Lunch Date

Even the cesspool that is sometimes referred to as Utah Lake can be tolerable when I’m out on it with my favorite person.

Tuesday Mike took an extended lunch break and whisked me away for a date. (Oh, the things you can do when your kids are in school all day!) We packed a lunch, some life jackets, and the jet skies and drove a few miles to Utah Lake were we spent a couple hours cruising around in the sunshine, enjoying the last warm weather of the season together. A weekday afternoon is the perfect time to visit the lake (notwithstanding the disgusting green algae blooms that are over abundant this time of year). No one was out on the water (except maybe a few retired gentlemen in fishing boats) and the water was like a sheet of glass, eerily so, barely a ripple. The jet skies just glided along the surface as smooth as butter.

I’ve spent years driving from one end of Utah valley to the other, but I’ve never traveled that distance on the water before. I have to say, it’s much more relaxing and beautiful via water. (Faster too) We saw birds in the sky, fish jumping in the water, and the big Y on the mountain (I thought of you Stephen) up there with the leaves that are starting to change colors for Fall. We also saw many an airplane flying over head. Provo has a new airport now and it’s right near the lake on the Provo end. As we sat and ate our picnic lunch our entertainment was planes taking off from the runway. Very impressive.

It was a wonderful afternoon, even considering the raccoon like sunburn I’m sporting on my face because I forgot to apply sunblock before I put on my sunglasses.

Spending time with Mike is my favorite thing. Thanks for the date babe! Thanks for making sure my feet didn’t even get in that nasty water! You’re the best.

More Favorite Reads

I’m not sure what the official definition of ‘classic’ is, but I’m calling my classics – books that were written pre 1950. (So yes, by that definition, if you are a person born pre 1950 you can call yourself a classic).

Anyway…what ever the official definition, I know I need to read more classics and I’ve made a goal to do so; because when I sat down to create a list of my favorites it was a bit harder to think of all the classics I’ve read, especially since completing my formal education. Classics were required reading in school, a fact that I’m grateful for, but maybe I was too young back then to appreciate some of them. (Although, I will never appreciate Heart of Darkness by Joseph Conrad no matter how old I get, I just never will).

My criteria for choosing my favorites for this list is the same for choosing my favorites on my previous list. (Criteria and list here).

For my classics list I picked seven favorites.

So without any further ado…

The List

7- Tess of the D’Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy

The only reason this is number seven on the list is because the story of Tess is a bit (okay, a lot) depressing, but don’t let that deter you from reading this gem of a novel. (I take that back…do let it deter you if you are suffering from melancholy and need something more cheerful). The story of Tess is a tragedy for sure, but this book is so beautifully written you might not mind the sad nature of it so much. Thomas Hardy is a magnificent writer (in fact if this list were longer it would most likely contain another Thomas Hardy title, Mayor of Casterbridge is almost as good).

I read Tess for the first time just after I graduated from high school. I was working at a hole-in-the-wall Kona/Hawaiian ice cream shop that didn’t get much business during the day. I loved the job because it provided ample quiet time to sit and read. When the occasional costumer would come through the door, I held my book in one hand and kept right on reading while making a double espresso or scooping up Macadamia Nut Chocolate Chip ice cream with the other. I couldn’t stop reading. The day I finished Tess, I immediately picked up the phone and called mom, “That was the most beautiful tragedy I’ve ever read.” Yes, tragedies can be beautiful.

Note: If you are the kind of person who would rather watch the movie than read the book there are several versions of Tess that were made for television and even one for the big screen. I’ve seen most of them and they are all pretty decent. Not as good as the book of course, but still good.

6- Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton

I was talking to my mom in New Zealand about this list of favorite classics and thankfully she reminded me about this gorgeous book. It went directly on the list. I guess this story could also be considered a tragedy if it wasn’t for the glorious themes of love and forgiveness that run throughout it’s pages. Like I said, I like a story that provides a hero/heroine that, although not perfect, embodies goodness. This story has that in abundance through the character of Father Stephen Kumalo. If you would like to learn a bit more about Africa and the Apartheid this is a good book for that as well.

