A few weeks ago I opened up a discussion thread asking for everyone’s picks for classic children’s books that they would recommend every parent, or grandparent, have in their home libraries. There were so many wonderful suggestions along with the sharing of what those books meant to the children and families that read them. I was so happy to see some of our favourites on there and I was even more delighted to learn of many new (to me) titles. I think the stock in used bookstores went up over the next week as I filled my shelves with books intended for both us and our grandchildren.
At that time many of you requested I put out another thread, but, this time, with adult book recommendations. Well, here we are.
I’ve found it increasingly challenging to find books that are written with courage and meaning instead of gobbly-gargly-goo trying to shape my brain into right-think about whatever social justice trend is de rigueur. So, that will be a limiter for our suggestions here. Let’s not spend time on what we’re reading now, but instead, focus on the books that shaped us. Maybe for the good, maybe in ways we didn’t know we needed shaping. Let’s share books that compelled us to think differently, to grow, to move with conviction into a new part of our lives.
For me, John Steinbeck did that with his breathtaking characters that introduced me to the humanness in us all. I still read “East of Eden” every few years. When I was a little girl, “Charlotte’s Web” shaped my whole understanding of life - it wasn’t Disney, it was heartbreak and laughter in a single gulp. As a young mother, and a budding photo-journalist, I got to interview Barbara Coloroso on her book, “Kids are Worth It.” That book transformed me as a young mother. I couldn’t have done it without her. Aesop’s Fables filled in the blanks of life with purpose and virtue. Bruce Lipton taught me that what we believe creates our biology. In her book, “Molecules of Emotion”, Candace Pert taught us that even decades ago, they could measure our emotions stored in various organs throughout the body. That was in the 90s, we still don’t fully comprehend the magnitude of her scientific discovery. Thoreau taught me simple beauty. Wendell Berry infiltrated my soul. The “One Straw Revolution” showed me the spirit with which I would come to forever aim myself towards as a farmer.
My library is 90% nonfiction books on everything from nutrition to the sun to biology to water to breathing and everything in between. I eat books like that as snacks. But the transformative books, the books that offered alternatives to the mush I was force-fed in school and by “society” emboldened me with ideas I had never heard before I cracked them open. From Solzhenitsyn’s “Gulag Archipelago” to the endless volumes on books challenging feminist theory and the value of homemaking, books have been a friend and endless source of awakenings throughout my life.
Your turn. What have been the transformative books in your life? Let’s hear it.
The author that comes to mind for me is Robin Wall Kimmerer. Both of her books Braiding Sweet Grass and Gathering Moss transformed the way I see the earth and our relationship to it. Braiding Sweet Grass moreso introduced me to the power of language and how the structure of the English language in particular fuels our disconnectedness from the natural world. I now consciously try to say call everything in nature "he" or "she" not because of gender ideology madness, but because those pronouns inherently hold more value and respect in our language than the word "it" does. "It" is easily dismissed and deemed insignificant. But, her? I want to take care of her. That cedar in my back yard? I want her to stick around. I want her to be a safe place for all the song birds to sleep.
I've come to know that if we want more care and compassion in this world, more connection to all living things, the way we speak has to be a part of the equation. And, I have Robin to thank for that (among other things).
Nothing obscure, but The Secret Garden. It opened my eyes in my younger years to the joy found in observing and experiencing nature. Things that now bring me peace and anchor my soul daily.
Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage - Rachel Reed
Becoming Supernatural - Dr. Joe Dispenza
The Power of Women - Sister MorningStar
And I’m currently reading Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Kaplan Shanley… you want to read about the simplicity, beauty, peace, and sheer power of nature? Holy holy. I feel like love of the natural world/rewilding ourselves starts with birth.
I stumbled on Elizabeth Goudge in my 40’s....mostly because J K Rowling called her a muse. Scent of Water was quiet and SO beautifully written. She is extraordinary.
And Anne of Green Gables.....as an awkward adolescent...was a life line. The imaginativeness. The solace she found in nature. The solace in books. I still count Anne as a profound influence.
C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity. I was raised in a devoted Christian household but this book is what truly solidified my faith in my early 20s. I have the copy my favorite uncle gave my dad years before I was born in the 1970s and it is one of my most cherished possessions.
I’ve always loved Thomas Hardy; Jude the Obscure and Tess of the D’Ubervilles are the two I read the most. His storytelling is just so uniquely, tragically beautiful. I named my youngest Tessa, I just loved that character so much!
Douglas Murray’s The Madness of Crowds is such a profound and biting commentary of society. I’ve read it three times and still can’t get over how sharp he is. I read or listen to any piece I can find from him, his words are treasures.
My “return to” book is Les Miserables. Every time I read it I get something more. It still moves me to tears. Acts of selflessness. Rule defiance. Charity. Hope. Love.
The other I recommend for this group is the Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy by Sigurd Undset. Wow. Written in the 1920’s for which she won a Nobel Prize. Set in 14th century medieval Norway. Historical fiction. A story spanning a life from beginning to end. The choices we make, the consequences we face. It is a beautiful story.
Small is Beautiful by EF Schumacher was one of my life changing books. I just finished A Guide For the Perplexed, the last book Schumacher wrote before he died in 1977. The author who has helped to guide me the most over the past few years has been mythologist Martin Shaw, who writes The House of Beasts and Vines on Substack. I'm grateful for Sharon Blackie and all the work she has done for the sacred feminine. My favourite of hers is If Women Rose Rooted. May Sarton's Plant Dreaming Deep is a blessing for gardeners and those who enjoy solitude. I take regular doses of poetry: Rumi, Mary Oliver, Pablo Neruda, Wendell Berry, Yeats, John O'Donohue. Thank you for sharing with us - for all your beautiful writing, creative insights and natural wisdom.
There is something about Tolkein in his obvious love for nature, and somehow being able to describe a lot of evils in our world through the story, a lot of it which totally transcends to current times ... sometimes I feel like the Eye of Mordor (Sauron) is representative of the government, always keeping a close eye on us, but not able to see everything... and the story of the Ents, the tree warriors who were being torn down by Orcs to build their evil army until they decided to fight back. They are my happy place to read when I need to go there.
