I read some books yearly. Christy by Catherine Marshall. The Chosen by Chaim Potok. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee. In the past couple years, The Grapes of Wrath has been added to the list. These are different from my heavy-reading, PLS-major books (e.g. War and Peace) and also different from my bedside-table light reading (e.g. The #1 Ladies' Detective Agency), although the categories mingle sometimes. Last year I had some light reading that I affectionately labeled "Amish romance novels" - the Abram's Daughters series by Beverly Lewis - and right in the middle of enjoying/ridiculing it, I happened upon one amazing and inspiring character who still kind of lives in my mind. I'll probably go back and read at least one book from the series again, and it has the potential to join my yearly list.
There are other books that I have reread numerous times (Alas, Babylon; Little Women; anything by Jane Austen), and they are a part of my personal culture and my language (shelves in the closet! Happy thought indeed!), but those first four I listed - they are a part of my soul. ... it took me about five minutes to write that last sentence because "part of my soul" sounded at once too cheesy and too intense. But I just can't think of any other way to put it.
So, what I want to know is, what are the books that are part of your soul? Not a book that you did in book club recently and it was kind of cool, or that you studied in college and had excellent metaphors - but a book that is part of who you are. Let me know, because I'd like to read it.
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Hi Sheila! While I have to completely resist the urge to say, "Harry Potter," I think my recommendation to you is "Chasing the Dragon" or "The Heavenly Man." It could be because I'm going to be a missionary, and these are both written by missionaries, but they are wonderful books. They really turn things upsidedown and encourage me to put more in front of the Lord. If you have a longer list, email me, because I'm excited to graduate from college and be able to read again!!! (natural born book worm, Trinity and college-influenced text book survivor.)
Mrs. Mike by Benedict & Nancy Freedman.
The Chestry Oak by Kate Seredy.
Kristin Lavransdatter by Sigrid Undset.
Cry the Beloved Country by Alan Paton.
Oh man. Brave New World defines me. It's everything that I don't want the world or community to turn into. It's extremely eye opening. And if you do ever read it, I have the book of essays the author wrote when he realized that his predictions of dystopia were coming true asooner than he thought. I also love Memoirs of a Geisha. I've never seen better descriptions. Anything by Iris Murdoch is good, especially The Unicorn and The Bell.
As I recommend these I almost feel like I shouldn't, because there is a little questionable stuff in the latter two. But I love them so just the same. Iris Murdoch is great. Her things are in some ways creepy and psychological, but it's because she really gets into people's heads and you see why they do what they do.
Emergence: Labeled Autistic is a good one. Very good insight into autism from an amazing woman.
Now my neck hurts for some reason and I am going to get up and take Advil. Also, the Inferno was wonderful. I love it. Not exactly light reading, but one of the few books from Trinity that I actually got something out of. OOH and Augustine's Confessions. He uses perfect metaphors for things and it is so relevant. Enough so so that I may forgive him for saying that unbaptized babies go to hell. :)
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