The following list consists of books that I have enjoyed at various stages of my life and would recommend them to others. Hopefully these help in your search for a great book!

1. Achebe, Chinua:
a. Things Fall Apart: This story takes place in Africa and tells the story of Okonkwo and his family. Okonkwo and his family encounter many difficulties and things seem to always fall apart. It is a very interesting story in terms of character and theme.
2. Alcott, Louisa May:
a. Little Women: This book is about finding out what you want in life and the importance of family. It traces the many adventures of the March sisters, their family, and the neighbors. I found this book when I was young and it helped to continue my interest in reading. It is definitely a classic!
b. A Long Fatal Love Chase: This book is a far cry from Little Women, which is part of the reason that it made it onto my list. It is interesting to see the variety of style that Alcott is capable of using. This book is about a girl who feels isolated and decides to marry a mysterious man, which leads to many intriguing circumstances.
3. Anaya, Rudolfo:
a. Bless Me, Ultima: This book is beautifully written using symbolism, figurative language, and imagery. The story is about finding out who you are aside from the expectations placed on you. A young boy’s life is changed when Ultima, a healer, comes to live with his family; he is finally able to find his dream.
4. Angelou, Maya:
a. I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings: This is part of a series of books that make up Angelou’s autobiography. It is very meaningful and deals with many issues that young people face. I read this book on my own while in college and was touched by the story.

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5. Margaret Atwood:
a. The Handmaid’s Tale: I read this book on my own as an adult and found it very frightening. The story is set in the future (not so future now) and it tells of how things have changed, especially for women and their roles in society. A very bold novel!
6. Austen, Jane:
a. Pride and Prejudice: I love this book! I read this in order to increase my experience with British literature and thoroughly enjoyed it. This novel was written in the late seventeen hundreds and demonstrates the society of that time. The story revolves mostly around the characters of Darcy and Elizabeth.
7. Bronte, Emily:
a. Wuthering Heights: A fabulous novel about the connection and love between Catherine and Heathcliff. This book is full of imagery and symbolism. I really enjoyed this piece.
8. Chesnutt, Charles:
a. The House Behind The Cedars: This is a beautifully written story about an African-American who passes for white during a time of great racial strife. The man struggles between his new life and his past life. This book has a lot of interesting themes and incorporates devices that are different and very effective.
9. Chopin, Kate:
a. The Awakening: This is an early feminist novel that includes a wealth of both imagery and symbolism. This book has so many interpretations, which makes it great for discussing.
10. Cisneros, Sandra:
a. The House on Mango Street: Although on the surface this book seems very simple, it has a lot of depth in terms of language and themes. In this book the main character, Esperanza, struggles to find the true meaning of home, racial identity, personal identity, and the importance of family.

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11. Curtis, Christopher Paul:
a. The Watson’s go to Birmingham: A thoroughly enjoyable novel! There is a lot of humor combined with meaningful themes and historical events. You will be drawn into the lives of “the weird Watsons.”
12. Erdrich, Louise:
a. Love Medicine, The Beet Queen, Tracks, The Bingo Palace, Tales of Burning Love, The Antelope Wife, and The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse: Erdrich is one of my favorite authors! I first read Love Medicine in college and enjoyed the imagery she creates through poetic language. These books trace the lives of the people on a reservation. Each chapter is told from the perspective of a different character, which gives the reader a broad-based view of the novel. After reading the book one becomes connected to the characters in a profound way. The series is also written backwards (the most recent in time first and the earliest in time last) which makes the stories even more interesting to follow.
b. The Birchbark House: This is Erdrich’s most recent novel. It is a piece of young adult literature and is written in the tradition of storytelling. This book intrigued me because it is very different from her other novels.
13. Esquivel, Laura:
a. Like Water for Chocolate: This story is written in a unique format and examines the struggle between love and family. The main character falls in love but is not permitted to marry. In order to demonstrate her love she cooks. Each chapter has a recipe, which I have not tried; it might be neat to give it a shot.
14. Evans, Nicholas:
a. The Loop: This book was reccomended to me by a student and I did enjoy reading it. The scenery and the characters come alive in this book and the ending is a complete surprise.
15. Fitzgerald, F. Scott:
a. Tender is the Night: This is my favorite of Fitzgerald’s works and I read it during college. This novel, as most of Fitzgerald’s works, contains a lot of autobiographical circumstances. This maintains themes related to society and its influence on people and love. A very enjoyable read.
b. The Great Gatsby: This is probably his most popular novel, although I did not enjoy it as much as Tender is the Night. This, again, focuses on society, love, and autobiographical circumstances as well as tons of symbolism.
16. Guterson, David:
a. Snow Falling on Cedars: The language in this novel is beautifully poetic. This is a story about a small island town in Washington state after world war two. The story contains numerous flashbacks that enlighten the reader to the various characters.