Note:  If you would like to watch a movie version instead of read the book (or you could enjoy both) there is a pretty decent movie version of Cry, the Beloved Country starring Richard Harris and James Earl Jones. In my opinion, it’s James Earl Jones’ best movie role.

5- Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

I think this book might be on everybody’s favorites list (along with several of Jane Austen’s other novels). Jane really is a genius, and Pride and Prejudice is a masterpiece. I haven’t read this book in forever because there are so many great movie versions to watch and there are so many other books to read, but this one has to be on my list. A book whose title I can refer to as P&P and everyone knows exactly what I’m talking about has to be on the list.

Note: If you’re one of the 10 people on the planet that haven’t read this book and you are planning on staying in that crazy group, you can watch the 5 hour A&E mini series version with Colin Firth and that will pretty much cover it. 

4- The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck

I can thank mom again for introducing me to this gem of literature that I’ve now read three times. I read it for the first time during one of my high school summers (I forget which one) and I remember reading for hours and hours without stopping. Reading this novel was my first real introduction to Chinese culture and history and I’ve been hooked ever since. Just yesterday Mary Kate told me I’m always reading books about China, and she’s right. I’m reading one currently. China fascinates me, but the real meat of this story is in the characters and their relationships with one another. O-lan is a favorite heroine of mine. This book won the Pulitzer Prize in 1932 and deservedly so.

Note: There is a movie version of this too, made in 1937. I’ve seen it, but it’s not that good.

3- O Pioneers! by Willa Cather

This is another book I read during my working career as a coffee shop/ice cream scooper. (I’m telling you, I had A LOT of time to read there). I love, love this book; so much so that I had a hard time deciding if it should be number three or number two on my list. I decided on number three, reluctantly. There is a small part of me that wishes I was Alexandra Bergson, the heroine of this beautiful tale. She is so lovely.

I’ve noticed a trend as I’ve made these book lists. Obviously I‘m drawn to tales of forgiveness because this is another of those…one of the most powerful I’ve ever read. This novel is an classic in every sense of the word, and paints a very beautiful and realistic picture of American history and culture. There is a sentence in this book that is so profound, it reads…”The history of every country begins in the heart of a man or a women.” So true. Do yourself a favor and read this lovely, lovely novel. It’s romantic too. A nice bonus.

Note: There is a film version of this book too. Jessica Lange stars as Alexandra and she is divine in the role. I actually love this particular film adaptation. It’s a Hallmark presentation, but a good one…like ‘Sarah Plain and Tall’ good. Watch it, but read the book first because it’s better.

2- Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte

I grew up with this story, starting with the 1943 silver screen classic film starring Joan Fontaine and Orson Wells. In very fact,19 different versions of this story have been made for screens both large and small, and I’ve seen most of them (some of them multiple times). I even have the newest version in a Netflix envelop sitting right in front of me. I’m just waiting for the perfect time to crack it open and savor every minute of it. There’s good reason this story is reproduced over and over…it’s unbelievably good…unforgettable, romantic, haunting, captivating and beautifully told; not to mention it’s universal themes of temptation and morality, God and religion, love and passion, social class and more.

But, no matter how many film version are made, even as good as some of them are, the book is in a class all by itself. Of all the female heroines in literature, Jane Eyre is my favorite. In Jane Eyre you have one of the strongest, thinking, passionate, highly moral, competent, compassionate, and most believable female characters ever created in literature. I want to be like Jane. She was ahead of her time.

And talk about romantic. Edward Cullen…eat your heart out and move on over because Edward Rochester would beat you any day of the week and twice on Sunday.

1. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo

#1 has to be Les Miserables. Of course.

