Genres.
Western. Science Fiction. Mystery. Fantasy. Historical Fiction.
I don't know why the human race likes to categorize so much - maybe naming the animals was so much fun that we can't help naming things now - I know I tend to name a lot of inanimate objects - like the external hard drive that my office has - his name is Sam.
I was thinking about how complicated it might be to be genre-less but you know what? I don't think it would be that complicated. It's complicated NOW with all the hybrids - SciFi/Fantasy, Fantasy/Western, Mystery/Historical/Thriller, etc. I think it would be interesting to see what the publishing world would be like without genres. "What's the book like?" "You just have to read it, I can't explain." I don't know...it might work. :) Just a thought.
HOWEVER
There is one reason I do like the idea of genres - it helps me know what sort of person I'm talking to. "I LOVE the Christian Fiction/Romance Section!" Sadly, I don't think that person and I have a lot (if anything) in common and therefore have not much to talk about. (Maybe we can talk about something besides books?) I'm not saying I love talking to everyone who's a sci-fi nerd either - there are definite things I do and don't like, books I love and hate, and if the sci-fi nerd's one of those elitist snots who can't appreciate other genres...well I won't really have a lot to talk about with them either. But, usually, the people who enjoy the genres I do will have more to talk about and introduce each other to.
My favorite genres are Sci-Fi and Fantasy (big surprise), although when I was younger I mostly just read historical fiction, mystery, and the classics. I love all five of these areas and I am open to trying new genres, although I doubt the Romance section will hold much interest for me. If the whole story revolves around 2 people sleeping together...well, I'm not interested. Do something cool for a change. :)
What are your favorite genres?
Here are some lists of my favorite genres and good books in each:
Historical Fiction
1. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
2. Adam of the Road by Elizabeth Janet Gray
3. The Stowaway by Karen Hesse
Mystery
1. The Harlquin Teaset & Other Stories by Agatha Christie
2. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Arthur Conan Doyle
3. And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie
Classics
1. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen
3. Kim by Rudyard Kipling
Sci-Fi
1. The Giver by Lois Lowry
2. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams
3. Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card
Fantasy
1. The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
2. The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander
3. The Wrinkle in Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle
I think a lot can be gained from each genre...there are definite lessons reiterated in each section of literature...perhaps that is why we are drawn to certain genres...anway,
Enjoy the weekend!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The Golden Age & Kenneth Grahame
Have you ever read or seen the animated adaptions of the Wind in the Willows or The Willows in Winter? Did you know there is a third in this series called Toad Triumphant (and more)? These were once children's favorites, the light-hearted adventures of Ratty, Mole, Toad, and Badger. Most people now recognize the title but their only exposure is a cartoon they viewed in childhood (there are two wonderfully animated movies of the first two books - they are lovely, but there are some things in a book you just can't get in a movie).
Did you know that Kenneth Grahame, who only wrote the first in the trilogy also wrote other stories for children?
My favorite book that I've read of Grahame's is The Golden Age.
I have never found anyone else (not even my siblings!) who has read this gem of a book. The book's back cover simply states that it contains the tale of five children, including the unnamed sibling who recounts these tales, and their struggles to have adventures despite their aggravating grown-up uncles and aunts.
Now
I always have beef with books' back covers because they never explain properly.
(but that is an entirely different post)
The Golden Age is REALLY about a young boy (the unnamed narrator) and his siblings living in the golden age of childhood, and what it's like watching your older siblings grow up to be just like you never said you'd be. It is exquisite, artistic, and full of references of a bygone era that probably no one would understand - because of my history nerdness I got one or two of them but I can't understand Greek so that reference is lost to me.
If you ever read it, pay close attention to the chapter "The Knight's Road". It's my favorite.
The only other person who enjoys these tales is my friend Elise, who begs me to read them aloud to her when I visit. They are really for reading aloud as each chapter is its own story.
I wish I could animate THIS book. It's so beautiful.
