Top Ten Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by the Broke and the Bookish. Book bloggers create their own lists based on the chosen topics and post links to our lists. It’s a way of all sharing our thoughts and our love of books. And who doesn’t love lists??
So this week the challenge is to list the books that we recommend the most. Each experience with a book is intensely personal, recommending a book is dangerous business. What you love may not be loved by others since every person’s experience with a book is distinct. You may not love the books that I love, but these are those that I love enough to recommend to others…
- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak – If I had to pick one book that has impacted me the most, which I found to be the greatest book I have ever read, this would be it. I believe that we are watching a classic be born and someday I will be telling my grandkids that I remember when it was a new release! If you have not read this book please do so, immediately.
- Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan – A fantastic coming-of-age story about two boys (all they have in common is the name) who are figuring out who they are, how to be that person, and how to find acceptance. There are a ton of coming-of-age books out there, but I have never read one that tells the story so beautifully.
- The Giver by Lois Lowry – Can a utopian society really exist? What has to be given up? And is it worth the price? What if you decide it isn’t worth the cost? There are a lot of books out now that deal with dystopian societies, but this is definitely my favorite, dealing with the core questions artfully.
- The Beautiful Mystery by Louise Penny – I love the Inspector Gamache series and it only gets better with each book that is released. While there are a lot of mystery series that I enjoy, this series has a depth and beauty that I have not found elsewhere. The character development, history, settings, depth of interactions and emotions, make this my favorite to recommend for mystery lovers.
- The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick – An inspired work of art. The story is told through a combination of words and amazing illustrations and is done seamlessly. His second book, Wonderstruck, is just as wonderful and I recommend both of these books to children and adults alike.
- Whatever it Takes by Paul Tough – I am passionate about the importance of education, particularly literacy. This book about Geoffrey Canada’s work in starting The Harlem Children’s Zone is information and inspiring.
- Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand – The story of Louis Zamperini’s life, from his delinquent childhood to the Berlin Olympics through harrowing experiences during World War II, is an amazing tale of perseverance and faith.
- The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo – My favorite DiCamillo book and the book that I enjoyed reading to the kids the most. A new fairy tale – another one that I will tell my grandkids about someday!
- The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein – Both humorous and heart-wrenching, the story of people as told from the point of view of a dog. Sounds a hokey but somehow it really does work, leaving you loving the soul of this amazing animal.
- Going Home: Jesus and Buddha as Brothers by Thich Nhat Hanh – I love the writings of Thich Nhat Hanh, a Buddhist monk exiled from Vietnam. This book is a conversation between Jesus and Buddha, centered in compassion and the similarities that are at the core of both beliefs.
Watching the Words 