The theme for this week’s Top Ten Tuesday (hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl) is Books with Colours in the Titles. Looking at the books I have waiting to be read on my TBR, I was surprised to see how many have a colourful title! Here are ten of them:
1. Red Sky at Night by Jane Aiken Hodge – I have had mixed experiences with Jane Aiken Hodge’s books so far – I’ve enjoyed some but been disappointed by others. I hope this book, which is set in England during the Napoleonic Wars, will be a good one.
2. Black Lamb and Grey Falcon by Rebecca West – I’ve been interested in reading this book about Rebecca West’s journey through 1930s Yugoslavia for years but have been put off by the length. I will make a start on it eventually!
3. Dawn of the White Rose by Mary Pershall – I found this in a charity shop last year. It looks a bit too light and romance-y for my taste, but I was drawn to it because it’s about Isabel de Clare and William Marshal, whom I’ve enjoyed reading about in Elizabeth Chadwick’s books.
4. The Scarlet Letter by Nathaniel Hawthorne – I’ve read some of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s short stories but none of his novels. I’ve had a copy of this one on my shelf for a long time and still haven’t read it.
5. The Black Count: Glory, Revolution, Betrayal, and the Real Count of Monte Cristo by Tom Reiss – This is a non-fiction book on the life of General Thomas-Alexandre Dumas, father of Alexandre Dumas, the author of The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers (two of my favourite classics). It has been on my TBR since just after it was published in 2012.
6. Half Blood Blues by Esi Edugyan – Another book that has been on my TBR since 2012, when it was shortlisted for the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction. I still want to read it; it’s just one of those books that I never seem able to get around to!
7. Red Adam’s Lady by Grace Ingram – I downloaded this when it was on special offer for Kindle a while ago. It sounds like an entertaining romantic adventure novel set in medieval England, originally published in the 1970s but recently reissued.
8. A Thread of Gold by Helen Cannam – I found this on the same day as the book above. From the blurb, it seems to be a family saga set in the vineyards of France in the late 19th and early 20th century.
9. The Turquoise by Anya Seton – I read a lot of Anya Seton’s books years ago and loved them, but there are still a few that I haven’t read. This book, set in 19th century New York and New Mexico is one of them.
10. White Corridor by Christopher Fowler – I enjoyed the first four books in Christopher Fowler’s Bryant and May detective series, then for some reason stopped and never continued with the fifth one, White Corridor. I’m determined to read it soon.
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Have you read any of these? Do you have any colourful titles on your own TBR?
She Reads Novels 
Great list! Anya Seton is an author I’d like to try, and I’ve always been intrigued by The Scarlet Letter.
I’ve read a lot of Anya Seton’s books and enjoyed most of them, especially Katherine, which is one of my all-time favourite historical fiction books. I’m intrigued by The Scarlet Letter too and don’t know why I still haven’t read it!
The Scarlet Letter is the only one that I’ve read. It has a surprisingly modern feel to it. Or perhaps not so surprising, given that it is still relevant because it is still women who take the flak for just about everything.
From what I know about The Scarlet Letter, it does sound very relevant to the modern day. I’ll look forward to reading it.
The Scarlet Letter is on my longterm list … and has been on it for forever 😉
Here is my TTT: https://ichlese.blog/2020/08/04/top-ten-tuesday-horror-books-with-colors-in-their-title/.
It has been on my list for years. I hope we both enjoy it when we get around to reading it!
I hope so too!
Oh, shoot. I could have put The Scarlet Letter on my TTT list, too, but I forgot about it. Oh well, maybe next time. Great list! 😀
There were other books I could have included on my list too. You can’t remember everything!
I haven’t read any of these. That book about Alexandre Dumas father seems interesting. I think my favorite book with colors in the title may be Red rose, white rose by Joanna Hickson about Cecily Neville. The Wars Of The Roses provides a lot of book titles with colors.
I love the sound of the Dumas book. And yes, there are lots of Wars of the Roses books with red or white in the title. I enjoyed Red Rose, White Rose too.
I fancy Dawn of the White Rose, for exactly the same reasons as you!
