A couple weeks ago my friend asked me what my favorite book is. I didn't have an answer. I mean, how can you pick just one?!
There are a lot of really fantastic books out there. I've read hundreds of books in my life, and probably a few dozen of them have
really touched me and/or completely entertained me.
But there are only a few that I would consider my "all time favorites."
As I thought about it, I immediately had 10 books come to mind. Nice round number, right? :)They're all very different, but for me they all "tie" as my favorite book.
These are the ones that really mean something to me... the ones that I couldn't wait to share with everyone I knew... the ones that made me laugh and cry and shout out loud... the books that I would write if I had the words and the patience... the ones that I can read over and over again and never get sick of.... the ones that really
speak to me.
I'm not saying they'll be everyone's favorite books or that they are the best 10 books on the planet or even that you must go out and read them. But for the record, here's my top ten favorite books, in no particular order:
Les Miserables by Victor Hugo
It's long and it's wordy. But it is one of the most spiritual books I have ever read. Hugo is such a profound writer... on almost every page there was a line or two that would just make me stop and think "wow." His characters are so real and experience so much pain, they have such hard choices to make, and they demonstrate honesty, virtue, forgiveness, redemption, and morality so poignantly that it honestly feels like you're experiencing everything right along with them. It's impossible not to be changed after reading this book.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand
Again, very long and very wordy. But I literally cheer out loud every time I read it. The first time I read it, I felt validated... like all these things I've believed all my life were finally understood and said by someone else. When John Galt got on the radio and said "this is John Galt speaking" I think I almost passed out. It was such a perfect moment for me. Or when Francisco gave his "money is the root of all evil" speech, I was seriously saying "yes!" over and over. I bought this book a few years back to take to Ecuador because I was going for 3 months and I thought it would last me quite a while. I started it on the plane ride down and I had it finished three days into my trip. Then I had the worst "book depression" of my life. I've since read or listened to it multiple times. It's a very "mature" book... a lot of philosophy, a lot of politics, and a lot of passion- for creativity, for hard work, for sex, for individuality, for success, for pure capitalism- so it's not for the faint of heart. But it is
insanely good. If I wasn't Christian, Atlas Shrugged would be my core book. As it stands, it does have a place in my nightstand right next to my scriptures.
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
This is a dark, old-school, thriller-type... the story isn't real deep, but it's a great mystery. The characters are so fascinating to me. The horrible Mrs. Danvers who is really just grouchy, grieving and a little bit nuts; Max who is selfish, weak, and tormented by guilt; Frank Crawley who is sweet, loyal, and constant; Rebecca who in my mind is one of the most gloriously gorgeous and evil human beings ever; and Mrs. de Winter who finally comes into her own by the end of the novel but who is so shy and so shaken by living in Rebecca's shadow that her character is never even given a first name.
I just lost myself in this book the first time I read it. I think I was in 6th grade and even though I didn't understand some of the nuances, I've since read it several times and each time it feels like I'm going back to a place I've actually been before... I am so attached to the house in which the book takes place- Manderley- that I feel like I've walked it's halls and thrown a ball for my dog on the beach. Part of me (the dark side) wanted to be Rebecca when I was younger...sometimes I still do. :)
A Farewell to Arms by Ernest Hemingway
Hemingway was crass and chauvinistic, but I adore the way he writes. Such short, clipped sentences that somehow still describe so much. His books are "human nature personified" for me. He takes the real, basic parts of men and makes them interesting to read about. To me, his writing feels "earthy." I don't know how to explain it. I've always been drawn to him. This book in particular is so romantic. It's a little risque, especially for it's time, but it
stirred me when I first read it. You always remember your first Hemingway experience. :)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Anne Shaffer
This book is lovely. That's the best word for it. It was a joy to read. Once I finished it, I felt like I had just spent time with my very best friends. It was heart-warming and sweet. The characters were to vivid and each one of them so unique. I wanted to hug them all. I laughed my head off at the lady who says she's scared of chickens (I hate chickens too), I bawled my head off when they took the kids off the island, I cheered when Juliet finally found love... I just adored this book. It's the type of book that I would like to have written... just wholesome and good and fun without being fluffy or inconsequential. If books were like husbands, this book would be my Nate. Does that make any sense?
