Ten Books I love that are a 100 Years Old

Posted August 16, 2022 by elzaread in Top Ten Tuesday / 64 Comments

Hi there you guys! It’s Tuesday and time to have fun with Top Ten Tuesday. Today’s prompt from Jana @ That Artsy Reader Girl, is Books I love that are over 10 years old. No use in waking up a sleeping cat, she’s not even 10 years old yet. So for today, TTT is coming straight from me. But of course I’m going to tamper with the prompt and add a zero. Books I love that are a 100 years old. 

Ten Books I love that were Printed in 1922

1. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Nursery magic is very strange and wonderful, and only those playthings that are old and wise and experienced like the Skin Horse understand all about it.

Like the Skin Horse, Margery Williams understood how toys—and people—become real through the wisdom and experience of love. This reissue of a favorite classic, with the original story and illustrations as they first appeared in 1922, will work its magic for all who read it.

 

2. Siddhartha by Herman Hesse Herman Hesse’s classic novel has delighted, inspired, and influenced generations of readers, writers, and thinkers. In this story of a wealthy Indian Brahmin who casts off a life of privilege to seek spiritual fulfillment. Hesse synthesizes disparate philosophies–Eastern religions, Jungian archetypes, Western individualism–into a unique vision of life as expressed through one man’s search for true meaning.

3. The Secret Adversary (Tommy & Tuppence #1) by Agatha Christie Tommy Beresford and Prudence ‘Tuppence’ Cowley are young, in love… and flat broke. Just after Great War, there are few jobs available and the couple are desperately short of money. Restless for excitement, they decide to embark on a daring business scheme: Young Adventurers Ltd.—”willing to do anything, go anywhere.” Hiring themselves out proves to be a smart move for the couple. In their first assignment for the mysterious Mr. Whittingtont, all Tuppence has to do in their first job is take an all-expense paid trip to Paris and pose as an American named Jane Finn. But with the assignment comes a bribe to keep quiet, a threat to her life, and the disappearance of her new employer. Now their newest job are playing detective.

Where is the real Jane Finn? The mere mention of her name produces a very strange reaction all over London. So strange, in fact, that they decided to find this mysterious missing lady. She has been missing for five years. And neither her body nor the secret documents she was carrying have ever been found. Now post-war England’s economic recovery depends on finding her and getting the papers back. But he two young working undercover for the British ministry know only that her name and the only photo of her is in the hands of her rich American cousin. It isn’t long before they find themselves plunged into more danger than they ever could have imagined—a danger that could put an abrupt end to their business… and their lives.

4. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button by F. Scott Fitzgerald Today, F. Scott Fitzgerald is known for his novels, but in his lifetime, his fame stemmed from his prolific achievement as one of America’s most gifted story writers. “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button,” a witty and fantastical satire about aging, is one of his most memorable stories.

In 1860 Benjamin Button is born an old man and mysteriously begins aging backward. At the beginning of his life he is withered and worn, but as he continues to grow younger he embraces life — he goes to war, runs a business, falls in love, has children, goes to college and prep school, and, as his mind begins to devolve, he attends kindergarten and eventually returns to the care of his nurse.

This strange and haunting story embodies the sharp social insight that has made Fitzgerald one of the great voices in the history of American literature.

5. The Forsythe Saga by John Galsworthy John Galsworthy, a Nobel Prize-winning author, chronicles the ebbing social power of the commercial upper-middle-class Forsyte family through three generations, beginning in Victorian London during the 1880s and ending in the early 1920s.

6. The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting The delightfully eccentric Doctor Dolittle, rendered immortal on screen by the gifted Rex Harrison, has remained a firm favorite with generations of children ever since he made his debut in an earlier novel, The Story of Doctor Dolittle.In his second outing titledThe Voyages of Doctor Dolittle, the maverick physician takes on a new assistant, Tommy Stubbins. The story is structured as a first person account given by Tommy, who is now a very old man. The boy who was the son of the village cobbler first meets Doctor Dolittle when he takes a hurt squirrel to the doctor for treatment. Tommy and the doctor quickly become friends, and the boy soon learns how to communicate with animals in their own languages. The remarkable talking parrot, Polynesia and other amazing creatures from the previous book also appear in this sequel. The mysterious disappearance of a friend of the doctor’s called Luke the Hermit sets off a train of strange events. And Tommy finds himself accompanying the good doctor on an exciting, hazardous voyage to find Long Arrow, a native American and the son of Golden Arrow, who is reputed to be the greatest living naturalist in the world.The kind hearted, quirky, animal rights activist Doctor Dolittle dominates the plot. His enduring humanitarian approach to the world around him, his desire for peaceful coexistence among all and his concern for the environment make him a memorable and endearing character. This as much an adventure story as a strong appeal for compassion towards the innumerable species that share our planet with us. There are shipwrecks, South American and Mediterranean locations, underwater explorations where they discover a giant sea snail and wonderful descriptions of land and sea.Critics of Hugo Lofting’s work point out that there are several passages which are now politically incorrect. However, readers would do well to remember that these books were written more than a hundred years ago, when attitudes to colonization and race were quite different.In the dozen or so books featuring Doctor Dolittle, the author Hugo Lofting ensures that a wide variety of themes, locations and ideas are explored. The books were originally illustrated by the author himself, as he was a talented artist and naturalist himself.

