This year I decided to make my reading list by asking all my friends and family for their favorite books. A favorite book says a lot about who a person is, and I like all these people, so I think I will find some real gems here.
I decided to skip books that I’ve very recently read (my husband Bryan’s favorite book is The Horse and His Boy by C.S. Lewis, which we read aloud as a family a few months ago) and I also don’t require myself to finish a book I’m not digging—if I haven’t been hooked by chapter 2, I move on.
I plan to read one book recommendation by each person, then circle back to those who recommended several books and read their other recs! This is my list so far, though it may get a few additions over the year.
The List (and the recommender)
1. A Thorn in My Pocket by Eustacia Cutler (
2. The Reason I Jump by Naoki Higashida (Heather)
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4. The Snow Child by Eowyn Ivey (Heather)
5. Forever Boy by Kate Swenson (Heather)
6. Six of Crows (Maci)
7. Crooked Kingdom (Maci)
8. Fourth Wing (Jenn L.)
9. A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickins (Mom)
10. Ring World by Larry Niven (Mark)
11. Mrs. Lincoln’s Dressmaker (Brittany)
12. A Girl Called Samson (Brittany)
13. Well Behaved Wives (Brittany)
14. The Girl in His Shadow (Brittany)
15. To Dwell Among Cedars (Brittany)
16. Convivial Homeschool (Brittany)
17. Drama Free Family (Brittany)
18. Around the World in 80 Days (Lauren)
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20. Chronicles of the Kings by Lynn Austen (Alexis)
21. Roses by Leila Meacham (Alexis)
22. Marriage by Paul David Tripp (Courtney)
23. The Duties of Parents by R. C. Ryle (Sharon)
24. Bread of Angels by Tessa Asfshar (Katie)
25. The Midnight Library by Matt Haig ( )
I give you book recommendations every month; but, if I were to be asked the same thing as my friends, a best book EVER, I would recommend Anna Karenina (Tolstoy) and Crossing the River: Poems (Sylvia Plath) - both challenging and rewarding!
What books would you recommend?
I have tried to read Anna Karenina multiple times with no success, but the last attempt was probably 10 years ago!
Oh, I love hearing peoples favorite books. Mine are Annie Dillard’s The Living, William Trevor’s Love & Summer, and Denis Johnson’s Train Dreams.
Thanks for sharing your list! I read the new Sylvia Plath biography last year (Red Comet) and it spurred me to dig into her work. I’ll start w your recommendation.