Was Right has dark, sinister elements if you can stomach the three characters central to the conflict. The side characters were a delight, though. Trollope was very brilliant in that way.
Kate, I've only The Warden and Barchester Towers so far, but I really enjoyed them both! Looking forward to Doctor Thorne, especially since you enjoyed it so much! Wasn't clear where Last Chronicle of Barset ranked on this list?
I love this! The Last Chronicle of Barset has the storyline of the questionable cheque but I also love Framley Parsonage as they both have the complex characters of Mr and Mrs Crawley. I will soon read The Duke’s Children and am really looking forward to it.
Yes, Last Chronicle of Barset has Rev Crawley and the "bad" check; Framley Parsonage has Mark Robards signing his name as a guarantor on a note which he can't afford to guarantee, and which doesn't look like will get paid by the original borrower. Totally agree that Mr & Mrs Crawley are fantastic characters.
Can You Forgive Her is a masterpiece - absolutely - as is The Way We Live Now. Since my current reading is Orley Farm, which seems to be a bit denser than it should be - I'm really looking forward to trying The Belton Estate and Lady Anna. Totally agree with your assessment of Dr. Wortle's School and Framley Parsonage. However, the book no one mentions that is easily in my top three is Ayala's Angel -- it's one of the few of his books that I think about many years after reading it. He is so spot on in the characters in this novel that you have to be engaged.
@@millercgr Ayala's Angel is on the tippity top of my Victober priorities this year! This seems to be Trollope's sleeper classic and I can't wait to dive in!
I have only read the Barsetshire books and then almost done the Way We Live Now which I am not absolutely loving. If you did a reading of the series, I'd be so down. I would love to revisit them. I was conpletely captivated by The Warden but didn't get along with Barchester Chronicles so I just picked up the series and read the last four in September. My ranking would be Dr Thorne Small House at Allington The Warden Franley Parsonage The Last Chronicle of Barset The Way We Live Now Barchester Towers But all the Barsetshire novels but Barchester would be 4 to 5 stars so it'a hard to rate. I think the Way We Live Now is hard because I don't truly feel truly invested in any of the characters.
There have been many people who say Phineas Finn is not their favorite. I would much rather hear kids playing in a video than a dog barking. I love hearing the joy. My daughter has three children and homeschools as well it is not always quiet. LOL nor should it be. 😁
My Rankings (so far) would be (most to least favourite) : 1 - He Knew He Was Right 2 - The Belton Estate 3 - The Way We Live Now 4 - Can You Forgive Her? 5 - Miss Mackenzie 6 - Cousin Henry 7 - Barchester Towers 8 - Is He Poppenjoy? 9 - The Claverings 10 - Rachel Ray 11 - The Warden 12 - Harry of Gangoil 13 - Sir Harry Hotspur 14 - Dr. Whortle's School 15 -The Fixed Period
It’s so funny how some people dislike Phineas and some people love him- like me! Although nothing really tops Lady Glencora who is part of the reason Can You Forgive Her? must be in my top five, I also love Barchester Towers though. For a short one I think you’d enjoy Kate I’d recommend Rachel Ray and for longer ones I loved The Three Clerks and Is he Popenjoy? Also agree with fernandamuraia about Ayala’s Angel which is another long one or there is Miss Mackenzie which is kind of mid length.
I’ve read 8 Trollope novels so far. The two most enjoyable, for me, were Barchester Towers and The Way We Live Now. I especially liked the tongue-in-cheek humor in Towers. You seem to have enjoyed Lady Anna much more than I did.
The Warden, Barchester Towers, and The Way We Live Now are my favorites so far. Differences are what make us interesting, but try The Way We Live Now again.
It's so hard to pick a favorite! I just finished The Way We Live Now earlier today so that is so fresh in my mind. I LOVE Dr. Thorne! Have you watched the mini series. And I love Barchester Towers because there is justice served! 😂I loved Prime Minister because it showed what a genius Trollope is! He has you hating a character all throughout the book and then at the end I felt great pity for him! ❤
I didn't enjoy Phineas Finn much when I first read it, but then I loved Phineas Redux and that made Phineas Finn click for me. I feel like he matures, and there's a very interesting plot, so you might like it better...hope so!
My favorite is probably "The Last Chronicle of Barset." I also recommend "Orley Farm." I met an attorney at a meeting of the P.G.Wodehouse Society. She was also a member of the Trollope Society and told me that "Orley Farm" is the favorite Trollope among lawyers.
I know this is three months old, but I just finished what I think is my first Trollope. (I have a lot of books I read thinking I've never read them and then I get to a part in the book and realize I have indeed read the book.) LOL I finished Dr. Wortle's School. the last part of the book had some twists I was not expecting. nice! Which Trollope book would you recommendn I read next?