Jean Valjean is…well, you know…awesome, and this story is…well, you know…incredible. (I must say though, I’ve only read the abridged version. My hat is off to those of you who have read it unabridged; I hear it’s quite the undertaking).

Jean Valjean, Javert, Cosette, Fantine, Marius…such rich characters. The French revolution..what a backdrop for a story. This book will change you. I thank Victor Hugo for the gift of this story.

Note: Of course you all know the Broadway musical remake (which is pretty darn good) and a few movies versions that aren’t too bad, but none of these production even compare to the book, so if you haven’t read Les Miserable don’t substitute those things for the actual reading of it. They don’t do it justice.

There you have it, my seven favorite classic novels (so far, because I’m going to read more). As my other post about my favorite books did, I’m hoping this post will prompt some of you to recommend your favorite classics to me in the comments section. I’m always look for more recommendations. What are you favorite classics?

* I’ve noticed there are no Dicken’s novels on this list. That’s because I’ve only read two Dickens. This must be remedied.

A Little Obsession of Mine

Now that Mary Kate is on the mend and I can stop worrying about her falling down and being trampled and squashed to death at school (her walk is almost completely back to normal thanks to some good physical therapy), I can turn some of my attention to other, more trivial things like…for instance…

…nut butter.

I’m obsessed with this stuff. I can’t get enough. I’m collecting and hoarding jars of it like it’s going out of style. Sunday morning I pulled out jar after jar from their secret hiding places in the kitchen for the above photo. Mike was watching in shock, “How many jars of that stuff do you have girl?”  “Not enough!” I quickly replied.

There are so many delectable flavors of nut butters out there. I still have to try this kind, and this kind, and this kind. And then there is this kind with coconut and white chocolate. Can you understand how good that would be? I love anything with coconut. I bought myself a jar of it and I can’t wait to crack it open.

So many nut butters, so little time!

I also found a few recipes to make my own nut butters that I’m going to try, starting with this one.

I eat these nut butters all sorts of ways…drizzled on my granola or Grapenuts, spread on some whole wheat crackers with a raspberry perched on top, or straight out of the jar with a spoon…but my favorite is to slather some on a thick slice of homemade wheat bread, sprinkle some ground flaxseed on top for crunch and drizzle with just the tiniest bit of honey. Holy Yum!

I still have so many nut butters to try, but right now my favorite is Justin’s Maple Almond Butter. This stuff is so delicious, I can’t even tell you. You should try some. It’s available almost anywhere…even at my secret, undisclosed location (Wal-Mart).

In the morning, as soon as I get the kids off to school, I will make myself a nice think slice of bread slathered with nut butter, poor myself a tall glass of skim milk (my favorite) and sit down to my computer to watch a Fleetwood Mac video on YouTube (did I mention that I recently renewed my obsession with Fleetwood Mac? Stevie Nick’s voice is awesome! I want to have a voice like hers when I go to heaven).

Yes, this is my current morning ritual to get myself pumped up to start the house work. Today I have to do bathrooms so I had myself some Maple Almond Butter on bread and watched my favorite Stevie Nicks video. This video was captured by a little ‘fly on the wall’ camera as Stevie was getting ready for a Rollingstone photo shoot in New York City in 1981.

I can’t figure out why she didn’t record the song this way. I like it so much better than then the actual record.

Also, I wonder if Stevie likes nut butter?

J & J’s Visit to the Hospital

The boys displaying their space-tacular sand art pictures that Mary Kate made for them during her hospital stay

I promise this will be my last post about the hospital (unless, heaven forbid, we end up back there again for some reason), but I would be remiss if I didn’t write about Jonathan and Jeffrey’s visit.

My boys are twins and as such have a few similarities, but mostly they are completely different. This little hospital visit brought those differences into sharp contrast. It was quite entertaining to behold actually (you can always count on the boys for entertainment). Good thing too because good entertainment is a little hard to come by when you’re stuck in a hospital room.

