What five books would 'define' you?
Karen Agee
I am currently reading Patricia Cornwell’s PREDATOR, which --- of course --- is outstanding, as is everything she has written. I am also into Lisa Jackson’s novels. I won one of hers and she really does a good romantic suspense novel, putting much more suspense than romance in the book.
Maureen
J.R. Ward's books DARK LOVER, LOVER ETERNAL, and LOVER AWAKENED. This is the best series of books that I have read in a long time. I cannot wait for the 4th book to be released in March 2007. The are like potato chips --- you cannot just read one.
Mary Fountain
CHRISTMAS LETTERS by Debbie Macomber
SUMMER AT WILLOW LAKE by Susan Wiggs
SWEET REVENGE by Fern Michaels
RICOCHET by Sandra Brown
CELEBRATION by Fern Michaels
Kermit Borden
The Greatest Generation
Flags of Our Fathers
My American Journey
Battle Cry
I Robot
Linda M. Johnson
1. BALTIMORE CATECHISM (12 years and a lifetime of Catholic education)
2. TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom: This book saved my life while I was in the depths of dispair.
3. LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott: The book I have read most often in my life still rings with me. I still want my own garrett.
4. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee. I joke that I wanted to write the Great American novel until I remembered that Harper Lee had already done it.
5. MATH CURSE by Jon Scieszka. I love Math and am good with Math. I always wanted to make it fun and interesting for my students. Given a choice between Math games and word games, I'm not sure which I would choose.
Nichelle Parsons
1. The Time-Traveler's Wife
2. Candyfreak
3. Girl, Interrupted
4. I Love Everybody
5. The Artist's Way
Dera Williams
1. BIG GIRLS DON'T CRY by Connie Briscoe
2. THE SECRET HISTORY by Donna Tartt
3. FRESHWATER ROAD by Denise Nicholas
4. THEIR EYES WERE WATCHING GOD by Zora Neale Hurston
5. The Bible
Michelle Miller
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott was my childhood favorite and still is today.
QUEEN OF THE DAMNED by Anne Rice is one of my favorites --- it's the first book I read three times.
A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens--Anyone who knows me will know that I love Christmas. A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens is my most favorite Christmas story.
THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett --- I loved this book and hope to read it again someday. It's historical fiction at its best!
BAG OF BONES by Stephen King --- my other favorite author (alongside Anne Rice)--I love horror fiction, especially when it's subtle. This is one of his best, in my opinion.
John Clark
The double trilogies featuring Sir Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson changed my life and pushed me into a new way of thinking about writing.... Then they made me become a writer.
Mike Winterscheidt
To Kill a Mockingbird
East of Eden
Booked to Die
Open and Shut
North Toward Home
Arthur Harriman
Conrad's LORD JIM
LeCarre's THE SPY WHO CAME IN FROM THE COLD
Freud's CIVILIZATION AND ITS DISCONTENTS
Freud's THE FUTURE OF AN ILLUSION
James's PRINCIPLES OF PSYCHOLOGY
Ray Palen
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. Salinger
Any Sherlock Holmes novel
A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA by Jules Verne
THE SHINING by Stephen King
Sheila Soloff
This is a great question. As soon as I read it. I knew I wanted to answer it, but it took a really long time to come up with my response. I finally picked the following 5 books because each of them addresses a facet of who I am:
1. Any Spenser book by Robert Parker. They all address the longevity of love (Spenser and Susan) and friendship (Spenser and Hawk).
2. THE LION'S GAME by Nelson DeMille. Both living in New York City and having two family members who work in terrorism preparedness keeps this topic on my mind a lot these days.
3. BILLY STRAIGHT by Jonathan Kellerman. Besides being a great read, this book elicited such motherly feelings in me, and being a mother is such a big part of what I am about.
4. EXODUS by Leon Uris. This represents my love for Israel.
5: I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT by Allison Pearson: Although I do not have young children anymore, I totally empathize with the author's description of the over-booked, over-scheduled, frazzled life of a working mother who has home, family and other responsibilities.
