Welcome! I'm Cookie's Mom. You can learn all about Cookie and why I blog here: About Cookie's Chronicles. If you're new here, you may want to SUBSCRIBE TO MY RSS FEED. Thanks for stopping by! Pull up a beach chair and be my guest, won't you?

Sunday, April 22, 2012

Ten Books You Should Read

I'm taking a wee bit of time out from my upside-down life to participate in a favourite weekly meme, Monday Listicles.


I'm able to do this because this week's list is about books!

Here are ten books you should read if you haven't already. 

Click on the covers to view book details at Amazon.com. Many of these titles are now in the public domain, which means you can get them for free. If you're looking for ideas for newer titles, visit Cookie's Book Club.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Power of One - Bryce Courtenay
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
A Passage to India – E.M. Forster
Tess of the D'Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
Anne of Green Gables – Lucy Maud Montgomery
Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen

Each of these books has affected me in some way, leaving me forever altered. Isn't that what the best books should do? Happy reading!




Have you entered my book giveaways yet?



WHEN GOD WAS A RABBIT by Sarah Winman

(plus, see the inspiring interview with Sarah)


AN ELECTION OF PATRIOTS by Andre Jute


REQUIEM AT MONZA by Dakota Franklin



53 comments:

  1. paulApril 22, 2012 8:32 pm

    Great selection, 8 of my favourites too. And two I've never read, thanks for that.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:23 am

      Thanks Paul, and you're welcome (as if you needed more books to read)!

      Delete
  2. LenoreApril 22, 2012 8:46 pm

    Anne of Green Gables. One of my all time favorites. Classic.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:24 am

      Lenore, I only wish I had time to re-read it!

      Delete
  3. StaceyApril 22, 2012 8:55 pm

    Jane Eyre is on my list too! I loved Kiter Runner and The poisonwood Bible is on my to read list. Great list of books!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:25 am

      Stacey, then you'll also love The Poisonwood Bible. Did you know that she wrote that book several times over, from the several different perspectives before pulling it all together? An amazing writer!

      Delete
  4. Nicole PylesApril 22, 2012 9:05 pm

    Good selection! I'm with you on the Anne of Green Gables - LOVED that book!!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:26 am

      I have such fond memories of that book. It's still a part of me.

      Delete
  5. Jennifer HallApril 22, 2012 9:46 pm

    So what you're saying is I need to read more classics. Sheesh.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:27 am

      Hee hee. Well... when you have some 'free time' (stop laughing).

      Delete
  6. Robbie KApril 22, 2012 9:48 pm

    The Kite Runner was AMAZING! Sadly that is the only book on your list that I've read.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:28 am

      That's not sad, Robbie! That's good. :-) That means you now have some great titles to add to your list. There are many classics that I still have not read. If only I could buy time....

      Delete
  7. StashaApril 22, 2012 9:57 pm

    I loved the Kite runner too!! There are a few I have not read so I will check them out. Also I am off to enter the give away. With a tittle like that, must be a cool book!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:29 am

      The Kite Runner is one of my all-time favourite stories! Good luck in the giveaway, Stasha!

      Delete
  8. AnnaApril 22, 2012 10:05 pm

    I love To Kill A Mockingbird, I'm really curious about The Kite Runner too - I have to check that out now. I love that you're into some classic books, very cool!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:31 am

      Anna, The Kite Runner is a very well written and moving story. I have heard that his A Thousand Splendid Suns is even better - it's sitting on my nightstand!

      Delete
  9. Jennifer WorrellApril 22, 2012 10:06 pm

    LOVED the Kite Runner!Can't resist the Victorian writers, either...great list!

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  10. AdoApril 22, 2012 10:06 pm

    A most excellent list! I am happy to report that the only one on it I have not yet read is The Power of One - but am adding it to my list, pronto! Thanks!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:32 am

      I hope you enjoy The Power of One, Ado. It's a long read, but a fabulous story.

      Delete
  11. jacquiApril 22, 2012 10:44 pm

    Great book choices! I love Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice especially. There's two I haven't read yet...I'll have to check them out.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:33 am

      Thanks Jacqui. Wuthering Heights is a book I was forced to read in high school and loved.

      Delete
  12. AmandaApril 22, 2012 10:48 pm

    Phew! That only adds two to my ever-growing list! Thanks for sharing, Sue. I hope you guys are doing well and holding up okay.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:34 am

      I figured you'd read most of these. We're hanging in, Amanda. Thanks!

      Delete
  13. izaApril 23, 2012 5:25 am

    Great list! I'm rushing out for the 3 I haven't read.

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  14. JackieApril 23, 2012 6:55 am

    I've just added a few to my "To Read" cart. While I loved the Kite Runner, I was moved to the core by A Thousand Splendid Suns. That book still haunts me years later.

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  15. Cookie’s MomApril 23, 2012 7:34 am

    It's on my nightstand, Jackie!! Can hardly wait to read it.