Kenneth Grahame has also written:
The Wind in the Willows
Dream Days (including The Reluctant Dragon)
Pagan Papers
Did you know that Kenneth Grahame, who only wrote the first in the trilogy also wrote other stories for children?
My favorite book that I've read of Grahame's is The Golden Age.
I have never found anyone else (not even my siblings!) who has read this gem of a book. The book's back cover simply states that it contains the tale of five children, including the unnamed sibling who recounts these tales, and their struggles to have adventures despite their aggravating grown-up uncles and aunts.
Now
I always have beef with books' back covers because they never explain properly.
(but that is an entirely different post)
The Golden Age is REALLY about a young boy (the unnamed narrator) and his siblings living in the golden age of childhood, and what it's like watching your older siblings grow up to be just like you never said you'd be. It is exquisite, artistic, and full of references of a bygone era that probably no one would understand - because of my history nerdness I got one or two of them but I can't understand Greek so that reference is lost to me.
If you ever read it, pay close attention to the chapter "The Knight's Road". It's my favorite.
The only other person who enjoys these tales is my friend Elise, who begs me to read them aloud to her when I visit. They are really for reading aloud as each chapter is its own story.
I wish I could animate THIS book. It's so beautiful.
Kenneth Grahame has also written:
The Wind in the Willows
Dream Days (including The Reluctant Dragon)
Pagan Papers
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sharon Creech and Bloomability
Did you ever read a book that when you finished you thought "How did they know...?" Rarely do I find a book that I can completely resonate with, but Sharon Creech's "Bloomability" is one of these.
Sharon Creech taught in Europe for a while before coming back to the States and starting her writing career. Her only book about a girl in Europe is Bloomability, and it was a similar experience to my year of living in Europe and attending an international (MK) school.
Domenica (the heroine of this tale) is taken to live with her uncle and aunt, who are in charge of an international school in Switzerland. Her experiences that year changed her life forever.
This book also came at a time when I desperately needed it - I left Spain depressed and ready to drown myself in sorrow over leaving such a beautiful, happy place. Luckily, I found Bloomability, which I then bought and re-read several times. It's still one of my favorite books, even now residing on my bookshelf. It helped me process through leaving a place and continuing on to be "bloomable" wherever I was.
Sharon Creech has a very interesting way of writing, different from any other writer I've experienced. It's like...reading someone's thought process, almost. It's a very intimate, personal way of writing and to read one of her books is to live in her story for a while. I would highly suggest any of her books, including the following:
Absolutely Normal Chaos
Bloomability
The Wanderer
Ruby Holler
Chasing Redbird
Walk Two Moons
Enjoy! If you've read a Sharon Creech book, let me know what you thought!
Sharon Creech taught in Europe for a while before coming back to the States and starting her writing career. Her only book about a girl in Europe is Bloomability, and it was a similar experience to my year of living in Europe and attending an international (MK) school.
Domenica (the heroine of this tale) is taken to live with her uncle and aunt, who are in charge of an international school in Switzerland. Her experiences that year changed her life forever.
This book also came at a time when I desperately needed it - I left Spain depressed and ready to drown myself in sorrow over leaving such a beautiful, happy place. Luckily, I found Bloomability, which I then bought and re-read several times. It's still one of my favorite books, even now residing on my bookshelf. It helped me process through leaving a place and continuing on to be "bloomable" wherever I was.
Sharon Creech has a very interesting way of writing, different from any other writer I've experienced. It's like...reading someone's thought process, almost. It's a very intimate, personal way of writing and to read one of her books is to live in her story for a while. I would highly suggest any of her books, including the following:
Absolutely Normal Chaos
Bloomability
The Wanderer
Ruby Holler
Chasing Redbird
Walk Two Moons
Enjoy! If you've read a Sharon Creech book, let me know what you thought!
Friday, February 13, 2009
What about the Classics?
First, a few more books to add to my list...*sheepish grin*
1. The Lost Prince by Frances Hodgson Burnett
2. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
3. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sczieska
4. Bloomability by Sharon Creech
5. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
-
So what about the classics? Why don't I have a bazillion of those listed? I remember reading somewhere that "classics are books that everyone wants to have read but no one wants to read." Hm. Why is that?
