Ten Books

There's been a lot of tagging going on with Facebook right now. Not just the ice bucket challenge, but also this thing with a list of books. The prompt is to list ten books that have stayed with you. You aren't supposed to think about it much. I did it, but I didn't do my own status update or tag people; I just responded with a comment on the post where I was tagged. And admittedly, I did think about it probably more than I was supposed to. Having a list of ten books with virtually no context (especially reading others' lists) had left me wondering why those books are on the list. So I decided to do a blog post with my list, and with a little detail about why each of the books made the list. In no particular order:

1. Cry, the Beloved Country by Alan Paton - I read this book a few years ago, and there is a part when the judge passes down the sentence, which he clearly believes is unfair. But he makes a statement that he doesn't make the laws. The politicians, elected by the people, make the laws. And any injustice in the laws ultimately goes back to the people who elected the politicians. I think about that often. The rest of the book, even the main plot, was certainly good, but I couldn't recount details to you.

2. The Hiding Place by Corrie Ten Boom - I've read it a few times (five or six?). This woman was just amazing. Her story is just amazing. If you haven't read it you really ought to.

3. Bringing Up Bébé by Pamela Druckerman - I talk about this book so much that it had to make the list. I'm a firm believer in the way French people feed their kids, and while I don't follow their methods exactly (because I'm not French, and don't have time for five course meals every day), I do attribute my non-picky eaters, in part, to this book.

4. Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand - Like The Hiding Place, it is just an amazing story.

5. The Giver by Lois Lowry - My first introduction to dystopian books. I read it first when I was about 10, and I've read it a total of about 30 times. (Who can keep track?)

6. Matilda by Roald Dahl - I loved this book as a child and read it numerous times as well.

7. A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini - There are just certain scenes in this book that have stuck with me. As with Cry, the Beloved Country, I can only remember the basic outline of the plot, but the overarching themes have stayed with me.

8. Cinderella Ate my Daughter by Peggy Orenstein - This is another non-fiction book that I talk about a lot. I recommend it to many women with daughters.

9. Team of Rivals by Doris Kearns Goodwin - Have you ever had to listen to me prattle on about how amazing Abraham Lincoln was? No? Well, let me get started...

10. The Omnivore's Dilemma by Michael Pollan - This wasn't the first book that really made me think about what I eat, but it was the first to make me think about where my food comes from. I'd still like to have a chance to slaughter my own meat one day. (Except, not really. But kind of.)

If you've shared your list on Facebook and are eager to share on your blog, feel free to post a link in the comments. I'd love to judge you based on your lists read your lists.