The "Great American Read" on PBS begins Tuesday, May 22 at 7:00 PM. More information is available on the PBS Website. I took the Great American Read QUIZ and learned I've read 35 of the 100 books listed. As an English Major, I thought I'd score a bit higher. Now I want to read a few more. What was your score? Which books are your favorites? The books on this list are some of my favorites, but I have to admit I had a hard time picking just a few.
Things fall apart
Chinua Achebe
FICTION Achebe, Chinua
Fiction
This book reminds me of my happy undergraduate years with Peter Nazareth at the University of Iowa studying African Literature.
- Kara
The lion, the witch and the wardrobe : a story for children
C. S. (Clive Staples) Lewis
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Lewis, C. S.
Fantasy
Four English school children find their way through the back of a wardrobe into the magic land of Narnia and assist Aslan, the golden lion, to triumph over the White Witch, who has cursed the land with eternal winter.
I read most of the Chronicles of Narnia sitting in my awesome tree house - it was the best place to read when I was a kid.
- Kara
Gone with the wind
Margaret Mitchell
FICTION Mitchell, Margaret
Fiction
The summer after seventh grade I set a goal to read Gone With the Wind before the end of summer. I had never read such a big book before. I loved it.
- Kara
Harry Potter and the sorcerer's stone
J. K Rowling
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Rowling, J. K.
Fantasy
Rescued from the outrageous neglect of his aunt and uncle, a young boy with a great destiny proves his worth while attending Hogwarts School for Wizards and Witches. This is the first Hary Potter book.
I first heard about the Harry Potter books from Iowa's First Lady, Christie Vilsack during a Community Reading Month talk in about 1998. It's twenty years later the Harry Potter books are still very popular (and are some of my favorites).
- Kara
The giver
Lois Lowry
YOUNG ADULT FICTION Lowry, Lois
Fantasy
Given his lifetime assignment at the Ceremony of Twelve, Jonas becomes the receiver of memories shared by only one other in his community and discovers the terrible truth about the society in which he lives.
An amazing book by Lois Lowry that stayed with me for a long time after I finished reading it.
- Kara
The Joy Luck Club
Amy Tan
FICTION Tan, Amy
Fiction
Amy Tan is an amazing writer. I liked The Kitchen God's Wife even better - but this is also a great book.
- Kara
I didn't like this book when I read it in Junior High. I read it again in High School and loved it.
- Kara