The New Republic's Chloe Schama shared the Harris poll results, and has a few interesting observations, one of which is that Atlas Shrugged has finally fallen off the list.
1) The Bible
2) Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell
3) Harry Potter (series) by J.K. Rowling
4) The Lord of the Rings (series) by J.R.R. Tolkien
5) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
6) Moby Dick by Herman Melville
7) The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
8) Little Women by Louisa May Alcott
9) The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
10) The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald
I've read nine of the ten books. Not being a Fitzgerald fan, I've resisted Gatsby all these years. But suddenly, I feel compelled . . .
What is your all time favorite book?
I've read many wonderful books over the years (and some not so wonderful), but the one that still stands out easily as my favorite is Frances Hodgson Burnett's The Secret Garden.
Can you believe I've never read The Secret Garden? I know, I know--pathetic. But I really do mean to change that one day. My favorite book is The Stand, but that's built on more than the book alone--just my history with it and lots of nostalgic-type feelings. But then I guess all those extra things do help make up the reading experience, huh?
ReplyDeleteI read The Secret Garden at a crucial time when I felt isolated and misunderstood, and it made an impression that never left me. This is why I believe so strongly that kids should be encouraged to explore and find role models to which they can relate. For my daughter it was Anne of Green Gables' Anne Shirley.
DeleteI think The Stand was when I suddenly realized that a Stephen King book was no longer just reading a book so much as living the story.
I love The Secret Garden. I think I'll have to say my all-time favorite is Lord of the Rings. But then what about the book I'm going to "be" in a Fahrenheit 451 world, The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy? It's so hard to pick just one.
ReplyDeleteI love The Great Gatsby. Enjoyed the recent movie, too.
I just read it Gatsby and I'm not a fan, but now that a little time has passed, I think some of my personal situation may have played into that. So just ignore me.
DeleteI read the Hobbit and LOTR all in one week's time. I don't recommend doing that. I think I was talking to trees for months afterwards. And my husband is certain that I would be the woman burning along with my books rather than giving them up. I think he gives me credit for more courage than I actually possess.
You're right, though. I love so many books for so many reasons. Why choose? Maybe the lists should be more like menus. What's on for today? Tomorrow may be different.