I often find myself saying things like: ‘that is one of my
favorite books of all time’ but I’ve never really sat down to compile such a
list. This week I did so and I thought I share it. (These are in no particular
order).
-
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
o
My favorite of all Steinbeck’s work. The epic
scope of the novel, astounding descriptions of the California landscape, and
biblical allusions are just some of the reasons that I love it. Cathy’s
character is so utterly evil.
-
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck
o
On a completely different note, Cannery Row (and
its sequel Sweet Thursday) is light and heart-felt, telling the episodic
stories of Steinbeck’s vagabonds.
-
The Space Trilogy (specifically Perelandra)
by C.S. Lewis
o
In my opinion, the Space Trilogy ranks ahead of The
Chronicles of Narnia in terms of interesting spiritual allusions. The
portrayal of Venus as the counter point to the fall of mankind on Earth is
particularly vivid.
-
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
o
No one need question my love of and devotion to
this story which is broader in scope, plot, and fullness than most others
especially in the fantasy genre.
-
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
o
While I am primarily drawn to McCarthy’s novels
due to style. The reason why The Road jumps past Blood Meridian is the
surprisingly hopeful light in which the author portrays the post-apocalyptic
land.
-
The Nick Adams Stories by Ernest
Hemingway
o
I’ve always preferred Hemingway’s short fiction
to his novels. Nick Adams is Hemingway’s most enduring and self-reflective
character. The fact that many of the early stories take place in Michigan is
only icing on the cake.
-
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
o
Amazingly I only read this for the first time
last year. This novel presents the reality of racial divides and sin but does
so with an unapproached hopeful perspective.
-
Freedom in Simplicity by Richard Foster
o
In thinking of non-fiction works that I return
to over and over, Freedom in Simplicity has been underlined more than
any other. I find myself returning to it to feel again the simplicity and
purity of the gospel when everything else around feels complicated and chaotic.
-
Walden by Henry David Thoreau
o
The way Thoreau manages to draw deep thoughts
from simple observations in the natural world is remarkable.
-
The Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury
o
As a lover of the short form fiction, Bradbury’s
collection of loosely related short stories about the colonization of Mars both
intrigues me and gives me hope for my own fiction.
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