So fun you just completed your first Trollope! I think The Belton Estate would be wonderful if you want a standalone and The Warden if you're feeling like you're up for starting a series.
@@katehowereads Oh my! I don't have either one. I guess I'll have to go book shopping, because my library doesn't even have them. Thank you for the recommendations. 🤗
I have only read 3 of Trollope's books (Lady Anna, John Caldigate and The Golden Lion of Granpere) and i have enjoyed all of them. My favourite so far has been Lady Anna. If you want a dose of Trollope but don't have the time for a long novel, The Golden Lion of Granpere is delightful.
Currently reading this and it’s my first Anthony Trollope piece. I bought the Panther’s 1968 print in a secondhand bookstore for just a dollar. Crazy find 😲
I was annoyed at the titular character in The American Senator but on a re-read I saw that he was an excuse for Trollope to lampoon British problems. I was fascinated by the leading lady Arabella Trefoil. She’s somewhat of a tragic figure but endlessly interesting. I also love He Knew He Was Right. It’s such a perceptive book about depression and I love, love, love the elderly Jemima Stanhope!
Oh no, Trollope spoils novels in his autobiography??😮 on the other hand, I don't remember plot details so well anyway so maybe for me it doesn't matter, lol. Thanks for all the amazing victober content this year!!
I've only read three Trollopes so far. I loved Dr Wortle's School, enjoyed but not loved An Old Man's Love and absolutely fell head over heels for Nina Balatka, my favourite read of this Victober so far 🤩🤩🤩
Ooooo! Good to know how you felt about TWWYLN 😂, because I like it, but it’s a bit stressful to me?! I’m putting Can You Forgive Her on my soon list. 🤣♥️
I love The Way We Live Now and just finished my second read (thanks to Victober!). It’s all the dysfunctional relationships that make it so relevant, such as Sir Felix and his mother. Such a clear depiction of co-dependency…
Agreed -- I love it, razor-sharp hilarious satire in which nobody escapes, high or low. As I watch through the video, though, I think I just have different taste from Kate -- many of her lower-ranking books are among my favorites! (The Warden, Barchester Towers) And I can't stand Dr. Thorne. :D
13th place in my author list) Anthony Trollope
59) "He Knew He Was Right" by Anthony Trollope
71) "The Warden" by Anthony Trollope
86) "The Way We Live Now" by Anthony Trollope
101) "Can you forgive her?" by Anthony Trollope
"Can you forgive her?" is the idea of idealized love and idealized disappointment. "The Way We Live Now" is much closer to the real characters who inspired and what happened. She married for money and left Europe not being a princess, but the dream of "Can you forgive her?" is still in her heart as what she wished had happened.
You can almost tell it is the same characters, and wouldn't you wish the handsome man was actually true as opposed to sleeping around with the poor and with you.
"The Warden" is better. People stab themselves in the back for their own desires to be realized.
"He Knew He Was Right" even better. You know you're in the wrong, but you justify how it began and refuse to back down now, no matter what you lose in the process.
@@ReligionOfSacrifice good commentary
@@bellathereader1328, saw "Reagan" in the movie theatre and lots of books came to mind that I read and one I haven't.
71) "An Island Hell" by S.A. Malsagoff
When Reagan was listening to a man who escaped from Communist Russia explaining the problem with their government. This book is published in 1926 and so it is an indictment of Lenin before Stalin was the dictator and is about the beginnings of Gulag.
5) "Fathers and Sons" by Ivan Turgenev
The heart of Russia to hate religion and be atheist. One of my favorite books and my third favorite author is Ivan Turgenev.
44) "In the First Circle" by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Making the state their god and ripping down all the steeples of churches in Russia as the man explained to church Reagan was attending as a kid.
13) "Poland" by James A. Michener
The collapse of the USSR.
AND THE BOOK I HAVE NOT READ. The book that drove Ronald Reagan due to the story of his father and himself being in it.
"That Printer of Udell's: A Story of the Middle West" by Harold Bell Wright
Love this! I am loving Orley Farm. I think it's going to be a top Trollope for me. I have a 100 pages left, so hopefully it keeps it up as I finish!
Oh my goodness, I loved The Way We Live Now. I'm so glad it was the group read choice. I've only read The Warden, and it was okay but didn't blow me away. I do have Dr. Wortle's School and The American Senator on my shelf, so I'll try one of those sometime next year.
Would love to see what you make of 'Orley Farm' and/or 'The American Senator' 🙂
Have just finished The Way We live Now ( helped by Timothy West reading along) and it was wonderful - I think you are right that you have to develop a taste for his books but following along while Timothy West reads is a wonderful way to immerse yourself in Trollope's world.
