Top Ten

So, what if you had to recommend your top ten books of all time? What would make the list? I think if you ask me it depends on what is going on in my life and what I have read recently, however I do have some books that I constantly recommend. What makes it harder is if you add in books that you read as a child...so if you had to list your top ten books of all time...including birth to current age, what would your list include and why....here is my list, and of course I can think of hundreds more that I would add to it.

In no particular order:
1) The Trail of the Lonesome Pine - by John Fox Jr. The first time I read this I fell in love with the story, a girl in Appalachia meets a man who is passing through and her life is completely changed. She goes to school and has a hard time living in the world she grew up in and the world that she is learning about.

2) The Agony and the Ecstacy - by Irving Stone A biography of Michelangeo, while it is historical fiction, this author researches whomever he writes about and the way that he describes his characters hooks you in and makes you feel like you are right there. How did Michelangeo become the artist he is known for? This will tell you.

3) Harriet the Spy - Louise Fitzhugh I always felt so different when I was growing up and then I read about a girl who writes all of her thoughts down, the good and the bad. I felt so inspired by that. I wanted to be a writer when I was younger and I loved the idea of writing about people I knew.

4) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexander Dumas - definitely the book that I recommend the most. The ultimate tale of revenge and love. I think EVERYONE should read this book as soon as possible. And...by the way, the movies NEVER do it justice!

5) Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert. This book I recently listened to and fell in love with. For all of my girlfriends out there who have gone through some rough times, lost loves, failed marriages, finding yourself and inner peace. I really enjoyed this book and feel that anyone who reads it will feel inspired to change something...either small or large in their lives.

6) Green Eggs and Ham - Dr Seuss All about trying something new...don't just dismiss it because you think you don't like something. And, just because you don't like something when you are young, doesn't mean that as you grow older you won't like it. I think this book has a message for young and old alike. And for those of you who still won't TRY something...shame on you!

7) Les Miserables - Victor Hugo. I read this when I was in 6th grade for the first time, did I understand all of it, nope, but that didn't stop me from reading it about 5 more times and loving it every time I read it. I love the story, I love the romance, I love the history, and I now love the musical...

8) A Walk in the Woods - by Bill Bryson Okay, I want to hike in the woods and I want to have the adventures that Bill has in this book. However the next best thing is living vicariously through him and laughing with him as he encounters some interesting people and situations.

9) Under the Tuscan Sun - Frances Mayes Never has a book made me want to pick up and leave for the Italian countryside...the recipes, her experiences, the land, and the people. She has a way of writing that makes you taste, feel, smell and want more than anything to be in Italy.

10) A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole An incredible read, it was recommended to me a few years ago and I could not believe the character development, the relationship between a mother and son and the biggest slacker who thinks they are the best worker ever. It was funny and bittersweet.

What about you? Think about it...what would make the list? It was hard for me, I have read so much...I could break down my top ten in several categories...but if I had to pick 10 to recommend...these would be it!