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Categories: Autobiography | Children & Youth | Fiction | Mystery & Suspense | Non-fiction (business and organization) | Non-fiction (science and self-improvement) | Reference | Science Fiction These books are those that make me smile when I think back on reading them—even though I read some of them many years ago. They were enjoyable to read. They left me feeling happy, were hard to put down while I was reading, and I felt a sense of longing for their characters or message after I'd finished reading them. They are the books I recommend most to other people because I enjoyed them so much. On this site I also include a list of
books that changed my life. Many of those
are favorites, too, but I have intentionally not overlapped the lists. AutobiographyFifty Acres and a Poodle: A Story of Love, Livestock, and Finding Myself on a Farm by Jeanne Marie Laskas (Bantam Books, 2002) You don't need to live in the country to love this story. Her sequels are wonderful also: The Exact Same Moon and Growing Girls. Illumination in the Flatwoods by Joe Hutto (The Lyons Press; Reprint 1998) Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Anne Lamott (Anchor, 2000). I also adored Plan B: Further Thoughts on Faith and Grace Eventually: Thoughts on Faith. Travels by Michael Crichton (Perennial reprint, 2002) The last chapter of this book is perhaps the best book chapter I've ever read. The rest of this autobiography is great, too. Children and YouthAll That You Are by Woodleigh Marx Hubbard
From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L.
Konigsburg Giants Come in Different Sizes by Jolly Roger Bradfield (Rand McNally, 1966)
Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown, illustrations by Clement Hurd The Harry Potter Series by J. K. Rowling (Scholastic) How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell If I Ran the Zoo by Dr. Seuss The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis The Orange Girl by Jostein Gaarder. Funny, unexpected, thoughtful, loving. The View from Saturday by E.L. Konigsburg (Aladdin, reprint 1998) FictionThe Accidental Tourist by Anne Tyler (Berkley, 1985) Bel Canto by Ann Patchett (Perennial, 2001) Beautifully written, interesting characters, unlike any story I've read before. Borderliners by Peter Hoeg The Celestine Prophecy: An Adventure by James Redfield (1994) The Cider House Rules by John Irving (Ballantine, Reprint 1994) The Da Vinci Code by Dan Brown (Doubleday, 2003) The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells (Harper, 1996) Jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach (Avon, 1970) Like Water for Chocolate: A Novel in Monthly Installments, With Recipes, Romances and Home Remedies by Laura Esquivel (Anchor, 1994) The Mind-Body Problem: A Novel by Rebecca Goldstein (Penguin, reprint 1993) A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving (Ballantine, reissue 1990) The Prodigal Daughter by Jeffrey Archer (HarperTorch, 1993) Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver (Perennial, 2001) The Red Tent by Anita Diamant (Picador, 1998) The Temple of My Familiar by Alice Walker (Pocket Books, 1990) Complex, life affirming, beautiful. Wish You Well by David Baldacci (Warner, 2001) Incredible story of life in the mountains with a remarkable family. Mystery & SuspenseThe Eight by Katherine Neville (Ballantine, Reprint 1995) The Magic Circle by Katherine Neville (Ballantine, 1999) The Matarese Circle by Robert Ludlum Prey: A Novel by Michael Crichton The Prometheus Deception by Robert Ludlum (St. Martins, 2000) The Run by Stuart Woods (HarperTorch, 2001) I have enjoyed most all of Woods' books, especially the political ones. Shibumi by Trevanian Non-Fiction (science and self-improvement)The Art of Growing Up: Simple Ways to Be Yourself at Last by Veronique Vienne (Clarkson Potter, 2000) The Herbfarm Cookbook: A Guide to the Vivid Flavors of Fresh Herbs by Jerry Traunfeld (Scribner, 2000) Life Is Uncertain...Eat Dessert First! Finding the Joy You Deserve by Sol Gordon and Harold Brecher (Dell, 1996) The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat by Oliver Sacks Start Where You Are by Pema Chodron A Mind at a Time. Mel Levine M.D. (Simon & Schuster, hb March 2002, pb January 2003). Levine’s book addresses the individualized learning and social needs of children. He writes in the style of a comforting medical doctor dispensing sage advice. I spent some time with Dr. Levine several years ago and I was very impressed with his ability to turn complex scientific research into practical suggestions that help children succeed. Non-Fiction (business and organization)The Circle of Innovation: You Can't Shrink Your Way to Greatness by Tom Peters (Vintage Books, 1999). Communities of Practice: Learning, Meaning, and Identity by Etienne Wenger (Cambridge University Press, 1999) The Living Company by Arie De Geus (HBSP, 1999) Nobody in Charge: Essays on the Future of Leadership by Harlan Cleveland (Jossey-Bass, 2002). This book brings together a lifetime of essays on personal leadership and organization written by an incredible man who weaves his special interest in education through the themes of every chapter.
Seeing Differently: Insights on Innovation by John Seely Brown,
editor Tools for Thought: The History and Future of Mind-expanding Technology (2nd ed) by Howard Rheingold (MIT Press, 2000) ReferenceThey Have a Word for It: A Lighthearted Lexicon of Untranslatable Words & Phrases by Howard Rheingold (Sarabande, reissue 2000) Science FictionDistraction: A Novel by Bruce Sterling Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card (Tor Books, 1994). I also enjoyed the sequels, especially Speaker for the Dead. I realize this is written for young adults, but it seems more fitting here in Science Fiction. First Meetings in Ender's Universe by Orson Scott Card
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