Are you someone who loves to read? I suspect you are, if you’re reading this blog post. Because reading is one of life’s BEST pastimes. For me, they include my favorite books of all time.
My favorite books of all time
cover different genres, different times, different me. Because different books call to us at different times in our lives. Don’t you agree?
When I was growing up, my mom would always take me to the public library in Elizabeth, NJ. It was the main library in the area, much bigger and fancier than the smaller towns around it. Just walking through the heavy, glass revolving doors into a large, dimly lit space which filled an area two stories high and was filled with dark wood and books, everywhere, was like stepping into another world.
There wasn’t much of interest in the children’s room for me by the time I was in 4th or 5th grade, and my mom introduced me to some of the best fiction I’ve ever read. Then, I would take those books home and on seering, hot summer afternoons, when it was too hot to ride a bike or play on the street, I would sit on the brick steps out front with a book in hand, and lose myself in its pages.
For any book-lover, books are another world.
Have you ever gotten to the very last page of a really good book, only to realize that’s it?! There are no more pages. And you even try turning those last few blank pages as if to find more. But, there is no more!
That’s a good book.
The books I have listed below ALL fall into that “wish-there-was-more-of-this!” category. They are all my favorite reads. Because there’s just something about each and every one that is so timeless, that speaks to you across the years (or the centuries) that you’ll remember long after you’ve finished them.
This book and the 1933 movie HAVE to be my all time favorite read of all! Maybe because Little Women has been in my life for most of my life, I have always been drawn back into the lives of the four March sisters. If you’re thinking this book is for kids only; it is not. There’s so much to understand here, that very young minds will miss out on most of it. But, do yourself a favor and read Little Women. Or get it as a Christmas gift for the girls in your family, then sit down and read a chapter a night. Memories don’t get any sweeter than this!
Daphne du Maurier was a remarkable writer. She has written other mysteries, but Rebecca remains the stellar read. You’ll find yourself so engrossed in what happens in that big, silent mansion by the sea, that you won’t be able to put the book down. Trust me!
I was simply astounded when first reading this book. C.S. Lewis wrote one of the most timeless works you will ever read. This book is for everyone, and you’ll find yourself nodding along in agreement as you go. Don’t miss this one!
Here is one of those authors my mom recommended. This really is a most beautiful story of one woman’s journey from childhood to old age and what her life entailed. Truly memorable. I read this one decades ago, and still remember it today! Don’t miss out.
One of my favorite “read-on-the-front-steps” books from my childhood! Taylor Caldwell wrote some of the BEST books and this one is truly my favorite. You will be transported to another time and place and be caught up in a story you wish would never end.
Every now and then a book comes along that mesmerizes everybody. This was the #1 book of the 1980s, and for good reason. It talks about timeless issues of love, faith, and of living every day in this world.
From the very first sentence you will be hooked.
This author has written a brilliant work here. He takes you from the present to the past and keeps you visiting each, in the way he unravels his story. Here is another book you won’t be able to put down. This was made into a 2-hour Masterpiece Theatre years ago, and you can still pick up the DVD as well. But, read the book first!
This may seem like an odd choice, but I include it here because of how beautifully written it is! You simply do not hear words put together like this anymore. Originally published in the late 1800s, you’ll be traveling through England and Wales looking at and hearing all about some of the most magnificent buildings ever created. It reminds me of a good mystery.
You will always remember this book. Written by a concentration camp survivor from World War II, you will come away with a whole new way of looking at what suffering does in all our lives. One of the must-read books for your lifetime.
This is such a good book. It’s not your typical western novel, but you’ll soon be feeling as dusty and gritty as the characters in it, they make their way in the hot sun. Very graphic and very real, it’s certainly like nothing you’ve read before.
My favorite books of all time
There are others that are memorable, such as Gone With The Wind, To Kill a Mockingbird, Valley of the Dolls, etc., but these 10 are my all time favorites. There’s just something about the way they are written.
The way they are written. That’s what make a GOOD BOOK.
What do YOU think? Have you read any of these books? Let me know on my Facebook page.
As a freelance writer myself, there’s lots to talk about when it comes to books and writing. I could go on all day. Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been fascinated with the written word. Words are some of my favorite things!
So, you see . . . just some more
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