Mike brought the boys to visit on the second evening of our stay. They hadn’t been there 30 seconds before Jonathan got a look of sheer terror on his face and began wailing…“Mom, I want to go home, I want to go home, I want to go home right now!” His giant eye’s were even more giant, like round saucers, as he beheld, in paralyzing fear, all the machines, beeping monitors, nurses and IV tubes stuck in Mary Kate’s arm (the IV tubes were stuck in MK’s arm, not the nurses). Right away he saw the possibilities that MIGHT and COULD happen in the future and his thoughts were just a racin’. “Mom, am I going to have to come to the hospital someday?” he said through genuine tears. After that he was hyper-alert and nervous the entire visit. Every move the nurses made, every beep-beep-beep of the machines…he would jump and ask questions in a nervous, quivering voice… “What is that nurse doing?” “Why does Mary Kate have that in her arm?” “What is that red light on her finger?”  “Why is that machine beeping like that?” The kid was a wreck! He kept asking me, “Mom, does the hospital hurt?”

The bad thing about that last question was that Mary Kate was just starting another round of her IVIG treatment and was feeling some intense pain from the medicine entering her veins. I knew I had to get Jonathan out of the room so he wouldn’t see her tears and completely lose it. Luckily the hospital offers services for the siblings of the patients. Cousin Sonja took the boys up to the third floor for play time and crafting supervised by very kind hospital volunteers. This helped Jonathan calm down a bit. Primary Children’s thinks of everything!

In the above picture I was trying to get Jonathan to smile with his gift from Mary Kate. You can see by looking at his eyes that he is a worried, worried boy. The hospital was not his favorite place (not that it’s any one’s favorite place).

Jeffrey on the other hand…

…loved it. Granted, he would certainly be singing a different tune if he were a patient (this is the kid that has to be sedated in order to have his teeth looked at), but he was fascinated with the place. There were awesome machines everywhere, kid-sized wheel chairs to ride in, cool tubes hooked right up to his sister, long halls for running crazy, elevators to ride from floor to floor, doors upon doors to check behind, hundreds of buttons to push (don’t worry we didn’t let him push any). He was soaking it all up…not an ounce of nervousness anywhere (except I was nervous because Jeffrey has been known to break expensive things. Can you imagine how much one of those IV machines would cost us to replace if Jeffrey got his hands on it?)

I couldn’t believe how different the boy’s reactions to the hospital situation were (actually I can believe it). We definitely have a type A boy and a type B boy. Maybe that’s why they get along so well, after all, opposites attract…they must balance each other out. It’s true that they really do make a good pair.

An hour and a half after they arrived, Jonathan’s anxiety was at a peak and Mike decided it was time to head home. Jonathan was completely relieved, but Jeffrey was hopping mad that we were forcing him to leave just as he was getting the hang of the wheel chair.

As they were leaving Jeffrey went up and gave Mary Kate a big hug. Jonathan wanted to say goodbye too, but he just couldn’t bring himself to touch Mary Kate (she had a few too many tubes sticking out of her and what if her disease was catching, heaven forbid?). Jonathan’s a tender heart though (this is where he and Jeffrey are very similar) and he just couldn’t leave with Mary Kate thinking he didn’t love her. He forced himself to give her a hug, but as you can see, he was very careful about it.

As I was walking Mike and the boys to the car, Jonathan made me *’Santa promise’ that he would never have to come to the hospital ever again. Let’s just hope that he doesn’t or we are going to be in big trouble.

*Santa promise – If you make a Santa promise and then you break it, Santa will not bring presents to you at Christmas time. When you make a Santa promise it's a very serious thing.