I remember when I was younger, I heard that War and Peace was the longest, possibly hardest novel to read. Accordingly, I checked out the only version I could find at the library, the 1,000+ page ABRIDGED version. Yeah. Well...I found that, although it was a slow read, the story was great, if you could keep all the characters straight in your head. I tried Dostoyevsky's The Idiot over Christmas one year but lost interest once I couldn't keep the million characters in order...I do love the concept of Russian novels and story-telling...but my (supposed) ADD keeps getting in the way. Perhaps that is why I love children's fiction so much - it's easy to keep me occupied!
So that is just to say that, while I enjoy some classics...I mostly stick to what I'm good at reading. That's why you probably won't find an entry where I will praise a book of instructions about how to build something. BORING! At least to me.
Hence: Why are classics that we want to have read? Maybe because we want to impress people - "I've read this many classics!" or maybe we wish we'd read them when we were younger when we had time to read or...maybe because reading something that large with so many characters is intimidating! There are some classics that are less trouble and I offer you the following:
a list of classics that I HAVE enjoyed, and they are here for you to peruse at your leisure.
1. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
4. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
5. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Persuasion by Jane Austen
7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
9.Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
10. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
11. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
12. Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
13. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
14. Alice in Wonderland & Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
15. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
16. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
17. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
18. The Sea Wolf by Jack London
19. Knights of the Round Table by Howard Pyle
20. Kim by Rudyard Kipling
21. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
Whew...I didn't realize I'd read so many! (only 21...but that's more than I thought!)
There are about 10 more that I read that I DIDN'T enjoy but I don't want to waste your time by listing them...most of the time, I don't like a story if it has a really tragic ending...I hated Tale of Two Cities for a long time but I love Dickens so...I forgave him the ending.
Let me know what you've read, liked/disliked - I look forward to dialogging with you!
1. The Lost Prince by Frances Hodgson Burnett
2. The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick
3. The True Story of the Three Little Pigs by Jon Sczieska
4. Bloomability by Sharon Creech
5. Pride & Prejudice by Jane Austen
-
So what about the classics? Why don't I have a bazillion of those listed? I remember reading somewhere that "classics are books that everyone wants to have read but no one wants to read." Hm. Why is that?
I remember when I was younger, I heard that War and Peace was the longest, possibly hardest novel to read. Accordingly, I checked out the only version I could find at the library, the 1,000+ page ABRIDGED version. Yeah. Well...I found that, although it was a slow read, the story was great, if you could keep all the characters straight in your head. I tried Dostoyevsky's The Idiot over Christmas one year but lost interest once I couldn't keep the million characters in order...I do love the concept of Russian novels and story-telling...but my (supposed) ADD keeps getting in the way. Perhaps that is why I love children's fiction so much - it's easy to keep me occupied!
So that is just to say that, while I enjoy some classics...I mostly stick to what I'm good at reading. That's why you probably won't find an entry where I will praise a book of instructions about how to build something. BORING! At least to me.
Hence: Why are classics that we want to have read? Maybe because we want to impress people - "I've read this many classics!" or maybe we wish we'd read them when we were younger when we had time to read or...maybe because reading something that large with so many characters is intimidating! There are some classics that are less trouble and I offer you the following:
a list of classics that I HAVE enjoyed, and they are here for you to peruse at your leisure.
1. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens
2. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
3. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy
4. Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
5. Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
6. Persuasion by Jane Austen
7. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens
8. Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe
9.Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift
10. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court by Mark Twain
11. Frankenstein by Mary Shelley
12. Swiss Family Robinson by Johann Wyss
13. Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
14. Alice in Wonderland & Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
15. Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
16. Around the World in 80 Days by Jules Verne
17. Journey to the Center of the Earth by Jules Verne
18. The Sea Wolf by Jack London
19. Knights of the Round Table by Howard Pyle
20. Kim by Rudyard Kipling
21. The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
Whew...I didn't realize I'd read so many! (only 21...but that's more than I thought!)