Vicki Simon
NIGHT by Elie Wiesel
"The Shawshenk Redemption" (part of a collection of Stephen King's short stories) by Stephen King
A WALK IN THE WOODS by Bill Bryson
THE GIVING TREE by Shel Silverstein
The Gospel of Luke from the Bible
Glenda York
1) The Bible (King James Version)
2) STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert Heinlein
3) ANIMAL LIBERATION by Peter Singer
4) How Now Shall We Live by Charles W. Colson
5) A WHALE FOR THE KILLING by Farley Mowat
LCS
1. Any five books written by Taylor Caldwell!
Tawn O'Connor
1. The Bible
2. GILEAD by Marilynne Robinson
3. APPOINTMENT IN JERUSALEM by Derek Prince
4. MORE THAN WORDS by James C. Schaap and Philip Yancey ("Contemporary Writers on the Works that Shaped Them")
5. AN OPEN BOOK by Michael Dirda
Canadian Booklover
YOU REMIND ME OF ME by Dan Chaon
MIDDLE MARCH by George Eliot
A FINE BALANCE by Rohinton Mistry
BOY O' BOY by Brian Doyle
NO SMALL THING by Natale Ghent
Nancy in Wilmington
Roget's Thesaurus
A PIRATE LOOKS AT 50 by Jimmy Buffett
THE RUNAWAY JURY by John Grisham
THANKS FOR THE MAMMOGRAM! by Laura Jenson Walker
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
Jennifer Buhr
The Secret Life of Bees
A Beautiful Mind
Cinderella
Angela's Ashes
The Time Traveler's Wife
Kay
The Mists of Avalon
Memories, Dreams, Reflections
The Pregnant Virgin
The Temple of My Familiar
Simple Abundance
Bob
The Bible
Iliad by Homer
THE PRINCESS BRIDE by William Goldman
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
WAR & PEACE by Leo Tolstoy
Marion Percy
Ahab's Wife
Snow Falling on Cedars
The Shadow Of The Wind
Snow In August
A Gift From The Sea
Susan
A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchelll
THE WORLD IS FLAT by Thomas L. Friedman
GALILEO'S DAUGHTER by Dava Sobel
The Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling
Marata
Out of Africa
The Hobbit
Pride and Prejudice
Milagro Beanfield War
Animal Dreams
Trish Thomas
Frannie and Zooey, The Loneliness of the Long-Distance Runner, Little Women, The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Family Happiness
Crystal Johnston
The Bible
THREE STEPS FORWARD, TWO STEPS BACK by Charles Swindoll
THE MIRROR by Marlys Millhiser
FOR ONE MORE DAY by Mitch Albom
THE PRESENT DARKNESS by Frank E. Peretti
Sunil C
The Prophet
The Alchemist
A Fine Balance
Love in the Time of Cholera
Wuthering Heights
Vicki
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD - Family, justice, life.
PILLARS OF THE EARTH - Talent, dedication, hardship.
The Harry Potter series - Friendship, fantasy, magic. THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR - Perseverance, knowledge, problem-solving.
THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES - Delight, love, family.
Sandi
1. THE PROPHET by Kahil GIbran
2. THE KNITTING WAY by Linda Skolnik
3. MY POSSE DON'T DO HOMEWORK by LouAnne Johnson
4. AMAING GRACE Jonathan Kozol
5. I LIKE BEING CATHOLIC ed. by Leach and Borchard
Randa
Hmmm..this is a hard one.
1. NATIONAL VELVET
2. WHERE THE WILD THINGS ARE
3. GONE WITH THE WIND
4. The Holy Bible
5. and something contemporary, but I can't think of it just now.
Nora MacDonald
Vergil's AENEID, TEACHER MAN, THE WATER IS WIDE, GROWING UP and GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Timothy Eady
The Bible
A PRAYER FOR OWN MEANY
MOBY DICK
RETRIBUTION,
WRITTEN IN BONES
Dianne
Definitely shows my personality:
BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES - Tom Wolfe
LAMB - Christopher Moore
TOURIST SEASON - Carl Hiaasen
RULES OF PREY - John Sandford
Naked - DAVID DEARIS
Katharine Phenix
1. A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeline L'Engle. I read it in 7th grade, wrote to the author, and received a response. I read the rest of her books in graduate school.
2. COLD MOUNTAIN by Charles Frazier. I recognized THE ODYSSEY right away. His writing blows me away.
3. Rohinton Mistry's A FINE BALANCE. I finally started to really think about lives far from mine.
4. ANGLE OF REPOSE by Wallace Stegner. My Colorado period.
5. Fannie Flagg's CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO HEAVEN. Life as I would like to see it lived.
Eileen Quinn Knight, Ph.D.
The Bible: the stories give me an idea of how to live my life as a decent human being.
THE IDEA OF A UNIVERSITY: I am a college professor and Cardinal Neuman has always inspired me in how to conduct myself in the University.
THE APOLOGIA PRO VITA SUA by Cardinal Neuman reminds me of why I am a Catholic.
Anything by John Dewey: although he is difficult to read, he has a great deal to say about education --- How to assist students in constructing knowledge.