7. Jazz Age Stories by F. Scott Fitzgerald “A generation grown up to find all Gods dead, all wars fought, all faiths in man shaken”, was how F. Scott Fitzgerald defined his age. Perhaps nowhere in American fiction is this statement better exemplified than in Fitzgerald’s first two volumes of short fiction: Flappers and Philosophers and Tales of the Jazz Age. Penguin’s new Jazz Age Stories gathers all of these early pieces in one volume, which together capture the shine and seductive sound of early American jazz, the scandalous affronts to religious pieties, the nights of drunken revelry, and the impending doom of financial, moral, and intellectual dissolution. Spanning the early twentieth-century American landscape — the Minnesota of his youth, the Princeton college years, the squalor and opulence of New York — this collection contains unforgettable images of modern America, and eloquently expresses Fitzgerald’s theme of the enchantment and disillusionment of materialism. Jazz Age Stories includes The Ice Palace, Bernice Bobs Her Hair, and A Diamond as Big as The Ritz.

8. Just William by Richmal Crompton In Richmal Compton’s Just William the Outlaws plan a day of non-stop adventure. The only problem is that William is meant to be babysitting. But William won’t let that stop him having fun with his gang – he’ll just bring the baby along!

There is only one William. This tousle-headed, snub-nosed, hearty, loveable imp of mischief has been harassing his unfortunate family and delighting his hundreds of thousands of admirers since 1922. This delightful children’s classic features a contemporary cover look illustrated by Chris Riddell, along with the original inside illustrations by Thomas Henry, which will bring the antics of the mischievous William Brown to a new generation of children.

9. The Adventures of Sally by P.G. Wodehouse When Sally Nicholas became an heiress, she had to cope her brother’s wild theatrical ambitions and the defection of her fiance, his replacement being a strangely unattractive suitor. A trip to England only made things worse, but then a piece of speculation might just offer a happy ending.

10. Miss Mapp by E.F. Benson Arch-schemer and social climber, Miss Mapp spends her days using opera glasses and a notebook to chart her neighbors’ affairs. Among her interests are Major Benjamin Flint, whom she has been trying to marry for years.

 

Have you read any of these? Of course you have. 100 years in book terms really aren’t that old.

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64 responses to “Ten Books I love that are a 100 Years Old

  1. I read all classics in 2020 and I kept meaning to read some Wodehouse stories, but I kept forgetting. Hopefully I’ll remember next year. 😛

    I re-read Siddhartha every few years. I love it. ❤

    I have read The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle! I’ve been trying to read all the Newbery winners. 🏅

  2. I haven’t read that PG Wodehouse! I’ve read several of the Jeeves books but that one sounds even better. I do love F. Scott Fitzgerald’s books but have never read his short story collection. And of course I love Secret Adversary. I’m not a huge fan of the other Tommy and Tuppence books but that one is just so much fun.

  3. My goodness, I had no idea these familiar titles were THAT old. It’s amazing how when a book has been around for a while, you forget how long of a ‘while’ it’s actually been! And, you did good to find some vintage looking covers, instead of the updated versions. I’ve certainly heard of most of them, but there’s a couple new ones. Thanks for the visit!

    Terrie @ Bookshelf Journeys recently posted: Top Ten Tuesday: some favorite backlist titles
  4. Anita@eriesbooklover

    Great tweak on the topic.I can’t believe PG Wodehouse makes the 100 year mark!

  5. I love that! I want to read PG Wodehouse. I bought Just William from a bookshop in Wales when I was on holiday. I am excited to read it as I don’t know anything about it!

    Have a great week!

    Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog
    My post:
    https://budgettalesblog.wordpress.com/2022/08/16/top-ten-tuesday-books-i-love-that-were-written-over-10-years-ago/

    Emily @ Budget Tales Book Blog recently posted: Top Ten Tuesday – Books I Love That Were Written Over 10 Years Ago
    • I’ve got one or two of the Just William books in the library, but actually need to read it! I know it’s been re-published and apparently it’s quite popular.

      P. G. Wodehouse is a MUST Emily!! Do try the audio recordings, especially with Stephen Fry. Brilliant!

      Thanks for the visit and I hope you are looking forward to the weekend!

  6. Such a great list. Several of these got me thinking why haven’t I read these? Or got me thinking maybe I should. The Hermann Hesse one caught my eye as I was just reading something about cultural life in the 70’s and I know his books were maybe influential in some quarters of the culture back then.

  7. Great choices! I used to love Doctor Dolittle as a child, but I haven’t reread it in decades. The Secret Adversary is on my list today, too. And I forgot about The Velveteen Rabbit; that totally should have made my list. The Jeeves books are a lot of fun as well.

    Lark @ The Bookwyrm's Hoard recently posted: Ten Old Books I Love
    • I’m 43! So a couple of these books were favorites of my grandparents and my own parents as well. So it just got carried over. And I do love the older books yes. I do read a lot of contemporary as well, especially since starting the blog and I miss my classics!

  8. Diane

    These all look/sound like ones that I should read. I’ve always wanted to read The Forsythe Saga. I should add that to the bucket list I made a few weeks ago.

  9. Three old favorites here: Just William, Wodehouse and Miss Mapp! <3 I love the books you've chosen, and the covers you've chosen add just the right nostalgic feel to them. 🙂