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
There is a part of me that identifies so closely with Holden Caulfield... the anger, the disillusion, the loss, the desire to roam, the feeling that you have to be anything but ordinary, the run-on sentences and the random thoughts... I read this book and I felt like it came from my own brain... like the way he talks is the way I think. And I love that he's just nuts enough to go do all the stupid things that he thinks of. He's in no way a good role model or a strong leading character... but he just is what he is and that's what makes him so perfect. Every time I read this, I read out loud to myself and it makes the book even better.
These is My Words by Nancy Turner
I knew from the first chapter that this would become an instant favorite. I love the language it's written in and how it just draws you right into the narrator's life. It's a gritty novel, full of hardships, but the narrator has such strength, such ability... and the way she presses on and succeeds is inspiring. I felt like I was right there in the Arizona territory with her, working on the ranch and shooting indians. I would put the book down and it would take me a minute to remember that I live in an air-conditioned house in the year 2010. Seriously, the book is that compelling and that interesting. I cried a couple times and I felt pure joy (like seriously grinning from ear to ear) in several parts. Just read it! It's fantastic.
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneger
I'll admit that this book is not for everyone. I would never recommend it to most people I know because there is quite a lot of cussing and quite a bit of sex. It's a very "arty" type book and honestly, it's pretty sad. But I am
in love with it. I've read it 4 times and I bawl my head off every time. I have an unnatural fascination with all things time-travel, so the story is what drew me in. I love the way that it's written--- how it bounces between characters and time periods. I never feel lost, but it is a challenge to keep everything straight, and I am amazed at how much creativity it took to write the book this way. And the love story... oh it just breaks my heart... in a good way. It's tender and raw and a little bit off... I adore it.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
This is just such a classic. Everyone has to face prejudice, fear, and hate in their life and then choose to stand up to it and to live a good life without letting your experiences sully your faith in humanity. You have to recognize evil, but still be able to appreciate goodness. I love that this book deals with hard-hitting issues like rape and racism, but somehow still has warmth and humor. It's amazing to me that it was written in 1960, by a woman, who lived in Alabama, that it is loosely based on events from her own life and that it received so much popularity at the time, and of course is still one of the most widely read books ever. Plus, the main character's nickname is "Scout." What an awesome name! Scout Spears could be cute. :)
The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
I feel like admitting this is one of my favorites reveals a very malevolent side of my personality (then again, it seems all my favorite books are a little dark- what does that say about me?) This book is so entertaining... so evil and so clever with such a genius plot that it's hard not to love it. There's so much injustice perpetrated at the beginning, and the way Edmond exacts his revenge is so completely evil and malicious that it's like pulling legs off a spider one by one. BUT it's so smart and so thorough and done with such flair that it makes for a dangerously fabulous read. Edmond is admirably bad. And the books does end on a spiritual note. (PS: I love the movie because I think Jim Caviziel is super handsome, but it is nothing like the book).
So there's my 10. And since we all know I am not one for brevity, here's a list of my favorite fiction "honorable mentions." These are some of my other favorites, but not quite as special to me as my Top Ten. Again, in no particular order...
The Lord of the Rings trilogy
The Lonesome Gods
The Hunger Games (Only the first book. I didn't like the others.)
The Screwtape Letters
Robinson Crusoe
Murder on the Orient Express
Outlander
The Help
Farenheit 451
Tuck Everlasting
Ender's Game
The Picture of Dorian Gray
The Gazebo
The Notebook
High Crimes
The Da Vinci Code
Before the Dawn
The Graceling
Fire
Twenties Girl
Left Behind
A Wrinkle in Time
The Adventures of Huck Finn
The Book Thief
Charles and Emma: A Love Story
Acceptable Risk
The Summerhouse
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime
The Light Between Oceans