4 years ago I would have had quite the list, but since the p(l)andemic I’ve come to increasingly read the Bible. Doing so has resulted in showers of blessings for me and my family. Nothing else has the answers to the chaos of our times, nothing else provides support for every day, every situation. No other book points towards the Savior we all need like the Bible.
The staggering insights that these novels give into the trajectory of humanity’s future absolutely floored me when I first read them, and still go back to them every couple of years. Think of them as a dystopian expose of pseudo-science, a riveting tale of interplanetary travel, and a medicinal dose of biblical worldview, all rolled into one big tasty fictional burrito.
I could go on, but honestly, besides the Bible, Space Trilogy would be by desert Island pick. So I’ll stop there.
So many great titles here that I have read, mean to still and am remembering to read again.
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter was huge for me as a young teen. Even more than Anne of Green Gables, but for the "different" feeling girl and especially one who is connected to the natural world. She also is the only daughter of a single mom who is tough on her....which was my reality. Can't wait to share this with my daughter.
Just started reading All Creatures Great and Small to my 9 year old daughter....very excited about this.
For the past couple of years I have been escaping into the audiobooks of the Outlander series. I have listened two times through. Hours and hours. And there are so many interesting things in those books that entertain, but two of the huge takeaways from listening to historical fiction from the 1700's is that 1) people certainly are not as tough as we used to be (just hop on your horse with a wool cloak and some jerky, cheese and bread. Ride to your destination that is days away with just a bedroll) 2)tribalism is everywhere and always has been regardless of the location, race etc and people have the ability to switch tribes and accept other tribes and respectfully let other tribes be themselves. Especially here in the very complicated North American continent. I think that I was born 100-200 years too late.
I'm in the middle of Grapes of Wrath right now and it's altering my brain chemistry as we chat. Silence,One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The Brothers Karamazov all floored me with their characters & storytelling & ~lessons. I also enjoyed Meditations and The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter for the ideas & writing, respectively. I love reading & I could go on forever but I'll stop. Cant wait to see what everyone says!
Oh goodness I could write pages on this topic and I’m sure I will forget some really amazing books in my list.
Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan and the kids version my son would say is his top book, Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin. Anything by CS Lewis but esp. the Narnia Series. The Hiding Place, The Good Master, Sounder, Shiloh. The Little House Series. Mimosa a True Story by Amy Carmichael. Parenting books by Sally Clarkson, she’s my motherly mentor even though she doesn’t know it. Free to Learn by Peter Grey and Last Child in the Woods. Two in the Far North by Margret Murie, about a husband wife team who tag birds and caribou in the artic circle with their baby strapped to their canoe. Amazing story, life doesn’t end when you become a mom. More kids books because that’s what I have spent the last 10 years reading, Summer of the Monkeys, anything illustrated by Jim LaMarche: Pond, Raft, King of Bees, Winter is Coming. The Redwall Series, and a wonderful collection of stories called The Wonderful World of Wimmicks by Max Lucado. It teaches great character traits and how the world has lost their way. I know this thread isn’t about children’s books but there are some wonderful ones I have read that have brought me to tears and taught me good lessons.
A mind of your own by Kelly Brogan shaped the course of my life. This books offers a holistic approach to treating mental health “symptoms” (I don’t like the term illness or disease). It offers so much hope and freedom from the current paradigm on treating the mind and body.
I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This is a committed read but so worth it. I align greatly with her philosophy “objectivism”. Her quote in the book stands out for me; “I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
Dissolving Illusions by Suzanne Humphries and Roman Bystrianky (I think this book will be very difficult to find in the near future). Book uses overlooked medical journals, books etc to show that va((ines, antibiotics and other medical interventions are not responsible for the increase in lifespans and the decline of mortality from infectious diseases.
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. “Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world.”
I hope to someday have the finesse and scope of Mary Oliver's beautiful writing.
The Abundance Project was a turning point in my life- reinforcing my call to a transcendence not transaction based life.
The Lord of the Rings series is more than just lore. It is a reflection of societal patterns and reading it to my children has been a layered experience of entertainment and awakening.
Silent Spring and Brighton Baby are books laden with data to reinforce our everlasting need to unite with nature.
I can thank Animal Farm for my almost daily comparison of modern society to a chanting flock of sheep.
Lastly a book that applies to my current life as an unschooling mother, Dumbing us Down by John Taylor Gatto. Every person can draw something from it I believe.
There's so many more. But those are some of the most compelling. So unbelievably excited to find a long list of titles to add to my "read this" pile.
How to choose! I’ve always loved series where you get to know characters deeper with each book.
I first read Jean M. Auel’s “Clan of the Cave Bear” at the suggestion of my high school English teacher when I was 17. The whole series deeply moved me, as it was incredibly archaeologically accurate and helped me understand how life many have been and what’s been lost.
I also love the “Longmire” series by Craig Johnson, set in fictional absaroka county, Wyoming. I love the exploration of character, determination, grief and duty.
Sharon Blackies “If Women Rose Rooted” changed my life as a 22 year old. Based in the mythology of the British isles, she uses myth to explore the psychology and personal growth of women.
Similarly, anything written by Sylvia Linstead. Many stories and essays are based in “old Europe” as coined by archaeologist Mariya Gimbutas. “Our Lady of the Dark Country” is a beautiful collection of poems and stories
Children of Men. I absolutely love this work. I have read it until the pages are worn. There’s something about the story that speaks to me. It could be because of the changes in the world, the profound loss of children, the destruction of society and a single average man who helps redeem it.
The Bible- There is no other book that regularly draws me up short and slaps me in the face than this one. So often I read it and think, "Wait, what? Ok, if that's right, how did I get so far off track?"
Lord of the Rings- I read this every few years.
Drawing with Children- So many people say, "I can't draw." I take the methods from this book and I watch the lights come on and they actually love drawing! Mona really sets you free to just have fun with drawing! Maybe it's weird to say this is a transformative book, but how many people wish they could express themselves with drawing and can't? It's like learning to read- not so exciting in and of itself but transformative in it's results.