There are about 10 more that I read that I DIDN'T enjoy but I don't want to waste your time by listing them...most of the time, I don't like a story if it has a really tragic ending...I hated Tale of Two Cities for a long time but I love Dickens so...I forgave him the ending.
Let me know what you've read, liked/disliked - I look forward to dialogging with you!
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Joan Aiken & The Wolves of Willoughby Chase
First, more books that again, I would have put down but I forgot:
1. Raphael & the Noble Task by Catherine Salton
2. Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott
3. The Mona Lisa Mystery by Pat Hutchins
4. Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld
5. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
6. Squires Tales (series) by Gerald Morris
7. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Now, on to business:
Usually, once I find an author I like, I try out some of their other books to see if they are all just as good as the first one. Sadly, a lot of authors are hit-or-miss and rarely do I find someone who can write lots of books very well. I find that most of the time an author will write 1 or 2 really, really interesting books and that the rest are either mediocre or not about something I'm excited about. Avi, Lois Lowry, and Lloyd Alexander are three examples. Although I dearly love The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, the Giver, and the Arkadians, I do not love some of their other, more boring books.
HOWEVER
I have discovered an author who has managed to delightfully capture beautiful little tales and present them in a way that interests me. This author is Joan Aiken, sister of Jane Aiken Hodge (also a novelist) and daughter of Conrad Aiken, a poet. She was born in England (1924) and wrote over 40 books, most of them for children.
I was first introduced to her works in a library - as is my usual habit, I was perusing the children's section when I came across a curious title: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. It caught my curiosity and I pulled the book out to reveal a red, black and white cover. I took it home and fell in love. Joan's book about cousins Bonnie and Sylvia is delicious - Sylvia, an orphan, goes to live with her cousin Bonnie and while Bonnie's parents are away, their evil governess takes over. Though Sylvia is a compliant, sweet child, Bonnie's rebellion against the cruel teacher lands them in heaps of trouble. They begin to unravel the plot around the governess's arrival and...well...you should read it.
The most interesting thing about Joan Aiken and the Wolves Chronicles (which begin with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase) is that she writes them as if England's history had gone a bit differently...I won't say too much, but Joan writes in an alternate universe and London is not quite the same as we know it. Fascinating.
If you try Wolves of Willoughby Chase (ostensibly for 6th grade readers but quite entertaining for any age) and find that you like it (or love it) you might want to try these:
Nightbird on Nantucket
Dido and Pa
Is Underground
Blackhearts in Battersea
Midnight is a Place
Have fun and if you do read The Wolves of Willoughby Chase or any Joan Aiken book, let me know what you think!
1. Raphael & the Noble Task by Catherine Salton
2. Jack and Jill by Louisa May Alcott
3. The Mona Lisa Mystery by Pat Hutchins
4. Detectives in Togas by Henry Winterfeld
5. King of the Wind by Marguerite Henry
6. Squires Tales (series) by Gerald Morris
7. The Princess Academy by Shannon Hale
Now, on to business:
Usually, once I find an author I like, I try out some of their other books to see if they are all just as good as the first one. Sadly, a lot of authors are hit-or-miss and rarely do I find someone who can write lots of books very well. I find that most of the time an author will write 1 or 2 really, really interesting books and that the rest are either mediocre or not about something I'm excited about. Avi, Lois Lowry, and Lloyd Alexander are three examples. Although I dearly love The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle, the Giver, and the Arkadians, I do not love some of their other, more boring books.
HOWEVER
I have discovered an author who has managed to delightfully capture beautiful little tales and present them in a way that interests me. This author is Joan Aiken, sister of Jane Aiken Hodge (also a novelist) and daughter of Conrad Aiken, a poet. She was born in England (1924) and wrote over 40 books, most of them for children.
