Top 10 chick lit books of all time

For the final Top 10 of our Top 100 Extravaganza we had to be strict. We wanted to include our own all-time favourites and the books we think are the best chick lit books, but we thought the most influential and successful - the books that, for whatever reason, define the genre - should be included too. Following a flurry of emails (Diane: “We need a Weiner!”), we have our Top 10 Chick Lit Books of All Time. Let us know what you think.

10 Sex and the City by Candace Bushnell

I didn’t actually manage to finish Sex and the City the book, although of course I love the TV series. We’ve included the book because it’s been highly influential, although perhaps not in a good way. Many of the critics of chick lit who claim that it’s all about shoes, shopping, drinking and searching for a man are actually thinking of Sex and the City, the TV show, and not chick lit at all. Annoying, but what can you do?

Anyway, it gave us Carrie Bradshaw, so we have to love it, don’t we?

9 Thirtynothing by Lisa Jewell

Thirtynothing is probably my second favourite chick lit book of all time. Like all of Lisa Jewell’s books, the setting is perfect, the characters realistic and believable and it also has one of my favourite ever first chapters. Lisa Jewell is a glorious writer and Thirtynothing is a delightful book. If you haven’t read it, you really should.

8 The Nanny Diaries by Nicola Kraus and Emma McLaughlin

One of the most successful books in the Top 10, The Nanny Diaries was so popular its two authors scored an incredible $3 million advance for their second book, Citizen Girl, which they had to return when it turned out to be a stinker. Proof that it’s not that easy to write chick lit after all.

The film adaptation of The Nanny Diaries is due out in April in the US.

7 The Devil Wears Prada by Lauren Weisberger

I haven’t actually read this one yet (I must, I know), but clearly it is the most successful chick lit book of the last few years. The title has become a household name, the book sold millions of copies in hardback, stayed on the New York Times Best Seller list for six months and has since been translated into 27 languages and the film’s been both a critical and commercial success. And they say chick lit’s dead. Sheesh.

6 High Fidelity by Nick Hornby

Ooh, a controversial one. Yes, I’m aware that Nick Hornby isn’t a woman and that High Fidelity isn’t chick lit, but it’s close enough and influential enough that it has to be here. Plus it’s the book that inspired Lisa Jewell (amongst others) to start writing and that’s good enough for me.

Fever Pitch is often credited as the book that created Lad Lit, but, as I’ve already mentioned, Fever Pitch is non-fiction. High Fidelity was Nick Hornby’s first novel and is the brilliantly written and hugely entertaining story of Rob Fleming’s relationship history. While it is a great book, Nick Hornby has gone on to be critically acclaimed and accepted as literary, unlike any chick lit author I can think of. Now that can just be because he’s a man ... can it?

Carry on over the cut for the Top 5.

5 Welcome to Temptation by Jennifer Crusie

Welcome to Temptation was Jennifer/Jenny Crusie’s third mass-market (i.e. not romance) novel, but it’s a favourite of anyone who reads Jennifer’s books. Actually, you don’t read Jennifer Crusie’s books, you devour them. Welcome to Temptation has all the essential Crusie ingredients: a feisty heroine, a sexy hero and an arguably even sexier anti-hero in Davy Dempsey. This was the book Diane insisted made it into the Top 10!

4 In Her Shoes by Jennifer Weiner

My favourite chick lit book of all time, In Her Shoes has got everything - the antagonistic sisterly relationship so popular in chick lit, a love story, personal growth, humour (of course), even an evil stepmother. Plus Jennifer Weiner is the woman most likely to emulate Nick Hornby and be accepted by the literary establishment. But don't hold your breath.

3 The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic by Sophie Kinsella

This, the first book in the enormously popular series, is yet another example of how much skill is involved in writing an apparently simple book. Kinsella came up with the perfect chick lit conceit: if chick lit is all about shopping, then what about a character who is, quite literally, all about shopping? And it worked. Becky Bloomwood is a charming and hilarious heroine, just on the right side of irritating.

(Look out for the latest Shopaholic book, Shopaholic and Baby, due out in February 2007.)

2 Rachel’s Holiday by Marian Keyes

The Marian Keyes connoisseur’s favourite Marian Keyes book and the chick lit connoisseur’s favourite chick lit book*, Rachel’s Holiday is the story of Rachel Walsh - one of the Walsh sisters who also appear in Watermelon, Angels and Anybody Out There? For anyone who thinks chick lit is lightweight, meaningless and obsessed with shoes and shopping, here’s a book about drug addiction, alcoholism and anorexia (although it was still described as “fluffy” by one of the broadsheets!).

* Both Megan Crane and Hester Browne chose it as their favourite in our author interview.

1 Bridget Jones’s Diary by Helen Fielding

Bridget Jones’s Diary may not have been the first chick lit book, but it’s certainly the most famous. Spawning a sequel, two films and introducing “singletons” and “smug marrieds” into the vernacular (not to mention increasing sales of big knickers), Bridget remains the “face” of chick lit. It is also v. v. funny.

Bridget is also the most commonly referenced book and heroine in our weekly author interviews, cited by Laura Zigman, Janet Evanovich, Kelly McClymer, Rebecca Agiewich, Sara Gruen and Deanna Carlyle!

So what do you think? Have we got it right or are we completely wrong? Is your favourite missing or a hated book included? Let us know!

