Vibrant Nation

The complete works of Sheri Tepper; the complete works of Lois McMaster Bujold; the complete works of Jane Austen; the complete poems of T.S. Eliot; the poems of e.e. cummings; the complete works of Miss Read (tip-top comfort reading!); David Copperfield and Bleak House by Dickens; Lolita by Nabakov.

Hautblossom

I own a library of over 1,000 books and can't stand to part with a single one. I don't even loan books to friends. Most of my money is spent on bookcases.

However, "The Wisdom of Florence Scovel Shinn" comes to mind as one of my top ten favorite books. Mrs. Shinn was the grande dame and forerunner of the positive thinking movement.

The books TDavis Bunn wrote for the holidays     1)  The Quilt   2) The Gift  3) The Messenger  4)The Music Box

The Little Women series by Louisa May Alcott   This Presence Darkness/Piercing the Darkness/Tilly by Frank Peretti

Princess/Behind the Veil

The Time Travelers Wife

Gene Edwards Series, Constance Oday Flannery  Time travel romances, Beatrice Small, Kathleen E Woodiwiess .  There are many others I have collected over the years and refuse to let go of.

I loved Sula by Toni Morrison. And pretty much all the books Oprah selects!

The Shack by Wm. Paul Young

I loved "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn" ... what a great book!  I also have, "Wouldn't take Nothin' for My Journey Now" by Maya Angelou ... "The Traveler's Gift" by Andy Andrews .... "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck ... "Excuses be Gone"  by Wayne Dyer ...  "To Kill a Mockinbird" by Harper Lee .... "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch ... "A Gift from the Sea" by Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and "Room of Marvels" by James Bryan Smith

Conversations With GOD (series) by Neale Donald Walsh, Infinite Possibilities by Mike Dooley, Notes from the Universe by Mike Dooley, and The Secret!

I recommend my book Second Chance at Your Dream because it's so practical and speaks to ways of maintaining  life energy of vibrant nation participants. good wishes and happy reading! Dorothea Hover-Kramer

There's a recent national review here: www.apexreviews.net

I loved the Poisonwood Bible and if you like vampire books, TheHistorian.

Four generations of our family adore all of the Anne of Green Gables books! I gave our daughter the middle name Anne, and our son gave his daughter the middle name of Anne, too. 

The moment I finished the last page of Secret Life of Bees, I turned to page one and started over again. That's the first time I'd ever done such a thing. 

Some of mine include:

Be All You Can Be! John Maxwell

The Dream Giver by Bruce Wilkinson

Battlefield of the Mind by Joyce Meyer

What's so Amazing About Grace? and Finding God in Unexpected Places by Philip Yancey

I've read many of the books you all have mentioned and one not mentioned, maybe because many are not affected; but for my VN sisters who have loved ones with addictions read "Beautiful Boy" by David Sheff. 

It is a true account of the heart ache, pain and worry of a parent of a beautiful boy who just could not say "NO" to pier pressure.  The sequel is even better, it's written by his son....the now recovering addict.

This book was in my face at "Starbucks" of all places the day I dropped my son off at rehab for the 3rd time.  That time actually took him away for a year to return to me MY beautiful boy.  NOW 3 years later I can tell you our story was not different in any way from the books mentioned above other than my location.

I've read many posts here from many of you women trying to learn how to deal and help your children of an addiction...it does not matter what their addiction is....the lessons learned from this book are invaluable. 

It's a great read but be careful; you'll get pissed that someone else is telling your story.  I felt so exposed and so helped at the same time.

The Alexandria Quartet (Justine, Balthazar, Mountolive, and Cleo) by Lawrence Durrell.

The first is a tale told by the main character, Mark,  of things which happened to him in Alexandria.  He sends a draft to Dr Balthazar who agrees with the events but not with Mark's interpretation of what the events actually meant.  He writes back to Mark with his thinking.  The last two are other takes on the same events.

Durrell said of his quartet that it was a literary response to the theory of relativity.

Gone With The Wind;Little Women,The Good Earth,Too many to mention all,butI have been reading since First Grade.Would rather go to the librarythen go out to recess!! Now reading Sookie Stackhouse Series...very interesting.

I  have a huge collection of books have not counted them ,but The Spiriitual Warrior  acollection of six by B.T. Swami, ( use so many parts as a reference...

The Alchemist by PAulo Cohelo ( loved it)

The book that stays with me is the one my mother told me not to read....I went for it every time she left the house

The Tulip Tree ......it was deep with history romance and mandingos!!!!

I loved to read and learn if you tell a child not to read a certain book that is the one she/he will want to read the most...I still have that book among my collection, over 45 years ago.