"Range, Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialists World." Helped me be ok with being a wife and mom and not pursuing a caree at the moment (maybe never.) Not just be ok, but see the value of this. We need generalists!
G.K. Chesterton- Almost anything by him. Currently reading "What's wrong with the world." Definitely don't agree with all he says, but he definitely makes me think!
Dorothy Sayers- The Mind of the Maker, Are Women Human - I have not read anything of hers I don't like.
Barbara Kingsolver-Small Matters - really anything she writes
George McDonald- Phantastes- The Princess and the Goblin-I never liked his work for adults (although, I haven't read it as an adult, either! ) but his kid lit is excellent.
Garlic and Sapphires- not transformative, really, but it has stuck with me for sure!
The God who is there - by Francis Schaeffer - really digs deep into modern relativism. Eye-opening for me.
Oh gosh, I have so many books that have helped to shape who I am and how I move through the world! I am so grateful for these threads where we can share and gain inspiration, and I will write everyone's favorite books down so as to support used book stores later. Here are a few of mine:
Fiction:
- The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea (one of the best novels I've ever read!)
- Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
- The River Why by David James Duncan
- Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
- Mink River by Brian Doyle
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
Non Fiction:
- The Invisible Rainbow by Arthur Firstenberg (excellent information on electricity and health)
- Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes
-Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (exceptional and emotionally inquisitive nature writing)
- Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey (a classic in my opinion)
- The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith (a must read for anyone who is questioning certain dietary dogmas. I don't agree with every philosophy espoused in the book, but in many ways it started me down the path of consciously considering the ways in which animal products support health, and questioning the logic behind vegan/vegetarian diets).
- The Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky (an interesting look at what food in America used to be, before it became an industry).
What a list so far! I’ve added a number to my reading list. Here are the books that helped shape me, but I’ll exclude the childhood classics that I still carry in my heart.
Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hahn. I read it every few years and frequently gift it. The words are like a drink of cool water.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. A must-read for the creatives who get tripped up by resistance.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand completely changed the way I look at people and government. I don’t agree with all of her ideas and find her characters a bit cold, but it’s still full of gold nuggets.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell has been a favourite since I was a teenager
Elements of Style and Eats, Shoots and Leaves for the writers out there.
My Life in France by Julia Child. I’ve reread this one a few times because I love learning about France in the 50s and her connection with food.
Also, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writings are so nourishing
“Love & Responsibility” and Theology of the Body” by John Paul 2. These two books single-handedly changed how I looked at my fellow humans and I believe will change the world if we all understood and lived what he is teaching. He teaches that each person has an inherent worth and dignity, not because of anything they did or didn’t do but for the simple reason that they exist. In my early 20s when I read this, it completely changed how I viewed humanity. So much more to it, but this was my main lesson from it.
Anything by James Herriot gave me a reason to laugh and to love animals in a childhood where I felt very alone and misunderstood. The animals around me always brought comfort and always understood. James Herriot helped support that. Plus he’s a master entertaining story teller. I haven’t read the like since.
I love so many of these books, I could list them all again myself. Historical fiction and novels are my equivalent of temporarily hiding under the duvet when the world gets too much. I always return to I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith - the best coming of age novel. Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility,
The Woodlander’s by Thomas Hardy, The English Patient and most other books by Michael Ondaatje. Jamaica Inn, Frenchman’s Creek and The English General by Daphne du Maurier. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer ( please God the Bridgerton producers never decide to reinvent a classic Heyer Regency novel) The Far Pavilion’s and The Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye.. Kim by Rudyard Kipling. Early Isabelle Allende eg House of the Spirits, Eva Luna. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. John O’Donahue for poetry - absolutely. All my non-fiction choices have been mentioned already except The Economics of Happiness by Helena Norbert Hodge and The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill. The Five Love Languages has helped me sustain a 30 year marriage so that’s a good one! Love this thread.
‘East of Eden’ I put on my to-read list tonight, just before reading this thread! 🤓
Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ gripped me several years ago and became all too poignant. I also want to read the ‘Gulag Archipelago’.
Shirley MacLaine’s ‘The Camino’ is a book I remember reading at fifteen and being awed by.
‘The Bone People’ by Keri Hulme, set in Aotearoa New Zealand, where I live, is one of my all-time favourite stories - harrowing and beautiful and spiritual, of the land and its elements.
Also here in NZ, I’m very lucky to have had Bruce Lipton as my teacher for immunology when I studied chiropractic. He still teaches at the chiro college for the half of the year he lives in NZ. We called it ‘Bruceology’ 😉🤓, his lectures were weekly three hour epics!
Another book I have in my collection to read is ‘The God of Small Things’ - I find most of my books second hand or at book swap stalls, sometimes freakishly whatever book has been on my mind that day!
I have eyes bigger than... (book) belly size in what I want to take in but am hoping to set more practices to get back to a voracious reading level.
East of Eden is on my list too. I think it's one of the most powerful books I've ever read. The Red Tent by Anita Diamante left a lasting and deep impression on me. Thich Nhat Hanh's writings have been an inspiration and deep comfort. I'm looking forward to all the recommendations!!
Secret Garden, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Anne of Green Gables, The Sun Also Rises, Tom Sawyer, Watership Down, Braiding Sweetgrass. I could go on!
Women who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Book by Clarissa Pinkola Estés should be required reading for all women..to learn about and reconnect to our wholeness and all the wild and delicious ways we live and thrive, and what we truly need for us, ourselves. To appreciate the complexity and beauty and multifaceted nature of what we are as women.
First - I hate Steinbeck. I was subjected to him as newly minted 14 year old and have never forgiven my English teacher for the Red Pony. You all can East of Eden fan club all you want.
I can't wait to read all the books I pulled from this list. So many of my favorites are already represented. My only adds are Wuthering Heights and Persuasion - both of which pull at my soul with their pathos.
Non-Fiction: 1491 was profound in helping me lose my (false)guilt over being born white in America. Information is power indeed.
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by Robert Pirsig- has a paragraph that addresses education and how it has a life of its own when it is underpinned interest/problem solving and curiosity.