SWANN'S WAY by Marcel Proust: although most of his sentences are 3 pages, long he has a great deal to say about the interactions of dignified human beings!
Pat Bailey
ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
The Spenser series by Robert B. Parker
THE CITY NOT LONG AFTER by Pat Murphy
SWAN SONG by Robert R. McCammon
THE PEOPLE'S SERIES by Zenna Henderson
Ronna lord
THE BIBLE
LITTLE WOMEN - Alcott
PEACE LIKE A RIVER - Enger
SNOW IN AUGUST - Hammil
GILLEAD - Robinson
Maureen
A Woman of Substance
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
The Five People You Meet In Heaven
A Good Yarn
Skipping Christmas
Brenda Jo Broadway
1.) The Holy Bible (NAV)
2.) NOT FOR PACKRATS ONLY by Don Aslett
3.) TIMELESS HEALING by Herbert Benson
4.) ONE DOOR AWAY FROM HEAVEN by Dean Koonz
5.) THE MOZART EFFECT by Don Campbell
—Jules
1. THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand
2. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY by James Jones
3. THE POISONWOOD BIBLE by Barbara Kingsver
4. THE ENGLISH PATIENT by Michael Ondaatje
5. MOON TIGER by Penelope Lively
Laura Lee Fitzpatrick
The Red Tent
The Great Gatsby
The Secret Life of Bees
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Little Women
Katie Riggs
Edward Abbey's DESERT SOLITAIRE
Hesse's SIDDHARTHA
Dickens's GREAT EXPECTATIONS
Kerouc's THE DHARMA BUMS
Wilde's THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY
Pam
1.The Practical Gardener
2. Cell
3. Memoirs of a Geisha
4. A Pale Horseman
5. Killer Takes All
Melissa Lansing
It would be nearly impossible for me to whittle my personality down to five books in order to give a proper definition of the Self. I am a voracious reader. I read, on averge, ten books a week --- many of which are quite lengthy. But, I'd like to start off with a book that has meant a lot to me over the years and has inspired me, The Holy Bible. It has showed me that no matter your faith, color, religion or creed, there are some positive messages for you.
Number two would have to be Mrs. Dr. Phil's book, I'm not sure the name right now, but it was a fascinating and quick read that I managed to finish all while shopping for cleaning supplies at Wal-mart.
Number three is BEOWULF.
It is hard to choose four and five because they both express myself well. They are: Anything by Nicholas Sparks, and five --- the newspaper! Yes, the newspaper! What better way to discover your world than through print!
Anders McLeish, PhD
5. THE PLASMOIDS OF DEVASTET by Harold Werther. Long out-of-print, difficult to find fiction by genre, this book is a stern warning from the past regarding what Werther saw as an imminent Plasmoid Apocalypse. A good starting point for those interested in the pre-Devastario ethos.
4. QUANTUM ACTION IN ECOEMIA STATES by Dr. Willard J Domacil. Excellent early work on Ecoemia theory from a once-friend and mentor of mine. I would not recommend any of his later works.
3. STREAMS OF TIME, WINDS OF CHANGE: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A MISSING PARTICLE by Joseph Byars, "author-in-protentate." Light-hearted comedy about a reckless "and highly charged" pantrode particle who's "gone missing." Not just for the "professorial set" --- this book should appeal to anyone who enjoins a good laugh.
2. The Bible (KJV). 'What?' I hear you cry. A man of science "defined by" a book brimming over with historical inaccuracies, mistranslations, and mythic overstatements --- yet declared to be the Word of God? Well, this is the book they used at the orphanage to teach me to read.
1. Untitled by Author Unknown. I am not sure this has ever been formally published --- at least not by a large corporate press. It was slipped in manuscript form under the door of my laboratory one evening as I lay dozing on the sofa. It is utterly impossible to describe this book in words. In fact, I have made a few attempts to do so in this little box, but each time I did, I found the words I’d written appallingly unsatisfactory, and deleted them. So let me leave it at this: If there are any of you left out there under the dome who are still waiting for The Great Book, who have been hoping against hope for its arrival, though probably finding it hard to hold on to the faith that it will ever come in your lifetime, let me just say: Stop worrying; I have seen it; it is finally here. And it is more glorious than even the dreams you’ve had of it.
Thank you for the space. I hope I have not gone on too long.
Kathy Chiocca
THE RED TENT by Anita Diamant
THE SECOND GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD by Gorman Bechard
Any book in the Cherry Ames series by Helen Wells
THE HANDMAID'S TALE by Margaret Atwood
LUCIA, LUCIA Adrianna Trigiani
