My Favorite Books List

I love to read (as you probably can imagine), and over the course of my lifetime, I have read some very good books. I highly recommend all of the books on this list, whether you are really searching for a good read or just want to kill some time (or avoid doing work….). By the way, these are not in any particular order; I love them all for various reasons.

1) The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho

If you want to read something philosophical that might just change the way you think about life, this is the book for you. And it is not boring philosophical; it gets quite thrilling in some parts.

2) Howl’s Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

I really like Ms. Jones’ writing style, and her character development is marvelous. This book is witty, entertaining, and very magical. Good for children aged 8 to 120.

3) The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas

Wonderful classic, full of adventure. Very long, I warn you, and slightly upsetting in some parts, but it is absolutely entertaining to read. And people look at you like you’re a genius if you say that you’ve read this book.

4) Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis

I could write a million paged list about all the things I love about this series. I have grown up on Narnia, and I still look in the back of wardrobes to see if its there. All the books are awesome, but I suggest starting with The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe.

5) Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman

Four words to say about this author: I LOVE NEIL GAIMAN. I think he is one of the cleverest writers in the history of writing, and this book is a collection of some of his best short stories. I will warn you, some are a little adult, but they are all magnificent. Definitely check out “Chivalry” and “Murder Mysteries”.

6) Firebird by Mercedes Lackey

OK, I will admit that this is a very cheesy and not very stimulating book. It is the closest that I will get to reading those crappy romance novels. However, I think that the reworking of the Firebird myth (which is one of the coolest stories in and of itself) is very clever. I really like the main character of the story, and it really is a heart-warming romance. With adventure and killing. I have fun every time I read this book.

7) Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison

Words cannot begin to describe this book. The first half is a little boring, but the second half is absolutely compelling. I think Morrison’s storytelling abilities are amazing, and this is a really deep and well written novel. Definitely recommend if you like to read African-American literature.

8 ) The Scarlet Pimpernel, by Baroness Orczy

Another classic that is, at times, a little hard to read, but very entertaining. It is shorter than most other classic texts too, and the plot moves pretty quickly (once you get past the beginning, which was a little bit confusing). It has plenty of adventure, some corny romance (actually, a lot of corny romance), and a history lesson. So, you get all the thrills with the benefits of maybe learning something about the French Revolution and being able to tell people that you’ve read another classic.

9) The Gift by Patrick O’Leary

This book is very strange, but an incredibly compelling and suspenseful book. I found it randomly in the library, and checked it out because I like the cover (yes, I do occasionally judge books by their covers). I’m really glad that I did, though, because this book explained to me the reasons that I love to read and write. And it is one of those books that grows in depth and dimension every time you read it, because there is just so much to think about hidden in the text. A little confusing the first time you read it, but definitely worth the second try, which will hook you.

10) The Once and Future King by T.H. White

I like this book because it is strange and not like the normal ‘King Arthur’ legend. Mr. White took the whole freaking myth and twisted it on its head, making it pretty funny and yet it has a lot of meaningful themes in it. I am not a terribly big fan of the whole King Arthur thing (mostly because of Guinevere and Lancelot), but I really really enjoyed this book. It’s divided into different books, the first being “The Sword in the Stone” (which is the best one, in my opinion) and it ends with “The Candle in the Wind”. Good summer reading.

11) The Inimitable Jeeves by P.G. Wodehouse

“Inimitable” means “incapable of being imitated or copied” and I certainly agree with that, about both the character Jeeves and about P.G. Wodehouse’s humor. My whole family likes the “Jeeves and Wooster” so much that we named my brother’s cat Wooster. “Jeeves and Wooster” is actually a series with several novels, but this is the best one, I think. I laugh uproariously every time I read any of them, and I think you will too. Watch out for the slang, though, sometimes it’s a little too much.

