Anne...

People often ask me what I'm reading and what I recommend they read. This is a list of favorite books. But not just favorite books. These are books that had a very important impact on my reading habits and on my life. In no particular order...here you go:

1. Jane Eyre. This is probably my favorite book of all time. I loved to read before I ever picked this up. And to be honest it took me three starts to get into it, but I don't think I've ever been as enthralled or in love with any story the way I am with this one.

2. Little House on the Prairie. My love for reading probably started with this series. I read it four or five times, often over Christmas break. I couldn't get enough of it.

3. The Little Princess. I didn't know the name of this book when I read it and I can't tell you why. I don't know if the cover/cover pages were missing??? I just picked it up and started reading and later I found out it was the Little Princess.

4. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. If Jane Eyre is my favorite novel, this comes in a very close second. I've read it four or five times...just like Little House on the Prairie, and I will probably read it again. Love it for the prose and the story. So good.

5. Life of Pi. I honestly was fascinated by this book. Fascinated.

6. Night. I taught this for several years. Depressing, of course, but fascinating. It lead to a real interest in Holocaust literature. I read Man's Search for Meaning and The Sunflower because I wanted to understand how people survived. So interesting and life affirming.

7. The Great Gatsby. This is in my top five. Fitzgerald's prose is perfection, and the story breaks my heart.

8. Huckleberry Finn. When I read it as a teen, I liked it. But when I read it as an adult, I understood the satire and I laughed hard at Twain's genius. He's brilliant.

9. To Kill a Mockingbird. This book reaffirms my love for reading every time I've read it.

10. Gone With the Wind. You have to be kidding me, this is sooooo good. I've read it twice and I loved it more the second time around.

11. The Book Thief. A modern masterpiece. If I were still teaching, I would teach this.

12. The Passage. This book is beyond creepy, and I cannot wait to read the next in the series.

13. Harry Potter. How can you not love this? I don't know why people don't eat this stuff up. It's sooooo good. And Harry Potter is probably my favorite character in all of literature. I want to be bffs with Jo Rowling!!!

13. Lord of the Rings. Of course, I would have to include this, and I plan on rereading it this new year.

14. The Wednesday Wars. I would be teaching this little gem as well. I love love loved the voice.

15. The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. I think this is probably on my top three reads of the year. I love E. Lockhart's style.

16. Romancing Miss Bronte. The story of Charlotte Bronte - fictional but very close to her real life. She was interesting, smart, kind, good...genius.

17. These is My Words. It really took me back to Little House and I loved it. I'm certain I will reread it in the future.

18. The Help. Many people have called this commercial fiction and some have said it fails to recognize the seriousness that was the civil rights movement. I don't know about that. I loved it. I couldn't put it down.

19. I Capture the Castle. Adorable.

20. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. I'm pretty sure this was a favorite for book clubs last year. I can see why, too. Great story.

21. Empire Falls. I read this about seven years ago. I still think about it.

22. Dandelion Wine. Honestly one of the most unique books I've ever read. In my top ten.

23. The Poisonwood Bible. Another that I read several years ago that I still think about.

24. Pride and Prejudice. So I've never been able to finish a Jane Austen novel before. I'm going to try this year. BUT...I did finish this and I loved it!

25. The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood. Again, people called this commercial, but I loved it.

26. The Chosen. Fascinating...another one that I plan to reread.

27. The Joy Luck Club. I'd never read a story that shifted between the central characters the way this did, and I think I fell in love with it for that reason alone.

28. Cold Sassy Tree. Laugh out loud funny. Endearing. Best narrator ever!

29. A Separate Peace. I know a lot of people hate this book, but I thought it was haunting.

30. 1984. Probably the first really grown-up book I read. I pulled it off the shelf in AP English, and I was hooked. It was horribly frightening and bleak, but I couldn't put it down.

31. The Scarlet Pimpernel. An ode to camp in all its fine fine glory.

32. Anna Karenina. I admit it. It's sad and somewhat bleak. But it's also hopeful. It's on my top five list.

33. The Picture of Dorian Gray. These last few stories are depressing, but this one...man, I don't know of any story that has stayed with me like this did.

34. The Kite Runner. Sooooooooooooooooo good. Brutal and sad. On my top ten list.

35. Mere Christianity. Probably one of the best defenses of belief in Jesus Christ. No one explains faith better than Lewis.

36. The Count of Monte Cristo. Entertaining as all get out.

37. The Princes Bride. Hilarious. As funny as the movie.

38. The Hunger Games. At least the first two books in the series. Original. Page turners.

39. On the Jellicoe Road. Melina Marchetta is probably my fave young adult author these days. I love her work.

40. Unbroken. I admit that I don't read a lot of nonfiction, but this was well worth it. One of my top three this year. I couldn't put it down.

41. Anne of Green Gables. My inspiration for this list. I was thinking about Miss Anne today. She was bold and bright and I wanted to be her...or at least just like her. And this is also number one on my list. Because I can't choose between Anne and Jane. Both such great great stories.

So there you have it. My list of favorite books. There are lots more...that I will save for another day.