There aren’t many books about William Marshal and the de Clares so you have to buy them when you see them!
The Scarlet Letter was such a good story, too.
My TTT .
I must try to read it soon!
I’ve read THE SCARLET LETTER, but that’s it from your list. I haven’t even heard of most of your picks, but there are some I’m definitely going to take a closer look at.
Happy TTT!
Susan
http://www.blogginboutbooks.com
Most of the books on my list are quite obscure, I think. I hope they’re good!
Red Adam’s Lady is one of my favourite books. Elizabeth Chadwick loves it too, we’re both fans of ‘Grace Ingram’, who wrote another mediaeval novel under that name, and also four more in her real name of Doris Sutcliff Adams. They’re all a lovely blend of humour, adventure and romance, and grounded in impeccable research. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!
I’ll be surprised if I don’t enjoy Red Adam’s Lady. It sounds like exactly the sort of book I usually love, so I’m pleased to hear it’s one of your favourites!
I’ve only read The Scarlet Letter too. I preferred it to his ‘Seven Gables’ but found it so unfair but no doubt accurate.
I’ll have to read The Scarlet Letter soon. I should have put it on my Classics Club list, but had forgotten I had it on my shelf.
Wow that is impressive to have ten titles on your TBR with colours in the title, Helen! I haven’t read any of these, but I hope you enjoy them. I also found that a lot of historical-fictions have colours in their titles though when I was making my own list. 🙂
Yes, especially all those Wars of the Roses books with red and white in the titles!
Those are some titles and I hear you on Rebecca West. I have the book and a digital copy; I just need to get started!!!
Yes, it seems daunting because it’s such a big book, but I’m determined to make a start on it eventually.
One of the series I binged on buying was John D. MacDonald’s Travis McGee’s “thrillers” —all 21 titles come with a different color. I’ve read thirteen; the next one is “The Scarlet Ruse,” published in 1973, I’ve also binged bought John Steinbeck’s books. One book has two works (novellas I guess): “The Pearl” and “The Red Pony.” Another of his works, his only historical novel is “Cup of Gold,” with the pirate Henry Morgan plundering the Spanish Main. I also have Walter Mosley’s “Devil in a Blue Dress,” an Easy Rawlins mystery. It’s set in 1948 Los Angeles. Rawlins, like the author, is black. All of these have been sitting around for quite a while; I think I’ll read Steinbeck’s Pearl/Red Pony as they are short reads. Thanks for your list.
They all sound like interesting books. It’s surprising how many books there are with colours in the title! I’ve read The Pearl by Steinbeck, but not The Red Pony – I hope you enjoy them both.
Oooo I am also really interested in Black Lamb and Grey Falcon. I have been looking out for a secondhand copy of it and keep coming up empty!
I hope you can find a copy somewhere. It sounds like such an interesting book.
Scarlet Letter is the only one I have read. These are some of the colourful books on my shelves.
White Teeth, The White Earth, The Black Dahlia, Blacklight Blue, Blue Eyed Boy,
Interesting that the only colours are blue, white and black.
I haven’t read any of those. I think some colours seem more popular for book titles than others.
Happy to see you put Black Lamb and Grey Falcon here, even if it takes you a while to get started. I can assure you that Half-Blood Blues is an excellent piece of historical fiction, not that long ago as some you read, but certainly history by now.
I will try to get started with Black Lamb and Grey Falcon soon, after I finish some of the other long books I’m reading. And Half-Blood Blues does sound good!
The only one I’ve read is The Scarlet Letter, which is not my favorite classic. I’ve also started reading The Black Count more than once and unfortunately got sidetracked, but I did like the beginning, it’s a fascinating subject and I do want to get back to it.
Of course I had to check my Goodreads owned-and-unread shelf but only found about six colorful titles left to read — oddly, most of them had the color green in the title: Greenbanks, Green Dolphin Street, and A Few Green Leaves.
I’m glad you liked the beginning of The Black Count, even if you didn’t manage to finish it. It does sound fascinating. I don’t seem to have many ‘green’ books left on the TBR, but I would like to read Green Dolphin Street.
You wrote a great list!
My Top Ten Tuesday
Thank you!