I was first introduced to her works in a library - as is my usual habit, I was perusing the children's section when I came across a curious title: The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. It caught my curiosity and I pulled the book out to reveal a red, black and white cover. I took it home and fell in love. Joan's book about cousins Bonnie and Sylvia is delicious - Sylvia, an orphan, goes to live with her cousin Bonnie and while Bonnie's parents are away, their evil governess takes over. Though Sylvia is a compliant, sweet child, Bonnie's rebellion against the cruel teacher lands them in heaps of trouble. They begin to unravel the plot around the governess's arrival and...well...you should read it.
The most interesting thing about Joan Aiken and the Wolves Chronicles (which begin with The Wolves of Willoughby Chase) is that she writes them as if England's history had gone a bit differently...I won't say too much, but Joan writes in an alternate universe and London is not quite the same as we know it. Fascinating.
If you try Wolves of Willoughby Chase (ostensibly for 6th grade readers but quite entertaining for any age) and find that you like it (or love it) you might want to try these:
Nightbird on Nantucket
Dido and Pa
Is Underground
Blackhearts in Battersea
Midnight is a Place
Have fun and if you do read The Wolves of Willoughby Chase or any Joan Aiken book, let me know what you think!
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
More Favorite Books & Etc.
The reason I can't pick a favorite...
Here are books I would have put on the 25 book list but forgot:
1. The Golden Age by Kenneth Graghme
2. The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit
3. The Emily Trilogy by L.M. Montgomery
4. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
5. The High Seas Trilogy by Iain Lawrence
6. The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly
7. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
9. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
10. Beauty by Robin McKinley
Now on to the reason I'm writing this post:
I wanted to talk a little bit about what I'm going to use this blog for and what I want to accomplish.
I want people to enjoy reading - whatever their particular taste is, I want them to experience more of what they love. You like mysteries? Try these four books! You like children's fiction? Here's a list of 10! I want you to be able to go to the library, find a book, and explore a little. I want you to experience the joy that comes when a story touches your soul.
There are a few different types of blog entries I'm going to have - sometimes, I will list my favorite books; other times, I will talk about one of my favorite authors; sometimes I will pick one book and do a sort of literary criticism and promote it in hopes that you will read and come back and dialog with me.
The other thing I want is for you to tell me what YOU like - I could always add another book to my reading list! :) I want to get to know you better so that I will be able to suggest books to your liking - so leave feedback! If you've read one of the books I've mentioned, and you liked/disliked it, let me know! I'm always interested and would love to dialog with you about books. (Although, a warning: I'm hard to shut up once you mention the word 'book'!)
Have a lovely day, everyone!
Here are books I would have put on the 25 book list but forgot:
1. The Golden Age by Kenneth Graghme
2. The Search for Delicious by Natalie Babbit
3. The Emily Trilogy by L.M. Montgomery
4. The Blue Castle by L.M. Montgomery
5. The High Seas Trilogy by Iain Lawrence
6. The Folk Keeper by Franny Billingsly
7. The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo
8. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
9. The Sherwood Ring by Elizabeth Marie Pope
10. Beauty by Robin McKinley
Now on to the reason I'm writing this post:
I wanted to talk a little bit about what I'm going to use this blog for and what I want to accomplish.
I want people to enjoy reading - whatever their particular taste is, I want them to experience more of what they love. You like mysteries? Try these four books! You like children's fiction? Here's a list of 10! I want you to be able to go to the library, find a book, and explore a little. I want you to experience the joy that comes when a story touches your soul.
There are a few different types of blog entries I'm going to have - sometimes, I will list my favorite books; other times, I will talk about one of my favorite authors; sometimes I will pick one book and do a sort of literary criticism and promote it in hopes that you will read and come back and dialog with me.
The other thing I want is for you to tell me what YOU like - I could always add another book to my reading list! :) I want to get to know you better so that I will be able to suggest books to your liking - so leave feedback! If you've read one of the books I've mentioned, and you liked/disliked it, let me know! I'm always interested and would love to dialog with you about books. (Although, a warning: I'm hard to shut up once you mention the word 'book'!)
Have a lovely day, everyone!
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Me, a Literary Critic?
I was chatting with a friend recently about the kind of job I would like to have someday. "I would love a job where I could get to know people and suggest books they would like to read." He suggested a job as a literary critic. This idea swirled around in my head for a bit and I decided I liked the idea and would take a stab at it.
