Novels I love

Here are some of my favourite novels.  They are a combination of modern books, as well as the classics.  I have a great love for the classics.  I devour them, crave them.  They're wonderful.  I believe everyone should have a strong foundation in the classic novels.  But I also love more modern novels as well!

My top 3:

1.) War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy
I love Tolstoy, we have a great love affair.  He's a genius.  And I love this book. This is a MONSTER of a book.  I'm in the process of reading it for the 2nd time...all 1400 pages.  It is the greatest novel EVER WRITTEN.  It's not debatable.  Facts speak for itself..no book has been translated into as many languages as this one. Now, some people can't handle this book.  You have to give it time.  The writing style is from the 1800's, his descriptions are very detailed.  And there are a tonne of characters...over 500.  Some fictional, some historical.  So its very in depth.  The first time, it took me a good 500-800 pages to figure everyone out.  But I kept pushing through, and by the time I had everything figured out everything I was in love with the book.  I love it even more the 2nd time through, because now I know who everyone is from the beginning and can pick up so much more detail than the first time.  The first time, for the first half, was over whelming.

 2.) The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
This is the best book EVER!!  If you haven't read it, you absolutely have to!!  I've read it over a dozen times, and I never get sick of it.  Her other books are great, but this book I love. It is one of my most cherished and beloved books.

3.) The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
This books is based on the story of Joseph from the bible...through the eyes of the one sister in the family, Dinah.  So you're getting a bible story told through a woman's eyes.  Now, for those of you who are religious take it with a grain of salt.  This book is....womanistic.  I don't want to say feminist, but its just told in a different way with different insights and interpretations different from the bible. BUT it does follow what happened to Dinah exactly as the bible tells it, the events are accurate.  To the "T".  The conversations/views/thoughts, well...who knows.  It's a wonderful book.

Other novels I love (in no certain order):

4.) Three Day Road - Joseph Boyden
Canadian author who gives a view of WWI through the eyes of two Cree snipers.  Very interesting.

5.) The DaVinci Code - Dan Brown
Who can not love this book?!  I am still waiting to read his others, I'm sure I'll love them.

6.) Sashenka - Simon Montefiore
This books is about a girl who becomes a Bolshevik during the Russian revolution, and about living in the time of Stalin.  Read it!!

7.) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen.
A classic, a must.  You'll love it.

8.) Mansfield Park - Jane Austen
This, so far, is my favourite by this author.  I love Pride and Prejudice, but there's just something about Mansfield Park.  Its such a sweet little novel.

9.) Persuasion - Jane Austen
You can't miss when you pick up a Jane Austen.  Just not possible.

10.) Blindness - Jose Saramago
Heavy stuff here.  What a comment on the human race.

11.) The Bean Trees - Barbara Kingsolver
Great author from my top 3, another great book by her!  There is a follow up to this book, although I haven't read it yet.

12.) Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Another great novel by this author, one of his classics.  This was my first Tolstoy.

13.) Eugene Onegin - Alexander Pushkin
This is a novel in poetic form/verse.  Its really quite good, you get into the flow of his poetic form quite easily.  I really need to go back and read this a second time.
(As you can maybe tell, I am quite interested in Russia...it fascinates me.  They have some of the best authors, composers, artists and an amazing history and culture).

14.) Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
This is such a beautiful, beautiful book.  Although some things are not quite accurate (such as Geisha sleeping with other men, in the right situation, for money.  Apparently that is not true, the highest class of geisha would never do that, although there were several types of geisha where this might have happened...I have to look into it more. But they can take lovers who help support them financially, like the Baron in this book, but even then it doesn't mean/have to be a sexual relationship).  And the movie was well done.

15.) Life of Pi - Yann Martel
Such an interesting book, only at the end are you presented with a different view of how the story may really have occurred and you are left wondering which was the story that actually happened.

16.) White Fang - Jack London
Another classic.  This was my very first classic, and the first book I bought on my own. I bought it in grade 4 at a book fair, and read it even though it was beyond my reading level.  I still have the original book and I've read it many times.  Beautiful beautiful book.  I love it.

17.) The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett
The movie was a childhood classic!  And the book is just as wonderful, who could not enjoy this book?!!  They must be insane.

18.) Uncle Tom's Cabin - Harriet Beecher Stowe
Another classic, and another great read.  You can't miss with any classic.  It's why they're classic.

19.) The Other Boleyn Girl - Philippa Gregory
AMAZING BOOK, you just HATE \Anne.  Although it is pretty much historically inaccurate...it based on a very loose rumour which is found to have no merit and was 99% false.  Mary had a brief affair with the King, but it didn't last long before she fell out of favour, and it is strongly believed and pretty much proved that neither of her children were fathered by Henry.  But its nice to explore the rumour a little bit, and what might have been.  It's a great read.  That being said, the movie SUCKED!  So many things were changed...it only followed the guidelines of there were 2 sisters: one had an affair with the king and had a child, the other married him and had her head chopped off.  The rest of it differs from the book.  And Anne is not as mean. I was very disappointed with the movie.

20.) Anthony and Cleopatra - Colleen McCullough
This is not the romance story you expect! It is not mushy gushy at all.  What a book though, the historical descriptions and war scenes are great.  It really provides another view on this classic love story, the characters follow more human emotions and tendencies.