10 Books Everyone Should Read

[Alison]

What books have made an impact on your life? Have stayed with you or made a statement? What books would you recommend everyone read at least once in their lifetime?

[Stephanie]

Oooh, this is one of my most favorite topics!

Here are my top picks:

The Handmaid's Tale - Atwood
Atlas Shrugged - Rand
The Fountainhead - Rand
Paradise Lost - Milton
To Kill a Mockingbird - Lee
The Good Earth - Buck
The House of the Spirits - Allende
East of Eden - Steinbeck
Uncle Tom's Cabin - Stowe

[Leah]

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok
The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Jude the Obscure by Thomas Hardy


I have so many favorites. It's like trying rate your favorite movies. Too many.

[Stephanie]

Oh, miss "Three Stars" for Jane Smiley...now it is on your EVERYONE SHOULD READ THIS BOOK list?!?!

And I think at this point, everyone in this group should know that Leah is OBSESSED with The Poisonwood Bible. She just named her second-born Poisonwood, which I thought was sad, but she could not be swayed.

[Leah]

I gave it FOUR...or I meant to. Now I will go check.

Actually, we went with "bangala" which is the word for "poisonwood tree" in the Congo. Pronounced one way, it means "good." Pronounce it another way, it means the poisonwood tree.

See, Reverend Price kept saying "Tata Jesus es Bangala" ...oh....ahem. Off track for a minute. I'm revising my 10 books list. I felt pressured to add 10.

[Catamorandi]

To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Cater Street Hangman by Anne Perry
On Writing by Stephen King

There are more, but this is all I can think of for nowl

[Greyweather]

Land of Laughs by Jonathan Carroll

A man goes searching for the story behind his favorite children's author, and finds a legacy he never expected.

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

A hilarious, exciting, and flawless coproduction where an angel and a demon both decide Armageddon is not a very good idea and join together to try and prevent it.

The Left Hand of Darkness by Ursula Le Guin

Le Guin crafted a unique novel exploring the sociological ramifications of divergent evolution in humanity. In particular, a world where every person shares the same, neutral gender.

A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M. Miller Jr.

The post-nuclear holocaust science-fiction novel. The book is a monument to human strength and human frailty. Desolation, hope, and humor are blended into a story that both haunts and enchants you. A classic if ever a book deserved the title.

[Jeane]

I noticed many of you love, adore The poisonwood bible. I thought it was good but loved her other book 'Prodigal summer'. So that is one of my favourites.

Others are:
-A fortune teller told me- Tiziano Terzano
(many people seem to think as The Bible as their favourite book sometimes. Well if I would have to think about a sort of Bible for me, I would choose this book. I read it in Italian and it had such an impact on me while reading it.)

-The ten trusts:what we must do to care for the animals we love- Jane Goodall&Marc Bekoff
(There is a good change that this is the only book tat ever made me cry. I felt so sad and angry while reading it)

-Renate Dorrestein- Buitenstaanders
(A dutch writer and my first book from her. Still don't know why I adored reading it so much, but it made me go on reading her books.)

-Italy fever: 14 ways to satisfy your love with Italy- Darlene Marwitz
(I adore this book)

-Le petit prince- Antoine de Saint-Exupery

-Snow- Maxence Farmine
(Beautiful like poetry)

-The loop- Nicholas Evans
(This book absorbed me so much that it took me a whole day to come back to daily life. I read it without stopping, besides one bathroom break!)

-Tre metri sopra il cielo- federico Moccia
(I am addicted to Italy)

-Whale Rider- Witi Ihimaera

-Seta (Silk)- Alessandro Barrico
(Reading it was like silk, smooth, soft.....)

-Pride and Prejudice- Jane Austen
(I don't have a clue why but I seem to adore reading this story!)

-The lord of the rings: triology- J.R.R. Tolkien

[Koori no hi]

1.East ((Edith Pattou))

2.Chronicles of Narnia ((C.S. Lewis))

3.Shadowmancer ((G.P.Taylor))

4.Wormwood ((G.P.Taylor))

5.A Single Shard ((Linda Sue Park))

6.Call of the Wild ((Jack London))

7.The Naming ((don't know author))

8.The Riddle ((Don't know author))

9.The Crow ((Don't know author))

10.Aria of the Sea ((Don't know author))

[Greyweather]

Alison Croggon and Dia Calhoun

[Heidi]

The Thirteenth Tale, by Diane Setterfield
Flowers for Algernon, by Daniel Keyes
The New York Trilogy, by Paul Auster
Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, by Susanna Clarke
The Historian, by Elizabeth Kostova
The Archivist's Story, by Trevor Holland
A Widow for One Year, by John Irving
The Woman in White, by Wilkie Collins
Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman
Goose Girl, by Shannon Hale

[Sadie]

Anne of Green Gables (at least the first 4 or five)...this is where the canadian obsession started!