First of all - I'm not a literary critic in the sense that I am going to read every new book that comes out and comment on it.
Second of all - I would like to get to know my readers so that I can suggest books for you PERSONALLY. That way I know what would spark your interest.
What criteria should be met for me to suggest books? I offer the following information:
1. I fell in love with reading at age 5 and have never stopped reading since.
2. I read a wide range of genres including, but not limited to, sci-fi, fantasy, children's lit., classics, historical/non-historical fiction, thriller/mystery, and biographical.
3. I have been able to create a change in several peoples' reading habits because of my suggestions
4. I do take part in some forms of writing quite often - poetry, short stories, and the occasional novella.
So, think of this blog as a...literary suggestion blog...with occasional criticisms.
And now, to start off, a list of my top 25 favorite books/trilogies/series (you are lucky, it was going to be 100! *Note: these are not in order except for the first one)
The criteria for books to be my favorites are 1. they have to challenge me/change the way I do things/think about things in some way, or open my mind to new possibilities; 2. they have to touch my soul - the beauty of a passage will make a book an instant favorite with me. What are your criteria for a favorite book?
1. The Adventures of Tippy by Glanville Smith ( a beautiful little fairytale)
2. A Wrinkle in Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle
3. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
4. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
5. Persuasion by Jane Austen
6. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
7. Golden by Cameron Dokey
8. Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey
9. Seven Daughters & Seven Sons by Bahija Lovejoy
10. No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
11. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
12. Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Elanor Updale
13. The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken
14. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
15. The Giver by Lois Lowry
16. The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
17. Frindle by Andrew Clements
18. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
19. The Harlequin Teaset (short story) by Agatha Christie
20. The Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
21. Sea Legs by Alex Shearer
22. The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
23. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
24. The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander
25. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
First of all - I'm not a literary critic in the sense that I am going to read every new book that comes out and comment on it.
Second of all - I would like to get to know my readers so that I can suggest books for you PERSONALLY. That way I know what would spark your interest.
What criteria should be met for me to suggest books? I offer the following information:
1. I fell in love with reading at age 5 and have never stopped reading since.
2. I read a wide range of genres including, but not limited to, sci-fi, fantasy, children's lit., classics, historical/non-historical fiction, thriller/mystery, and biographical.
3. I have been able to create a change in several peoples' reading habits because of my suggestions
4. I do take part in some forms of writing quite often - poetry, short stories, and the occasional novella.
So, think of this blog as a...literary suggestion blog...with occasional criticisms.
And now, to start off, a list of my top 25 favorite books/trilogies/series (you are lucky, it was going to be 100! *Note: these are not in order except for the first one)
The criteria for books to be my favorites are 1. they have to challenge me/change the way I do things/think about things in some way, or open my mind to new possibilities; 2. they have to touch my soul - the beauty of a passage will make a book an instant favorite with me. What are your criteria for a favorite book?
1. The Adventures of Tippy by Glanville Smith ( a beautiful little fairytale)
2. A Wrinkle in Time Quartet by Madeleine L'Engle
3. The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
4. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis
5. Persuasion by Jane Austen
6. The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling
7. Golden by Cameron Dokey
8. Beauty Sleep by Cameron Dokey
9. Seven Daughters & Seven Sons by Bahija Lovejoy
10. No Flying in the House by Betty Brock
11. The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner
12. Montmorency: Thief, Liar, Gentleman? by Elanor Updale
13. The Wolves Chronicles by Joan Aiken
14. The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi
15. The Giver by Lois Lowry
16. The Abhorsen Trilogy by Garth Nix
17. Frindle by Andrew Clements
18. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak
19. The Harlequin Teaset (short story) by Agatha Christie
20. The Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde
21. Sea Legs by Alex Shearer
22. The Redwall series by Brian Jacques
23. A Series of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket
24. The Arkadians by Lloyd Alexander
25. Blue Like Jazz by Donald Miller
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