I just counted. Right now, I’m in the middle of no less than five books. Really. I am reading at least five books, and while that’s a lot for even me to be trying to juggle, it speaks to my love of books and reading at large. I’ll try almost any book: fiction, nonfiction, sci-fi, vampire, young adult, whatever. I’ll open the book and try it out, and more often than not, I finish it. But I never, ever crack the spine. It’s a pet peeve.
So here are my five favorite books of ever ever all time (in no particular order).
- The Sun Also Rises by Ernest Hemingway | This book has crawled under my skin, and I love to loose myself into it any chance I get. Have you read it? It’s the story of Jake and his friends who travel to Pamplona, Spain, for the running of the bulls. There’s drinking, love, sex, tension, and brutal honesty. But the beauty of Hemingway is the story he tells while his words say something else. I mean it, the story under the story is what makes this for me.
- The Feast of Love: A Novel by Charles Baxter | If you saw the movie version of this book without reading the book, then I am so sorry for you. Please disregard the pretty bad movie and pick up a copy. Baxter is able to capture all the different types of love-parental, sibling, friendly, pet, between exes, new and old-in a real and beautiful way without being smarmy.
- The Master Butchers Singing Club by Louise Erdrich | This is the story of German immigrants who leave their home and move to the Midwest to farm and grow their lives. Erdrich is the most beautiful writer living today. There I said it, but it’s so so true. I feel like her words cover me and make me a part of all of her books.
- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austin | Cliche? I guess a bit. But how can you not fall in love with Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy? How can you not feel angry with Wickham? I fall in love with Darcy each time I read this book, and that kind of beautiful reaction to words is why I read (and reread).
- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee | Okay. If I’m really honest, this might be my very favorite book. I love the story of Scout and Jem. I love the lessons Atticus teaches. I love the characters of Dill and Boo. Books don’t get any more perfect. If I could eat, sleep, and breathe this book, I would.
Tell me, what are your favorite books?
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I love this post and have made note of the books I have not read for my reading list!
To Kill a Mockingbird, I share this with you, I have read it over and over and over again and it is wonderful each and every time.
Cristo si ‘e fermato ad Eboli, by Carlo Levi, I love Mary McCarthy, racy lady from the 30′s, America Day by Day by Simone de Beauvoir, another racy lady, love them! Invisible Man, Ralph Ellison, there are so many!
Virginia recently posted..Rape Selvatiche
Ooo. And I’m making notes of your favorites too, Virginia. It is so hard to choose just a couple of favorites when books are such an easy thing to love. If you haven’t read it, I recommend Wolf Hall. I’m in the middle of it now, and I love it so, I already bought Bringing Up the Bodies when I finish. It’s unconventional and written in a different style, but I love the challenge.
Wow, I can’t believe you can read 5 books at a time! I’m definitely a 1 book at a time person, otherwise I’m sure I’d be mixing plot lines, time periods and characters all up!
Glad I saw your book list though, I was thinking I need a new book to read (that’s not running or yoga related!) and there are 2 on your list I haven’t read!
My all time favorite book is Sophie’s World, it’s a novel about philosophy…so interesting, I love it! I also love the Old Man and the Sea, The Long Run and I have a total weak spot for the Harry Potter books!
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I’m sure it helps that not everything I’m reading is a novel, or I’d be mixed up too! I would rather just one book, but it seems since I got my Kindle, I have at least 2 books going at a time: one electronic and one paper.
Thanks for the recommendation of Sophie’s World and The Long Run! The Old Man and the Sea is the book that hooked me on Hemingway to begin with. LOVE! And you can’t go wrong with Harry Potter. Prisoner of Azkaban is my fav! <3