12) The Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Yes, I read “Harry Potter” and yes, I love it. I got the first book when I was ten for Christmas, and I am still waiting for my Hogwarts letter to arrive. Ms. Rowling is a genius, and I like all of the books, but I think the second, “Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets”, and the seventh, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” are my favorites. If you haven’t read any of the “Harry Potter” books yet, I feel very sorry for you. And the movies don’t EVEN COMPARE. If you like those and not the books, you are most certainly worthy of the title “Muggle”.

13) The Importance of Being Earnest by Oscar Wilde

It is a play (and good movie), but I certainly suggest reading it yourself sometime. Oscar Wilde, in my opinion, is one of the funniest people who will ever walk this earth. Full of awkward situations, funny quips, sharp satire, and romance, it is always very fun to just sit and read the play. “An Ideal Husband” is also a very good play (and good movie as well), which I suggest reading. Generally you can get the two together, with a few other treasures, in a collection of Mr. Wilde’s plays. And people think you are very smart if you just happen to mention casually in everyday conversation that you read Oscar Wilde.

14) The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

Yeah, this list wouldn’t be complete without something of Tolkien’s on here. I like the whole “Lord of the Rings” series, but my favorite of the books is definitely “The Hobbit” (in case you haven’t noticed, I recommend more books than I actually number, because I like a lot of book series). It is an absolutely amazing adventure story, with little funny bits thrown in with the suspenseful bits, and if you buy the copy with the David Hague watercolor illustrations, you’ll have even more fun reading it (that’s the one I have, but I’ve read it so many times that the cover just ripped off. Oops). “The Hobbit” is also a lot easier to read than the other books in “The Lord of the Rings”, but they are certainly worth the try.

15) The Elf Queen of Shannara by Terry Brooks

I really like Terry Brooks’ fantasy novels; the Shannara series is one of the more classy series out there in the fantasy genre (none of that cheap stuff like R.A. Salvatore’s books). “The Elf Queen” is a little later in the series, so you sort of have to read the first few books to get the full story behind the novel. But they are good too; “The Sword of Shannara” and “The Wishsong” are among the best of the Shannara series. Definitely recommend if you are looking for something not too challenging with crunchy adventure bits. Did I mention that I’ve met Terry Brooks and have a book signed by him? No? Well, I did.

16) Good Omens by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Neil Gaiman. Terry Pratchett. The end of the world. I don’t think there’s anything else I have to say about this book. Normally, I don’t laugh at the idea of Armageddon, but this book is so funny it makes you almost wish that’s how its all going to go down. Its a really fun book, perhaps a little irreverent in some parts, but I think that’s all part of its charm.

17) The Screwtape Letters by C.S. Lewis

Very clever book. Darkly humorous, but C.S. Lewis does a very good job (like always) exploring the aspects of Christianity and good and evil. Its also a little scary, because while you read it you begin to think to yourself about all the things you do that you wouldn’t have expected to be kind of naughty. If you like reading books about religion, this is a must-read. If you like C.S. Lewis, you cannot get away in life without reading this.

18 ) Abarat by Clive Barker

This is actually the first book in a series (surprise surprise) titled the same. It is quite strange and sometimes confusing series, like a lot of other Clive Barker stuff, but is definitely worth reading! I think the best part of the whole series is the fact that Mr. Barker includes PICTURES, and not just ordinary pictures, but really colorful, abstract and beautiful pictures that he drew and painted himself! The story is very interesting, and the main character is, perhaps, one of my favorite literary characters of all the books I’ve read (her name is Candy Quackenbush; how awesome is that?!). There are two books out in the series now, both of which are very good, he’s supposedly writing a third now and rumors have it that he plans two more books in the series after that. All I’ve got to say is he better hurry up.

19) Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

If you like reading about adventure, knights, chivalry, Robin Hood, and the Crusades, you’ll like Ivanhoe. Even though the character Ivanhoe isn’t really in it very much, all the other characters seem to make up for his lack. Scott has a tendency to be verbose and use antiquated phrases (it fits in with the story, though), but once you get past that Ivanhoe is actually kind of exciting. My favorite bits were the ones with Robin Hood.

