One of my favorite places in the entire world is this little neighborhood used book store that I discovered by accident one day. I could spend all day in there sometimes because I love discovering new books. Some might say I have an obsession with reading as most of the time when they see me I have a book in my hand. Generally speaking, I carry a book with me everywhere I go, because you never know when you may have a need for one.
It is extremely difficult to pick a favorite book. Any bibliophile will tell you that. Sure, we all have a genre we prefer, but picking just one book is impossible. On that note, I have done my best and narrowed down my choices considerably. I’ll be perfectly honest and admit that I did cheat a little bit as several times I listed not one book, but an entire series, but I digress. So without further ado, here are my top 21 favorite books (in no particular order):
1. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
I chose this book because as a child I identified with Max. He so very much longed to be somewhere different and when he got his wish he discovered a land where he was king. In the end he finds himself feeling lonely and homesick because this new land is not all he expected it to be. He missed his home. I think all kids long to run away and be free to do as they please, but is it really worth it when what you leave behind is really what you need? A home, with someone waiting for you who loves you…even when your wildness has gotten a little out of hand.
2. Night by Elie Wiesel
This memoir is one of the most compelling accounts of a Holocaust survivor’s tale that I have ever read. When I first discovered this book I was in the fourth grade and was trying to figure out where the truth and fiction about the Holocaust really fell. After all, history books only tell you so much. To this day I still re-read this book when I find myself needing a reminder that nothing I have gone through in my life has truly been a struggle and that everyone can overcome true darkness if you just hang on to hope.
3. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
This one made the list for some obvious and not so obvious reasons. I mean c’mon, who among us didn’t stand by the mailbox after reading the first book longing for our Hogwarts letter to arrive? Harry Potter is not just a story of how good triumphs over evil and all of that. It’s so much more. It’s about friendship, courage, strength in the face of adversary, and okay, fine, really cool magic tricks and Quidditch. This series I think is the only one I can safely might possibly be my all-time favorite. I will forever be grateful to J.K. Rowling and her wizarding world where even the most ordinary among us could be the hero.
4. Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom
One of my middle school English teacher’s actually gave me this book to read. She told me that it seemed like it’d be right up my alley. Boy, was she ever right. I have since replaced this book twice because I’ve read it so much it’s fallen apart. Tuesdays with Morrie is a memoir in which Mitch is reconnected with an old college professor who is dying from ALS. The book then chronicles the final lesson Morrie teaches him. It’s a story about keeping promises, celebrating life, searching for meaning, and overall, just living life to its absolute fullest at all times.
5. The Christmas List by Richard Paul Evans
I found this book by accident doing an internet search for something else one winter afternoon. The main character in this book is likened to Ebeneezer Scrooge, as he is mean spirited and basically has no heart in the beginning of the novel. Then he discovers his obituary in the morning paper. I’ll refrain from too many spoilers, but suffice it to say that this book is all about recognizing our own shortcomings and acknowledging our own worst traits, while trying to make amends.
6. Little Women by Louise May Alcott
I loved this book as a little girl and have grown to love it even more as an adult. Every time I read it I discover something new which I didn’t notice before. I grew up as the youngest of three sisters so I identified with Amy in a lot of ways, but I also had a soft spot for Jo and her rebellious writer’s heart.
7. The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
Oh, Eddy, how you made me love you from the very first page. Eddy is a maintenance worker at an amusement park on the beach. One day he dies while trying to warn families of an impending accident (again, I’ll avoid spoilers). This book is about connections. How everyone we come across in our life, regardless of the amount of time they spend in ours, matters to who we ultimately we become. Whether it’s 30 seconds or 30 years everyone is a part of our story.
8. The Divergent Series by Veronica Roth
There is one message in this book that stood out to me the most: find out who you are and then own it. The main character in this series, Tris, is on a road of self-discovery and empowerment. She is on a journey to find her own voice in the crowd when so many others want to stifle it. And of course, what’s a good novel without a little romance and war thrown in for good measure? The bottom line is, if you’re trying to find your way in the world, take a page out of these books.
9. The Odyssey and The Iliad by Homer
Okay, it might be just me, but I get some pretty strange looks when I tell people I read these for fun. I love the adventure and the narrative contained in these volumes. Am I the only one who still cringes when Odysseus is captured by the Cyclops? I’ve read it a thousand times at least and I still love the part where Hera attempts to lure her husband Zeus from the battlefield if only for a moment. Homer certainly had a knack for detail and he provided every ounce of imagination one could possibly need to enjoy these epic poems. You know, once you get past the confusing language and rhythm of it all.
