A popular question among readers is “what’s your all time favorite book?”
That’s always been a difficult question for me.
How do I whittle it down to just one?
On any given day, depending on my mood or the vibe, my answer is subject to change.
Therefore, I’ve settled on 10.
10 is a nice number. Round. Even.
The perfect number of selections to sum up my literary ideals.
So here we go (in ascending order):
#10 The Good Lord Bird, James McBride
The life of Old John Brown is the stuff of legend. In this dramatized retelling, we see the famous abolitionist through the eyes of a young male slave, who is mistaken for female, and unwittingly becomes the travel companion of Brown and his crew.
This is a story of how the need to survive can test one’s loyalties.
#9 Boy Snow Bird, Helen Oyeyemi
I loved this novel. It stayed with me long after I finished reading it. And at the time, I recommended it to everyone. EVERYONE!!!
Boy Snow Bird has been described as a “recasting” of the Snow White fairy tale. But in this rendition, there’s so much more going on beneath the surface…literally.
#8 Anna Karenina, Leo Tolstoy
19th century Russia. An adulterous affair is contrasted with a marriage of love.
Chaotic city scenes and lavish balls are contrasted with pastoral landscapes and field hands at work. And of course, there are the trains. There are always the trains.
This is a story of love. A tragic love.
A classic.
#7 All Passion Spent, Vita Sackville West
A wonderful treat of a novel. It taught me that elegance and humor are not mutually exclusive.
All Passion Spent is a beautiful account of the winter of life and the shedding of all pretense and facade.
I’ve read it several times and it just keeps getting better.
#6 A Room With a View, E.M. Forster
“Beauty!”
Need I say more?
#5 The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison
The heart of this novel is invested in a young Black girl named Pecola Breedlove. Due to neglect at home, and battered down by racism and colorism from the outside world, Pecola comes to believe that physical beauty is the key to obtaining love. This belief leads her to pray for blue eyes.
This novel is a heartbreaker.
#4 Persuasion, Jane Austen
One of my favorite Austen novels. It’s a beautifully subtle yet surprisingly evocative story of lost love and second chances.
I just adore this novel. I adore Anne Elliott.
It’s perfection.
#3 Pride and Prejudice, Jane Austen
If you know me at all, you likely already guess there would be more than one Austen selection on this list.
Elizabeth Bennet is one of the greatest literary heroines ever created, with legions of bookish admirers.
Her turbulent (and often humorous) path towards love with the dashing Mr. Darcy is a story that I will always happily return to.
#2 The Fire Next Time, James Baldwin
Composed of two essays, Baldwin tackles the issue of racial injustice in America with a fearless ferocity. His words remain powerfully relevant to this day.
As I stated in a previous post, “to love this country is to see it clearly.”
#1 Go Tell It on the Mountain, James Baldwin
Reading this novel was a transformative experience for me.
It felt like fire. A fire in my heart.
The love and the hate. The secrets and the lies.
Victims carry their pain and often become victimizers themselves.
Yet there is room for redemption. Baldwin always creates that space.
For him, there is always hope.
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I would love to hear what your favorite novels are and why.
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Happy reading!
~ G