If you have to pick FIVE books from your shelves that define you, what would they be?
Diane Meyer
NEST, HELTER SKELTER, THE SERIAL KILLER FILES, and IN COLD BLOOD
Louise Pledge
Standing for Something
The Book of Virtues
The Book of Mormon
Who Moved My Cheese?
Kissing a Frog
Jerri Patton
DREAMS FROM MY FATHER
"...AND THE LADIES OF THE CLUB
The latest John Grisham book
THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR'
Miss Read books
Rebecca Booth
ONE TUESDAY MORNING and BEYOND TUESDAY MORNING by Karen Kingsbury
The Covington series by Joan Medlicott
HISSY FIT by Mary Kay Andrews
Jane
GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell
THE RICH PART OF LIFE by Jim Kokoris
A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY and THE CIDER HOUSE RULES by John Irving
STORMY WEATHER by Carl Hiaasen
Lyla
MERE CHRISTIANITY - C. S.Lewis
THE PROPHET -Kahlil Gibran
THE HOBBIT - J. R. R. Tolkien
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy - J. R. R. Tolkien
Dragonriders of Pern trilogy - Anne McCaffrey
Patricia Sanders
PLAYTRAINING YOUR DOG by Patricia Gail Burnham
THE LOVER by Marguerite Duras
THE MAGUS by John Fowles
MASTERING THE ART OF FRENCH COOKING by Julia Child
THE GOOD GOOD PIG by Sy Montgomery
Lisa
TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
I AM THE MESSENGER by Markus Zusak
A TREE GROWS GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith
THE AWAKENING by Kate Chopin
LEAVING CHEYENNE by Larry McMurtry
Vivian Watts
Five books that define me would be: The Holy Bible, a Spanish dictionary, a mystery, a children's story book, and CHICKEN SOUP FOR THE GRANDMA'S SOUL.
Anne Fescharek
DUDE, WHERE'S MY COUNTRY? by Michael Moore
THE SECRET DIARY OF ADRIAN MOLE, AGED 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend
GOOD OMENS by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
SHIELD OF THREE LIONS by Pamela Kauffman
Sue Beckley
ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand
THE DARK TOWER by Stephen King
THE MAMMOTH HUNTERS by Jean M. Auel
CHRISTINE by Stephen King
Julia L. Rule
1. THE MISTS OF AVALON
2. "...AND THE LADIES OF THE CLUB"
3. The Stephanie Plum series
4. The Harry Potter series
5. The Anita Blake series
Dianne
FIRSTLIGHT by Sue Monk Kidd
The Crosswicks Journal series by Madeleine L'Engle
SOPHIE'S WORLD by Jostein Gaarder
LITERATURE AS EXPLORATION by Louise Rosenblatt
The Bible
Bobbie Cloud
James Patterson's Cross books
Anything by Vince Flynn
Anything by Brad Meltzer
Anything by Nora Roberts
Anything by Tara Janzen
Janet Hoyt
My very old Bible --- my faith
The series of books by Sharon Kay Penman --- my interest in history
THE FAITH CLUB --- my desire to learn about other women's journies
THE SEEKERS by Daniel J. Boorstin and his other books --- to understand ideas and thinking
OH MY STARS by Lorna Landvik --- just a great story.
Kathryn McNamara
EAT, PRAY, LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert
ME AND JEZEBEL by Elizabeth Fuller
LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE Laura Esquivel
TRACKS by Robyn Davidson
GREEN EGGS AND HAM by Dr. Seuss
Helen T.