The Alchemist by Pauli Coelho (original language) - had been on my shelf for several years and I felt compelled to read it, in the year preceding back packing for a year through Asia. It could not have been better timed, and was essential in the decision to resign and travel.
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler taught me so much when I was young and first married. (Just about anatomy and physiology that I assumed I already knew and understood. Very helpful!)
Eat Right for Your Type by Peter J. D’Adamo is a book I read back in my early 20’s that is a fascinating guide to eating based on your blood type. I am sure that it’s not 100% accurate but it is certainly intriguing and influenced much of my eating for a couple of decades. I mostly place value on the descriptions of health benefits and disease tendencies of each blood type. That aspect of his book seems to be much more accurate.
Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth empowered me with knowledge to help me understand my child’s sleep needs at all stages/ages. It was incredibly helpful and at almost 18, I can honestly say that our son has been such a healthy sleeper for his whole life. I’m so thankful for this book! (It wasn’t trying to teach me how to train my child to a sleep schedule like some other popular books on children and sleep schedules.)
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is a biography that shares how Corrie and her family helped hide and protect Jews during the holocaust. God’s supernatural and (uncomfortably) natural provision (I’m remembering a part in her story about fleas) is inspiring and reassuring. I read it every couple of years.
I also have a library FULL of gardening, herbs, essential oils and medicinal plant reference books that I look things up in several times a week.
My medical terminology books and anatomy and physiology books from college helped build such a framework and knowledge base to help me understand what story a symptom is trying to tell. These books will forever have a spot in my library.
I remember reading Caddie Woodlawn as a child. I don’t recall the specific story line anymore, but I remember loving Caddie’s spirit of adventure and courage. It is based on true stories of a pioneer family and written by Caddies granddaughter, I believe. Definitely encouraged my own adventures exploring nature on my own. I highly recommend for any Grandmother libraries.
Dancing with Water - non fiction about structured water in the natural world and how to recreate it. I like the 4th phase of water too, but I like this one more.
Aesop's Fables also - especially the one about the wolf and the dog --liberty!!
Old cookbooks written by quirky, opinionated people with vignettes of life in them.
Travelers Joy by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. (who wouldn't want to know how to whitewash a cave for a dwelling??)
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.
and My Antonia, by Willa Cather - the greatest heroine ever. I adore Antonia: "She had only to stand in the orchard, to put her hand on a little crab tree and look up at the apples, to make you feel the goodness of planting and tending and harvesting at last. All the strong things of her heart came out in her body, that had been so tireless in serving generous emotions. It was no wonder that her sons stood tall and straight. She was a rich mine of life, like the founders of early races."
I think because I was desperately lacking myth and storytelling in my life and I was often drawn to symbols and deeper meaning of things as a teenager- the book The Alchemist really influenced me when I was fresh out of high-school.
the books, that shaped my life are different in different life stages.
In my early puberty ( 10-13) books about nature ( birds, butterflys, plants) were my favourite and I collected them!
In youth I loved reading books by Khalil Gibran, Herman Hesse, some my country (Lithuania) classics and Russian clasic such as Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Evgenij Esenin and Anna Achamatova poetry( in original language).
Later as a business manager’s main reading consisted of marketing, process management and effectiveness literature( so usefull now to understand where the world goes!).
In my 30’ies, I started collecting all homestead/natural living books.
In my 40’ties-digging into symbolism, psyhology, world religions, history...
to mention some most important for books
Viktor E. Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning
The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
Karl Jung- The man and his symbols
The Tibetian book of living and dying
The Bible
The books of lithuanian Marya Gimbutas about old Europe
Wendell Berry essays.
And within this group I disvovering more, thank you Tara and all members!
As a young person it was a revelation to discover that the writers I liked most, the writers who had the deepest empathy and insight into the human condition, were also far and away the funniest. I've since come to realize it's a not incidental correlation. Here's a few doozies that still come to mind from time to time:
Flannery O’Connor: “She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity.”
Grahame Greene: “He was impregnably armoured by his good intentions and ignorance.”
Kurt Vonnegut: “I could carve a better man out of a banana”
Edith Wharton: "He was like a merchant whose warehouse is crammed with an unmarketable commodity.”
Truman Capote: “That’s not writing, that’s typing”.
Cormac McCarthy: If there's one thing on this planet you don't look like it's a bunch of good luck walkin' around.”
Dorothy Parker: “What fresh Hell is this?"
JD Salinger: “She wrote to him fairly regularly from a paradise of triple exclamation points and inaccurate observations.”
The author that comes to mind for me is Robin Wall Kimmerer. Both of her books Braiding Sweet Grass and Gathering Moss transformed the way I see the earth and our relationship to it. Braiding Sweet Grass moreso introduced me to the power of language and how the structure of the English language in particular fuels our disconnectedness from the natural world. I now consciously try to say call everything in nature "he" or "she" not because of gender ideology madness, but because those pronouns inherently hold more value and respect in our language than the word "it" does. "It" is easily dismissed and deemed insignificant. But, her? I want to take care of her. That cedar in my back yard? I want her to stick around. I want her to be a safe place for all the song birds to sleep.
I've come to know that if we want more care and compassion in this world, more connection to all living things, the way we speak has to be a part of the equation. And, I have Robin to thank for that (among other things).
Nothing obscure, but The Secret Garden. It opened my eyes in my younger years to the joy found in observing and experiencing nature. Things that now bring me peace and anchor my soul daily.
The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
Reclaiming Childbirth as a Rite of Passage - Rachel Reed
Becoming Supernatural - Dr. Joe Dispenza
The Power of Women - Sister MorningStar
And I’m currently reading Unassisted Childbirth by Laura Kaplan Shanley… you want to read about the simplicity, beauty, peace, and sheer power of nature? Holy holy. I feel like love of the natural world/rewilding ourselves starts with birth.
I stumbled on Elizabeth Goudge in my 40’s....mostly because J K Rowling called her a muse. Scent of Water was quiet and SO beautifully written. She is extraordinary.
And Anne of Green Gables.....as an awkward adolescent...was a life line. The imaginativeness. The solace she found in nature. The solace in books. I still count Anne as a profound influence.
