Summary

The author has shared their love for reading by discussing their personal journey with books, culminating in a list of their top five favorite books and an honorable mentions list.

Abstract

The article is a personal reflection on the author's lifelong passion for reading, which began in early childhood and has continued into adulthood. The author recalls fond memories of being read to and organizing their collection of Golden Books. Books have been a source of comfort, enlightenment, and expansion of worldviews for the author, influencing their career as a reading specialist and writer. The author has selected five favorite books from a multitude of reads, emphasizing the impact of each on their life. These books range from James Herriott's "All Creatures Great and Small" series, which evokes nostalgia for a simpler life, to Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic," which inspires creativity. Other selections include Ben Carson's autobiography "Gifted Hands," the classic novel "Gone with the Wind" by Margaret Mitchell, and the children's book "This Little Pony" by Dorothy Haas, which resonates with the author's values of authenticity and self-acceptance. The author also provides a list of honorable mentions and encourages readers to embrace reading, suggesting the use of services like SCRIBD for broader access to books.

Opinions

The author believes that books are transformative, capable of sustaining one through difficult times and enriching one's life intellectually and emotionally.
James Herriott's storytelling is highly praised for its ability to transport readers to another time and place, fostering a longing for simpler times.
Elizabeth Gilbert's "Big Magic" is seen as a validating and inspirational guide for creatives, offering an encouraging perspective on the creative process.
Ben Carson's "Gifted Hands" serves as a testament to the power of reading and education in shaping one's life and career.
"Gone with the Wind" is appreciated for its deep exploration of historical themes and its ability to evoke strong emotional responses.
"This Little Pony" is cherished for its message of self-acceptance and the importance of being true to oneself, a theme that has deeply resonated with the author since childhood.
The author values the act of reading so highly that they consider the loss of this ability as something that would cause great grief.

I Read 33 Books This Year and One of Them Will Make My All-Time List

My Top FIVE Favorite Books

I’ve been in love with books for as long as I can remember.

I recall my earliest memories of begging family members to read to me. Gathering armloads of books and carrying them to my mother, my sister, my brother, and family friends and neighbors, I’d climb on their laps and stay there as long as they continued to read.

Every Saturday morning, my parents went to the grocery store and I waited with eagerness for their return. I knew in one of those magical paper bags I would find a new Golden Book to add to my collection.

I organized my treasures on the bottom shelf of the bookcase in the hall, from large to small. I could name them all and when my mother realized my appetite for reading was more than she could handle on her own, she bought me a small record player and a variety of books with the accompanying 45 records so I could listen and read along. I remember Mary Poppins as one of my favorites.

Once I could read on my own, I never looked back. Books became the centerpiece of my life. I spent a lot of time alone, but I preferred it. Alone I could meet fascinating characters like Charlotte and Wilbur, Scarlett and Rhett, and James Herriott and his menagerie of animal friends and eccentric English farmers.

Reading sustains me during seasons of mourning or depression. Reading enlightens me when I run intellectually dry. Reading enlarges my vision of the world and gives me horizons to search for.

Reading has shaped my career choice as a reading specialist, literacy coach, and writer. Reading is one gift I would grieve if ever I lost it.

To choose five — just five! — of my all-time favorite books seems like asking me to choose which of my children I love best or which pet I would save in a fire. But Mary Hood threw out this challenge so I’ll take it because I can’t resist talking about books.

In no particular order…I give you five of my favorite books.

All Creatures Great and Small (the whole series if I may) by James Herriott

I’ve probably read this series at least three times. Herriott skillfully takes you back to the English countryside, pre-WWII, when life was slow and farmers were the salt of the earth. His witty way with words make every character and every interaction come alive. Herriott makes me long for a life in England and simpler times and his books fueled my desire to live on a farm.

2. Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

As a writer and a creative, one who often lives in her own head, I found this book to be validating on so many levels. It’s encouraging and witty and such an inspirational way to look at the creative process that I’ve vowed to read (or listen to it because Gilbert’s soothing and encouraging voice bring the words to life) at least one time each year until I expire from this life.

3. Gifted Hands — The Ben Carson Story

As a teacher, reading specialist, and lover of reading, Ben Carson’s story inspires me beyond words. To raise a child who loves to read is one of the greatest accomplishments any parent can strive for. All I can say is books change lives and Carson’s life is a prime example of this truth.

4. Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

I first read this great novel during a cold winter in Cleveland, Ohio when I was in 6th or maybe 7th grade. I sat in my mother’s kitchen with a blanket wrapped around me in a tentlike fashion in front of the heating vent while I learned more about the Civil War, the South, and slavery than I ever would from many years of school and higher education. I laughed, I wept bitterly, I begged Rhett to come back, and I dreamed of what he would say when he did. I’ve read GWTW at least three times and have seen the movie countless times on television and recently on the big screen for its 80th anniversary.

5. This Little Pony by Dorothy Haas

This adorable children’s book fell apart in my hands because I read it so many times. It’s a charming tale of a pony who is trying to be himself but ends up annoying his friends in the barnyard (there’s that farm thing again). In the end, his friends realize how valuable he is as himself and tell him never to change. Something about this book penetrated me and stuck with me forever. I value authenticity and have often felt misunderstood so I guess This Little Pony resonated with me even at a young age.

Because I can’t resist, I’d like to create a list of honorable mentions, too:

A Bridge to Terabithia
Anne of Green Gables
The Glass Castle
The Big Orange Splot
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Silent Spring
The Soul of Money
Charlotte’s Web
The Art of Racing in the Rain

And now it’s your turn. It may seem impossible, but I’ll challenge you anyway! Nikki Tate, Kallie Allen, Janis Cox, Ryan Gallagher

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