10 Books That Have Stayed With You
Some of you may have noticed a “tag, you’re it” game that’s happening on Facebook where a friend tags you and asks you to name 10 books that made some kind of lasting impression on you, for whatever reason.
My friend, Barbara, tagged me, and I participated.
It’s not easy to identify ONLY 10 books that have impacted me, but I stepped up and played the game.
Now I’m asking you to do the same.
In the comments area, please share with readers 10 books that have made an impression on you. It doesn’t matter what the reason is–it could have been the time in your life when you read it; it could have been the subject matter; or it could have just been the tremendous writing.
I broke the rules and named 12 books, and I probably haven’t even scratched the surface. I’ll name my books and tell you a brief reason why. On Facebook, you don’t have to say why; you just have to name your books.
So, here goes nothing…
“Pride and Prejudice” by Jane Austen (Do I even need to explain this one?)
“The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” by Kate DiCamillo (About selfishness…and why it pays NOT to be selfish)
“A Christmas Carol” by Charles Dickens (The message, the writing, the characters…I LOVE THIS BOOK)
“The Shell Seekers” by Rosamunde Pilcher (This book made me want to be a writer)
“The DaVinci Code” by Dan Brown (Just couldn’t put it down, and loved some of the thoughts about Mary Magdalene)
“Ethan Frome” by Edith Wharton (Stays with you; dark, dreary, and sad)
“The Help” by Katherine Stockett (Characters popping off the pages…so fun!)
“The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom (How do we touch each other’s lives? Find out.)
“The Deep End of The Ocean” by Jacqueline Mitchard (Frightening.)
“The Notebook” by Nicholas Sparks (The ultimate love story.)
“Water For Elephants” by Sara Gruen (Wonderfully woven together love story.)
“The Night Circus” by Erin Morgenstern (Her first book…ugh…so well done, beautifully written, and lovely. This book influenced the way I am writing my next novel.)
So…
Tag.
You’re it.
3 Comments
Leni
I want to add “Wuthering Heights”…”Three Women at the Water’s Edge”…”Rebecca”…”Sense and Sensibility”…”The Godfather”…”Of Human Bondage” and “Unbroken” “Unbroken” “Unbroken”!!!
Mom
Maureen Beck
OK, here are my 10 (nice to be able to reply to this while looking at the beautifully snow-blanketed trees in my yard!). We overlap on a few titles!
1. Little Women/Louisa May Alcott (Jo March becomes a writer!)
2. Black Beauty/Anna Sewell (taught me to empathize with animals)
3. Siddhartha/Herman Hesse (all life is connected)
4. Jane Eyre/Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre overcomes all and finds her Mr. Rochester)
5. Pride and Prejudice/Jane Austen (you know! Lizzy is fabulous and D’Arcy is hot)
6. Great Expectations/Charles Dickens (Pip learns life lessons and suffers, but triumphs)
7. A Christmas Carol/Charles Dickens (Scrooge is transformed)
8. Precious Bane/Mary Webb (Born with a cleft palate, the heroine nonetheless finds true love)
9. The Nine Tailors/Dorothy Sayers (a wonderful mystery set in an English village among bell-ringers. Love Lord Peter Wimsey!)
10. The Light Princess/George MacDonald (a witty literary fairy tale: the princess’ curse is lifted by her lover’s willingness to die for her)
Cassie
I hate that The Notebook would be on my list too, but it really was fabulous.