Tagged. Again.

OK Top ten books (in no particular order):

Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns. This is the cutest book about a little boy growing up in a small town, complete with getting run over by a train and living to tell the tale.



To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee. I like how this book addresses racism in a fairly upbeat way. I haven't read it for a while and it's probably about time to pull it out again.



Lord of the Flies by William Golding. I didn't necessarily love the story but I love literary masterpiece that this book is--something the Twilights or Harry Potters won't ever be. One time my dad told me that was like enjoying a painting done out of dog poop...still not sure what that means.



These Is My Words by Kathleen Turner. Written in the form of a diary by a girl in a wagon train--it makes me so happy for every little thing that goes right and so sad for all the many hardships they faced.

Christy by Katherine Marshall. This is the true story of a 20 year-old girl who leaves everything she knows behind to be a teacher in a strange new land full of interesting food, bad smells, and people who have never seen an outsider before. Sound familiar to you? The funny thing is I read and fell in love with this book long before I went to China.

The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan, as well any of her other books. She has such a charming way of painting the Chinese lifestyle with its good characteristics as well as the bad, and it makes me feel like I am there again. I wonder if I'll ever stop reading about China, hearing about China, seeing pictures of China, and just plain missing China.

The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale. Most of the books on this list range from somber and thought provoking to downright depressing, so this was a fun fairytale to mix it up a bit, and I was so sad when it ended.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. Talk about thought provoking--this book made me so grateful for where I live and the life I have. I kept thinking it was set way back in time and whenever I realized it is set in the present day it made me sad all over again. It definitely made me realize I need to appreciate what I have.

The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. The first time I read it I just thought this book was odd but have re-read it a few times now and love it. I love the idea that each life is entwined in those around us in ways we are not even aware of and that one day it will all be explained.

Cry, The Beloved Country by Alan Paton. There is so much good advice about love and patience and endurance in this book. It deals with the suffering brought into our lives by other people's decisions and that only through love can it be overcome.

Fanny's Dream by Caralyn and Mark Buehner. I know this is my 11th book but it is a children's book so technically in a whole seperate category...I love this story of a girl growing up and discovering that the fairytale she had always imagined for herself wasn't the best option for her in real life--I wish I could give a copy to every teenage girl!

I'm tagging Kristen and Mindi.