As a Bishop, there are many religious writers on my list: Teilhard de Chardan, Henri Nouwen, Hildegard of Bingen, Theresa of Avilla; Jean Corbon's Wellspring of Worship is amazing-reads like a 200 page liturgical poem!  Anything by Madeliene LeEngel, C.S. Lewis, Louisa May Alcott, and Jane Austen.  I love the Sheriff Arrowwood and the "sci fi" series by Sharon McCrumb, the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters, the Father Cadfael series, Sherlock Holmes series, Shakespeare's plays. Favorite poets: ee cummings, Mary Oliver, Gerard Manley Hopkins, Rumi...just to scratch the surface.  I have approxiamately 2000 books at last count...25% reference due to a collection of concordances, commentaries and other worship/sermon prep books, but have been paring down to essentials.  The list above are among those considered essentials.

I like bios. Non fiction. Any and all.

Oh, my heavens.  Where have y'all been my whole life?  I, too, have at least three books going at any one time, in all sorts of genres.  Mysteries by Elizabeth George, Tamar Myers (Very funny) Elizabeth Peters, PD James.  Madeleine L'Engle--both her childrens books, as well as her adult books.  Christina Baldwin. Brian Jacques, Katherine Kurtz.   I've actually been experiencing these choices, after I moved in with my parents after my dad had a stroke.  Most of my books are in storage, and it just kills me that I can't put my hands on them.  Nonfiction--Peter Gomes, Thomas Cahill, Parker Palmer, Mary Karr,  Daniel Boorstin, anything history and science.  And now I have all sorts of new books/authors to read, thanks to the other comments and lists!  Thank you!

I have been an avid reader all my life and in the past 10 years have been buying books more because I don't like to get into a book and then have to return it because someone has it on hold.  I purchased a Kindle last year in the hope of curbing my book buying habit, but I still find myself buying the new bestsellers when they are available at a discount.  My all time favorites are:  anything by Stephen King, Dean Koontz, John Grisham and Jodi Picoult.  Some titles that stick out in my mind are Swan Song by Robert McCammon, Tuesday's with Morrie by Mitch Albom and The Wednesday Letters by Jason Wright.

So glad someone mentioned Eat Pray Love. Just finished that one and enjoyed it SO much!

I have read each of the Left Behind series books at least 4 or five times. I have to keep buying them because I loan them out and don't get them back!  They explain the Bible so well!

Dorothy Dunnett - The Game of Kings, Queens' Play, The Disorderly Knights, Pawn in Frankincense, The Ringed Castle, and Checkmate.  Great Historical Fiction!

Jacqueline Winspear - Her Maisie Dobbs mystery series is very unusual.

Kate Atkinson - When Will There Be Good News?  Mystery with lots of twists - surprize ending.

Denise Mina - Garnethill - Dark urban mystery - one of my favorites.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon - The Shadow of the Wind - do not miss this one!

Gil Adamson - The Outlander - Gave this for Christmas last year & got rave reviews.

Stef Penney - The Tenderness of Wolves

Elizabeth Gilbert - Stern Men, Pilgrims, The Last American Man 

First and foremost, THE PROPHET by Kahlil Gibran, I gave each one of my children a copy and I found a small version this summer at a flea market and carry it with me.

Gone with the Wind...my first impressions of men were formed when I first read this book at age 13. I kept reading that book till I wore out one paperback. 

Ladies....thanks to all of you for your responses. I'm currently stuck at Maui airport; if you have to be stuck, paradise is a good place to be...I've been electronics free for a week, leaving the Blackberry and the Computer behind....as much as I love to stay connected to all my electronic friends...a week unplugged occasionally is a good thing as well.  I am very pleased with this great response.  I'll give it a few more days and then once I'm back on the mainland and rested from all my adventures (perhaps next weekend or over the Christmas holiday), I'll create this great post as a list of suggestions for easy printing.  Thanks again for the great choices of books...love them...

I have read so many books it's hard to know where to begin, but a few favorites include; Water For Elephants, A Prayer For Owen Meany, The Poisonwood Bible, East of Eden, Lonesome Dove, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

I could go on and on

Also love Canadian authors Margaret Atwood and Alice Munro

Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie

Like most of the VNers who have responded to this thread, I am a lover and keeper of hundreds, if not thousands, of books.

It doesn't seem, though, that anyone has mentioned what I consider my all time favorite keepers:  non-fiction books that have something to teach.  While I love fiction and have already also mentioned how I enjoy books like Salt, The Tipping Point, and biographies, I love my non-fiction books which teach me specific skills I'm eager to learn.

My shelves are lined with books on artists (1950s books on Grandma Moses, Diego Rivera murals), art collections (Navajo, cave paintings, the Prado, Roman aqueducts), how to create (knitting in two stitches, rug hooking, weaving off-loom, altered books), and subjects used regularly to expand basic knowledge (plumbing, how to fix everything, how to restore junk into treasure). 

These are the books that I just can't bear to part with, or especially to loan because they never come back home.  I've kind of lost a couple of friends/acquaintances by daring to ask for a loaned book's return, so now it's a simple 'No, sorry' followed with a "Why don't you come over and check out my book and we'll try to figure it out together?".   It's not worth losing a friend (aka, a book) by having to ask a person for its return. 

