StevenLaura

I think it has been awhile since I read a good story fiction book. Probably my favorites are:

Matilda, The BFG, and Charlottes Web... Lets see I think I read Matilda and the BFG about 50 times when I was little. I didnt like to read a whole lot, but Matilda did and for some reason I liked reading about her. The BFG was good because I thought the Giant was so big and friendly and I felt bad for him, plus he had a ton of fun adventures. Charlotte's web well it was too odd to ask for a pig as a pet so now I have a pug. I think I was inspired.


If you want a good Christian Book- I just finished reading "If you want to walk on water, you have to get out of the boat". Thats a very encouraging God focused book too.
I think thats all I can think of for now.
 

Kids fiction: Narnia (Horse and His Boy and Last Battle are the best, although Voyage of the Dawn Treader is a blast, too) and Little House (of which Farmer Boy is the best, even if you don't have boys) are absolutely obligatory in their entirety. The Narnia audio books by Harper Collins are a delight to listen to.

The Just So Stories by Kipling are wonderful--you can tell they were written by a dad who loved his daughter.

Stowaway, by Karen Hesse is a terrific book--about fourth or fifth grade level maybe?

The Borrowers (and sequels) by Mary Norton. Whole lotta fun, and if you get the book on tape, it has a great reader.

Adult fiction: have you ever read Dorothy Sayers' mystery novels? Such a great writer--intelligent and subtle but not pretentious. Probably the best non-kiddie-lit pleasure reading I've done.

Chesterton's Father Brown mysteries are also a step above ordinary. Intelligent but not stuffy.

What are your faves?

Sarah
 

For children, anything by Roald Dahl was my favorite (BFG, James and the Giant Peach). I have several children's books in my collection, but I'd doubt they are in print anymore: "The Deep Forest Award" (spiritual allegory) by Jean Bell Moseley and "Mr. Mysterious and Company." Also, I would have to say that the Little House books were rather influential in my life.

As for adult fiction, "Magnus" is a favorite, by Sigmund Brower, "The Robe" by Douglas should be a Christian fiction classic.

That's all I have for now...
 

Uncle Tom's Cabin, by Harriet Beecher STowe, Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and the following by Frances Hodgeson Burnett: The Secret Garden, The Lost Prince and A Little Princess.

All of them exceptionally poignant and beautifully written.

~Katie
 

I have to agree for the kids books: definetly Frances Hodgeson Burnett, also Mandy by Julie Edwards (about an orphan girl who find an abandoned house and creates a beautiful garden), Dragon series by Patricia C. Wrede (about a princess who kicks butt), the Mandie series by Lois Gladys Leppard (Christian series about a well to do girl in the 1800s and her adventures - kinda Nancy Drew-ish).

For you I can really only recommend one book right now, Eva Moves The Furniture by Margot Livesey. Laura, you have to read this book, it is so moving. Otherwise, depending on your taste in books there are a lot of good novels out there. I can always walk into a bookstore and find at least five books I'd like to read. You shouldn't have any problems find books, I'd recommend used bookstores too - definetly cheaper, and/or the Borders Reward program.

10lees
 

Such a dangerous question to ask an English lit major...How many suggestions do you want? I'll start with my favorites. If you don't own "Absalom, Absalom" by Faulkner, buy it, go right now, do not even stop to feed the baby, just do it, and read it, and then you will really understand the South.

Anything by Flannery O'Connor is good. I love "Look Homeward, Angel" by Thomas Wolfe. I am sticking to Southern Lit here, though I am just reading my first Dorothy Sayers mystery and finding it delightful. One last Southern treasure, "A Lesson Before Dying" by Ernest J. Gaines. It may be the best book on the issue of Southern racism I have ever read. (Want my African-American lit list?)

For children I recommend all the books already mentioned plus the Little House on the Prairie books. (Aren't people from Minnesota required to own those?) I also loved "True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle" and E.B. White's books.

Enough already, just come look at my bookshelf to see what I like. Do you and your lovely wife want to come have dinner soon?

Ashley
 

Of course you know you must have everything by Tolkein and Lewis.

I enjoyed reading all the Sherlock Holmes stories as a child. Hmm. My Side of the Mountain. The Swallows and Amazons series.

That's three, right? I guess I cheated by posting whole series, but, ah well. There are so many more.
 

Oh, bother. Just buy all these:

http://eduscapes.com/newbery/date.html