Our Favorite Fellow Patient and His Mom

While we were at Primary Children’s undergoing treatment for Mary Kate’s strange illness, we were fortunate enough to get to spend some quality time with family. My cousin Sonja and her son Steven (who I’ve written about here) were also at the hospital for round 15 of chemo treatment for cancer, which Steven was diagnosed with back in February. Although it would have been much better to have a fun family reunion under happier circumstances, it was still very nice to have them there with us. Sonja and Steven have been coming to the hospital regularly for many months now and are old pros at navigating that huge, complicated place. They knew all the nice places to go sit and get some fresh air, about all the fun things you can do and see while at the hospital, and what foods on the hospital menu are decent and which ones are to be completely avoided. (The pizza is truly terrible. Only a hospital can be counted on to mess up pizza!)

 

I enjoyed the time I got to spend visiting with Sonja. She’s one of my favorite people and she has been an inspiration to me as I’ve talked with her and read what she has had to say about this cancer ordeal with Steven on her blog. Dealing with a child having cancer is such an incredibly difficult thing, I can’t even imagine. Having Mary Kate sick and in the hospital for just those three days, gave me a tiny taste of what it might be like to be Sonja…or my cousin Aaron and his wife Lorraine who have three children with Cystic Fibrosis…or my brother and sister-in-law who were in Primary Children’s last year when my niece Jenny was treated for ITP (another strange auto-immune disease). Sonja and I counted and just in the last few years there have been at least seven of my Grandma and Grandpa Johnson’s great grandchildren who have been in Primary Children’s hospital for one reason or another. We wondered what grandma Winnie must be thinking with all of that going on. We are also sure that she and Grandpa are helping all of us from above however they can.

Happily Steven has only three more chemo treatments to go. YEAH! At the end of it all he will have endured 18 of them, plus a rotation-plasty surgery and all sort of other challenging things, but my goodness he has been tough as can be through it all, as has his parents and siblings. We are praying that things go as well as possible as he finishes up his cancer treatments and strengthens those muscles of his so he can use that new, awesome leg. And then of course, we pray that the nasty cancer will NEVER come back.

Thanks for being our friends in the hospital Sonja and Steven. Don’t be surprised if we show up there again during one of your last treatments. We miss you already, and that hospital pizza!

Lucky

Lucky. Incredibly lucky. That’s how we are all feeling today.

Four weeks ago Mary Kate came down with a typical virus…low grade fever, some aches, a general feeling of yuckiness…nothing terrible. About a week and a half later she started complaining of pain in the back of her legs (mostly behind her knees), pain that felt like sore muscles, similar to what you might feel after a strenuous work out. She limped around with that soreness for awhile and then started walking funny; like she was 85 years old, or like her legs were made of jelly. We were concerned, but mostly chalked it up to growing pains (which she has often) or stress (she had just started 7th grade), or thought maybe she had strained her muscles riding her bike or something. We gave her some Ibuprophen and that seemed to help the soreness, but she was still walking funny.

After about a week of this, and like every other hyper vigilant, concerned mother (which I am not), I just keep telling her that she had gotten into a bad habit of walking strangely and told her to snap out of it; I was sure that her funny walking was making her muscles even more sore. But then she started complaining of not being able to get around school very well. At lunch one day she fell on the stairs down to the cafeteria and almost got trampled by some 9th graders. That same week we went on a short hike for Family Home Evening, one that would normally be a stroll in the park for my speed hiker daughter. She began crying after walking only half a block and Mike was having to carry her up the trail (she fell coming down as well and couldn't seem to get back up). It was then that I become officially worried.

I was especially worried after Saturday when we went to the sheep dog trials up in Midway and she couldn’t get herself up the bleachers, couldn’t walk up small inclines to the different venues and was walking at a snails pace. Several times during the rest of Labor Day weekend she would be walking along (slowly, jelly like) and all of the sudden find herself on the ground, her leg muscles completely giving out on her. Her knees and elbows were scabbed and bloodied from falls and she started complaining of weakness in her arms. It was then I became officially terrified.

After doing some research on the internet (FYI: not something I would recommend when your child has some strange illness) I was a complete wreck. A sobbing wreck! I was convinced Mary Kate had MS, a brain tumor, a spinal blockage or something terrible like that. I had made a doctors appointment for the next afternoon, but in a panic moved it to the morning. I couldn’t wait any longer.