The Book of Common Prayer
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte
THE COMPLETE DIRECTORY TO PRIME TIME NETWORK TV SHOWS
THE OMNIBUS OF CRIME Edited by Dorothy L. Sayers
THE PURSUIT OF HAPPINESS AND OTHER SOBERING THOUGHTS by George F. Will
Beth Nicolaisen
The Fountainhead
My Sister's Keeper
Anne of Green Gables
Tara Road
The Airmen and the Headhunters
Gale Schexnayder Moch
The Bible
GONE WITH THE WIND
THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS
LITTLE WOMEN
BRUCE CATTON'S CIVIL WAR
Jane Bailey
Yarn Harlot
To Kill A Mockingbird
Simple Knits for Cherished Babies
Moon Women
Bad Girl Creek
Mary Barron Hogan
A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith
CANAL TOWN by Samuel Hopkins Adams
WHEN THE WIND BLOWS by Thomas Butler Feeney
IRISH STORIES AND TALES by D. A. Garrity
All Victoria Thompson's Victorian mysteries
Freda
WILDFIRE by Nelson DeMille
By Blood Written by Steven Womack
THE OBSTACLE COURSE by J. F. Freedman
FEAR by Jeff Abbott
87th Precinct books by Ed McBain
Kate Green
Currently on my shelf, NOBODY'S FOOL by Richard Russo, LEAN MEAN THIRTEEN by Janet Evanovich, UNTIL I FIND YOU by by John Irving, ON WRITING by Stephen King, and LEAVE ME ALONE, I'M READING by Maureen Corrigan.
Donna Ingalls
CHARLOTTE'S WEB --- it's about friendship
BAD DOG, MARLEY --- it's about dogs
T IS TRESPASS by Sue Grafton --- her life seems like so much fun
E-PLAN YOUR WEDDING --- My daughter is getting married and we are trying to plan a wedding
6 + 1 TRAITS OF WRITING --- can you tell that I am teacher!!!
Sharon
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, a couple good mystery books, and MOBY DICK (unread).
Rita Bulington
1. The Bible
2. A GENTLE MADNESS by Nicholas A. Basbanes (about the obsession of owning and collecting books)
3. A GIRL OF THE LIMBERLOST by Gene Stratton-Porter
4. THE ULTIMATE GIFT by Steven Covell
5. THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown
Belva
My Bible
MY MOTHER, MY SELF
GONE WITH THE WIND
DOCTOR ZHIVAGO
OUTLANDER
Dianne
THE BONFIRE OF THE VANITIES by Tom Wolfe
RULES OF PREY by John Sandford
THE ALIENIST by Caleb Carr
SEVEN HABITS OF HIGHLY EFFECTIVE PEOPLE by Stephen Covey
LAMB: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal by Christopher Moore
Mary
GONE WITH THE WIND
WAIT UNTIL NEXT YEAR
PILLARS OF THE EARTH
LUCY MCLOCKETT (my favorite book from childhood)
THE OTHER BOLEYN GIRL
Carol Cranford
THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE by Shirley Jackson, THE THORN BIRDS by Colleen McCullough, THE RECTOR'S WIFE by Joanna Trollope, A WOMAN OF INDEPENDENT MEANS by Elizabeth Forsythe Hailey and SHE WALKS THESE HILLS by Sharon McCrumb
Ivy
WHAT YOU HAVE LEFT by Will Allison
LATER, AT THE BAR by Rebecca Barry
VERONIKA DECIDES TO DIE by Paulo Coehlo
DRY MARTINI by J. A. Konrath
HUNGER by Erica Simone Turnipseed
Jeanie
The Bible
A Woman of Independent Means
Sitting by My Laughing Fire
A Woman of Substance
The Prophet
Sal
Random House Unabridged Dictionary
IN COLD BLOOD by Truman Capote
DANSE MACABRE by Stephen King
ETHAN FROME by Edith Wharton
A TAN AND SANDY PLACE by John D. McDonald
Lorie B.
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Great Gatsby
The Godfather
One Thousand Splendid Suns
The Book Thief
Ray Palen
THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. Salinger
The Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkein
MOBY DICK by Herman Melville
A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Charles Dickens
20,000 LEAGUES UNDER THE SEA by Jules Verne
Manish Patwari
1. A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens
2. THE DEAD ZONE by Stephen King
3. NEVER CRY WOLF by Farley Mowat
4. THE BILLBOARD BOOK OF TOP 40 HITS 1954-2004
5. ANIMAL WISDOM: Harness the Power of Animals to Liberate your Spirit by Susie Green
Lisa
ONE TRUE THING by Anna Quindlen
SHE'S COME UNDONE by Wally Lamb
HE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J. D. Salinger
THE AWAKENING by Kate Chopin
EAT, PRAY, LOVE by Elizabeth Gilbert
Nicky McGuire
P. S. Your Cat Is Dead
Little Women
Cold Sassy Tree
The Stand
To Kill a Mockingbird
Mo
The five books that define me are THE SHADOW OF THE WIND, WATER FOR ELEPHANTS, MY SISTER'S KEEPER, THE MIRACULOUS JOURNEY OF EDWARD TULANE, and thanks to my grandson, GOODNIGHT MOON.
