Here’s a list of fifteen books I have grown to love in a lifetime of reading. Narrowing down to fifteen for a guest blog at http://christianreads.blogspot.com.au a few months ago was difficult, but these ones stood out.
- Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery : The Anne books gave me so much pleasure and helped me learn that even if you are a person who seems to get in trouble a lot, you can turn out to be a more understanding person as you get older. Visiting Prince Edward Island and walking along the paths Montgomery did, was one of the highlights of my life. I must admit, a few tears were shed.
- My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult: I love Picoult’s writing and have heard her speak a couple of times. I love the way she presents various points of view about a moral dilemma and wraps it up in an absorbing story.
- Christy, by Catherine Marshall: A beautiful story. As a teacher in a difficult, remote school I could relate to the story. Also, the idea of God giving us a ‘bundle’ in the form of a person to look after has stayed with me for a very long time.
- Little Women by Louisa May Alcott: Old-fashioned values and character never go out of style. I have read and re-read this book over my lifetime. Jo is one of those heroines I tried to be when I grew up!
- Cloudstreet by Tim Winton: I love Winton’s use of language and the way he creates a sense of place, time and soul. I saw the stage adaption and fell in love with it even more.
- Hamlet and Macbeth by William Shakespeare: I love a good tragedy. Both of these were on my high school reading list, and I subsequently taught them. So much wisdom and amazing language use.
- To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee: My favourite book of all. I read it when I was sixteen and Atticus Finch became the sort of man I admired for his sort of justice and gentle ways. I also love the movie.
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak: This book, by an Australian, is not only a wonderful story, it inspires me to be a better writer. Zusak’s ability to be profound and create beautiful images astounds me.
- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte: As a brooding teenager, I visited Haworth and walked the Yorkshire moors. I loved the darkness of Jane Eyre and the complicated interplay of the characters. I’ve read this book many times and am drawn back into the brooding.
- Animal Farm by George Orwell: I also read this book as a teenager and was impacted by the history and political background to the text. I was studying Russian history at the time and it all seemed to work together. This book was part of my political education and an insight into the workings of power.
- The Grapes Of Wrath by John Steinbeck: I visited Monterey County and the Cannery Row a couple of years ago and loved seeing the landscape that inspired Steinbeck. This book was also part of my political education. I studied the Depression in History and this book rounded out my perspective of it.
12. Brave New World by Aldous Huxley: For some reason I loved dystopian fiction as a teenager—similar the teens who love The Hunger Games today. I didn’t understand it fully until I was an adult. I must have been pretty innocent! However, the book stayed with me and, along with 1984, contributed to my suspicion of government control!
13. Lord of the Flies by William Golding: As a young Christian this impacted me as it showed me the power of unleashed sin. What happens when we don’t have any boundaries? When we are allowed to run free? I found it scary and it served as a warning to me.
14. Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence: My Dad’s family comes from Northern England mining background. This book gave me an insight into that life. When I finally got to visit the places my family came from, I already had a picture in my mind of the life my dad and his forbears lived. It also explained a lot of family politics and the relationship between my dad and his mother
15. Tess of the d’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy: Another brooding book, but this one annoyed me. I felt Tess was stupid and allowed love to ruin her life—not always the accepted interpretation—but I really got angry with her. This book inspired me to be tough when it came to boys in my life. I was determined not to let a boy ruin my life. It’s funny how things influence you isn’t it?
