Founder's list of Approved Reading

[Matia]

These are all the books (off the top of my head) I've read so far that I didn't find anything objectionable about. I'll continue adding to it as I come across more, or once I reread and vet again the novels I read ages ago.

If you want to list your own recommendations, please post in the Members' Suggestions topic.

The Hobbit
The Lord of the Rings - (view spoiler)[Though this tale deals with epic battles and diabolical forces, it still doesn't dwell on them with such raw luridness as other stories do these days. It's certainly much milder than the movies, which are of course dramatized; in the book, the orcs aren't even described as being anywhere near as ugly as the generic zombielike monsters they're portrayed as. (hide spoiler)]
The Enchanted Forest Chronicles
Magic Casement
The Myth Adventures series (1 - 8 so far)
The Xanth series (1 - 20 so far)
The Magic Kingdom of Landover series (1 - 3 so far)
The Tales of Alvin Maker series (1 - 3 so far)
Anne of Green Gables
Pride and Prejudice
Black Beauty - (view spoiler)[Some have complained about the abusive imagery in this book, but they must have more graphic imaginations than I do. The text itself hardly goes into much detail about it. While it's true that it features mistreatment of horses, and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it for young children (it was never actually intended by the author to be a children's book), it's not even as bad as a lot of modern books. The point was to depict the many ways horses are ill-used, and to denounce those malpractices as such, so as to provide understanding from the horse's perspective, and instill compassion in the readers. It still has its fair share of pleasant moments for the horses, and the ending still leaves you with a feel-good lightheartedness. I wish there were more books written all about horses! (hide spoiler)]
Journey to the Center of the Earth
How To Train Your Dragon
Eragon - (view spoiler)[There were some unpleasant imageries at Helgrind in the third book and torture techniques mentioned in the fourth book, which I think it could have done without, but otherwise it doesn't leave a dark lasting impression. (hide spoiler)]
The New Diary