Kathy Vieira
When I read this question and put pen to paper to write my books down, I was shocked at how I didn't even have to blink to come up with 5 books that I consider my favorites. These are 5 books that mean something to me and that I have read over and over and have recommended to others. Each has a special place in my heart. They are as follows:
1. BALLET SHOES -- Noel Streatfeild (my favorite book childhood book)
2. BEACHES - Pat Conroy
3. THE WEIGHT OF WATER by Anita Shreve
4. SHE'S COME UNDONE by Wally Lamb
5. AHAB'S WIFE by Sena Jeter-Naslund
Dorothy Halligan
The Road Less Traveled
Love in the Time of Cholera
The Time Traveler's Wife
Atonement
Living Your Yoga
Cynthia Baxter
1. TITAN by John Varley
2. WIZARD by John Varley
3. DEMON by John Varley
4. FARMER'S BOY by Laura Ingalls Wilder
5. COLD RIVER by William Judson
Kim
1. A book on Cisco Routing & Switching --- since it pertains to my profession and is much used.
2. William Sullivan's 100 Hikes in Northwest Oregon & Southwest Washington --- since my husband and I spend much of our spare time hiking, and this book has been the most helpful.
3. STOKES FIELD GUIDE TO BIRDS --- another hobby
4. LIGHT ON YOGA by B. K. S. Iyengar --- Much of my time and money goes to yoga classes
5. The Bible --- While I no longer consider myself a Christian, this book certainly did more than any other to define who I am today (not to mention the culture in which I grew up).
Linda Estrin
ANYTHING WE LOVE CAN BE SAVED by Alice Walker
Old Testament
THE LOVER by Margurite Duras
BLACK BOY by Richard Wright
SHAMBHALA: The Sacred Path of the Warrior The Sacred Path of the Warrior by Chogyam Trungpa
BLACK BOY by Richard Wright
Michelle Miller
PILLARS OF THE EARTH by Ken Follett
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Bronte
LITTLE WOMEN by Louisa May Alcott
QUEEN OF THE DAMNED by Anne Rice
Lord of the Rings by J. R. R. Tolkien
Suzi
Siddhartha
Dandelion Wine
Memory and Dream
Ish
The Last Unicorn
Teri
TUESDAYS WITH MORRIE by Mitch Albom
THROUGH A GLASS DARKLY by Karleen Koen
COMPLETE CONDITIONING FOR SOCCER by Sigi Schmid and Bob Alejo
CHARLOTTE'S WEB by E.B. White
BEULAH LAND by Lonnie Coleman
Tamara
My husband said NATURE GIRL, lol
INTO THE FOREST
ANIMAL DREAMS
THE WISDOM OF CONFUCIUS
MODERN AMERICAN POETRY
Reader4Life
SECRET LANGUAGE by Monica Wood
GOOD GRIEF by Lolly Winston
RUNAWAY QUILT by Jennifer Chiaverini
BLUE CHRISTMAS by Mary Kay Andrews
EAT CAKE by Jeanne Ray
Martha Brown
The Kite Runner
Stones From The River
Patty Jane's House of Curl
The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood
The Poisonwood Bible
Brenda Munday Gifford
Edgar Alan Poe's "The Tale-Tale Heart," Steinbeck's CANNERY ROW, Heinlein's RED PLANET, Any Agatha Christie book (she got me reading in grade school) and last but not least, my first published book THE CHARON COVENANT.
