Because I am feeling post-ally challenged today, Mousey gave me an idea. Actually, I made her give me an idea. Her thought was to give you all a list of some of my favorite books. I won’t say they are my most favorites, because that would cause me to have to think more carefully than I would like. So here are some.
1. The Little House Books by Laura Ingalls Wilder No surprise here. She makes regular appearances on the blob. I believe I may have mentioned that I like “The Long Winter”. Maybe once. Or twice.
2.The Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle books by Betty McDonald Some of my favorites as a child and they must be Mousey’s as well, cause she suggested them. My favorite stories were the little girl who didn’t want to take a bath, The Tattler and the one with Lester, the neat pig.
3. The Mark of the Lion series by Francine Rivers Oh, how I want to be Hadassah when I grow up. The first Christian series I ever read. I think Colorado Karen loaned them to me! It was the beginning of a long affair with the Christian novel.
4. Scholastic Dictionary of Idioms Like I need to fuel THAT fire.
5. The Shiloh Legacy series by Bodie Thoene and all the others in the Zion Chronicles series that follow. Hat tip to Rachel for introducing me to them! Love Birch and Trudy. I think I actually cried reading their story.
6. I believe I may have mentioned that I am a fan of Ken Follett’s early work. Triple, Lie Down With Lions, Pillars of the Earth, A Dangerous Fortune are some of my favorites.
7. The Tightwad Gazette books by Amy Daczyczyn I have been a fan of The Frugal Zealot since I was getting her monthly newsletter in the 90’s. I like the idea of being frugal. Application is always more difficult. Beyond any of that, she is a very informative and engaging writer. I like how she explains her thinking. Even if I never had ANY intention of making a Halloween mask out of dryer lint, she made it sound fun and doable. A rare skill!
8. Back to Francine Rivers. She is probably one of my favorite authors. “Redeeming Love”, the pioneer journal part of “The Scarlet Thread”, and “Leota’s Garden” are among my recommendations.
9. “Goodnight Moon” Because all of our children were fascinated with that book and it has a soft spot in my Mama’s heart.
10. It would be dishonest of me not to mention the 2 most dog eared books in my collection. I have a confession to make. I read at least parts of ”Shanna” and “The Wolf and the Dove” by Kathleen E. Woodiweiss, at least once a year. The former is a summer book, and summer just isn’t complete without revisiting Ruark Deverell Beauchamp . The latter is a winter book. They would be what I believe would be called “bodice rippers”, but very high quality bodice rippers. If there is such a thing.
I have to go. It’s winter, and I need to go see how Wulfgar and Aislinn are getting along.
What are some of your favorite books?
thedomesticfringe said,
February 20, 2009 at 5:12 AM
LOVE Francine Rivers!!!! There’s not a book she’s written that I haven’t liked.
-FringeGirl
Automatic7 said,
February 20, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Besides L.I.W. I don’t know ANY of those authors or books! What a gold mine! I am constantly reading–just finished a Jodi Picoult book (not a favorite) but let’s see: Charlotte’s Web, the Mitch Albom books: Tuesdays with Morrie, 5 People You Meet in Heaven. Not doctrinally correct, but thought-provoking, still. I love my Sunflower Houses book by Sharon Lovejoy. It’s a work of art/how-to garden with children thing of beauty. I loved the Constant Princess by Phillipa Gregory better than all the Boleyn books and I always love the books better than the movie.
Janna Qualman said,
February 20, 2009 at 2:22 PM
Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle was one of my favorites! Now that’s a series I’ll have to find for my daughters.
Hat Chick said,
February 20, 2009 at 2:36 PM
Not a big reader, but I do love children’s literature. Kate DiCamillo’s “The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane” and “Tiger Rising”. I also liked the Five People You Meet in Heaven.
Rachel Hostler said,
February 20, 2009 at 3:45 PM
Starting back when I was a little girl: All the Dr. Suess books! When I was 3 years old my Aunt Anne was convinced I could read because I sat there and ‘read’ “Green Eggs & Ham” word-for-word. Yes, I had totally memorized it! “The Betsy Books” — I believe they’re probably out of print now. Especially “B is for Betsy” and “Betsy’s Little Star” (which tells the story of when Betsy’s sister, Star was born). I also liked the “Honey-Bunch Books” — they are also out of print. The internet is a wonderful thing though, I’m sure I could find these books if I really wanted to have more stuff!
Little House Books, of course! Chronicles of Narnia — still read these books periodically! Charlie & the Chocolate Factory — this book was so dog-eared! Basically anything by Roald Dahl — love how he writes! Oh! “Five Little Peppers & How They Grew” — I bought a copy a few years ago to refresh my memory on this gem! And so many more that I could name … I was that kid with my nose always stuck in a book! My parents loved to take long drives and they tell me they didn’t even realize I was in the car at times! 
Adult books (ooh, that sounds dirty!): Francine Rivers — anything by her! Bodie Thoene — I’ve ready everything she’s written (with or without her husband, Brock). Jane Austen — loved the movies first, then the books! Especially “Sense & Sensibility”. I have only been reading non-fiction / ministry books for the last couple of years — I’m so boring! When I retire I will read anything & everything all the time! That’s my list!
Marlene said,
February 20, 2009 at 10:14 PM
Read all of Francine Rivers books. Some of the Thoene books. Loved all the Anne of Green Gables books and Little Women and Little Men.
deb said,
February 21, 2009 at 1:02 AM
As a child, I loved all the Nancy Drew mysteries, Bobsey Twins, too. But when my kids were younger, I would read their young adult novels along with them…..Where the Red Fern Grows, Hatchet, Daddy-Long-Legs are classics I enjoyed. More recently…hmmm…I love Jan Karon, Willa Cather’s Antonia, Jane Eyre, all of James Michener’s books. And of course, any book talking about art, design, quilting and sewing!