Dr. Vargo, a wonderful pediatrician at the clinic Mike works for who is very adept at figuring out mystery illnesses, thought that because Mary Kate had been sick with a virus a short time before onset of symptoms and because of her particular complaints had something called Gillain-Barre (pronounced gee-on ba-ray) Syndrome, an auto immune disease that affects the nerves that control muscle function. She was almost certain this is what Mary Kate had, but told us that we couldn’t be completely sure until some extensive testing was done to rule out other possibilities. So, off to Primary Children’s Medical Center emergency room we went and that’s when the fun truly began.

Mary Kate was incredibly brave as she endured extensive blood work, a lumbar puncture (holy yuck!), and a 2 hour long MRI to make sure her spine was clear of anything suspicious. After two days of testing we had a sure diagnosis of Guillain-Barre and she began a three day intravenous treatment using something called IVIG; a very expensive blood product, a wonder concoction of antibodies extracted from over 1000 blood donors, (keep donating blood people!). IVIG basically scrubs your blood clean of all impurities and fixes mal-functions. This IVIG is administered to patients with Guillain-Barre to stop the disease from progressing any further. Before IVIG was discovered as a treatment for Guillian-Barre people died from this illness. We are incredibly lucky to have this treatment. Thank goodness for modern medicine. 

We are also incredibly lucky because the progression of Guillian-Barre symptoms in Mary Kate has been slow. Very often people will experience a much more acute case of this syndrome, losing the use of their respiratory muscles and all other muscle function within a day or two, leaving them on ventilators and debilitated for months and months, with permanent nerve damage to deal with for a life time. (Our neighbor Keith B. across the street acquired Guillian-Barre after suffering from Swine Flu and has dealt with it’s effects forever more).

Recovering from a slow progressing Guillian-Barre (like Mary Kate’s) has a much better prognosis. We aren’t sure how long it will take (maybe three weeks, maybe 3-6 months, maybe a year) but at some point Mary Kate will eventually (we hope) regain all muscle function and be completely back to normal. In the mean time, physical therapy will be normal life for us. 

We are also feeling lucky today because we live so close to Primary Children’s Medical Center, one of the finest children’s hospitals in the country. Their slogan is “The Child First and Always” and they truly operate by that statement. We had wonderful care from incredible, caring doctors, nurses, physical therapist and specialists. I was blown away by how meticulous the care was, how well we were treated and the extent they went to to make Mary Kate’s stay as enjoyable as it could be under the circumstances.

After staying in the hospital for many days and seeing other patients in the rooms around us, some that have been living at the hospital for days on end, we also felt blessed and so lucky that Mary Kate’s illness wasn’t worse. Our hearts went out, in a very big way, to the patients and families who are dealing with illnesses of much more severity and duration. Our prayers will be with them everyday from now on. (Especially those in our family who are dealing with this scenario now).

We are also feeling so lucky that we have good insurance. As the bills start to flow in I know that we will feel even luckier when we see how expensive good medical treatment costs. My heart also goes out to those without insurance (or without good insurance) to cover the cost of their healing. Hopefully we can figure out something that works for everyone in this great country of ours so everyone can receive good care when their health is on the line.

We are also feeling incredibly lucky because we are so loved. There’s nothing like a scary illness and hospitalization to help you see just how loved you really are, and to see all the goodness and kindness of others unfold in front of you. Mary Kate, Mike, and I had so many phone calls, emails, Facebook messages, texts, visits, gifts, cards, flowers (thanks Aunt Laura, so beautiful), Skypes, meals, cars to drive (thanks Paul, that was super helpful) treats, tears, expressions of love, concern and support from friends and family, not to mention all those neighbors who took care of the boys while I was away and Mike was at work. I get choked up just thinking about it all. A deeply heartfelt thanks to everyone for every bit of it. The anxiety and stress of this ordeal was made much, much lighter because of all of you. I know we will never forget all the love that we have be recipients of.