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  16. kimberlyApril 23, 2012 10:42 am

    Great list! I love all of them. Bookmarking for my daughter. When she comes to me for suggestions, I always come up with nothing. This will definitely help.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:31 am

      Ah, that's great to hear, Kimberly. I love making people's lives easier (and lists, of course)!

      Delete
  17. ChristieApril 23, 2012 11:09 am

    Totally agree with Poisonwood Bible and The Kite Runner. In fact, I think I need to reread them.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:32 am

      I hope to find the time to reread them someday too, Christie! But... great writers keep writing more books... sigh. So many books, so little time.

      Delete
  18. SusiApril 23, 2012 11:40 am

    Love this list. I want to read or re-read a few of these. I have Pride and Prejudice waiting on my tablet for me to read. It seems you like the classics!!! :)

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:33 am

      Susi, I do love the classics. There are still so many that I haven't read!

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  19. Katie EApril 23, 2012 1:11 pm

    I haven't read all of these - and I feel like I should have! To Kill a Mockingbird is definitely one of my all-time favorites though.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:35 am

      LOL Katie, that's the way I feel about most of today's popularized books. I spend a lot of time reading indie books and don't have time for them... but I feel like I *should* read them.

      Delete
  20. Sisterhood of the Sensible MomsApril 23, 2012 1:30 pm

    These are great. The only one I haven't read is The Power of One---will have to rectify that soon. Thanks, Erin

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:35 am

      It's a long book, Erin, but a powerful story. I hope you love it!

      Delete
  21. collettakayApril 23, 2012 1:53 pm

    I've read 5 out of your list!

    Here's my very first Listicle:

    http://collettaskitchensink.blogspot.com/2012/04/monday-listicles-books-i-grew-up-on.html

    Colletta

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:36 am

      Thanks for your comment Colletta and welcome to the Monday Listicles fun!

      Delete
  22. tracyApril 23, 2012 6:29 pm

    The Poisonwood Bible is PHENOMENAL. I loved it so much, I read it twice! Great list!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:37 am

      Tracy, I was amazed when I learned that she wrote the story multiple times from all of the different perspectives before blending the voices into the final product. Kingsolver is brilliant.

      Delete
  23. mannahattamamma.comApril 24, 2012 4:36 am

    Anne of Green Gables...deep sigh. I loved those books...mmmmm And I loved that we got to follow her all the way through her adult life - I loved Nancy Drew, too, but at some point I realized she was never going to change - but Anne changed. Lovely. Makes me want to go back and re-read... thanks.

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:38 am

      It was definitely helpful to have Anne to grow up with. The imagery LMM created just hangs in front of my eyes sometimes - never forgotten.

      Delete
  24. Just A Normal MomApril 24, 2012 12:58 pm

    Giant confession: I've hardly read any of the classics. I know, it's terrible. I need to. I will. Eventually. I'll get there. And I've heard SUCH great things about The Poisonwood Bible - I've got to remember to put that on my list. The Kite Runner - I didn't know what it was about when I picked it up - had my emotions churning!

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    1. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:40 am

      We have so many *shoulds* in our lives, don't we? I hope you do get a chance to read some of the classics. If you could read just one on this list, might I suggest it be either Pride and Prejudice or Jane Eyre. You will love them!

      Delete
  25. LA BotcharApril 24, 2012 2:15 pm

    love your choices!
    except, for some reason, I could never get into Wuthering Heights. I don't know why....I loved all the other books. But Heathcliff and Catherine, I just couldn't get into them. shocking - but I didn't like them at all. Ba it's been awhile, perhaps I should do a revist as and older, wiser gal now.

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  26. Cookie’s MomApril 26, 2012 6:42 am

    Les, I definitely enjoyed it more as an adult then when forced to read it in high school. But... there are lots of books that most people love that I have never understood - like The Life of Pi - I have started that book several times and can not just get into it. We're all unique in our preferences! :-)

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  27. DebApril 26, 2012 9:39 pm

    I've read only one of these books! (That one, for the record, is The Power of One. Stu loaned it to me at the beginning of my return to reading.)

    I started reading To Kill A Mockingbird a few times, but I never finished it. Perhaps I ought borrow that from Ba.D.'s childhood bedroom!

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    1. Cookie’s MomMay 02, 2012 7:32 pm

      ...or you could just watch the movie with Gregory Peck. Shhh. I did NOT just say watch the movie instead of reading the book (except... it's a gooder).

      Delete
  28. janieMay 02, 2012 7:51 am

    I've read 6/10 but that was years ago! And I haven't heard of The Poisonwood Bible :(

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    1. Cookie’s MomMay 02, 2012 7:33 pm

      Janie, Barbara Kingsolver is a fabulous writer. Her Bean Trees is a great read too!

      Delete
  29. DMSJune 16, 2012 2:12 pm

    Jane Eyre is one of my all-time favorite books. I have never read Anne of Green Gables- so maybe I will give that one a try! :)

    ~Jess
    http://thesecretdmsfilesoffairdaymorrow.blogspot.com/

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    1. Cookie’s MomJune 16, 2012 7:10 pm

      Thanks for visiting Jess! I know you will love Anne of Green Gables.

      Delete

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