Whatever the case, I love books. Reading fuels my imagination. It allows me to see things I never dreamed possible or to be part of something I could only hope to experience in real life. Not to mention that it feeds my passion as a writer as well. Reading the words of the greats inspires me to improve my own writing skills in the hopes that, one day, future generations will be as affected by what I have to say as I was by the words of, say, Jane Austen or Madeleine L’Engle (a tall order, indeed!).
As The Philippine STAR – whose writers and reporters always provide a thorough, truthful and great read – celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, my humble homage to 20 years of responsible journalism and writing is to share my own list of 20 of the books that I’ve loved in my life. This was seriously an extremely hard list for me to compile, seeing as I love so many novels and there are just so many great ones out there, but after some thought I’ve put together books that I’ve enjoyed during many stages of my life. Some are a bit young, some are a bit old, but they’ve all taught me something and for that, I’d recommend them to everyone.
Here, then, are my 20 favorite books (Again, among many! And for this particular list, with the exception of the last one, I chose to only include works of fiction).
1) THE CASTLE IN THE ATTIC by Elizabeth Winthrop
One of my childhood favorites, The Castle in the Attic follows the adventures of a young boy, William, who is gifted with an antique toy castle to play with. Along with this comes a small lead knight who comes alive in William’s hand and begins an amazing adventure.
2) THE "WRINKLE IN TIME" SERIES by Madeleine L’Engle
A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet and Many Waters. Yes, I know that’s four books, but these four books go together and follow the adventures of the incredible Murray family, from Meg to the dashing twins and the intelligent Charles Wallace. It’s children’s fantasy at its finest!
3) ALICE IN WONDERLAND by Lewis Carroll
Who hasn’t loved Alice in Wonderland? With timeless characters like the Cheshire Cat, the Queen of Hearts, and the Mad Hatter, this was a recipe for success from the moment Alice fell down the rabbit hole. And it has one of my favorite poems – "The Walrus and the Carpenter."
4) THE WIZARD OF OZ by L. Frank Baum
"Toto, I don’t think we’re in Kansas anymore…" Again, much like Alice in Wonderland, The Wizard of Oz instantly transports you to another time and place where the wizard can make all your wishes come true and the wicked witch haunts your every move. Not to mention providing the inspiration for my current obsession, the Broadway musical Wicked.
5) CHARLOTTE’S WEB by E.B. White
I instantly fell in love with this heartwarming story about true friendship and love and how it can happen anywhere and between anyone, even between a pig and a wise old spider. Believe me, before Babe there was Wilbur and he was "SOME PIG!"
6) THE "LORD OF THE RINGS" TRILOGY by J.R.R. Tolkien
Again, I group books together: The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers and The Return of the King. Don’t be fooled, these books are an incredibly hard read and going through Tolkien’s prose is far more challenging than sitting through the three-hour-apiece movies, but if you give it a try, it’s pure magic.
7) DRAGONLANCE CHRONICLES by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman
Another group of novels I couldn’t live without, Dragons of Autumn Twilight, Dragons of Winter Night, Dragons of Spring Dawning and Dragons of Summer Flame are four of my ultimate favorite fantasy novels. Taken from an RPG, Weis and Hickman create a world that is so real you can practically reach out and touch it.
8) THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
This is my favorite of all the Sherlock Holmes books. Heck, there was a time in my childhood that Holmes was my hero and I wanted to be a great detective like him and solve mysteries with the greatest of ease. This book in particular was quite spooky as well!
9) A TALE OF TWO CITIES by Charles Dickens
Now, Dickens has several amazing novels up his sleeve but I have to say that this story of France and England in the 1700s is my very favorite. Not only is it well written but I think it has the best opening paragraph of all time! Who can forget "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times…"?
10) 1984 by George Orwell
This freakishly prophetic tale of a totalitarian government is what George Orwell’s "futuristic" novel 1984 is about. The scary part is, it could actually happen. Imagine always knowing that "Big Brother is watching you!"
11) THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger
The painful coming-of-age story of Holden Caulfield is a staple, I believe, on anyone’s list of must-reads. It captures the loneliness and pain of growing up in a somewhat phony adult world perfectly.
12) TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee
One of the best books I’ve ever read that introduces the concept of good co-existing with evil. To see the novel mostly through Scout and Jem’s eyes allows the reader the most innocent view of all – that of children. It’s a testament to being just and kind even in the face of social inequality and racism and how one should not be afraid to go against the crowd.
13) THE CHRONICLES OF NARNIA by C.S. Lewis
Another book that is a testament to my love of fantasy and magic, The Chronicles of Narnia is C.S. Lewis’ answer to J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings and while the latter may have done better at the box office, when it comes to novels they’re both amazing to me.
14) THE JOY LUCK CLUB by Amy Tan
One of my favorite novels about the sacred bond between mothers and daughters, Amy Tan perfectly captures the essence of two different generations separated not only by age but by culture as well; it tells us how love can bridge any gap, regardless of time or space.
15) THE WOMAN IN WHITE by Wilkie Collins
This mystery-suspense novel by Wilkie Collins is a page-turner that will have you wondering what will happen next. Told mostly from the point of view of drawing master Walter Hartwright, it’s a veritable mix of love, deceit, villainy and valor. Just don’t turn your back on Count Fosco!
16) PRIDE AND PREJUDICE by Jane Austen
The timeless classic about love and etiquette, Pride and Prejudice makes me grateful to be a woman in the 20th century with so many more options. Still, it would be nice to find my own Mark Darcy!
17) THE COUNT OF MONTE CRISTO by Alexandre Dumas
Though I loved The Three Musketeers, I’ve loved Dumas’ other book, The Count of Monte Cristo, from the moment I read it. The timeless theme of friendship and love and betrayal has you cheering for Edmund Dantes throughout the entire novel.
18) The "Harry Potter" series by J.K. Rowling
Yes, I am a diehard fan who was at the bookshop at 7 a.m. awaiting my new installment in the life of teen wizard Harry Potter. From The Sorcerer’s Stone all the way to the latest novel, The Half-Blood Prince, I think part of the true magic is inspiring a lazy, TV-watching younger generation to read again.
19) THE DA VINCI CODE by Dan Brown
Almost from nowhere, Dan Brown’s novel took the world by storm, bringing together some of the world’s most loved and most feared religious secrets and mysteries. Even though it angered a great many people, it remained on the best-seller lists for as long as I can remember. And rightly so, I think. It’s almost addictive. (But hey, it’s fiction, folks, so no worries!)
20) THE BIBLE
Still widely read after thousands of years, The Bible still teaches us new things every single time we open it. Though I don’t read it as often as I should, I still consider it the best book in the world.