I am always reading something. And while I like biographies, sports books, and occasionally even religious books, good novels remain my favorites.
I like both “popular” novels that you read while sitting on the beach, and the more “serious” works about which you would write an English paper. And as an English major, I did a fair amout of that.
So here are some that have been uniquely influential in my 40 or so years of reading them, starting from childhood and on through the present.
- Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary. It was great when childhood really was this naive and innocent. All the Beverly Cleary books are terrific.
- The Call Of The Wild And White Fang by Jack London. I can’t think of one without the other, and I loved them both. The irony? I don’t like dogs. At all.
- The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by CS Lewis. Hello, prevenient grace.
- Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison. One of the first inklings I received that a novel could be about so much more than simply its plot.
- Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. Ditto.
- Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor. As good as this is, her short stories are even better. She was the subject of my senior thesis in college.
- The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. Great writing? Not really. Complex characters? Hardly. Subtle story-telling? Nope. Page turning? Absolutely. Coudn’t put it down.
- Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. A lot like Flannery O’Connor, just not nearly as weird.
- Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton. The cover looked so cheesy. But this book had me at hello.
- The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. A novel set in Afghanistan? That’s great? I was skeptical, too, until I read page one. Laughter, tears, and anger.
- Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris. The narrator is first person plural and anonymous. Think about that. Quite an accomplishment.
- She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. Another tour de force in terms of narrative voice. And I admit it: I cried. More than once. I’m saving up The Hour I First Believed for my vacation reading.
I’m sure I’ve forgotten some that belong on my list? What does your list look like?
There are 12 comments
The Call of The Wild and White Fang are both on my all time favorites list. Have you read any James Michener? I think his novels are amazing. Keeping up with characters through generations cause me to flip back and forth within the book to refresh my memory of exactly who he is refering to many years later. wonderful reads. -Ben S.
I haven’t read any James Michener. The size of them alone intimidates me!
The Picture of Dorian Gray — really weird — expanded my mind and not particularly in a good way. A wee bit dark you know.
In the Grip of Grace — really got to me.
Into Thin Air — Oooooohhhh……Rare Air….
Anything Dickens …..
Alice in Wonderland …..
Grimm’s Fairytales
A Woman of Substance
Anthony Robbins’ books speaking of being without limts.
James Michener’s Hawaii – although I started it three times before going all the way to the end
Anything regarding Albert Einstein, Leonardo DaVinci, Shakespeare, Monet, and many others.
Biographies of Presidents….
I read a book about Charles Darwin that was absolutely fascinating.
The Agony and the Ecstacy by Irving Stone. Unbelievably delicious. Regarding Michelangelo.
Have you read Beverly Cleary’s autobiography “A Girl From Yamhill”? Fantastic!
I’ll put it on the list!
Now you’ve got me thinking . . .
I love “The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe” but it was “The Last Battle” that really hit me. The whole series is great.
“Anne of Green Gables” by L. M. Montgomery. My all-time favorite book until I read . . .
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen. This classic has been copied countless times but its still fresh and vibrant every time I read it (I stopped counting when I hit double digits).
“Deerskin” by Robin McKinley. A haunting fantasy novel.
“Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince” by J. K. Rowling. Yes, I’m a Harry Potter geek! This was the best in a great series.
Anything by Agatha Christie, especially if Hercule Poirot is the detective.
“State of Fear” by Michael Crichton. His best, in my opinion.
OK, I’m going to stop now.
OK, one more. If you liked “The Bourne Identity” you should try “The Day After Tomorrow” by Allan Folsom (It has nothing to do with the Dennis Quaid/Jake Gyllenhaal movie). A librarian recommended it to me. I was a little intimidated by the length (almost 600 pages) but I couldn’t put it down! A real page turner.
I like pretty much anything that Don Moen authors…books or songs.
Also, Michael W. Smith writes some pretty good stuff too. 🙂
Beverly Cleary rocks! She was my favorite author growing up. I have such fond memories from childhood reading her books. I hear there is a movie coming out based on one of her books.
Every time I see this kind of list I look for three things: what I know and agree with that would be on my list, what I don’t know but am prompted to consider checking out on my next trip to the library and what I don’t know and have no inkling if it has any value at all (though it must since it is on the blog of a person I value enough to follow!) The Bourne Identity, Lion Witch and Wardrobe and Call of the Wild go in the first category. The Kite Runner goes in the 2nd. Beverly Cleary goes in the 3rd. Never heard of her and now I feel stupid as I reqd the other blog comments.
I drifted away from books for awhie to focus on magazines, journals and stuff online. Now I am coming back and loving it. The trick is finding chunks so I can read uninterrupted.
interesting list, I have read a few of them, well just the C.S. Lewis & Twain (our greatest American writer) to completion. I provide my graduating students a modest list of all things I feel they should see, hear and, read. Here are a few of my book offerings:
1. The Screwtape Letters- C.S. Lewis
2. How Soccer Explains the World- Franklin Foer
3. The Fellowship of the Rings Trilogy- J.R.R. Tolkien
4. Round Ireland With a Fridge- Tony Hawks
5. To Kill a Mockigbird- Harper Lee
6. On Human Nature- E.O. Wilson
7. Fast Food Nation- Eric Schlosser
8. The Water is Wide- Pat Conroy (One of the two reasons I am a teacher)
9. Black Boy- Richard Wright
10. MY ALL TIME FAVORITE BOOK- The Heart of Darkness- Joseph Conrad
I have been invited to take part in my first book club/ reading group- we are reading Andrew Jackson- His life and Times. Not a fan of biographies, but I am excited about the group.
Peace and only 68 days to U2 in Raleigh
How could I have forgotten the LOTR Trilogy?!? The Two Towers was my favorite mainly because I love Faramir. Thanks for reminding me, Equality!