Came straight to this page? Visit www.trashionista.com for more female fiction news, reviews and interviews.

Posted by Shiny Media on December 29, 2006 in American Authors, Book related, British Authors, Debut Novels, Devil Wears Prada, Irish Authors, Marian Keyes, Modern Fiction, Opinion, Sophie Kinsella, Top 100 Extravaganza! | Permalink

Comments

I too love the show of sex and the city...

BTW... Happy Holidays!

Anne

Posted by: Anne | Dec 30, 2006 9:40:21 PM

"We need a Weiner!" will probably become what I'm most known for now... :D For the record, I slightly prefer Good in Bed to In her Shoes but let you have that one :)

brilliant list! If I do say so myself ;)

Can't believe we haven't reviewed Rachel's Holiday... and I still haven't chosen my fave chick-lit novel of all time! Hmmm... xx

Posted by: DIANE SHIPLEY | Dec 31, 2006 2:10:49 PM

Yep, they'll introduce you as Diane "We need a Weiner!" Shipley on Stricly Come Dancing 2010! :)

And tough luck on Good in Bed! I prefer Bet Me to Welcome to Temptation ... (I think).

I don't know what it was about In Her Shoes, I just loved it so. I got a bit annoyed with the sort of descent into madness aspect of Good In Bed, I think (although I may be remembering it wrongly). I seem to remember thinking, "Oh god, pull yourself together!" but I might have just been grumpy.

And re Rachel's Holiday - I know! I could do with re-reading it (I haven't read it since it came out) so maybe I'll review it one of these days.

Posted by: Keris | Dec 31, 2006 2:55:59 PM

What, no Adele Parks? That's shocking!

Lisa Jewell's best book is by far, is "One Hit Wonder"

Posted by: The Bookseller to the Stars | Dec 31, 2006 3:00:51 PM

ugh, don't talk to me about Adele Parks... only marginally beter than Jane Green! I've only read A Friend of the Family by Lisa Jewell.

I guess Good in Bed gets a little indulgent but I loved the whole writerly aspect of it... plus I don't have a sister... xx

Posted by: DIANE SHIPLEY | Jan 1, 2007 2:03:04 AM

Sorry, Bookseller, I don't like Adele Parks either. And One Hit Wonder is my second-fave Lisa Jewell book.

And, Diane, yep, I bet having a sister affected my opinion of In Her Shoes! :)

Posted by: Keris | Jan 1, 2007 3:03:03 PM

Urgh, Adele Parks - I'm not so keen either. Love Rachel's Holiday though. Great list!

Posted by: Charlotte | Jan 2, 2007 9:14:53 PM

Thanks, Charlotte!

Posted by: Keris | Jan 2, 2007 11:18:45 PM

Lisa Jewell is a wonderful writer who possess great character development in her books and 'Thirtysomething' is her best book aside from 'Friend of the Family.' What about Jane Green, Adele Parks, Chris Manby and Alexandra Potter? Like them or loath them I think they have done more to maintain the standards of chicklit than Nick Hornby, who is more bloke lit. Other crucial absentees are Louise Bagshawe and Roslyn Sisman; Bagshawe because she is the Jackie Collins of her era.

Posted by: Ondo Lady | Jan 31, 2007 2:36:36 PM

I'm thrilled Thirtynothing made your list... I ADORED it (and not because the main character and I share a first name...). We don't hear very much about Lisa Jewell in America, so I've kind of forgotten how great she is. Maybe it's time I gave her books a plug on my blog too : )

Posted by: Nadine | Feb 7, 2007 2:14:10 PM

What makes a top ten? A riveting story that is relateable and offers something more than the over-saturated chick-lit genre. "The What-if Guy" by Taylor Wilshire is by far one of the best female contemporary ficiton books out there, (chick lit). It offers real solutions to finding a soul-mate, finding love, finding oneself. There are talks in Hollywood that they are making a movie. There is no wonder that this great book has won awards--you should check it out.

Posted by: Sarah Ryan | Jul 1, 2007 8:41:25 PM

I love Lisa Jewell too! Hey you should remember other great authors like Kate Saunders ("The marrying game" and "The Bachelor Boys") and "The Second Assistant" by MimiNaylor, Clare Hare.

Posted by: arianna | Sep 20, 2007 10:09:39 AM

Welcome To Temptation was my first unofficial intro to what we now now as "Chick Lit." It also was what got me hooked on Jennifer Cruise and another Jennifer as well (Do I hear a Weiner?). Kudos to who wanted this book on the list! I'm making it a permanent place on my bookshelf!

Posted by: Therese | Oct 10, 2007 2:36:11 PM

arh! the devil wears prada is a TERRIBLE book
of of the first times ever the book has been better than the movie
LOVE LOVE LOVE shopoholic series

Posted by: Georgia | Oct 30, 2008 9:37:39 AM

Adele Parks and Jane Green MUST be on the TOP 10! Jemina J is awesome and I love the difficult heroines from Parks - the sugary ( and unreal )women from some books are boring. Something Borrowed from Emily Giffin is one of the best chicklit ever. Marian Keyes is the queen - This Charming Man is my favourite. And, from Jennifer Weiner, definitely Little Earthquakes is the #1.

Posted by: Uli | Apr 9, 2009 1:57:30 AM

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