Laura Merrill
The Black Stallion
The Secret Life of Bees
The Bible
Anne of Green Gables
What to Expect: The First Years
Michelle Goedert
WATERSHIP DOWN, IT by Stephen King, THE CLAN OF THE CAVE BEAR, the Little House books, and THE FAMILY by Ed Sanders
Linda
FRENCHMANS CREEK BY Daphne Du Maurier
CONFESSIONS OF A SHPAHOLIC by Sophie Kinsella
ANGRY HOUSEWIVES EATING BON BONS by Lorna Lanvick
Linda M. Johnson
Little Women
Tuesdays with Morrie
The Grass is Always Greener Over the Sceptic Tank
Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
The Essential Calvin and Hobbes
Ann Lantis
The Bible
THE PRINCE OF TIDES by Pat Conroy
NIGHT by Elie Wiesel
A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens
ZORRO by Isabel Allende
Richard Bartels
THE GREATEST GENERATION by Tom Brokaw
AT DAWN WE SLEPT by Gordon W. Prange
THE WILD SWANS by Jung Chang
FAREWELL TO FRANCE by Noel Barber
THE SEVENTH SCROLL by by Wilbur Smith
Corky Mayo
THUNDERHEAD by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child
ELSEWHERE by Gabrielle Zevin
FIREFLIES by David Morrell
WHISKEY SOUR by J. A. Konrath
ONE FOR THE MONEY by Janet Evanovich
Julie Siemek
TO RACE THE WIND
BLUE JASMINE
The entire Prey series
IZZY'S FIRE
PRAISE THE HUMAN SEASON
Corinna
LONESOME DOVE
Any Jane Goodall book
EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN
ARE YOU THERE GOD, IT'S ME MARGARET
CHARLOTTE'S WEB
Hattie Norman
The Holy Bible
THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF MISS JANE PITTMAN by by Ernest J. Gaines
THE BELL JAR by Sylvia Plath
THE COUNTRY OF THE POINTED FIRS by Sarah Orne Jewett
COLLECTED POEMS OF EMILY DICKINSON
Christine
1. 1001 BOOKS YOU MUST READ BEFORE YOU DIE edited by Peter Boxall
2. BARTLETT'S FAMILIAR QUOTATIONS
3. WOMEN'S BODIES, WOMEN'S WISDOM By Christiane Northrup M. D.
4. COMING OF AGE IN SAMOA by Margaret Mead
5. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
Ann Bowen
The Bible
Annie Freeman's Traveling Funeral
The Pelican Brief
Forever Amber
David Copperfield
Amy Lynn Lewis
Little Women
The Interpretation of Dreams
War & Peace
Lolita
Collected Stories of Isaac Bashevis Singer
Karen
MEMORIES, DREAMS AND REFLECTIONS by C. G. Jung
THE WORLD AS WILL AND IDEA by Arnold Schopenhauer
STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert A. Heinlein
THE BOOK THIEF by Markus Zusak
THE LITTLE PRINCE by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Susan Browdy
THE CHOSEN - Chaim Potok
THE FOUNTAINHEAD - Ayn Rand
WHAT MAKES SAMMY RUN? - Budd Schulberg
THE STUDIO - John Gregory Dunne
GONE WITH THE WIND - Margaret Mitchell
Linda K. Jitmoud
The Holy Qur'an, Yusuf Ali tr.
BETWEEN THE LINES by Jessica Page Morrell
MILESTONES by Sayed Qutb
THE AUDACITY OF HOPE by Barack Obama
TURBULENCE by Jamilah Kolocotronis
Dora Loeffler
1. Living Bible
2. LIVING A BEAUTIFUL LIFE
3. THE MERCK MANUAL
4. THE CHRISTMAS BOX
5. WOMEN & MONEY
Jacqueline Gaylor
Lindsey Davis's Marcus Didius Falco series
Books by Janet Evanovich, Robert Ludlum, John LeCarré, and Claire Naylor
Juanita
1. TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD
2. GONE WITH THE WIND
3. JANE EYRE
I guess I enjoy the classics!
Ellen Engelking
Uniform editions of Jane Austen's novels
A SHARE IN DEATH --- the 1st Deborah Crombie mystery
Virginia Woolf's journals
Anything by Jonathan Kozol
JANE EYRE by Charlotte Brontë
Deb Yorgensen
- IN THIS HOUSE OF BREDE
- SUN SLOWER SUN FASTER
- THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A SOUL
- GONE WITH THE WIND
- All Van Reid's books (they are a series)
Vicky Dornbush
I have so many, so this is a hard question to answer. But, after much thought, they would be:
1. DAVID COPPERFIELD by Charles Dickens
2. ELEANOR ROOSEVELT, Volume 2 by Blanche Wiesen Cook
3. ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
4. WAR AND PEACE by Leo Tolstoy
5. A TREE GROWS IN BROOKLYN by Betty Smith