20) Persuasion by Jane Austen

I really like Jane Austen’s books (I blame both my mother and my father who exposed me to her at an early age), and while I really enjoy Northanger Abbey and Pride and Prejudice, I think that Persuasion is my favorite novel of hers. It’s kind of a gushy, romantic story, and yet, at the same time it is a very sensible and pleasing story. I think I just like the characters best in this story…and the message that it has about love.

21) Dune by Frank Herbert

Alright, this shows how much of a nerd I am, but I am absolutely obsessed with Dune. I’ve read just about all the books in the series and they are all really good. If you like science fiction books with a mythical, philosophical tinge, Mr. Herbert’s books are definitely for you. Be warned – it does take time to absorb what people are saying and to straighten out all the twisting and turning political plots, but it is so easy to get addicted to it. They have some movies out, if you go for that; by all means avoid the 80’s ‘Dune’ with Sting. Its creepy. Watch the more recent ones that the Hallmark Channel sponsored.

22) Grendel by John Gardener

This is the story of ‘Beowulf’ as seen from Grendel’s point of view (kind of ruins the end, doesn’t it?). John Gardener is a very lyrical, poetic novelist and the book is very, very deep. It runs on the dark side, but there is ironic humor mixed in. Again, if you like books with a lot of religious and philosophical undertones, and you like Old English texts, you’ll like this book. It’s also not very long (if that is any draw).

23) Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

Ms. Christie wrote the best murder mysteries, hands down! I love them all because her writing style is elegant, yet simple, and is so incredibly easy to read. Her dialogue is excellent, and the characterization of her characters is beautiful; Hercule Poirot is definitely my favorite of her detectives, but I really like Miss Marple too. I can probably go through one of her books in three hours, they are that easy to read and good! ‘Death on the Nile’ is one of my favorites of hers, but I encourage you to look at others, like ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ and ‘The Thirteen Problems’.

24) One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

This is a Russian book, and while it describes humans trying to survive in terrible conditions, there is a pervading sense of optimism through the book that really endears you to the characters. I picked this book up on a whim in high school, and I’m really glad I did, because it is one of my favorite books of all time (which is why its on this list, duh). It is also generally easy to read and (here’s the selling-point) it is pretty short. If you like Russian history, I definitely recommend. If you don’t, I still recommend it.

25) The Princess Bride by William Goldman

The movie is a classic, but the book is better. A lot more is revealed about the characters’ backgrounds that they couldn’t fit into the movie, like how Vizzini, Inigo, and Fezzik got together, how Buttercup came to be the most beautiful woman in the world, and different sorts of things. Goldman also does this thing where he claims that ‘Princess Bride’ is actually a piece of satire written by some guy that doesn’t exist – he fooled me for a minute. I had to laugh at myself.

26) The Neverending Story by Michael Ende

This book is one of those that reminds me exactly why I love reading and writing – those lame movies they made in the 80’s cannot compare to the book. I am of the opinion that some books should NEVER be made into movies, and this is one of those books. Its meant for older children, but it is so complex and exciting that I think anyone can get into it. Good summer reading. Heck, its good any time of the year!

27) Fathers and Children by Ivan Turgenev

This was one of the books I read for my Russian Lit class, and I think it was my favorite of all of them. I mean, I liked it so much that I willingly wrote my final paper for the class on it (usually I have to sit down and pick a paper topic blindly)! I like reading about the relationships between the people in the book, even though the character Bazarov got on my nerves. But it was one of those books where I could not put it down once I started because I wanted to know what happened to everyone. Warning to the wise – it has a lot of references to Russian culture of the early 19th century, so it takes some getting used to (you might want to find a copy with notes and research references). But I think its definitely worth the while.

28) The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

I had never read a book written like this one was written, but it was so refreshing that I liked it immediately. Cisneros’ language is very poetic and so simple, but what she says about identity and growing up is pretty deep. The book is set up similarly to a collection of short anecdotes, but some are no longer than a poem. Very readable.

This is the list for now. I am constantly reading, and therefore will be constantly adding as I read along. I sincerely hope you try out some of these books!