I’ve begun posting a list of books that I’ve read each month, but what of all of the other books that I’ve read in past months, and years? There’s no way I can remember all of the books that I’ve ever read, although I think it would be awesome if I had kept track all these years! At the prompting of AHappyHome, I’ve attempted to compile some of the best. Normally, I would attempt to post links for each of these books, but in this instance, that would be far too time consuming. Sorry!
I enjoy many different genres of literature, but my favorite, by far, are Christian Historical Fiction and Biblical Historical Fiction. In an attempt to be relevant, this past year, I read a few books off the New York Times Best Seller list (Davinci Code, Angels & Demons, Kite Runner), and while they were at times captivating and intriguing, I found the profanity and much of the subject matter to be disturbing and appalling to my spirit. Another book was simply pornographic, and the Spirit inside me would not allow me to read beyond the first 20 pages (although I still wonder how everything turned out in the end)! On the other hand, I am extremely frustrated by the poor writing that is submitted by some Christian authors! There is one, amazingly popular, series of books about the end times that you will not find on my list, as the character development, dialogue, and writing are so poor that I actually stopped reading in the middle of the book, in the middle of the series (something that never happens), because I could not stand to read it any longer! The plot was intriguing, but the characters were hokey and not believable. I am not a writer myself, but I have a very high standard for what I read.
Quality content + Quality writers = Quality Literature
My favorite authors are definitely Brock & Bodie Thoene. I would recommend anything they’ve written! If you’re looking for a place to start and like history, try the Zion Covenant series set in World War II Europe. If you prefer Biblical fiction, the A.D. Chronicles are amazing!
Another favorite author is Francine Rivers. I enjoyed her Mark of the Lion trilogy tremendously! Set in Rome just after the time of Christ, they easily rank in my top ten ever! I haven’t cared as much for her more contemporary novels.
For a long time, Ellen Gunderson Traylor, was one of my favorite authors. She captured my heart with her Biblical fiction novel about Ruth, which remains a favorite, but I was disappointed with her departure from some known Biblical facts in Joshua, and Noah was pretty bizarre. Still, I’d recommend her other books as long as you're careful to practice discernment as you read. The Priest and The Oracle are more contemporary suspense novels which I enjoyed.
Another old favorite Christian historical fiction author is Marian Wells. I think her books are out of print, but you can find them used. She wrote a few books about the beginnings of the Mormon church which were quite enlightening and another interesting series set during the Civil War.
In a totally different genre, Frank Peretti’s books This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness are phenomenal. Definately thought provoking regarding the reality of the spiritual world.
Of course, no female bibliophile’s list would be complete without Anne of Green Gables. The Anne books rank among the best books ever written. If you haven’t read them, you must, and if you’ve only read the first book, there is so much more waiting for you in the other 7. Also by L.M.Montgomery, Kilmeny of the Orchard is one of the sweetest books ever written! My mother also loves the Emily books, but I haven’t been able to get through even the first one myself.
I stayed up many a late night (or early morning) reading Grace Livingston Hill novels. They’re all delightful to read and I’ve even discovered a new blog devoted to all thing GLH: Neat and Dainty as a Flower. I've read so many and it's been so long since I did, that I can't recommend any certain titles.
Janette Oake is another popular Christian author whose books have delighted me. They aren’t as intellectually stimulating as some of the others I’ve read, but there’s something so comforting about reading one of her books, like putting on a favorite sweater and a broken in pair of jeans that aren’t too snug around the hips! I can read through one in a couple of hours, but wish that they’d never end! My favorite of her series are the Canadian West and Seasons of the Heart.
Julie and Christy by Catherine Marshall are wonderful books too!
I am ashamed to admit that I really have not read many classics. I opted out of senior year AP Literature in high school in favor of Speech and Etymology, and the only Lit class I took in college was World Lit. Survey, which focused on Non-Western Literature, so that is one area of my education that is severely lacking! As a young girl, I did enjoy all of Louisa May Alcott’s books, as well as The Secret Garden, The Little Princess, and some other childhood classics, but it was only a couple of years ago that I read Pride and Prejudice for the first time, and I was so proud of the accomplishment! I hope to read more of Jane Austen’s books, as well as some of the Bronte sisters’ and expand my horizons this year to enjoy many more of the classics.
Well, that's the best I can do for now. I'm sure that I'll think of others in the days to come, and I do hope to compile a similar list of non-fiction books in the near future. I'd love to read your favorites too, so feel free to post them in the comments or blog them yourself and post a link! While searching for links, I came across Tracey’s Book Nook which looks like a great resource. Enjoy and Happy Reading!
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