1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen...one of Jane Austen's early novels. Sparkles with life and laughter. Can't believe I didn't discover this until my 30's. My all-time favorite book. Ever.
2. Persuasion by Jane Austen...last completed novel by Jane Austen. More mature than P&P and achingly beautiful. Awakens that sweet longing in the spirit for something unknown and beyond.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis...this is a series rather than one book, but how could I ever choose? These books have shaped my theology from a very young age, especially the picture Lewis paints of Jesus/Aslan in all seven books and his joyful and fully physical vision of heaven in The Last Battle.
4. Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers...retelling of the book of Hosea in the Bible, set in during the Gold Rush. Made me understand Gomer (Angel in the book) in a way I hadn't before.
5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand...made me look at the world differently. She was an athiest, so she didn't get everything right, but she understood politics and economics.
6. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy...swashbuckling hero and romantic, romantic, romantic.
7. Emma by Jane Austen...yes, another Jane Austen book, but every time I read this I am amazed by her cleverness. Caveat: in my opinion you have to read this book at least twice to get the full impact. You don't see Emma's blunders coming the first time through because Jane Austen wrote the novel from Emma's point of view (even though it is in third person), and therefore you don't see much humor. Upon subsequent readings, though, you see all the hints Jane Austen drops along the way and realize that she is a comic genius. Tip for your first time through: Emma is almost always wrong and Mr. Knightly is almost always right.
5. Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand...made me look at the world differently. She was an athiest, so she didn't get everything right, but she understood politics and economics.
6. The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy...swashbuckling hero and romantic, romantic, romantic.
7. Emma by Jane Austen...yes, another Jane Austen book, but every time I read this I am amazed by her cleverness. Caveat: in my opinion you have to read this book at least twice to get the full impact. You don't see Emma's blunders coming the first time through because Jane Austen wrote the novel from Emma's point of view (even though it is in third person), and therefore you don't see much humor. Upon subsequent readings, though, you see all the hints Jane Austen drops along the way and realize that she is a comic genius. Tip for your first time through: Emma is almost always wrong and Mr. Knightly is almost always right.
8. The Mitford series by Jan Karon...I love Father Tim and all the other residents of Mitford.
9. The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith...though the setting is Botswana and entirely different than the small-town America setting, this series reminds me of the Mitford books and their character, rather than plot-driven stories. If I were in a bind, I would want the "traditionally built" Mma Ramotswe in my corner.
10. The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich (One for the Money, Two for the Dough, etc.). These books make me laugh. Hard. Seriously, I think I have almost injured myself and/or passed out from lack of oxygen.
About 4 years ago I met Marci, a young woman serving a life sentence in Kansas. She asked me if I'd ever read Redeeming Love by Francine Rivers. I had not! She said it was a must-read and I'd never forgotten her recommendation. A few months ago, I splurged and bought a Kindle. Finally I purchased Redeeming Love and simply could not put it down! Truly an amazing and captivating book. No wonder Marci took such hope and encouragement from Redeeming Love. Susan G.
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