C.S. Lewis’s Mere Christianity. I was raised in a devoted Christian household but this book is what truly solidified my faith in my early 20s. I have the copy my favorite uncle gave my dad years before I was born in the 1970s and it is one of my most cherished possessions.
I’ve always loved Thomas Hardy; Jude the Obscure and Tess of the D’Ubervilles are the two I read the most. His storytelling is just so uniquely, tragically beautiful. I named my youngest Tessa, I just loved that character so much!
Douglas Murray’s The Madness of Crowds is such a profound and biting commentary of society. I’ve read it three times and still can’t get over how sharp he is. I read or listen to any piece I can find from him, his words are treasures.
Viktor E. Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning. Many lessons on human psychology and life.
My “return to” book is Les Miserables. Every time I read it I get something more. It still moves me to tears. Acts of selflessness. Rule defiance. Charity. Hope. Love.
The other I recommend for this group is the Kristen Lavransdatter trilogy by Sigurd Undset. Wow. Written in the 1920’s for which she won a Nobel Prize. Set in 14th century medieval Norway. Historical fiction. A story spanning a life from beginning to end. The choices we make, the consequences we face. It is a beautiful story.
Small is Beautiful by EF Schumacher was one of my life changing books. I just finished A Guide For the Perplexed, the last book Schumacher wrote before he died in 1977. The author who has helped to guide me the most over the past few years has been mythologist Martin Shaw, who writes The House of Beasts and Vines on Substack. I'm grateful for Sharon Blackie and all the work she has done for the sacred feminine. My favourite of hers is If Women Rose Rooted. May Sarton's Plant Dreaming Deep is a blessing for gardeners and those who enjoy solitude. I take regular doses of poetry: Rumi, Mary Oliver, Pablo Neruda, Wendell Berry, Yeats, John O'Donohue. Thank you for sharing with us - for all your beautiful writing, creative insights and natural wisdom.
(nerd alert)
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings trilogy.
There is something about Tolkein in his obvious love for nature, and somehow being able to describe a lot of evils in our world through the story, a lot of it which totally transcends to current times ... sometimes I feel like the Eye of Mordor (Sauron) is representative of the government, always keeping a close eye on us, but not able to see everything... and the story of the Ents, the tree warriors who were being torn down by Orcs to build their evil army until they decided to fight back. They are my happy place to read when I need to go there.
4 years ago I would have had quite the list, but since the p(l)andemic I’ve come to increasingly read the Bible. Doing so has resulted in showers of blessings for me and my family. Nothing else has the answers to the chaos of our times, nothing else provides support for every day, every situation. No other book points towards the Savior we all need like the Bible.
The Space Trilogy by C.S. Lewis
The staggering insights that these novels give into the trajectory of humanity’s future absolutely floored me when I first read them, and still go back to them every couple of years. Think of them as a dystopian expose of pseudo-science, a riveting tale of interplanetary travel, and a medicinal dose of biblical worldview, all rolled into one big tasty fictional burrito.
I could go on, but honestly, besides the Bible, Space Trilogy would be by desert Island pick. So I’ll stop there.
So many great titles here that I have read, mean to still and am remembering to read again.
A Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter was huge for me as a young teen. Even more than Anne of Green Gables, but for the "different" feeling girl and especially one who is connected to the natural world. She also is the only daughter of a single mom who is tough on her....which was my reality. Can't wait to share this with my daughter.
Just started reading All Creatures Great and Small to my 9 year old daughter....very excited about this.
For the past couple of years I have been escaping into the audiobooks of the Outlander series. I have listened two times through. Hours and hours. And there are so many interesting things in those books that entertain, but two of the huge takeaways from listening to historical fiction from the 1700's is that 1) people certainly are not as tough as we used to be (just hop on your horse with a wool cloak and some jerky, cheese and bread. Ride to your destination that is days away with just a bedroll) 2)tribalism is everywhere and always has been regardless of the location, race etc and people have the ability to switch tribes and accept other tribes and respectfully let other tribes be themselves. Especially here in the very complicated North American continent. I think that I was born 100-200 years too late.
I'm in the middle of Grapes of Wrath right now and it's altering my brain chemistry as we chat. Silence,One Hundred Years of Solitude, and The Brothers Karamazov all floored me with their characters & storytelling & ~lessons. I also enjoyed Meditations and The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter for the ideas & writing, respectively. I love reading & I could go on forever but I'll stop. Cant wait to see what everyone says!
Oh goodness I could write pages on this topic and I’m sure I will forget some really amazing books in my list.
Pilgrims Progress by John Bunyan and the kids version my son would say is his top book, Dangerous Journey by Oliver Hunkin. Anything by CS Lewis but esp. the Narnia Series. The Hiding Place, The Good Master, Sounder, Shiloh. The Little House Series. Mimosa a True Story by Amy Carmichael. Parenting books by Sally Clarkson, she’s my motherly mentor even though she doesn’t know it. Free to Learn by Peter Grey and Last Child in the Woods. Two in the Far North by Margret Murie, about a husband wife team who tag birds and caribou in the artic circle with their baby strapped to their canoe. Amazing story, life doesn’t end when you become a mom. More kids books because that’s what I have spent the last 10 years reading, Summer of the Monkeys, anything illustrated by Jim LaMarche: Pond, Raft, King of Bees, Winter is Coming. The Redwall Series, and a wonderful collection of stories called The Wonderful World of Wimmicks by Max Lucado. It teaches great character traits and how the world has lost their way. I know this thread isn’t about children’s books but there are some wonderful ones I have read that have brought me to tears and taught me good lessons.
I also enjoy Steinbeck! His nonfiction, Travels with Charley is my favorite. What an extraordinary take on the USA in the 1950's!
What a great idea! There are so many over all of these years, but here are some that come to mind:
Nourishing Traditions - Sally Fallon
The Unsettling of America - Wendell Berry
Living at Nature's Pace - Gene Logsdon
The Contrary Farmer - Gene Logsdon
You Can Farm - Joel Salatin
The Yoga of Eating - Charles Eisenstein
The Carnivore Code - Paul Saladino
Healing Wise - Susun Weed
The Garden of Fertility - Kate Singer
A mind of your own by Kelly Brogan shaped the course of my life. This books offers a holistic approach to treating mental health “symptoms” (I don’t like the term illness or disease). It offers so much hope and freedom from the current paradigm on treating the mind and body.
