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I’m loading my iPad up with books, audiobooks, and podcasts in preparation for my long flight to and from Uganda. Long long flight. ย For one reason or another, I’ve downloaded a lot of personal classics: books that I take comfort in. ย I guess it’s the literary version of comfort food like tater tots for me. ย I feel so out of my element traveling this far from home and it feels good to be grounded in stories that remind me of growing up. ย Here are a few of my favorites. ย What did you read growing up? ย My favorite part of book posts is when you share what you love. ย Happy Sunday!
If you’ve ever driven through the center of California then you understand John Steinbeck. ย He’s my boo. ย He’s my everything. ย Ofย Mice and Menย โขโขย sealed the deal for me when I was young thenย East of Edenย destroyed me in the best way possible.
To Kill A Mockingbirdย โขโขย There is not one piece of this story that is out of place. ย It’s perfect.
Remember the first time you cried about a mouse in a book? ย It wasย Flowers For Algernonย โขโข. ย Remember the first time you cried about a mouse in a movie? ย Fievel in An American Tail. ย Sorry.
If I ever have a daughter, I think I’m going to slip this book onto her desk when she’s 11 years old and quietly back away. Judy Blume says it allย Are You There God? It’s Me Margaretย ย โขโข. ย Alsoย Freckle Juiceย might come in handy.
A Light In The Atticย โขโขย The poems in this book are about being curious, being young, and being human. ย It’s perfect.
The Witchesย โขโขย I read Roald Dahl growing up and knew I wanted to be a writer. ย His granddaughter Sophie Dahl is author to one of my favorite cookbooks. ย Runs in the family, I see.
I still can’t believe thatย Memoirsย of a Geishaย โขโขย was written by a man.
Flowers In The Atticย โขโข ย I’ve never been good at reading scary stories. ย This book proved it.
A Widow For One Yearย โขโขย John Irving knows how to create characters that we care about. ย I still think about his people. ย Crazy.
Have a happy Sunday, my friends!
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50 Responses
I loved everything by Jane Austen.Pride and Prejudice was and is still my favorite.
The Brontes were good too both Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights so different the two but both so good.
wonderful book suggestions! i know exactly what you mean about comfort reading. c.s. lewis is my favorite author, and “till we have faces” might be my favorite of his works (though “perelandra” would give it a run for its money).
I lived in Lira (Northern Uganda) for three years. One week will not be enough time for sure; enjoy it but also remember how you will probably be changed more than you will change things. Read the Poisonwood Bible while you’re there, it takes place in Congo but the similarities are incredible. It’s the book that first made me want to go to Africa :) Wot aber!
you have some great ones here. I would add (thinking back to pivotal coming of age books for me) Cold Sassy Tree (in my opinion on par with To Kill a Mockingbird which is another of my top books). Also loved: Davita’s Harp. The Bread Givers. Sister of my Heart. Oh and the Zion Covenant and Chronicles series by the Thoene’s. Current YA obsession the Ashtown books (starting the The Dragon’s Tooth). I could go on and on…
I absolutely loooove To Kill A Mockingbird! I read it in high school and Scout was my favorite. Atticus is my favorite name ever.
Are you There God? It’s Me Margaret was my favorite when I was little! My dad bought us the audiobook (cassette tapes!) and we listened to it every night before bed. We got so good that we could recite parts of it word for word……
Shiloh was also my favorite – it may be the first one that made me cry. Oh, and Charlotte’s Web!
If you love Steinbeck, have you read “Travels with Charley”? It’s my favorite of his books, which is saying a great deal. And if you like Travels, read “Blue Highways” by William Least Heat Moon. You are so spot on about “To Kill a Mockingbird.” And finally, possibly my favorite book of all time — it’s out of print, but might be available somewhere, “I Heard the Owl Call My Name,” by Margaret Craven. And if you want to get lost in a longer book — probably also out of print, but worth searching for: “The Secret of Santa Vittoria,” by Robert Crichton. These last two I could barely put down. Have a wonderful trip!
Joy, I love you. Books and food and defining oneself. What better things are there to write about. What I love about all of these is the ability to have a book take you to another place, and then be able to revisit that place as you yourself grow. All of these and the ones mentioned in comments are among my favorites.
Ah books make me so happy. I am glad you included some Judy Blume-I recently reread Superfudge!
I love to read books by authors of the country I’m travelling through, I just think it adds to the experience. Sadly, I’ve not been to Uganda yet so I don’t have a recommendation! Promise me if you ever go to Barcelona though, you’ll read “Shadows of the Wind” by Carlos Ruiz Zafon.
What a lovely list, childhood favourites galore!
I hope you’re having an amazing time in Uganda!
My favourite was definitely Memoirs of a Geisha!
You’ve started to bring nostalgia back to me too. It was a while ago since I’ve read my last Roald Dahl book… a few years to be true. I read Mice of Men a while ago as well, although to Kill a Mockingbird more recently. I didn’t like Watership down at all. But Judy Blume? <333 I loved her as I was growing up. Especially the one up there and Deenie.
Check out my post on relaxing here (it also mentions books!) https://olivia-savannah.blogspot.nl/2014/01/chaotic-days-how-to-relax.html
Of Mice & Men adn the The Lion The Witch and The Wardrobe were huge for me along with Charlottes Web, and Anne of Green Gables and every Dear America Book out. I’m a historicle fiction dork. Oh and I love these posts
I’ve read, and loved, almost all of those books! Oh the memories they churn up when I remember the age I was when I read them. I totally understand why you want to bring something so familiar with you to a new land. Enjoy your trip!
“….then East of Eden destroyed me in the best way possible.”
YES. I’ve never been able to put into words the impact or experience of this book…until now. Thanks! : )
Ooo! You got some good ones here. That John Irving one though, that book I read over the summer and the first half was so amazing, I was just loving it, the second half lost me a little, but I did like the ending. I also think Steinbeck’s East of Eden is amazing and I heard they are getting ready to make a movie based on it with Jennifer Lawrence. Flowers in the Attic – Love it! V.C. Andrews was such a big part of my adolescence, I’ve often thought about going back an rereading some of her books, but I am afraid of ruining my memories of them being as good as I remember back then. Good luck on your trip to Uganda! : ) Happy travels.
The Witches scared me so bad when I was little. The movie was even scarier!
Til We Have Faces is one of my favourites – I think I should pull it out and read it again…
I just adored the Ramona books as a kid: Ramona the Pest, Ramona and Beezus, etc…
Such good books! I love We The Living by Ayn Rand. And Anthem by her as well. . Wuthering Heights. .and Howl. Harry Potter(duh) and The Lord of the Rings (second duh). . I feel like this list puts some unavoidable part of my crazy brain out to see.
The Divine Dance is one that I have gained much from both growing up. And since.
I never really thought you have this huge collection of old story books.
I was thinking maybe you could share some recipe books too?
Oh my gosh, Fievel, yes! I bawled my eyes out and still would I think…
I remember my mom reading me To Kill a Mockingbirdโฆand actually enjoying it! Of course I also loved the entire Narnia series, but I may love The Magician’s Nephew even more than The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe! There’s a few on this list I haven’t readโฆI need to change that!