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17. Hawthorne, Nathaniel:
a. The Scarlet Letter: This is one of the greatest novels of all time. This book is wrought with symbolism and themes to keep the reader on her toes. I read this on my own while student teaching and was thoroughly impressed.
b. The Blithedale Romance: This novel is interesting on its own, but gains even more when compared to The Scarlet Letter because it demonstrates Hawthorne’s vast skill as a writer. This is a new take on romance.
18. Hesse, Karen:
a. Witness: The structure of this book is unique, it is written like a series of monologues in a play; each being from the perspective of a different character. The book follows the events in a small town in Vermont when the ku klux klan comes.
19. Jacobs, Harriet:
a. Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl: This book fits into the genre of “slave narrative.” The book is autobiographical and traces the life of the author, although she has used a pen name. The events in her life are written skillfully and are very moving.
20. Johnson, James Weldon:
a. The Autobiography of an Ex-Coloured Man: This story fits into what is called “passing literature.” It is about a black man who “passes” for white during a time of racial difficulty. The thoughts, feelings, and actions of the main character are extremely intriguing to read.
21. Kingsolver, Barbara:
a. The Poisonwood Bible, Prodigal Summer, Animal Dreams, The Bean Trees, and Pigs in Heaven: Kingsolver is another one of my favorite authors. I really enjoy how she weaves her biology background into her writing and makes extensive use of descriptive language, especially related to nature. Her novels are beautifully written and the structure is always different. Most of her books utilize the method of changing point of view from chapter to chapter, which helps the reader to become more involved and get to know the characters.

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22. Kogawa, Joy:
a. Obasan: This story describes what it was like for a Japanese family during world war II in Canada. I read this book in college and remember being very moved by what happened to the characters. The descriptions are vividly clear.
22. Letts, Billie:
a. Where The Heart Is: I found this novel to draw me right into the feelings of the characters. It is heartfelt and vivid and the author uses a unique method of symbolism.
23. Marshall, Catherine:
a. Christy and Julie: I read both of these books as a young girl and I still enjoy the wholesomeness that they contain. These two trace the experiences of two young women administering to a small town in the mountains.
24. Montgomery, L.M.:
a. Anne of Green Gables Series: I also read these as a young girl and am again struck by the wholesome quality of these books. I am also struck by the character development in these books. As a reader one really begins to care for the characters.
25. Morrison, Toni:
a. Song of Solomon: I read this in college and love the use of allusion and symbolism. Toni Morrison’s writing is extremely poetic and beautiful to read.
26. Rowling, J.K.:
a. Harry Potter Series: These books are absolute fun! It is the classic battle between good and evil. These appear simple on the surface, but do contain a lot of allusions as well. The bottom line, however, is that they are enjoyable to read!
27. Shakespeare, William:
a. Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Much Ado About Nothing, Macbeth and The Taming of the Shrew: What can I say? It’s Shakespeare, the most brilliant writer of all time. There is a reason that his works have surpassed the test of time. Three of the five I have listed are comedies, which I enjoy more than tragedy because I get to laugh. These are simply my absolute favorites of his work.

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28. Steinbeck, John:
a. Of Mice and Men: This is a moving novel about friendship and finding your dream. I read this in my ninth grade year of high school and I do believe that I cried. It is difficult to not be touched by this classic.
29. Tan, Amy:
a. The Joy Luck Club, The Hundred Secret Senses, The Kitchen God’s Wife, and The Bonesetter’s Daughter: Another one of my favorite writers, Tan’s books also utilize the changing point of view and draw the reader into the lives of the characters. She also uses descriptive language, symbolism, and allusion to further enhance the books.
30. Tolkien, J.R.R.:
a. The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings Trilogy: I am not usually into fantasy books, however, these books are so intriguing that I couldn’t help liking them. As I read I felt strangely aware that I cared a great deal about what happened to the characters and to Middle Earth. Tolkien is brilliant for expanding my literature horizons.
31. Walker, Alice:
a. The Color Purple: The structure of this book is in the form of letters and diary entries and traces the life of Celie, a young African-American woman. The book speaks to the human condition and pulls the reader to sympathize with the main character. Walker also uses dialect to make the characters more real.
32. Watson, Larry:
a. Montana: 1948: This books explores the life of a young man coming of age and how where you are from influences who you are. I became interested in this novel very quickly. The themes and characters draw you into the story.
33. Wharton, Edith:
a. The House of Mirth, The Age of Innocence, and Ethan Frome: The first two books maintain Wharton’s style and setting (nineteenth century New York), but the last one strays somewhat from her style and a lot from setting (a small New England farming town). She does a meticulous job of exploring humanity and how one is influenced by one’s surroundings. It is also interesting how she, a realist writer, uses symbolism to suit her distinct purposes.
34. Wiesel, Elie:
a. Night: This is a beautifully written novel about a young man’s experience during the Holocaust. The language is poignant and poetic; very moving.
35. Wilder, Laura Ingalls:
a. The Little House on the Prairie Series: Again, these books are wholesome in nature and show the importance of family. I enjoyed these books, as well as the television series and movies, when I was young. I still believe that these books have a lot to offer in terms of character and theme.

Poetry:

The following is a list of some of my favorite poets:

1. Angelou, Maya
2. Bennet, Gwendolyn B.
3. Clifton, Lucille
4. Dickinson, Emily
5. Frost, Robert
6. Hughes, Langston
7. McKay, Claude
8. Shakespeare, William
9. Walker, Alice
10. Whitman, Walt

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