I am currently reading Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand. This is a committed read but so worth it. I align greatly with her philosophy “objectivism”. Her quote in the book stands out for me; “I swear by my life, and my love of it, that I will never live for the sake of another man, nor ask another man to live for mine.”
Dissolving Illusions by Suzanne Humphries and Roman Bystrianky (I think this book will be very difficult to find in the near future). Book uses overlooked medical journals, books etc to show that va((ines, antibiotics and other medical interventions are not responsible for the increase in lifespans and the decline of mortality from infectious diseases.
Ishmael by Daniel Quinn. “Teacher seeks pupil. Must have an earnest desire to save the world.”
The end of Alzheimer’s by Dale Bredesen
I hope to someday have the finesse and scope of Mary Oliver's beautiful writing.
The Abundance Project was a turning point in my life- reinforcing my call to a transcendence not transaction based life.
The Lord of the Rings series is more than just lore. It is a reflection of societal patterns and reading it to my children has been a layered experience of entertainment and awakening.
Silent Spring and Brighton Baby are books laden with data to reinforce our everlasting need to unite with nature.
I can thank Animal Farm for my almost daily comparison of modern society to a chanting flock of sheep.
Lastly a book that applies to my current life as an unschooling mother, Dumbing us Down by John Taylor Gatto. Every person can draw something from it I believe.
There's so many more. But those are some of the most compelling. So unbelievably excited to find a long list of titles to add to my "read this" pile.
Wendell Berry’s The Unsettling of America was truly transformative for me.
How to choose! I’ve always loved series where you get to know characters deeper with each book.
I first read Jean M. Auel’s “Clan of the Cave Bear” at the suggestion of my high school English teacher when I was 17. The whole series deeply moved me, as it was incredibly archaeologically accurate and helped me understand how life many have been and what’s been lost.
I also love the “Longmire” series by Craig Johnson, set in fictional absaroka county, Wyoming. I love the exploration of character, determination, grief and duty.
Sharon Blackies “If Women Rose Rooted” changed my life as a 22 year old. Based in the mythology of the British isles, she uses myth to explore the psychology and personal growth of women.
Similarly, anything written by Sylvia Linstead. Many stories and essays are based in “old Europe” as coined by archaeologist Mariya Gimbutas. “Our Lady of the Dark Country” is a beautiful collection of poems and stories
Children of Men. I absolutely love this work. I have read it until the pages are worn. There’s something about the story that speaks to me. It could be because of the changes in the world, the profound loss of children, the destruction of society and a single average man who helps redeem it.
The Bible- There is no other book that regularly draws me up short and slaps me in the face than this one. So often I read it and think, "Wait, what? Ok, if that's right, how did I get so far off track?"
Lord of the Rings- I read this every few years.
Drawing with Children- So many people say, "I can't draw." I take the methods from this book and I watch the lights come on and they actually love drawing! Mona really sets you free to just have fun with drawing! Maybe it's weird to say this is a transformative book, but how many people wish they could express themselves with drawing and can't? It's like learning to read- not so exciting in and of itself but transformative in it's results.
"Range, Why Generalists Triumph in a Specialists World." Helped me be ok with being a wife and mom and not pursuing a caree at the moment (maybe never.) Not just be ok, but see the value of this. We need generalists!
G.K. Chesterton- Almost anything by him. Currently reading "What's wrong with the world." Definitely don't agree with all he says, but he definitely makes me think!
Dorothy Sayers- The Mind of the Maker, Are Women Human - I have not read anything of hers I don't like.
Barbara Kingsolver-Small Matters - really anything she writes
George McDonald- Phantastes- The Princess and the Goblin-I never liked his work for adults (although, I haven't read it as an adult, either! ) but his kid lit is excellent.
Garlic and Sapphires- not transformative, really, but it has stuck with me for sure!
The God who is there - by Francis Schaeffer - really digs deep into modern relativism. Eye-opening for me.
Both ‘The Untethered Soul’ and ‘The Surrender Experiment’ by Michael Singer were deeply moving for me.
‘The Birth House’ by Ami McKay
‘The Alchemist’ by Paulo Cohelo
‘Women Who Run With the Wolves’ by Clarissa Pinkola Estes
‘Hold On to Your Kids’ by Neufeld and Gabor Mate
‘To Bless the Space Between Us’ + ‘Anam Cara’ by John O’Donohue
Oh gosh, I have so many books that have helped to shape who I am and how I move through the world! I am so grateful for these threads where we can share and gain inspiration, and I will write everyone's favorite books down so as to support used book stores later. Here are a few of mine:
Fiction:
- The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Alberto Urrea (one of the best novels I've ever read!)
- Peace Like a River by Leif Enger
- The River Why by David James Duncan
- Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver
- Mink River by Brian Doyle
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry
Non Fiction:
- The Invisible Rainbow by Arthur Firstenberg (excellent information on electricity and health)
- Radical Homemakers by Shannon Hayes
-Pilgrim at Tinker Creek by Annie Dillard (exceptional and emotionally inquisitive nature writing)
- Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey (a classic in my opinion)
- The Vegetarian Myth by Lierre Keith (a must read for anyone who is questioning certain dietary dogmas. I don't agree with every philosophy espoused in the book, but in many ways it started me down the path of consciously considering the ways in which animal products support health, and questioning the logic behind vegan/vegetarian diets).
- The Food of a Younger Land by Mark Kurlansky (an interesting look at what food in America used to be, before it became an industry).
- Any book of essays by Wendell Berry
This thread is so nourishing... thank you!!
An early book for me that I have carried for Life was Heidi, by Joanna Spyri. I also loved the Narnia books by CS Lewis.
When I was about 20 I read The Continuum Concept by Jean Leidloff, which has also been a constant companion since.
There are more but those books gave me something I will never, ever forget.
Favorite books of all time.