Pride and Prejudice...england obsession started here.

David Copperfield by Charles Dickens

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

My Name is Asher Lev by Chaim Potok

The Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

[Leah]

Do I see another Potok fan, or just a fan of Asher Lev?!

[Sadie]

Potok is one of my favorite authors. I have read all of his books, but one...and I think that one is "Wanderings"

[Leah]

Gasp. We will have to start a Potok thread. In college I did a huge research paper on the analysis of father-son relationships in "The Chosen" and "My Name is Asher Lev." It got an A, and I gave that A to Potok, who is my absolute favorite except for Kingsolver's "The Poisonwood Bible."

[Sadie]

It's nice to find someone else who liked Potok. Everyone else I have ever talked to only know him because of the required reading of Asher Lev or The Chosen in high school. It's been quite a while since I've re-read any of his stuff. Maybe I'll have to pull them out of my boxes.

[Sadie]

I'm adding another one to my list, The Count of Monte Cristo and quite possibly The Three Muskateers---did I spell that right?

[Suzie]

The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
The Lost Memoirs of Jane Austen by Syrie James
London Bridges by James Patterson

[John]

If any of you are fans of George R. R. Martin's Saga of Ice and Fire which begins with "A Game of Thrones," you'll be glad to hear that Amazon.com is now taking advance orders for "A Dance With Dragons."

I've read the first three novels multiple times, and hope that this book is better than the fourth one, "A Feast for Crows." Check out "A Game of Thrones" is you haven't already and see if you get "hooked."

[Greyweather]

John wrote: "If any of you are fans of George R. R. Martin's Saga of Ice and Fire which begins with "A Game of Thrones," you'll be glad to hear that Amazon.com is now taking advance orders for "A Dance With Dragons"

I find this amusing as last we heard from Martin, he hasn't finished the book yet.

[John]

Greyweather wrote: "John wrote: "If any of you are fans of George R. R. Martin's Saga of Ice and Fire which begins with "A Game of Thrones," you'll be glad to hear that Amazon.com is now taking advance orders for "A D..."

You're right. I checked with our local book company and they say the book has been delayed once and the current release date is in October. Amazon is just jerking our chains. Sorry for the false alarm. I'll keep monitoring Martin's web page in the mean time.

[Kathy]

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

2. A Widow for One Year by John Irving

3. Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi

4. The Call of the Wild by Jack London

5. The Girl Who Loved Tom Gordon by Stephen King

6. The Girls by Lori Lansens

7. The Good German by Joseph Kanon

8. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

9. Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton

10. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova

11. Doomsday Book by Connie Willis

12. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

OK, I'll stop, but it's hard to not list even more.

[Cameron]

Wuthering Heights,
I love Pride and Predudice and the other books these ladies have written but I feel like I was given a major lift with WH,even tho it is such a dark ,power play book,I have never seen anything that had me hating and loving so many so often,and quite often the same people too.

[Lyla]

hey everyone forgot warriors!!! it is THE BEST BOOK IN THE UNIVERSE!!!!! ANS ALSO ITS A SERIES SO THERE IS NOT JUST 1ST BOOK!!!!! SO YOU CAN KEEP READING AND READING AND READING AND I'M ONLY ON THE 3RD BOOK AND THERE IS HOW MANY BOOKS?

[Debra]

SHANTARM: Gregory David Roberts *****
The Help: Kathryn Stocket *****
The Gunslinger Series: Stephen King *****
My Sister's Keeper: Jodi Picoult *****
The Hour I First Believed: Wally Lamb *****
I Know This Much Is True: Wally Lamb *****
Two Rivers: T. Greenwood *****
There are so many on my fav list, this is just a few!

