Old Favourites
A few weeks ago I found this post at The Solitary Walker's blog, asking readers to list ten favourite books or books that had influenced them. He pointed out that he was surprised by how much his list said about him. I've been umming and arrhing about my own "top ten" and what makes them so, ever since.
So today is the day I list my top ten too. Like many of those who commented on Robert's post and listed theirs, I couldn't just stick to ten. My top titles will also probably keep changing, as I just can't seem settle on forever. These are as close as I can come.
So in no particular order:
1. The Great Gatsby - F.Scott Fitzgerald
2. We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver
3. How to be Good - Nick Hornby
4. A New Earth - Ekhart Tolle
5. The Memoirs of A Survivor - Doris Lessing
6. The Other Hand - Chris Gleave
7. The Little Drummer Girl - John Le Carre
8. The L-Shaped Room - Lynne Reid Banks
9. When The Wind Blows - Raymond Briggs
10. Little Women - Louise May Alcott
11. Heidi - Joanna Spyri
12. What Katy Did - Susan Coolidge
13. The Wisdom of No Escape - Pema Chodron
14. The Art Of Happiness - The Dalai Lama
15. Arafat. Terrorist or Peacemaker - Alan Hart
16. Feel the Fear and Do it Anyway - Susan Jeffers
17. Women's ways of Knowing - Mary Field Belenky, Jill Mattuck Tarule
18. The Penguin Book of English Verse - P.J. Keegan
19. Ireland - A Terrible Beauty - Jill and Leon Uris
20. The Life Of Mahatma Gandhi - Louise Ficher
21. Roots - Alex Haley
22. The Gifts of Imperfection - Brene Brown
23. The Return of the Native - Thomas Hardy
24. The Chalet School Series
And New
During this month of change, and going forward, I am aiming to read books that I would not usually choose. To step outside my comfort zone a little. I would also like to be learning more about the life stories of people who I admire or figures who make a difference in the world.
So a few weeks ago too when I was watching a TV news programme, I was intrigued when I accidentally caught the end of an interview with Mary Robinson. I'm ashamed to say, I knew little or nothing about her, despite my interest in Ireland and politics. Having been inspired by her words and how she was portrayed on the news programme, I am now starting to read her memoir which has just been published.
What are your top "ten" favourite books? Or are you reading anything new at the moment? I am sure that Robert would like to read more book lists in his blog comments, and that you would love his blog too! You might discover something new to try in someone else's list.
Thank you for introducing me to The Solitary Walker. Here is my list (in no particular order)...
ReplyDelete1. The Bible. Any translation for informing how I live, the King James Version for the majesty of the language.
2. Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. The book that made me a life-long reader.
3. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte. My perfect heroine.
4. Atonement. A beautiful novel that captures the messiness of life and the consequences of our sometimes horrible choices.
5. Little Golden Book - The Wolf and the Seven Little Kids. My mom would do the different voices when she read this to me. My favorite fairy tale. I wish I still had my copy.
6. The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. A fascinating story that illustrates how people, place and time form us.
7. Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare. The first Shakespeare play I read and still my favorite. Who can resist star-crossed lovers and a blood feud.
8. Anything by Agatha Christie. I love mysteries. Agatha Christie introduced me to adult mysteries and is the Grande Dame to me.
9. Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad. A frightening look at the thin veneer of civilization.
10. A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens. My favorite tale of redemption.
Thank you Lori. Charlotte's Web and Jane Eyre are also favourites of mine. A few of yours I have not read but watched film versions. I like the way you have given reasons for your choices. Very interesting indeed.
DeleteThanks for the link, Jan. That post of mine goes on and on!
ReplyDeleteYes it certainly does and there are lots of good recommendations there. Thank you for the inspiration.
Deletei dont have a list, Jan. but currently i am reading The Places the Scare You. by Pema Chodrin. I am a horribly slow reader. But working to get better. There are many of your books I need to put in my queue. thanks for sharing! i am super curious about this book (We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver) even though i did not like the film. and Doris Lessing is an author I have on my nightstand though i have yet to make good progress (a compilation of short stories). Another book I am loving (almost finished)(and also LOVED the film) is Le Herrison. One book I have read multiple times is Lust for Life by Irving Stone (biographical novel of Van Gogh), very inspiring. i wish i could lock myself in a room for decades and just read. read, and of course drink tea too, along with bathroom breaks :)
ReplyDeleteHello Jojo. I also did not like the film version of We need to talk about Kevin, though they did well with a difficult subject. I was however very strongly moved by the book(for some very personal reasons which maybe only indicate that I think too much and too deeply about matters). I've read The Places that Scare You too but really want to read it again. I will have to look up these final two of yours. Yes me too. There isn't enough time is there?
DeleteI have so many favourites Jan. Some of them are: The Shellseekers by Rosamunde Pilcher, The Kiterunner by Khaled Hosseini, Family Matters & A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, Pride & Prejudice, Emma, & Mansfield Park by Jane Austen,Jennie by Paul Gallico, Evening Class & Tara Road by Maeve Binchy and The Josephine Bonaparte Trilogy by Sandra Gulland.
ReplyDeleteHow could I forget the Kite Runner Penny? Yes yes. It's an interesting list and I will have to check some of these less familiar titles out now. x
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