The Wind in the Willows
Setting Free the Bears
A Prayer for Owen Meany
Swallows and Amazons
What a list so far! I’ve added a number to my reading list. Here are the books that helped shape me, but I’ll exclude the childhood classics that I still carry in my heart.
Peace is Every Step by Thich Nhat Hahn. I read it every few years and frequently gift it. The words are like a drink of cool water.
The War of Art by Steven Pressfield. A must-read for the creatives who get tripped up by resistance.
Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand completely changed the way I look at people and government. I don’t agree with all of her ideas and find her characters a bit cold, but it’s still full of gold nuggets.
The Screwtape Letters by C.S Lewis.
Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell has been a favourite since I was a teenager
Elements of Style and Eats, Shoots and Leaves for the writers out there.
My Life in France by Julia Child. I’ve reread this one a few times because I love learning about France in the 50s and her connection with food.
Also, Ralph Waldo Emerson’s writings are so nourishing
There are so many...it’s hard to list them all!
“Love & Responsibility” and Theology of the Body” by John Paul 2. These two books single-handedly changed how I looked at my fellow humans and I believe will change the world if we all understood and lived what he is teaching. He teaches that each person has an inherent worth and dignity, not because of anything they did or didn’t do but for the simple reason that they exist. In my early 20s when I read this, it completely changed how I viewed humanity. So much more to it, but this was my main lesson from it.
Anything by James Herriot gave me a reason to laugh and to love animals in a childhood where I felt very alone and misunderstood. The animals around me always brought comfort and always understood. James Herriot helped support that. Plus he’s a master entertaining story teller. I haven’t read the like since.
I love so many of these books, I could list them all again myself. Historical fiction and novels are my equivalent of temporarily hiding under the duvet when the world gets too much. I always return to I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith - the best coming of age novel. Jane Austen’s Persuasion and Sense and Sensibility,
The Woodlander’s by Thomas Hardy, The English Patient and most other books by Michael Ondaatje. Jamaica Inn, Frenchman’s Creek and The English General by Daphne du Maurier. The Grand Sophy by Georgette Heyer ( please God the Bridgerton producers never decide to reinvent a classic Heyer Regency novel) The Far Pavilion’s and The Shadow of the Moon by M.M. Kaye.. Kim by Rudyard Kipling. Early Isabelle Allende eg House of the Spirits, Eva Luna. Like Water for Chocolate by Laura Esquivel. John O’Donahue for poetry - absolutely. All my non-fiction choices have been mentioned already except The Economics of Happiness by Helena Norbert Hodge and The Magic Apple Tree by Susan Hill. The Five Love Languages has helped me sustain a 30 year marriage so that’s a good one! Love this thread.
‘East of Eden’ I put on my to-read list tonight, just before reading this thread! 🤓
Orwell’s ‘Nineteen Eighty-Four’ gripped me several years ago and became all too poignant. I also want to read the ‘Gulag Archipelago’.
Shirley MacLaine’s ‘The Camino’ is a book I remember reading at fifteen and being awed by.
‘The Bone People’ by Keri Hulme, set in Aotearoa New Zealand, where I live, is one of my all-time favourite stories - harrowing and beautiful and spiritual, of the land and its elements.
Also here in NZ, I’m very lucky to have had Bruce Lipton as my teacher for immunology when I studied chiropractic. He still teaches at the chiro college for the half of the year he lives in NZ. We called it ‘Bruceology’ 😉🤓, his lectures were weekly three hour epics!
Another book I have in my collection to read is ‘The God of Small Things’ - I find most of my books second hand or at book swap stalls, sometimes freakishly whatever book has been on my mind that day!
I have eyes bigger than... (book) belly size in what I want to take in but am hoping to set more practices to get back to a voracious reading level.
A Course in Miracles!
I am currently reading Mirrors in the Earth by Asia Suler... another nature revered lullaby
East of Eden is on my list too. I think it's one of the most powerful books I've ever read. The Red Tent by Anita Diamante left a lasting and deep impression on me. Thich Nhat Hanh's writings have been an inspiration and deep comfort. I'm looking forward to all the recommendations!!
Secret Garden, Isaac Asimov’s Foundation series, Anne of Green Gables, The Sun Also Rises, Tom Sawyer, Watership Down, Braiding Sweetgrass. I could go on!
Women who Run with the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype
Book by Clarissa Pinkola Estés should be required reading for all women..to learn about and reconnect to our wholeness and all the wild and delicious ways we live and thrive, and what we truly need for us, ourselves. To appreciate the complexity and beauty and multifaceted nature of what we are as women.
Sad gifted me this book in my 20s, profound.
First - I hate Steinbeck. I was subjected to him as newly minted 14 year old and have never forgiven my English teacher for the Red Pony. You all can East of Eden fan club all you want.
I can't wait to read all the books I pulled from this list. So many of my favorites are already represented. My only adds are Wuthering Heights and Persuasion - both of which pull at my soul with their pathos.
Non-Fiction: 1491 was profound in helping me lose my (false)guilt over being born white in America. Information is power indeed.
Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance by Robert Pirsig- has a paragraph that addresses education and how it has a life of its own when it is underpinned interest/problem solving and curiosity.
The Alchemist by Pauli Coelho (original language) - had been on my shelf for several years and I felt compelled to read it, in the year preceding back packing for a year through Asia. It could not have been better timed, and was essential in the decision to resign and travel.
The Prophet - Gibran...been my reference book for life!
There are so many books that have been part of my journey. Here are a few that stand out:
man's search for meaning by Victor Frankl. I already commented on someone else's post about that one.
Call of the wild by Jack London. More than a story about a dog. And beautiful writing.
Memories, dreams, reflections by Carl Jung and man and his symbols. If you are into dreams and archetypes, highly recommend.
A mighty heart by Marianne Pearl and In search of hope:the global diaries of Marianne Pearl. These both have a hopeful theme.
The art of war. It really is must read especially for those in leadership (not just for military folk).
Women's bodies, Women's wisdom by Chritiane Northrup. Every women should have this book as part of her library.
Anyway these are a just a few important books... don't get me started about poetry. Hehe
Taking Charge of Your Fertility by Toni Weschler taught me so much when I was young and first married. (Just about anatomy and physiology that I assumed I already knew and understood. Very helpful!)