(Grandma and Grandpa in New Zealand told Mary Kate to count up every time she was stuck with a needle and she would get a small gift for every poke. Needless to say, she has quite a few new items she didn’t have before. Mom and Dad…Mike told me to tell you that he had a flu shot this week. Does he get a gift now too?)

Personally, I’m feeling lucky for another special reason. Even though the circumstances were a little harrowing, I had the privilege of spending four solid days, around the clock, with my beautiful, kind, brave, resilient daughter who was a gem through this whole ordeal. Of course there were moments like this one…

…when things weren’t so hot; like when the IVIG was burning her veins or when she knew that getting a new IV was inevitable, or when the doctors had to pound on her legs and arms with little hammers over and over again to test her reflexes (she doesn’t have any by-the-way, so weird), but most of the time she looked like this…

…happy, patient and pleasant. We had some good fun together in the middle of it all. Being her mother is a privilege and a blessing. I’m so relieved that she is okay, you have no idea!

And most of all…we feel grateful to our Heavenly Father who hears our prayers, and hers, and yours in our behalf, and who answers those prayers. A Heavenly Father who gave us the blessing of the priesthood to help us in times just like these and who watches over us and sends comfort and blessing when we need them most. So many of those prayers were answered by the good people that surround us. We are indeed the luckiest.

So, so lucky.

Good-bye hospital. May we not see you again for a long, long time…or better yet, not ever again.

Stay tuned for a post about Sonja and Steven, our favorite fellow patients in the whole hospital, and what it was like when Jonathan and Jeffrey came for a visit. Good times!

Favorites For a Reason

When getting to know someone, the question is often asked, “What do you like to do in your free time?” That question is always an easy one for me to answer. When ever I have some free time (which isn’t as often as I would like) I read. I love, love the deliciousness of losing myself in a good book. Granted, I don’t read as much as say…my cousin Julie, who is the most voracious reader I know…or even my mom who is an avid reader, but I do love me a good book and will go to great lengths to carve out some reading time almost everyday.

Awhile ago my friend Belinda asked me to name my top five favorite books. This is a question that’s not as easy to answer. There are so many incredible books out there. But, I pondered on her question and came up with a few that I know will always be included in my list of favorites.

These books are on my list for a few reasons…

1- They include a hero or heroine that although not perfect, have qualities that I admire and respect. I love reading a book that includes well written, multi-dimensional characters who I can look up to, would want to be like…or at least try to be more like in my own life.

2- I love a story about people who work through and rise above very difficult circumstances. Not all the stories I love have the happiest endings (because I don’t believe life is always like a fairytale), but I love a story where the character(s) comes away from their circumstances better people, having learned something, having overcome or survived difficulty and are the better for it. I want to be inspired and strengthened as a person after reading a good story. If I’m going to spend my precious time reading, I want the books I read to do more than just entertain, I want them to enrich as well…teach me something…make me think…inspire me to be better, be more.

3- The books on my list are the kind of books that when you close them, after reading the very last sentence on the very last page, you hug the book to your chest, sigh a deep sigh of satisfaction (maybe wipe away a tear or two) and know that you’ll never forget the story, never forget the characters…they’re burned in your memory forever.

4- I don’t usually read a book more than once (too many good books to get to), so I know a book is automatically on the favorites list when I want to read it a second and maybe even a third or fourth time.

Note: After finalizing my list, I realized that my favorite books are more on the ‘heavy’ side. Apparently I like serious drama, not fluff. (Although fluff has it’s place and I like it too, if it’s not crap). So…if you’re looking for light reading recommendations this list is not for you.

FYI: These are my favorite books in the ‘Contemporary Fiction’ category, meaning they were written post 1950. I have an entirely different list of favorite ‘Classics’ (pre 1950) and even another list for ‘Non-Fiction’ another for “Children’s Novels'”, and another for books in a series.  I’ll save those for other posts in the future. Possibly.

