two books on the same topic by different authors: picks for the 2020 tpl reading challenge
Have you ever checked the library or bookstore displays and it seems like every author under the sun is writing about the same city, the same war, the current US president? the same historical figure, the same current event? at least it means there are plenty of options for “two books on the same topic by different authors”.
You are reading: Books with similar themes
And have you noticed there are so many books about orphans lately?!
here are some titles about orphans, in case you missed them:
the orphan of paris by natasha lester
before we were yours by lisa wingate
joanna goodman’s home for unwanted girls
genevieve graham’s forgotten homeboy
In recent years, I have also noticed that several authors write books set in paris, about paris, paris during the first world war or the second world war, decoration in paris, architecture in paris, how to dress in paris, how to raise to their children in paris and more.
so here are two fiction books set in paris, by two different authors. in both, the story revolves around the construction of the eiffel tower, step by step.
to capture what we cannot keep by beatrice colin
paris by edward rutherfurd
We know that some authors are experts in warfare. we may want to read these books for our own information and from different perspectives. knowing history is key, otherwise “we are destined to repeat it”. Or are we already repeating history? that’s another blog.
here are two fiction books set in the first and second world war that I would like to read. They are, of course, set in France: Somewhere in France by Jennifer Robson and The Nightingale by Kristin Hannah.
robson is a popular historical fiction author from toronto, and yet her book covers look like they belong in the romance section. there is romance in them, but historical fiction is paramount in her books. The Mrs. Robson is a World War I history buff. this is set in the first world war in france.
The Nightingale is set in World War II, yes, in France, and it’s on its way to being made into a movie.
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Lately, winston churchill has been written about repeatedly. what not to write about him? for a long time the prime minister of england, during the second world war, the first afternoon to work with the current queen elizabeth the second. Oh, and let’s mention the multiple movies based on his life, and that he has a major role in the hit Netflix series, “The Crown.” here are two recommendations of books published in the last two years:
winston churchill: a life in the news by richard toye
the churchill complex by ian buruma
indifferent to him, like him, despise him, authors and people around him love to write about us president donald j trump. we are flooded! here are two books also published the last two years:
trump america first: the president succeeds against all odds by lewandowski, corey r
too much and never enough by mary trump
Looking for more? here are some recommendations from our staff. each one offers suggestions for a different topic!
librarians on horseback
the book the woman from the troublesome creek by kim michele richardson
jojo moyes star giver
After reading an article last year about the similarities and overlap of these two books, I put both titles on my reading list. Both apparently represent fictional accounts of librarians on horseback delivering books to remote areas.
– sagal, librarian
visible patchwork and eco-fashion
repair! : kate sekules remodeling manual and manifesto
joyful repair: visible repairs for the perfectly imperfect things we love! by noriko misumi
Lately, I’ve become increasingly concerned about the impact of fast fashion on our environment and the amount of clothing that ends up in landfills. I’ve also been reinventing my style to be more gendered or assertive. but I don’t want to buy new things. So, now I’m remaking and repairing my clothes in an effort to be more environmentally conscious. I highly recommend both of these books for anyone new to sewing or anyone who believes repairs should be invisible. there are great tips and techniques for beginners, and also plenty of information to get you rethinking how you treat your clothes. I’ve been sewing, making costumes, and making repairs for over 20 years…but I’ve only really thought about visible repair for the last two or three! The first book I read was Fixing Matters, also highly recommended!
– Amy, Communications Officer
contemporary romance with a South Asian twist
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farah heron’s chai factor
ayesha finally by uzma jalaluddin
For this category, I read two contemporary romance novels by two different authors living in Toronto with a South Asian twist.
both were cute and easy reads, just what I needed this past April during the depths of the pandemic.
– nalini, branch head
#metoo and law enforcement
a false report: a true story of rape in america by t. christian miller and ken armstrong
deserved it: what’s fair in the age of #metoo? by robyn doolittle
two disturbing books about the failure of the courts, law enforcement, etc. to support (or even believe in) victims of sexual assault. A False Report documents the story of Marie, a teenager who reported rape to the police and was bullied until she retracted it, and she was accused of false reporting, ruining her credibility and destroying her life. however, the ending was a happy one: two (female!) police officers realized that his description of the crime matched a string of other crimes and realized that there was a serial rapist attacking women in multiple states. it’s okay. maybe not a happy ending…
robyn doolittle takes a look at how canada’s police and judicial system handle rape cases. she is especially concerned about how the #metoo movement has changed the fight for justice for victims of sexual assault. (spoiler alert: not good enough).
not happy but important reading.
– margaret, librarian
basketball
gene luen yang dragon earrings
ecstasy by nick nurse
I read two fantastic recently published books on basketball for this category. Dragon Hoops by Gene Luen Yang is an all-ages graphic novel about a phenomenal high school varsity team and the importance of taking the first step. Nick Nurse’s memoir, Rapture (plus a super-long subtitle), is a look at her offbeat but captivating career path, and her deep understanding and love of the game.
Both are thoughtful reads that made me miss those raps!
– jennifer, librarian
recommendations from the facebook group
These are just a few of the recommendations from our Facebook TPL Reading Challenge 2020 discussion group.
- virginia woolf and the women who shaped her by gillian gill and vita and virginia by eileen atkins
- catch and kill by ronan farrow and she said by jodi kantor
- black earth by timothy snyder and why didn’t the skies go dark? by arno j mayer
- elizabeth eulberg’s prom and prejudice and the secret diary of lizzie bennet by bernie su
- codependent no more: how to stop controlling others and start taking care of yourself by melody beattie, attached by amir levine and hold me tight by susan m johnson
- a thousand lives by julia scheers and the road to jonestown by jeff guinn
- helter skelter by vincent bugliosi and member of the dianne lake family
- the splendid and the vile by erik larson and the darkest hour by anthony mccarten
- little women by louisa may alcott and geraldine march brooks
- kafka’s metamorphosis and ian mcewan’s cockroach
- something wicked this way comes from ray bradbury and necessary things from stephen king
- i know my name by chanel miller and it’s not that bad by roxane gay
- the aye-aye and me by gerald durrell and chasing lemurs by kerrianne mcgoogan
- trumpacolypse by david frum and rage by bob woodward
- making a mess in madagascar by dervla murphy and maverick in madagascar by mark everleigh
what books did you read for this category, “two books on the same topic by different authors”? tell us in the comments below!
If you participated in the 2020 tpl reading challenge, please complete our feedback survey. if you completed the main challenge, you can also enter to win a giveaway! details are available on the reading challenge webpage.
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