I listened to your interview with the guy from the Trollope society yesterday.... when he recommended starting with Barchester Towers i was like 😳😬. 😅
I've read 16 so far, my faves are can u forgive her, framley parsonage and last chronicle of barset. And while I get the critiques of the Warden, I just love Septimus Harding. What a good man, he lives his faith as best he can.
So excited to find this video! Angela Thirkell's Barchester series, set on Trollope's Barchester, is one of my favorite series of all time. I'm on my second read through! I read the warden and can't wait to read your recommendations!
I really LOVED Phineas Finn and cant wait to read Phineas Redux (I'm halfway through The Eustace Diamonds atm)
Yes! Phineas Finn is one of my top favourite Trollope's❤ Phineas Redux is also good but not as great as Phineas Finn. 5 stars for Phineas Finn, 4 stars for Phineas Redux😊
I also loved Phineas Finn and Phineas Redux. The female characters are engaging. And Phineas's trial shows a man who suffers mentally from his court appearances and incarceration. As for the Eustace Diamonds, I wanted to strangle the protagonist with her ill gotten inheritance.
Love the way you’re talking about these books. Where exactly is the best place for a newbie to Trollope to begin?🤔 They all sound like tough reads.
I think The Belton Estate would be a great place! It doesn't have multiple plot lines going so it's very straightforward and it's on the shorter side for Victorian literature.
If you have Timothy West reading to you, they are easy relaxing comfort reads. I love to read one in-between more challenging books. I would say, don't be put off by their length. I started with The Warden because it was smaller but it ended up being my least favourite by far.
Also Katie from Books & Thinks has a whole video on Tips & Tricks reading Trollope, which includes where to start with Trollope.
Great! That's where I'm going to try to start next year.@@katehowereads
I'm starting the Belton Estate today. Can't wait. My first Trollope was The Vicar of Bullhampton and I'd say my favorite.
According to Goodreads, the only Trollope I've read is The Small House at Allington which is Barsetshire #5. I still remember enough of it that I think I could jump back into the series.
Trollope is fairly new to me, starting with The Barchester series😮 and I do believe Framley Parsonage was my favorite as well! Such a wonderful video of your top picks for Trollope❣️
Love to see all the Persephone editions behind you!
He Knew He Was Right has dark, sinister elements if you can stomach the three characters central to the conflict. The side characters were a delight, though. Trollope was very brilliant in that way.
Kate, I've only The Warden and Barchester Towers so far, but I really enjoyed them both! Looking forward to Doctor Thorne, especially since you enjoyed it so much! Wasn't clear where Last Chronicle of Barset ranked on this list?
All I can say is I will never forget George Vavasor!
I love this! The Last Chronicle of Barset has the storyline of the questionable cheque but I also love Framley Parsonage as they both have the complex characters of Mr and Mrs Crawley. I will soon read The Duke’s Children and am really looking forward to it.
Yes, Last Chronicle of Barset has Rev Crawley and the "bad" check; Framley Parsonage has Mark Robards signing his name as a guarantor on a note which he can't afford to guarantee, and which doesn't look like will get paid by the original borrower. Totally agree that Mr & Mrs Crawley are fantastic characters.
Hello! Thank you very much for sharing your favourites! I would suggest Ayala's Angel by Trollope. I really like it! All the best!
Thank you for the recommendation!
I want to watch can you give her? Some time again I havent read it and the belton estate has audio book so might try that some time .loved this kate❤
Well! I just looked it up and I really didn't know Anthony Trollope was SUCH a prolific writer. How exciting.
What a great intro!!! Lovely!
Can You Forgive Her is a masterpiece - absolutely - as is The Way We Live Now. Since my current reading is Orley Farm, which seems to be a bit denser than it should be - I'm really looking forward to trying The Belton Estate and Lady Anna. Totally agree with your assessment of Dr. Wortle's School and Framley Parsonage. However, the book no one mentions that is easily in my top three is Ayala's Angel -- it's one of the few of his books that I think about many years after reading it. He is so spot on in the characters in this novel that you have to be engaged.
@@millercgr Ayala's Angel is on the tippity top of my Victober priorities this year! This seems to be Trollope's sleeper classic and I can't wait to dive in!
I have only read the Barsetshire books and then almost done the Way We Live Now which I am not absolutely loving. If you did a reading of the series, I'd be so down. I would love to revisit them. I was conpletely captivated by The Warden but didn't get along with Barchester Chronicles so I just picked up the series and read the last four in September.
My ranking would be
Dr Thorne
Small House at Allington
The Warden
Franley Parsonage
The Last Chronicle of Barset
The Way We Live Now
Barchester Towers
But all the Barsetshire novels but Barchester would be 4 to 5 stars so it'a hard to rate. I think the Way We Live Now is hard because I don't truly feel truly invested in any of the characters.
I finished Dr. Wortle’s School this afternoon. I agree, it was a breath of fresh air.
I'm so glad!