Lady and the Tramp; Charlotte's Web; A Christmas Memory; Alice in Wonderland; Oxford Dictionary; Bastard Out of Carolina; American Heritage Dictionary; Roget's Thesaurus; Complete Works of Shakespeare

I read a great book by Gaetano Talese called Unto the Sons.  It is an Italian-American boy who traces his roots back from WWI through the 1960's.  It is a wonderful account as he tries to understand his fathers coldness towards him.  His parents are tailors in New Jersey and the family are generations of tailors, some famous.  The poverty of Southern Italy, the horrors of WWI and WWII and their struggles on both sides of the Atlantic are written so vividly.

It really gives a great account of Italians without the gangster mentality.  This is a must read book filled with historical fact, great family reading.  It gave me a greater insight to my background growing up in the 50's and 60's in NYC in an Italian family, but a good read for all.

My favourite picks:  Siddhartha- Herman Hesse

                           The Snapper - Roddy Doyle

                            Me Talk Pretty One Day- David Sedaris

[From my author blog, musings about books I can't part with...]

My Book Shelves
            When moving out of a sprawling suburban home six years ago, my husband and I scanned the floor-to-10-foot ceiling book shelves in our den. Each of us packed the books we could not part with. The rest—about 2,000 books—were donated to charity.
            In our new Manhattan apartment, we settled into two offices lined with shelves, but since my husband’s office was larger, once in a while I snuck there books of interest to both of us.
            My yet-unshelved “to read” stack next to my bed grew rapidly until I purchased a buffet-type cabinet under the TV to store the excess books. Today, when trying to sort out the books I’ve promised fellow authors to review, the books for the two book groups I’ve join, the hotly recommended books I’ve bought, and the 60 lbs. of books I had lugged from the last BookExpo, I realized it was time to revisit my system of stocking books.    
            Luckily, when my bookcases was built, I had the foresight to order extra shelves which I had put away. Now, the air space my books enjoyed had to be used. Mumbling “excuse me,” on behalf of each new shelf, I pulled out the little shelf supports, inserted them in tighter slots--and increased my shelving capacity by 25%.   
            In my new world-book order I am looking at two shelves of books autographed by authors I’ve studied with or have met. One shelf of my own published books or short pieces included in anthologies and literary reviews. Two shelves of “How-To” books from my early writing career--half of those must depart at the next round of purging, I know. One shelf of out-of-print books about Jerusalem, the setting for my upcoming novel, one shelf of books about Russia, China and U.S. legal system, the topics of my previous novels, one and-a-half shelf of dictionaries, thesaurus (thesauri?), books of quotations, and grammar-and-style books. Then there is half-a shelf of French dictionaries and poetry, representing my still-flickering hope that one day I will brush up the language I had once spoke fluently. And finally, there are three shelves of Hebrew novels, my first and lasting love. Since Hebrew is 1/3 shorter than English (as grammatical contortions replace words required in English,) these unassuming trade paperbacks represent a respectable collection.  
            In addition, there is one shelf of books that received accolades, but which I was too impatient to plow through—but I still hope they’ll grab me one day. Two more shelves for “To-Read” books that have migrated from the bedroom and must wait their turn in the queue behind the stacks left behind. Many of these are of unknown writers. I can’t wait to discover a gem among them.
            You’ve been bearing with me until now? Then you can sympathize with the crux of my conflict: I have five shelves-worth of excellent books I’ve read and enjoyed. I’d like to honor them by providing them this expensive New York City real-estate. Given my busy state, though, I doubt that I’ll find time to read them again, yet I am reluctant to box these books. The still-available space will have to absorb them.

Of all the topics I've seen on Vibrant Nation, this has got to be one of the best and most uplifting discussions I've read.  It has spilled over to my office conversations during lunch and break times.  Especially for the avid readers at work. 

I think because this discussion did not stir one negative response.  It was all oohs and aahs on the different books and cherished moments from years and years the sheer joy of reading and caring for books.

Thank you for all your input!

Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver (1998)

This is one book that I loved because it was so well written and the author's descriptive writing painted a vibrant picture that has stayed with me  I want to write a book someday, and I have retained this book as model to remind me of the kind of writer I would like to be.

As anyone ever read the book.....Mister God, this ia Anna by Sydney Hopkins? If you have not read this book you need to grab yorself a copy it is an amazing book. Read this book about 25 years ago and it has always stuck with me. I think I may just look for a copy myself and rereadit...something I never do.

Two books I've read for at least the past 30 years are daily devotionals, "Streams in the Desert" by Mrs. Charles E. Cowman, and "Edges of His Ways" by Amy Carmichael. The authors lived at least two generations before me, but I appreciate their spiritual insights. I like to step out of today's Christian thinking to get a fresher, deeper, less trendy perspective.

Linda

http://www.grandmaslettersfromafrica.blogspot.com

Here's a list of my favorite books!