Today’s question is
What’s the most serious book you’ve read recently?
(I figure it’s easier than asking your most serious boook ever, because, well, it’s recent!)
I
thought at first this would be an easy question to answer, but as I looked back over the books I’ve read recently I began to define “serious”. Does a serious book have to be non-fiction? If so then I didn’t have to think too hard and the book is one I’m currently reading – After the Victorians: the World Our Parents Knew by A N Wilson. I’m up to 1938-9, the build-up to the Second World War. What could be more serious than that?
However, “serious” isn’t limited to non-fiction. Fiction can be very grave, austere, earnest, thought -provoking and heavy (as opposed to light and fluffy). Thinking of books in this way it’s more difficult to choose “the most serious” book I’ve read recently.
But I think the most serious and powerful novel I’ve read this year is Remember Me … by Melvyn Bragg. This is the tragic, emotional and heart-rending story of Joe Richardson as he tells it to his daughter. It’s a long book, very intense and very moving.
BooksPlease 
I’ve read AN Wilson before and enjoyed him, though I haven’t read this one. Melvyn Bragg is also a good novelist.
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Remember me sounds good, something I might like. Thanks for mentioning it.
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I have to check out both! And I find most of my reading is serious.
Seriously booking through it!
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I chose an autobiography because I found the author’s message quite challenging. My recent fiction readings have been reasonably light.
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I think the best ‘serious’ books are often fiction, books that make you think about important issues without hitting you over the head with them. For me it would have to be Anne Michaels’ new book, ‘The Winter Vault’.
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Nice picks! I’ll have to put After the Victorians in my TBR pile!
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I’m unfamiliar with these titles. I agree that the concept of “serious” is subjective. (So is the definition of “recent,” now that I think about it. I confined my choice to “within the last month.”)
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‘Remember Me’ sounds interesting.
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I agree that there are some fiction books that are much more “serious” than non-fiction books!
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Just had to look up Remember Me…it sounds very good!
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“Serious” is seriously subjective – especially after reading a handfull of responses to this question :) Your answers look good. Here’s my response.
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remember me looks good. I’m booking thru Thursday here
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Remember Me sounds powerful. I tend away from serious books, in general.
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I find non-fiction easier to read and takes less concentration than good fiction (but bad fiction is unbearable to me). I’d say this year the most serious book I’ve read is Olive Kitteridge.
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Chifley by David Day was a great read. I learned a lot about one of Australia’s most pragmatic leaders. The silliest book i’ve read lately… At Swim To Birds by Flan O’Brien. Absolutely crazy but I loved it. Such wonderful language.
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