There have been many people who say Phineas Finn is not their favorite. I would much rather hear kids playing in a video than a dog barking. I love hearing the joy. My daughter has three children and homeschools as well it is not always quiet. LOL nor should it be. 😁
My Rankings (so far) would be (most to least favourite) :
1 - He Knew He Was Right
2 - The Belton Estate
3 - The Way We Live Now
4 - Can You Forgive Her?
5 - Miss Mackenzie
6 - Cousin Henry
7 - Barchester Towers
8 - Is He Poppenjoy?
9 - The Claverings
10 - Rachel Ray
11 - The Warden
12 - Harry of Gangoil
13 - Sir Harry Hotspur
14 - Dr. Whortle's School
15 -The Fixed Period
It’s so funny how some people dislike Phineas and some people love him- like me! Although nothing really tops Lady Glencora who is part of the reason Can You Forgive Her? must be in my top five, I also love Barchester Towers though. For a short one I think you’d enjoy Kate I’d recommend Rachel Ray and for longer ones I loved The Three Clerks and Is he Popenjoy? Also agree with fernandamuraia about Ayala’s Angel which is another long one or there is Miss Mackenzie which is kind of mid length.
I’ve read 8 Trollope novels so far. The two most enjoyable, for me, were Barchester Towers and The Way We Live Now. I especially liked the tongue-in-cheek humor in Towers. You seem to have enjoyed Lady Anna much more than I did.
The Warden, Barchester Towers, and The Way We Live Now are my favorites so far. Differences are what make us interesting, but try The Way We Live Now again.
It's so hard to pick a favorite! I just finished The Way We Live Now earlier today so that is so fresh in my mind. I LOVE Dr. Thorne! Have you watched the mini series. And I love Barchester Towers because there is justice served! 😂I loved Prime Minister because it showed what a genius Trollope is! He has you hating a character all throughout the book and then at the end I felt great pity for him! ❤
I didn't enjoy Phineas Finn much when I first read it, but then I loved Phineas Redux and that made Phineas Finn click for me. I feel like he matures, and there's a very interesting plot, so you might like it better...hope so!
I wrote down all these titles so that I can start my Anthony Trollope journey now
I hope you thoroughly enjoy him!
My favorite is probably "The Last Chronicle of Barset." I also recommend "Orley Farm." I met an attorney at a meeting of the P.G.Wodehouse Society. She was also a member of the Trollope Society and told me that "Orley Farm" is the favorite Trollope among lawyers.
I know this is three months old, but I just finished what I think is my first Trollope. (I have a lot of books I read thinking I've never read them and then I get to a part in the book and realize I have indeed read the book.) LOL I finished Dr. Wortle's School. the last part of the book had some twists I was not expecting. nice! Which Trollope book would you recommendn I read next?
So fun you just completed your first Trollope! I think The Belton Estate would be wonderful if you want a standalone and The Warden if you're feeling like you're up for starting a series.
@@katehowereads Oh my! I don't have either one. I guess I'll have to go book shopping, because my library doesn't even have them. Thank you for the recommendations. 🤗
@@katehowereads quick update, my library did actually have The Warden in the children's department!
@@BookZealots Just thinking about today's average child trying to wade through The Warden 😅
@@katehowereads 🤣 trust me it baffled me too, I'm just thrilled they actually had a copy.
I have only read 3 of Trollope's books (Lady Anna, John Caldigate and The Golden Lion of Granpere) and i have enjoyed all of them. My favourite so far has been Lady Anna. If you want a dose of Trollope but don't have the time for a long novel, The Golden Lion of Granpere is delightful.
My favorite is "The Eustace Diamonds"
Currently reading this and it’s my first Anthony Trollope piece. I bought the Panther’s 1968 print in a secondhand bookstore for just a dollar. Crazy find 😲
I love the Pallisers
I was annoyed at the titular character in The American Senator but on a re-read I saw that he was an excuse for Trollope to lampoon British problems. I was fascinated by the leading lady Arabella Trefoil. She’s somewhat of a tragic figure but endlessly interesting. I also love He Knew He Was Right. It’s such a perceptive book about depression and I love, love, love the elderly Jemima Stanhope!
Oh no, Trollope spoils novels in his autobiography??😮 on the other hand, I don't remember plot details so well anyway so maybe for me it doesn't matter, lol.
Thanks for all the amazing victober content this year!!
I've only read three Trollopes so far. I loved Dr Wortle's School, enjoyed but not loved An Old Man's Love and absolutely fell head over heels for Nina Balatka, my favourite read of this Victober so far 🤩🤩🤩
As a stand-alone novel, i enjoyed Orley Farm.
Ooooo! Good to know how you felt about TWWYLN 😂, because I like it, but it’s a bit stressful to me?! I’m putting Can You Forgive Her on my soon list. 🤣♥️