TRUTH
Holy Bible by GOD -- Best book you could ever read. The Word of LIFE. This is the only Book I know of that declares itself to be LIVING and ACTIVE.
Holy Bible by GOD -- Best book you could ever read. The Word of LIFE. This is the only Book I know of that declares itself to be LIVING and ACTIVE.
I love books written for kids and for teens! I love it when authors don't "write down" in children's books. When I am frustrated with other literature, a lovely YA book will probably make me happy.
I love storytelling! Intriguing plotlines, characters you love or hate, beautiful imagery ... the wonderful world of fiction. ENJOY.
Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers
Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling -- I can't help it! I LOVE THESE BOOKS!!!! I wasn't sure what to think about them at first (before reading them); as a Christian, the word "witchcraft" doesn't exactly sound warm and comforting to me. My friend Megs loaned me the first book YEARS ago ... and it sat on my shelf for years. My friend Anna told me that I HAD to read them, so (with prayer) I took Megs' book off my bookcase ... and read it in a weekend. What a page-turner! I love the adventure; I love the characters. I repeat: I LOVE the characters. I ended up reading all seven books in under two months. My favorite books of the series are probably Half-Blood Prince and Goblet of Fire, although I really liked the ending of Deathly Hallows. I definitely cried multiple times in this series. And here's the clincher: I cried the day after I finished because I MISSED THE CHARACTERS. I am out of control.
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger -- Now here we have a book that I am not quite sure what to say about. Holden Caufield's adventures in the city before he goes home to tell his family that he has been kicked out of school. (I think I'm remembering this right.) When the book ended, I seemed to have thought, "That's IT?! It's over?!" which doesn't seem like a GOOD reaction, but somehow I still think ... it's ... a good ... book. I think. Horrid language. Good writing. I ... don't know what else to say about this one.
Love Story by Erich Segal -- "What can you say about a twenty-five-year-old girl who died?" That is the first line of this book. Hooked yet? I read this book in one night. It is what the title says: a love story.
Oliver's Story by Erich Segal -- 2 years after Jenny's death, Oliver is still grieving; can he fall in love again? I didn't know that I would like this book: who wants a sequel to a love story (literally)? Yet ... I did. It seemed realistic. I especially like the ending.
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith -- Francie Nolan's coming-of-age. Well done.
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck -- Another character-driven novel of Steinbeck's. The vagrant men who hang out on Cannery Row. One might go so far as to say this book has no plot ... but I liked the characters and I still liked the book.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck -- Two books have made me horrified at the sight of evil. A scene from Perelandra and the character of Cathy from East of Eden. This is a riveting book that pulled me in headfirst. The story unfolds in the Salinas Valley of California and depicts the rivalry of Cain and Abel: Adam Trask's sons Cal and Aron. A GREAT read.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck -- Oh, this book. When I was buying a different Steinbeck book at Barnes and Noble, the person at the checkout said The Grapes of Wrath was his best, and I was inwardly ashamed that I hadn't read it. So -- I bought it. This book ... at first I didn't like it. Let's just say that typically, if a book doesn't hold my interest or I don't like it, I'll put it down. This book I didn't necessarily like but I plodded through it nevertheless, and ... somewhere along the way to California with the Joad family ... I began to love them. Although this is not my favorite Steinbeck book, he certainly does have a way with creating characters. In the end, I do give this book my endorsement.
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck -- The story of George and Lennie, two migrant workers, George acting as a father-figure to strong but simple-minded Lennie. Interesting ending.
The Pearl by John Steinbeck -- Kino, a poor Mexican pearl fisher, finds a magnificent pearl which seems to promise prosperity for his family and health for his son -- interesting commentary on the "American dream." It seems that a lot of people DISLIKE this book, but I approve of it. In its simplicity, it tells a powerful message about temptation and greed.
To a God Unknown by John Steinbeck -- Joseph Wayne's attachment to the California land he is homesteading is strong -- incredibly strong. I don't know what it IS about Steinbeck! I am pleased with and disappointed by his books, and I am saddened by but endorse them! This is another of those. I guess I just have to accept that Steinbeck's strength is in his characters, and if I read his book, I will fall in love with them, and then the plot doesn't matter so much. Sigh. I liked this one too but don't quite know what to say about it.
Uncle Tom's Cabin by Harriet Beecher Stowe -- I didn't read this book until college; I had perhaps an misconstrued idea in my head of what it would be. It was, in fact, wonderful. About slavery's cruelties, yes, but it's bigger than that. The character of little Eva was beautiful, and she made me cry. This is a classic, and Abraham Lincoln told Stowe that her book was a catalyst for the Civil War, and it was more than I expected it to be. If you've been avoiding this book, stop. Go read it and love it.
Exodus by Leon Uris -- I remember Mrs. Grams talking about this book when in my high school Creative Writing class; I read it that summer ... and the next ... and the next. FANTASTIC storytelling of the plight of the Jewish nation, centering around the present story of an American nurse and an Israeli freedom fighter. Such an intriguing tale of the Jewish nation, with strong, passionate fictional characters swirled into the mix. Great book.
The Lamb and the Fuhrer by Ravi Zacharias -- Zacharias creates a conversation between Jesus and Adolf Hitler.
The Lotus and the Cross by Ravi Zacharias -- A book wherein Zacharias creates a conversation between Buddha and Jesus as they discuss what they can offer to a girl named Priya. I read this book in one night, LOVE the ending.
Sense and Sensuality by Ravi Zacharias -- Zacharias creates a conversation between Jesus and Oscar Wilde, a writer known for his pursuit of pleasure.
There is so much to learn and know. Biographies of fascinating lives, advice from saints and scholars, truth in a variety of formats.
But Jackie, aren't ALL these books by writers? I say: some. Some are written by experts.
Holidays on Ice by David Sedaris
Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris
A Room of One's Own by Virginia Woolf -- I wrote my whole NWC research writing paper about this book. It was called Discrediting Woolf and something like "Fallacies in A Room of One's Own." I didn't like this book when I read it my senior year of high school. I still didn't like it in college. I don't know if I'd like it if I read it TODAY, but I have come to a better understanding of what Woolf says about women writers and their needs: an "incandescent mind" and a room of one's own.
Ahhh, poetry! Delicious writing. These are some favorites, Collins for his wonderful subject matter and wonderful imagery, cummings for his sheer imagination and buck-the-system attitude, Raab for approaching metaphysical topics with confidence and gusto. Lovely, lovely poetry.