My Favorite Books
1. Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder
I received a box set of all of the Little House on the Prairie books for Christmas when I was in the third grade and can still recall jubilantly telling my best friend on the phone later that day. These books spawned a huge obsession with Out West/Oregon bound novels throughout my pre-teen years.
2. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
There's a more up to date version of this out there but that is exactly what the cover of my copy looks like. I rarely read books over, but I definitely read this multiple times as a kid. I was introverted and a homebody so imagining being stranded on an island was strangely terrifying and appealing at the same time. Scott O'Dell has some goodies for kids - The Black Pearl also comes to mind.
3. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A classic! Reading a book this thick is a labor of love but so, so worth it - as is the movie. I don't think I need to say more.
4. The Dollmaker by Harriette Simpson Arnow
Props to my dad for recommending this novel to me back in eighth or ninth grade of high school. This novel is about an Appalachian woman who fights against poverty, loss, and heartbreaking tragedies to survive. This is a true tribute to a mother's love for her children.
5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I'll be honest - I don't adore reading the classics. That being said, I love Jane Eyre. I've been assigned to read it multiple times both in high school and college and I never cease to admire Jane for her unconventional and yet courageous ways.
6. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
As usual, this novel is SO much better than the movie. Its rare to read a debut novel this good. The love story between Claire and Henry is so..magnificent, Niffenegger hits just the right note with the supernatural aspects of time travel, but most of all I love how she pulled off the complicated plot. Older and younger versions of Henry are constantly zipping around but Niffenegger flawlessly ties it all together.
7. Pretty much anything by Margaret Atwood.
Margaret Atwood is prolific, brilliant, and not afraid to tackle any genre or subject matter. I was fortunate enough to get to meet her while I was taking a seminar class on her works.
Most thrilling day ever.
8. Nickel & Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
I read this book in high school for an anthropology class and it had a huge impact on how I view the working classes of America. I would recommend everyone reading it, especially anyone who grew up in relative comfort and hasn't experienced financial struggle firsthand.
8. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
This book is about a guy from an ordinary middle class family and college who walks away from all possessions and ties to hike in Alaska and was later found dead in an abandoned van. It deeply disturbed and intrigued me. I like books that make you ask questions; this one certainly does just that.
I received a box set of all of the Little House on the Prairie books for Christmas when I was in the third grade and can still recall jubilantly telling my best friend on the phone later that day. These books spawned a huge obsession with Out West/Oregon bound novels throughout my pre-teen years.
2. Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
There's a more up to date version of this out there but that is exactly what the cover of my copy looks like. I rarely read books over, but I definitely read this multiple times as a kid. I was introverted and a homebody so imagining being stranded on an island was strangely terrifying and appealing at the same time. Scott O'Dell has some goodies for kids - The Black Pearl also comes to mind.
3. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
A classic! Reading a book this thick is a labor of love but so, so worth it - as is the movie. I don't think I need to say more.
4. The Dollmaker by Harriette Simpson Arnow
Props to my dad for recommending this novel to me back in eighth or ninth grade of high school. This novel is about an Appalachian woman who fights against poverty, loss, and heartbreaking tragedies to survive. This is a true tribute to a mother's love for her children.
5. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I'll be honest - I don't adore reading the classics. That being said, I love Jane Eyre. I've been assigned to read it multiple times both in high school and college and I never cease to admire Jane for her unconventional and yet courageous ways.
6. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
As usual, this novel is SO much better than the movie. Its rare to read a debut novel this good. The love story between Claire and Henry is so..magnificent, Niffenegger hits just the right note with the supernatural aspects of time travel, but most of all I love how she pulled off the complicated plot. Older and younger versions of Henry are constantly zipping around but Niffenegger flawlessly ties it all together.
7. Pretty much anything by Margaret Atwood.
Margaret Atwood is prolific, brilliant, and not afraid to tackle any genre or subject matter. I was fortunate enough to get to meet her while I was taking a seminar class on her works.
Most thrilling day ever.
8. Nickel & Dimed: On (Not) Getting By in America by Barbara Ehrenreich
I read this book in high school for an anthropology class and it had a huge impact on how I view the working classes of America. I would recommend everyone reading it, especially anyone who grew up in relative comfort and hasn't experienced financial struggle firsthand.
8. Into the Wild by Jon Krakauer
This book is about a guy from an ordinary middle class family and college who walks away from all possessions and ties to hike in Alaska and was later found dead in an abandoned van. It deeply disturbed and intrigued me. I like books that make you ask questions; this one certainly does just that.
