A Few of my Favourite Things

This entry is going to be about a few of my favourite books of all time! These are books I can read over and over again and not get tired of. I know some people who never re-read books; their argument is that there is so much good literature out there (nevermind all the bad literature) that why on earth would they want to read something that they have already finished? I can understand this argument, but I don't agree. To me, books are old friends, and I like to visit my friends over and over again. The following list isn't in any particular order; it's basically as I thought of them. I'm sure I've forgotten some, but this should do for now. Without further ado - here are a few of my favourite things.

Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery. The red-haired little orphan who captures hearts wherever she goes. I loved reading the books as a child, and I loved watching the made for tv movies when I was a little older. Anne was just so engaging. She was always getting into trouble, but it was never very serious trouble. Her on-going relationship with Gilbert I found very believable. Her life wasn't easy, but she was a survivor who ultimately triumphed. In the later books, she grows up and her life continues to have its ups and downs. I still love Anne.

The Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene. Like Anne, Nancy was a spunky girl who didn't let anything stop her. Maybe I'm drawn to these characters because it's who I wanted to be. I was able to live a far more exciting life through the pages of the Nancy Drew books than I ever did in my real life. Nancy was smart, and she was observant. She taught me the value of noticing the little things. She was also safe. She had a boyfriend, but it was a very innocent relationship. I saw the movie that came out recently and was terribly disappointed. The Nancy I knew and loved was not the character I saw on the screen. My imagination was much more vivid than the images I was being given. I can't wait to share Nancy with my nieces. They are a little young now, but in a couple of years I'll read the books to them. I really hope they enjoy them as much as I did. I still have all my old Nancy Drew books. Due to space limitations they are in a box in my storage area, but when I have more space, they will have a prized place on a book shelf.

The Belgariad series by David and Leigh Eddings. I first discovered this fantasy series when I was in high school, and I was hooked. I liked the characters and I believed the stories (yes, I know - they are fantasy books with magic and wizards and so on, but they are believable.) Eddings has a wonderful sense of humour, and reading some of the scenes in the book made me laugh out loud. The best part is, I laugh every time I read them. Unfortunately, as he got older, his books became more formulaic. I knew exactly what the general plot line would be, what the hero would be like, and what the enemy would be like. I still really enjoy the books. Every time I run out of new books to read, I head straight to an Eddings books.

Little House on the Prairies by Laura Ingalls Wilder. Ahh, the struggles of a family of pioneers struggling to make a living in the American west during the late 1800s. Ma and Pa; Mary, Laura, Carrie and Grace. These were characters I really liked. Laura was again (are we sensing a theme here) a spunky girl who didn't let things get her down. She struggled with bad teachers but then became a teacher herself. The family suffered greatly, but stuck together. I almost cried when Pa was lost in the blizzard. Losing a child, crop failures, and other tragedies seemed to stalk the Ingalls/Wilder families, but the message that by sticking together these things can be overcome is a really good message. This is one time where the television show was not a disappointment

Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Ah, the struggles of impotent anger. Poor Max. No one will listen to him and when he acts out, he gets sent to his room. This is where the brilliance begins. Where the Wild Things Are is a children's book, but it is very powerful. I think everyone can empathize with Max; I know that I did. The pictures of the monsters on the island, and how Max deals with them were very engaging.

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte. This was my favourite novel when I was an angst ridden teenager. The tortured love story of Heathcliff and Catherine just spoke to my soul. Not that I had any idea what they were really going through. When I was reading Wuthering Heights I had never been in love, and I certainly had no idea what obsessive love was like, or how destructive love could be, but there was something in the book that just really spoke to me.

Love You Forever by Robert Munsch. This is a children's book that I didn't read as I child, and I think I'm glad that I was too old to read it (or have it read to me) when I was a child. As an adult, I love the idea of the never-ending circle of love, but as I child, I would have been traumatized by the thought of my parents growing old and me being responsible for them. Also, the idea of the mother sneaking into her son's apartment is just slightly creepy, but I understand what Munsch is trying to say. This is a book that makes me cry every time I read it.

Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. I first came across the Outlander series when I was working at the CBC. The department I worked in received hundreds of books for their consideration, and once a year or so, they would have an auction of the books that they didn't want; any that didn't go at the auction would be put out for the taking. I picked up the third book in the series, and I was really intrigued. I sought out the first book of the series and I was hooked. The premise is that a World War Two nurse slips through a hole in the universe and ends up in 18th century Scotland. The idea of the modern, twentieth century woman living with the clans of Scotland leaves lots of room for interesting story lines. As a history buff, I love all the historical detail. The stories cover the Jacobite rebellion, the breaking of the clans, the exile to the New World and the American Revolution. It is just fascinating reading. I wish I could meet a Jamie (I love my husband with all my heart, but my literary crush would be Jamie Fraser).

I get the feeling I'm going on and on, so I'll stop here. What are some of your favourite novels?