Eat Right for Your Type by Peter J. D’Adamo is a book I read back in my early 20’s that is a fascinating guide to eating based on your blood type. I am sure that it’s not 100% accurate but it is certainly intriguing and influenced much of my eating for a couple of decades. I mostly place value on the descriptions of health benefits and disease tendencies of each blood type. That aspect of his book seems to be much more accurate.
Health Sleep Habits, Happy Child by Marc Weissbluth empowered me with knowledge to help me understand my child’s sleep needs at all stages/ages. It was incredibly helpful and at almost 18, I can honestly say that our son has been such a healthy sleeper for his whole life. I’m so thankful for this book! (It wasn’t trying to teach me how to train my child to a sleep schedule like some other popular books on children and sleep schedules.)
The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom is a biography that shares how Corrie and her family helped hide and protect Jews during the holocaust. God’s supernatural and (uncomfortably) natural provision (I’m remembering a part in her story about fleas) is inspiring and reassuring. I read it every couple of years.
I also have a library FULL of gardening, herbs, essential oils and medicinal plant reference books that I look things up in several times a week.
My medical terminology books and anatomy and physiology books from college helped build such a framework and knowledge base to help me understand what story a symptom is trying to tell. These books will forever have a spot in my library.
I remember reading Caddie Woodlawn as a child. I don’t recall the specific story line anymore, but I remember loving Caddie’s spirit of adventure and courage. It is based on true stories of a pioneer family and written by Caddies granddaughter, I believe. Definitely encouraged my own adventures exploring nature on my own. I highly recommend for any Grandmother libraries.
Dancing with Water - non fiction about structured water in the natural world and how to recreate it. I like the 4th phase of water too, but I like this one more.
Aesop's Fables also - especially the one about the wolf and the dog --liberty!!
Old cookbooks written by quirky, opinionated people with vignettes of life in them.
Travelers Joy by Juliette de Bairacli Levy. (who wouldn't want to know how to whitewash a cave for a dwelling??)
Meditations by Marcus Aurelius.
and My Antonia, by Willa Cather - the greatest heroine ever. I adore Antonia: "She had only to stand in the orchard, to put her hand on a little crab tree and look up at the apples, to make you feel the goodness of planting and tending and harvesting at last. All the strong things of her heart came out in her body, that had been so tireless in serving generous emotions. It was no wonder that her sons stood tall and straight. She was a rich mine of life, like the founders of early races."
Loved Anne of Green Gables as a child, young adult and even now as an adult. Love non fiction books -
The Golden Spruce (a favorite about the Haida and their relationship with logging).
The Brain that Changes Itself and The Brains Way of Healing.
The Red Tent.
The Birthhouse.
Into Thin Air - John Krakauer
Columbine - Dave Cullen
Coming to our Senses & Full Catastrophe Living- John Kabat Zinn
Loving What is - Byron Katie
How children fail - John Holt
Lost at School - Rose Greene
Last Child in the Woods
When the Body Says No - Gabor Mate
In the realm of hungry ghosts (amazing book about understanding addictions. - Gabor Mate
The Body Keeps the Score
5 Love languages
Hold onto your kids - Gordon Neufeld
Artists Way - Julia Cameron
The wisdom of the enneagram (personality types).
When Things Fall Apart - Peña Chodron
I think because I was desperately lacking myth and storytelling in my life and I was often drawn to symbols and deeper meaning of things as a teenager- the book The Alchemist really influenced me when I was fresh out of high-school.
I’m not much of a reader of fiction books but love to pour over books on lots of different subjects especially plant books.
If I were to pick a favorite and recommend book it would be A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.
Thanks everyone for all the book suggestions!
Love so many already mentioned! Just some others that I frequently come back to:
Fiction:
Women in Love by DH Lawrence
1984 by George Orwell
NonFiction:
Free Women, Free Men by Camille Paglia
The Botany of Desire by Michael Pollan
Poetry:
Anything William Wordsworth (A Slumber did my Spirit Seal)
Paradise Lost by John Milton
The Book of Thel by William Blake
the books, that shaped my life are different in different life stages.
In my early puberty ( 10-13) books about nature ( birds, butterflys, plants) were my favourite and I collected them!
In youth I loved reading books by Khalil Gibran, Herman Hesse, some my country (Lithuania) classics and Russian clasic such as Dostoyevsky, Tolstoy, Evgenij Esenin and Anna Achamatova poetry( in original language).
Later as a business manager’s main reading consisted of marketing, process management and effectiveness literature( so usefull now to understand where the world goes!).
In my 30’ies, I started collecting all homestead/natural living books.
In my 40’ties-digging into symbolism, psyhology, world religions, history...
to mention some most important for books
Viktor E. Frankl - Man's Search for Meaning
The Power of Now - Eckhart Tolle
Karl Jung- The man and his symbols
The Tibetian book of living and dying
The Bible
The books of lithuanian Marya Gimbutas about old Europe
Wendell Berry essays.
And within this group I disvovering more, thank you Tara and all members!
Sajo and the Beaver People by Grey Owl
Tom Brown Jr books
As a young person it was a revelation to discover that the writers I liked most, the writers who had the deepest empathy and insight into the human condition, were also far and away the funniest. I've since come to realize it's a not incidental correlation. Here's a few doozies that still come to mind from time to time:
Flannery O’Connor: “She looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity.”
Grahame Greene: “He was impregnably armoured by his good intentions and ignorance.”
Kurt Vonnegut: “I could carve a better man out of a banana”
Edith Wharton: "He was like a merchant whose warehouse is crammed with an unmarketable commodity.”
Truman Capote: “That’s not writing, that’s typing”.
Cormac McCarthy: If there's one thing on this planet you don't look like it's a bunch of good luck walkin' around.”
Dorothy Parker: “What fresh Hell is this?"
JD Salinger: “She wrote to him fairly regularly from a paradise of triple exclamation points and inaccurate observations.”
So many wonderful books in these comments. I have a few favorites to add:
Out of Africa
The Count of Monte Cristina
The Great Gatsby
Pride and Prejudice
Wuthering Heights