Blogger's List of 10 Books I Can't Live Without

Well, since Kelly actually sent me the email she owed to me, I thought I would make my list!! Oh her site, The Written World, she ran a list that was in the Guardian and decided to come up with a BLOGGER'S list of the 10 Books that You Can't Live Without. The Guardians list was actually 100, and had a decidedly British Twist to it. Now...after giving this some thought last night, I've come up with my list!! My ten might not be the best books ever, but they are to me!! They are books that have had an influence on me.

Drumroll please........

1. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee- I read this book for an English assignment in High School. And I have re-read it 2 more times since, and may even throw in another re-read this year....because it's been awhile This book has stayed with me for so long. No matter how many books I read, this one will always be at the top of the list for me! And if you want to watch the movie, Gregory Peck is so incredibly good as Atticus! This is one movie that actually does justice to it's written form!
2. The Count of Mont Cristo by Alexandre Dumas - It's amazing to me that this book was written in 1844! It reads easily and has just about everything a book could need. Good guys and villians; prison breaks and Pirates; Love and Revenge. This book is a roller coaster from the start, and one of the best novels I've ever read!!
3. Les Miserables by Victor Hugo - This book was written in 1862 and is another door stop. But Jean Valjean as a hero is fantastic! This story of an ex-convict (for stealing a loaf of bread for his family) trying to redeem himself speaks loads of social commentary on good vs. evil, morality, justice and the law. It is an excellent book and I feel that I am a better person for having read it.
4. Gone with the Wind by Margeret Mitchell - This story is my Grandmother's favorite. I had never actually planned on reading it, but my good friend Kendra talked me into it. It is a wonderful story of the American Civil war and one woman's quest to overcome the odds. It doesn't have the romantic fairy tale ending, but it's a excellent book with lots to say!
5. The Stand by Stephen King - Is it cheezy to add a Stephen King book to this list of Classics? Maybe. But this is an epic tale of good vs. evil and probably the best thing he has ever written. It's also one of the few books I have ever re-read. I loved this book, although I have to say it scared the bejesus out of me the first time. And it solidified King as one of my all-time favorite writer's.
6. The Nancy Drew Series by Caroline Keene - This is the series that started my love of books. I was a sick child, in and out of the hospital when I was young. These books were my friends when I couldn't go outside and play. And they showed me that a girl can be strong and smart and fearless. Isn't that what good books are about? Inspiring others. Nancy Drew inspired ME!
7. Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut - This book is a strange book. One that mixes a bit of science fiction in with a tale of the horrors of war. It's about the Dresden bombing in WWII, as well as a bit of time travel. Vonnegut's anti-war stand and his look at human nature is one that everyone in today's sociey should read.
8. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho - The book seems to polarize people. Either love it or hate it. I happen to fall in the category of love.....this little book really changes a person. It's a tale of following your heart and following your dreams. I think there would be more happy and contented people in the world today if more people read this book and took what it said to heart. "It's the possibility of having a dream come true that makes life interesting."
9. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - Another polarizing book. This one gave me nightmares! Talk about learning not to take the freedom we enjoy today for granted!! As a woman, reading about how women completely lost their identities and freedoms under the guise of religion, I was truly scared. This book certainly had an effect on me.....and that effect is the reason I added it to my list.
10. Winnie the Pooh by AA Milne - For anyone who has ever been to the Oprah book clubs and have seen my avatar, this will come as no surprise. Winnie the Pooh is probably my very favorite character....ever! I read these stories when I was young, and Pooh and friends have stuck by me all these years. Winnie the Pooh really is a beautiful story of friendship and love.

OK...that's it. No cheating here, although I'm pretty sure I could find 10 more to add to this list!! Books, as a whole, have shaped me into who I am today. These are just a few that I hold dear in a special place in my heart!

Later!