The books speak to me. As I look up from the table at the library, where I’m spending most of my day today, I glance up at this shelf of teen books, and I hear them. They tell myriad stories: some sad, some adventurous, some scary, and some very, very funny. We read them, and they challenge us. If we’re lucky, sometimes they even change us.
One of the reasons I enjoy belonging to a book club, is that it forces me to read books I may not choose otherwise. I’ve never been a big fan of biographies, for example, but a few years ago we read John Adams, by David McCullough. It surprised me—I liked it!—and it remains one of my favorite books. David MuCullough brought their world to life for me in a way that no history class ever did. As a mother and wife, I empathized with Abigail Adams and realized that she was made of much tougher stuff than I am. I’m still amazed by her story, as much as his.
But it’s not just serious stories that capture me. I’ve loved reading for as long as I can remember. As a child, I spent hours in libraries – in every town we called home, and in my grandmother’s town, too, which we visited several times a year. In those early days, I enjoyed a good mystery and I was especially fond of Nancy Drew. I admired her courage and her wisdom. I liked her friends, Bess and George; I thought having a boyfriend like Ned Nickerson was pretty cool, too. But most of all, I loved their adventures. They took me along with them, to discover the Secret of the Old Clock and solve the Password to Larkspur Lane. When I read these books, I wasn’t a 10-year old girl reading a story. The words of Carolyn Keene transported me, as I solved the mysteries right along with Nancy, Bess, and George. Those stories changed me, as books would continue to right up to today, as I questioned and pondered and discovered new ideas. Books open worlds we may never contemplate without them. Don’t you agree?
If you’re in the mood for a good read—although not necessarily an uplifting one—here are a few others I count among my favorites. This list is by no means exhaustive—there are many, many books I’ve enjoyed over the years. However, these remain among my top picks because no matter how many times I read them, they always make me think. They challenge me, and they change me. I hope you’ll discover their magic, too.
· Lord of the Flies, William Golding
· The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
· Gift from the Sea, Anne Morrow Lindbergh
· The Good Earth, Pearl S. Buck
· A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
· The Glass Castle, Jeannette Walls
· Three Cups of Tea, Greg Mortenson
· The Life of Pi, Yann Martel
· Huckleberry Finn, Mark Twain
· The Red Tent, Anita Diamant
Are any of these among your favorites? Are there books you love that I didn’t include? Please leave me a comment and let me know. I’m always up for a new read.
Footnote:
On one particular visit to my aforementioned grandmother’s library, I noticed a few Nancy Drew books I’d already read, that had different covers from the ones I owned. As a frequent re-reader, I checked them out and was surprised to find that it wasn’t only the cover that was different. The words were different, too! The books in the Nancy Drew series have been updated throughout the years, and I’d stumbled onto a few earlier versions. When I offered to replace the older books with new ones, the librarian agreed. I couldn’t believe my luck. I still have those books, and even though I haven’t read them in years, I won’t be parting with them anytime soon.
I love book posts. I've read all but four of your recommends and would like to read them. (I have Good Earth on my shelf, have tried it once but gave up too soon).
There are two classics I would not have read on my own but was required reading in a Psych of Literature class: one was Crime and Punishment by Doestoevsky (sp?) and the other, The Metamophosis by Kafka.
In the case of Crime and Punishment, I often think about one point he made. The hero in the book is a student and very poor. The hero can get away with his shabby clothes because of the respect he earns from his educational pursuits. I think about this a lot. About how important it is to make choices in life that earn respect independent of what clothes you wear or what car you drive. I think about it a lot because these days I can't afford to keep up with the latest fashion trends and shop in thrift stores, LOL.
I also belong to a book club and, although we're only on our third book, I can say we've read 2 books I wouldn't have probably chosen on my own. One was good, the other not so much. The one I thought was worth the read was "Those Who Save Us" not an uplifting read either, but worth the time.
A biography that I enjoyed a lot (much to my surprise) was Katharine Graham's.
And a book that makes me think? The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver).
Lord of the Flies was excellent, as was Huckleberry Finn (for different reasons) – some great books here…