Reading Lists
"I cannot live without books." --Thomas Jefferson
I was a non-reader. When I was in grade school, I did read a lot; in fact, in 6th grade I won a school award for reading so many books. I was given Wilson Rawl's Where the Red Fern Grows and Barney Beagle Goes to Town as prizes, perhaps my two favorite books
I don't remember reading anything in junior high or in high school. I do remember coming to class early to quickly ask my neighbors what the reading was about so I could squeak my way through any possible quiz. |
At the end of my senior year, I saw my friend Shelley Taylor reading Mario Puzo's The Godfather. I couldn't believe anyone could read a book that big just for fun. I questioned Shelley how she could do that; she told me to wait: at some time in my life I would find the right book at the right time, and then I would be a reader.
A couple months later, I did find that book: Leon Uris's Exodus about transporting Jewish refugees to Palestine. I then read Melville's Moby Dick and enjoyed them both. I was now a reader, and I can't imagine what my life would have been without reading. |
Individuals, mostly students, ask me to recommend books. It's hard recommending books because I try to suggest the right book for the right reader at the right time. At one time I had a good reading list that I've lost, so I've decided to start the list over.
I'm organizing the list by the following general categories which have links to their own pages. There may be some duplication of titles among the lists. |