Sometimes you read a book and it fills you with this weird evangelical zeal, and you become convinced that the shattered world will never be put back together unless and until all living humans read the book. And then there are the books…which you can’t tell people about, books so special and rare and yours that advertising your affection feels like a betrayal.
(John Green, The Fault In Our Stars p. 33)
Obviously for me Outlander is the book series that fills me with evangelical zeal. I’ve been trying to think what the special and rare book is for me, that I’d not want to share with anyone. I can’t think of one. Then again, I’m not a very private person, and as a librarian, I’m kind of into the whole sharing books, though I try to match the book to the right person, of course. How about you? Do you have a rare and special book that you hold close to your heart?
PS. If you haven’t read the amazing book I’m quoting from above, you really should check it out. I think it was one of the best books I’ve read in the last year (and I read over a hundred books in the last year).
Shawn L. Bird 
Brian Doyle wrote “Mink River” and “The Plover.” Both are magical books. I, too, read a lot, and while I deeply enjoy many books and have many favorite authors, those two are special. Another author, David James Duncan, changed my concept of novels with his “The River Why.” Those three books changed who I am as a writer. Mr. Duncan’s novel is, perhaps, my lifetime favorite (so far).
Thanks for the recommendations.
I`ve been enjoying a lot of your work, Shawn. Keep writing…
Thank you. I’m honoured.
100 books… how admirable! There are so many books like this, that one might want to share or pass on. I had to buy again a few books for I gave them away to friends. On the top of my head I can think of Leaf Storm by Gabriel Garcia Marques, and Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros but I am sure there would be plenty more out there.
Great post :).
Goodreads.com has been very convenient for keeping track of my reading. I would never be able to keep track without them! I’ll have to check out your suggestions.
I love The Fault In Our Stars, can’t wait for the movie.
I didn’t know there was a movie coming. Not sure I like the idea. Movies so often miss the mark.
The trailer seemed to capture the emotion of the book, but it won’t be greater than book.
The movies never do.
There are many books that are special for me.
The Art Of War
Atlas Shrugged
Pillars of the earth
The Federalist Papers
Human Understanding
I could go on and on, but my favorite is The Bible.
Thanks for the contribution of your list!
I enjoyed TFIOS.
Middle schoolers are reading it.
Is it a surprise?
Appropriate for Middle school. Good book.
Reblogged this on PICCOLA..
Simply reading 100 books in a year is quite an accomplishment, let alone trying to write one!! Even the mathematically challenged (like me) can figure that’s roughly a book every 3 days or so. Off the top of my head, I guess some of my favorite books are:
“A Farewell to Arms” by Hemingway (my favorite of all Papa’s work)
“The Lost Weekend” by Charles Jackson
“The Fool’s Progress” by Edward Abbey
But there are lots more.
I enjoy your blog!!
Thanks for all the recommendations!
It works out to 8.5 a month. 🙂 Presently sitting at 21 for 2014. I have audio books going in the car while I commute, I read theory books on writing/teaching, I read short teen novels of the type I’m writing, I read knitting books, I read poetry books. Some works are really short: I finish them in under an hour. Some are really long and take 50 or 60 hours of listening. And many, many in between. 🙂