My Favorites - Edition 2

All Time Favorite Fiction Books that Changed my life

To see my first post in this series, click here

In order of when I first discovered the goodness...

I will begin this post with a disclaimer.  My favorite books are ones with depth, ones that make me wrestle around with my soul a bit.  They are books that don't fill my mind with lighthearted entertainment (although I am usually entertained and my mind is fully engaged) but rater fuel me to become a better contributor to humanity.  I hope this list encourages you to check out these great reads.

1.  Harry Potter - By J.K. Rowling

This entire series is an excellent read about the battle of light and darkness.  From the very beginning of this series, there is a clearly defined enemy who is wreaking havoc and invoking much fear.  Lord Voldermort is so feared that the people refer to him as “He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named”.  A very clear hero is also evident from the beginning of the book.  Harry Potter, “The Boy Who Lived, battles Lord Voldermort in each book, ending with a final culmination fight in the last book.  Intermixed in the story are elements of grace, mercy, teenage love, fun spells, wicked spells, and a fascinating magical world.  

2.  A Thousand Splendid Suns - By Khaled Hosseini

The first time I read this book, I read it in a single day.  I had stayed home from work with a sinus infection and decided to start reading it that morning.  The story entranced me and I could not stop reading.  The story takes place in Afghanistan and begins with an illegitimate girl living out in the middle of nowhere with her mother away from the scornful eyes of society.  She lives for the visits from her well-to-do father.  Eventually she chooses to believe in her own fantasies about her father rather than listening to the truth of her mother and in the process loses her mother.  Life for the girl only gets worse from there.  Her father quickly washes his hands of her by arranging a marriage for her.  Later in life, her husband takes on another young bride and the remainder of the story portrays the intertwined lives of the two women.  In the midst of the story, there are bits of history and the many wars that Afghanistan has seen.  By the end of my sick day, I was weeping at the story.  My roommate came home in the middle of the cry fest and wondered if I was ok.  I am not much of a crier especially when it comes to fiction because my logic-heavy brain tells me it’s not real.  A book that can make me so emotionally connected that I end up weeping is a good book indeed.  I add it to my list of books that changed my life because it opened my eyes to see the somewhat normal plight of women living in the Middle East and cause deep compassion to grow for them.

3.  The Alchemist - By Paulo Coelho

I like meaty books, books that send me on soul-searching journeys and make my lazy brain think about hard things.  The Alchemist is a meaty book.  It tells of the journey of a young shepherd boy who after a dream decides to leave his sheep in search of treasure.  He believes finding the treasure is his life’s destiny.  He runs into many obstacles along the way, meets new friends, and falls in love.  Interwoven throughout the book are various spiritual truths.

4.  Pinocchio - Carlo Collodi

I actually fell in love with this movie before I read the book.  The movie is excellently done.  Should you watch the movie, I suggest you do so in Italian with English subtitles.  This is one of the rare cases where the movie is equal to the book in quality.  The story of Pinocchio as many of you know is about a puppet that eventually becomes a real boy.  I love the story because it encompasses all of the parts of the gospel: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Restoration.

Creation: 

He has a beginning/is created when the butterfly touches the piece of wood and Gepetto carves him.

Fall:

From the moment he is finished, he wreaks havoc against his builder/designer/creator

He rebels, promises to “do” better, rebels again, promises again.  The cricket represents conscience/moral reasoning/truth but Pinocchio rejects his words, trying to literally squash the cricket.  Gepetto comes to his rescue when his feet are on fire in spite of his rebellion.  Gepetto also makes sacrifices for Pinocchio.  Eventually his buddy convinces him to go to the Playland where there is no school, no work, and only fun.    

Redemption:

After he falls asleep at Playland, Pinocchio becomes imprisoned in a donkey’s body and is eventually rescued and freed by the blue fairy.  He finds out his father is ill and takes on a job, learning to put his father first.  He reunites with his old trouble-making pal, now a donkey, just before his buddy dies.  

Restoration:

After he demonstrates that he is changed, the blue fairy returns transforms the puppet into a real boy.  The old has gone, the new has come.  He is a new creation, fully alive. 

5.  The Help - By Kathryn Stockett

This book takes place in the middle of the civil rights movement.  I love historical fiction because it gives me glimpses into times past.  This book helped open my eyes to the hateful nature of racism.  It also helped me appreciate the sacrifices that were made so I can have friendships today and think nothing of skin color.  It also makes me try to be alert to the unjust things in today's culture that also need to be fought agains.  The book is well written bouncing between the perspective of two housemaids and a white girl.  It will keep you on your toes.  
  

6.  Messenger - By Lois Lowry

I wrote a synopsis of this book here.   

7.  The Time Keeper - By Mitch Albom

This book is pretty new.  I actually did not read this one but rather listened to the audio book.  Mitch Albom tells a story of the first man that began keeping time.  After tragedy strikes, he searches for a way to gain just a bit more time but in the search he finds himself a prisoner of limitless time.  He eventually ends up in present day and has to help two individuals learn what he learned in his prison teaching them healthier perspectives on appreciating time.  It is a fantastic read for us in a culture trying to hurry or slow down time.