10. Between the Lines by Jodi Picoult and Samantha Van Leer
Who doesn’t love a good fairy tale, am I right? Especially when that fairy tale talks back. The heroine in this book discovers a children’s book in her school library and soon finds herself falling in love with the prince among the pages. The whole book is full of beautiful illustrations and the wit, comedic timing, and drama come together in such a way that keeps you turning pages. I finished this book in a little under 5 hours. And no, I’m not exaggerating. It’s that amazing!
11. The Holy Bible
12. The Love Comes Softly Series by Jeanette Oke
Faith, love, and acceptance. That’s what I learned from this series. This series follows a family from a marriage of convenience to a lifetime of children and happiness. What I learned from reading these books is that love is not something we find, but rather something that sneaks up on us when we least expect it and that family will be what connects you to the past even while you’re focused on building your own future.
13. The Diary of A Young Girl by Anne Frank
Again, everyone is familiar with this book and pretty much everyone has read it. It is of course about a young Jewish girl who is forced into hiding during the occupation of the Netherlands, whom is eventually discovered and deported to death camp, but in reality it is so much bigger than that. It’s about finding the light in the darkness, finding joy when you’re surrounded by fear and absolute evil, and in the immortal words of Anne Frank herself “despite everything I feel as though people are basically good at heart”.
14. Wait till Helen Comes by Mary Downing Hahn
Oh my gosh, when I was little this book was the ultimate in Friday night frights. It’s a classic ghost story. It has a little girl who has tragically lost her mother, a misunderstood older step sibling…all the classic makings of epic storytelling. What did my young, eight-year-old self learn from this book? Family is family, no matter how you got them. And most importantly I learned forgiveness and understanding.
15. The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
Life sucks. That’s pretty much the gist of this book. Learning to live with the hand that fate dealt you and sometimes all you really want to do is egg someone’s car. This book was insanely popular a couple of years ago and for that reason I avoided reading it as long as I possibly could. Stupid! I read this book, sitting out by the pool, in two hours. This book is about cruel tricks of fate, yes, but it is also about learning to love regardless how brief of a time you may have.
16. The Neverending Story by Michael Ende
Alright, when we were kids we were always taught that taking things that didn’t belong to us was wrong. But oh my gosh, if being wrong turned out to be as epic as this kid’s stolen book was who would want to be right? I mean, the kid sneaks a book out of a store, skips school by hiding in the school attic, and then saves an entire fantasy kingdom! C’mon, that’s awesome!
17. The Princess Bride by William Gold
Pirates, princesses, and true love. This book has it all. I learned that love is something to be treasured, protected, rescued, and remembered long after the ones who loved us are gone. There are some who claim this book is not one of fiction, but is completely true. And if it is, how cool would that be? A land with giants, magic, and love that never ends even in death? Put me on the next direct flight, please! In all seriousness though, this book has been on my shelf since I was a little girl and it is one that I read over and over again.
18. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
Narnia was my ultimate dream vacation as a child. I actually used to hide in my closet and pretend I was escaping through the wardrobe in the spare room. I thought I was Lucy and could help rescue Narnia from the evil snow witch and all the other demons which befell my beloved kingdom. But alas, I had no such luck. I still escape back into that world sometimes when this one gets too crazy and I find that everyone there is just as I left them, waiting for me to return.
19. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
Written from the perspective of death, this book details the story of a little orphan girl living with foster parents during the early days of Hitler’s rule in Germany. When the girl’s foster father learns she can’t read he begins to teach her and she falls in love with reading and with books. Then she learns the harsh realities of life in Hitler Germany when the family begins hiding a Jewish boy. This one taught me the ultimate life lesson: do not judge a book by its cover. Though she is taught in school that Jews are the cause of all of Germany’s problems, the heroine in this book knows differently and she defies the boundaries placed on friendship during this period in history.
20. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
The narrator in this book, Anna, begins by explaining that some people are here by accident and others are here for a specific purpose. Then it follows her as she hires a lawyer to sue her parents for the right to make her own medical decisions (again, I will avoid too many spoilers because this is a book that begs to be read). This book really gets the waterworks going. And the ending is total surprise, but it’s all about learning to dance in the rain and be grateful for the time you were given with someone.
21. Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
This is the ultimate book about friendship that can withstand any problem or disaster. It’s also about learning that sometimes friendship is not always what it seems and you always find it in the most unlikely places. This is another book I finished in a few hours and one I return to again and again when I want something funny, but still a little emotional. The heroine in this novel is actually a middle aged woman who is down on her luck and needing to rediscover the joy in life which she finds in the form of an elderly woman at a nursing home. The unlikely pair strike up a friendship over stories from the past and events which redefine love and kindness.
I absolutely hate it when I am asked to name my favorite book, because of course it is impossible as I love them all. If you have not read of the ones I listed, I highly recommend that you rush out to your local bookstore or library and grab a copy. Happy reading!
