My Favorite Books

Children's	Contemporary Literary
Classic Literary	Writing Books

Charlotte's Web, E.B. White. I think this is one of the first books I read as a child in one sitting. Anne of Green Gables, L.M. Montgomery. I read this the first time in the 8th grade. I own almost all her books. Emily of New Moon, L.M. Montgomery. Very different from the Anne books. It's darker, sadder, and explores psychic ability which is interesting given the time it was written and the fact Mrs. Montgomery was a minister's wife. Bridge to Terabitha, Katherine Paterson. I don't remember all the specifics of this book, but I know I've reread it many times. I also enjoyed her book Jacob Have I Loved Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH, Robert C. O'Brien. I saw the movie first. I still have this book, too." The Endless Steppe, Esther Hautzig. I read this in the 6th grade. My teacher had it in the class library. I don't remember exactly what it's about either, but since the title has stuck with me all these years, I thought I'd include it.

Durable Goods and Joy School, Elizabeth Berg, my favorite author. All of her books are fabulous. These two are about the same girl at different times in her life. The Rapture of Canaan, Sheri Reynolds. This was the first book I read for "fun" after graduating from college. The language is like poetry. It was an amazing read. All of her books are great, but this one I reread the most. Shopgirl, Steve Martin. My friend, Tim, gave this book to me for Christmas. I had no idea that Steve Martin could write so well! The novella tells the story of four people and their growth in their relationships with each other. It ends differently than I expected, but it ends well. The Deep End of the Ocean, Jacquelyn Mitchard. Part of the appeal is that she lives in Madison, Wisconsin. But, the writing was great, and the movie made of it didn't compare at all. I feel Mitchard's did a brave thing having the mother give her kidnapped son back to the only father he'd known. It was a great plot twist. And it was believable. The Joy Luck Club, Amy Tan. I had a hard time keeping track of all the characters at first. I love the interweaving of the mother/daughter stories.

	Jane Eyre, Charlotte Brontë. I read this the first time in 8th grade and recently reread it. It's tragic and romantic.		The Scarlet Letter, Nathaniel Hawthorne. I was lucky to have a fabulous teacher for this novel in high school who enlightened me about all the symbolisms and metaphors.
The Return of the Native, Thomas Hardy. Again, very romantic and tragic. Somehow, that always appeals to high school aged girls. I was 17 when I read this.		Kilmeny of the Orchard, L.M. Montgomery. She's usually considered a children's writer, but this book is geared for adults.
	Little Women, Louisa May Alcott. I read the abridged version as a child. Admittedly, I saw the movie first and then read the unabridged edition. I still don't like it that Laurie and Amy marry.		A Separate Peace, John Knowles. Reminds me of my favorite movie, Dead Poet's Society
Death be Not Proud, John Gunther. I read this as a high school freshman.		The Hobbit, J.R. Tolkein. I am determined to read the Lord of the Rings book(s) before I see the movies. I have known for years that the first movie was set to release this past Christmas. Did I get around to reading the book? No.

Escaping into the Open: The Art of True Writing, Elizabeth Berg. This is the only writing book I've ever read (and I have shelves of them. Can't stop buying...) that reads as well as a novel.
Room to Write, Bonnie Goldberg. This little book contains around 200 fabulous writing exercises. I bought this last year when I decided that it was time to get serious about writing again. I found this book and bought a journal and started in. Sometimes I pick several to write, while other times one is enough. The book is banged up from the constant barrage of use it gets. Several of the exercises have evolved into "real" pieces.
A Poetry Handbook, Mary Oliver. I had forgotten about this text that I used in my college poetry classes until I started writing poetry again and someone reminded me of it. It is a must for all writers, not just aspiring poets. It eloquently explains how instrumental the sounds of words are, and why certain word evoke the feelings they do. Poetry forms and imagery are just some of the topics touched upon.