THE LIST:

6- The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

The summer I first read this treasure of a book our friends from Canada were here for a visit. I was so close to the end that I couldn’t help sneaking into my room to read a chapter or two (it wasn’t my fault, it was Markus Zusak’s fault). My friend Amy came looking for her neglectful hostess and caught me in my room with the tears and snot running down my face as I read the last page. This book deals with a very dark subject (those darn Nazis), but does so with grace. The writing is like nothing you’ve read before. Make sure you have tissues on hand if you read this one.

5- The Education of Little Tree by Forrest Carter

I can’t remember who introduced me to this book (maybe mom), but I thank that person from the bottom of my heart. I also thank Forrest Carter for writing it. Reading this book is a total pleasure. It’s a simple book, written in simple language, and deals with subjects both simple and not so. This is the ‘lightest’ of the books on my list, although there are a few heart wrenching chapters. If you love a book that makes you laugh and cry at the same time, this is that book.

4- A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

This book is many things, but it’s primarily a story of two incredible women from different generations and different backgrounds, trapped together in unforgettable circumstances, who begin as enemies and end as friends of the deepest kind. When I finished reading this book I could not stop thinking about it. It haunted me. This book is wonderfully written, but it’s not what I would call an easy read. It’s a tough story, but so beautiful. If you want a powerful story about rising above challenging circumstances this is the book for you. I learned a lot too. I know so much more about Afghanistan and it’s tumultuous history than I knew before.  

3- The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver

When I read the first page I was completely hooked. Sometimes I’ll get an actual craving to read this book, so I’ll pull it down from the shelf and read a few chapters just to experience the writing and the story. It’s that good. If you like interesting, multidimensional, complicated and well written characters, you’ll love this book. I’ve read other B. Kingsolver books, but this one is by far her best. She creates a world here that, once you experience it, you’ll never forget it. This book will leave you with so many things to think about and mull over. You won’t think about the world the same way after you read it.

2- Peace Like a River by Leif Enger

I’ve recommend this book to so many people. When they eventually get the book and read the synopsis they look at me and say “Really?” And I say, “Yes really.” You just have to read it. This book is magical, tragic, inspiring, beautiful and…one of the best books I’ve ever read (and reread) in my lifetime. Whenever I read this book I’ll come across a passage, or sentence that takes my breath away. I then have to tap Mike, who’s minding his own business next to me, and say, “You have to listen to this,” and then I force him to listen to me read. Then I say, “Isn’t that the most beautiful thing you’ve ever heard in your life? How does someone come up with something that beautiful?” He nods his head at me, half listening, but…he hasn’t read it himself yet so he’s seriously missing out. And if you haven’t read it yet, you’re seriously missing out. If you haven’t met Jeremiah Land (the patriarch of the Land family), you need to ASAP.

1- To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

It’s hard to pick a #1 favorite book, but when I think about it I always come back to “To Kill a Mockingbird.” I’ve read it more times than any other book (other than the Book of Mormon) and each time it’s a revelation. I adore this book, every sentence of it. Jem and Scout, Dill Harris, May Ella, Boo Radley and Atticus Finch…oh Atticus Finch. Is there any fictional character better than Atticus Finch? I think not. I read this book for the first time in high school and that’s when I realized that a good story, even if it’s just a made up story, can truly change your life and make you look at the world in a different and better way forever more. Love, love this book.

With any list of favorites there should always be honorable mentions. Books that would be in the top ten on the “Contemporary Fiction” list (if this list was a top ten list). My honorable mentions are…

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
Gilead by Marilynne Robinson
Watership Down by Richard Adams
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

This was a fun post for me to write because I was writing about my favorite passion, reading good books, but I also wrote it because I’m hoping that you readers out there will recommend other books that maybe I haven’t read that could possibly work there way onto my favorites list. So if you have a recommendation for me please share!