[John]

[Debra]

John wrote: "

Nice to hear someone else liked the book; I really loved it. Read it when it first came out and gave it to all my friends and family who loved it too. Didja see Slumdog Millionaire @ the movies? Really brought the whole thing to light for me looking at the slums and Bobmbay (Mumbai) etc.

[Jim]

so many good books listed
mine
THE RISE AND FALL OF THE THIRD REICH - WILLIAM SHIRER (READ IN SUMMER AFTER EIGHTH GRADE -PROBABLY TOO YOUNG FOR SUBJECT MATTER)
DON QUIXOTE - CERVANTES
GOYA - ROBERT HUGHES
HELTER SKELTER - BUGOLIOSI
THE LITTLE PRINCE - EXUPERY
CRIME AND PUNISHMENT - DOSTOEVSKY
SINCERITY AND AUTHENTICITY - LIONEL TRILLING
THE INFERNO - DANTE
THE WASTELAND - T.S. ELIOT
THE GOOD EARTH - PEARL BUCK
THE GRAPES OF WRATH - JOHN STEINBECK

AMONG MANY

[Peg]

East of Eden
To Kill a Mockingbird
A Fine Balance
Peace Like a River
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Book Thief
The Stand
City of Thieves
Child 44

[John]

Haven't seen Slumdog yet, but plan to rent soon.

Deb-oh wrote: "John wrote: "

Nice to hear someone else liked the book; I really loved it. Read it when it first came out and gave it to all my friends and family who loved it too. Didja see Slumdog Millionai..."

[Michel]

Jim wrote: "so many good books listed
mine
DON QUIXOTE - CERVANTE..."

Quixote - it's interested me, called to me, for several years now. But, it also scares me. (I HATE starting a book and not finishing it. I have about 5 books in my library - past 25 years or so - that are 'unfinished'. Hate it hate it hate it). I guess its age, the fact that it's a translation and that it's huge, intimidates me a bit. Also, I'm aware that my time on this earth is limited and the great books to read limitless - so I don't want to waste my precious time either. All this to say that I haven't read it ....

Did read and LOVED Crime and Punishment - so the lengthy classics don't necessarily put-me-off....

Your thoughts Jim? (on Cervantes)

[Sharon]

A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Handmaid Tale
The Kite Runner
Pope Joan
To Kill a Mockingbird
Silk
The Art of Racing in the Rain
The Reluctant Fundamentalist

[Sherry (sethurner)]

Here are a few favorites of mine (both nonfiction and fiction). It's hard to choose, but I tried to think of books I've chosen to reread, or that I find myself quoting or thinking of out of the blue.

Painting as a Pastime, Winston Churchill
The Land Remembers, Ben Logan
Morality Play, Barry Unsworth
The Story of My Life, Helen Keller
The Hero With a Thousand Faces, Joseph Campbell
Death Comes for the Archbishop, Willa Cather
The Old Man and the Sea, Ernest Hemingway
Letters to Alice: On First Reading Jane Austen, Fay Weldon
The Haunting of Hill House, Shirley Jackson
The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck
84 Charing Cross Road, Helene Hanff
Kidnapped, Robert Louis Stevenson
Angle of Repose, Wallace Stegner
Wuthering Heights, Emily Bronte
A Sand County Almanac, Aldo Leopold
Our Town, Thornton Wilder
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
To Kill a Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The Velveteen Rabbit, Margery Bianco
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
A Night to Remember, Walter Lord
Dandelion Wine, Ray Bradbury
Travels With My Aunt, Graham Greene
A River Runs Through It, Norman Maclean
Carrie, Stephen King
Macbeth, William Shaespeare

[Eileen]

This was hard to compile, but here is my list:


Catch 22, JD Salinger
Beach Music, Pat Conroy
The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
King Lear, William Shakespeare
One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Ken Kesey
Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
The Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett
In Cold Blood, Truman Capote
Angela's Ashes, Frank McCourt
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat, Oliver Sacks
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
Johnny Mad Dog, Emmanuel Dongala
Chasing Redbird, Sharon Creech (this is a children's novel, but it is excellent)
Anne Frank: The Diary of a Young Girl

I'm sure I have dozens more, but that will do for now :]

[Laura Beth]

Here are a few of mine:
Jane Eyre
The Pillars of the Earth
The Book Thief
The Forgotten Garden
The Noticer: Sometimes, all a person needs is a little perspective.
The Giver
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Redemption