#1 Favorite Book of All Time
Illustration from Pixabay
By Lois Winston
“Grandma, what’s your #1 favorite book of all time?”
My #1 favorite book of all time?
As part of a Readathon at his elementary school, my nine-year-old grandson recently asked me this question. You might think this is a simple question with an even simpler answer. Not for me. I’ve been impacted throughout the years by different books at different points in my life. The ones that have left the biggest impressions are the ones that educated me the most. Picking one book out of a lifetime of reading would be impossible.
Unlike what’s happening at many libraries across the country today, my local library didn’t ban books, nor did they prevent children from using the adult section. It was from the library, not the classroom, where I gained a greater understanding of life and history, reading many books that are currently being banned in schools and libraries.
In the classroom, I was forced to memorize dates of battles and names of generals. By reading James Mitchner, Leon Uris, and The Diary of Anne Frank, I learned of the atrocities perpetrated by many of those generals at the direction of their leaders here and abroad, whether in the name of Manifest Destiny or the “superiority” of the white race.
In school, we had mandatory air raid drills where we sat in the hall, facing the wall and covering our heads to protect us from possible nuclear attack. On the Beach by Nevil Shute taught me the futility of such an exercise. Yet no teacher in any of my AP US History classes ever mentioned anything about what would really happen should the Soviets launch a nuclear missile at us. Nuclear winter? The term was never mentioned in the classroom. And we certainly were never shown the images of the aftermath of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
School taught me useless facts that would only benefit me if I ever went on Jeopardy! The historical fiction, biographies, and autobiographies, I borrowed from the library, humanized those famous names rather than lionizing them. It showed me that no issue should ever be viewed entirely in black and white. There are always subtle shades of gray involved. History, unfortunately, has and will continue to repeat itself when we don’t learn from our mistakes. Books taught me that, not my history teachers.
Long after graduating, I’ve continued reading and gaining a deeper understanding of humanity. Roots by Alex Haley and The Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead, although both novels, brought the horrors of slavery to light in a way no high school study of the Civil War, nor reading Gone with the Wind, ever did. As did Ron Chernow’s massive biography of Alexander Hamilton, regarding our founding fathers and the Revolutionary War.
From Ariana Franklin’s Mistress of the Art of Death series, I learned more about the Middle Ages than I ever did in my high school course on European History. Most recently, Marie Benedict’s The Mitford Affair, based on the lives of real people in England before and during World War II, showed me how insidiously fascism took hold of many of the English elite.
As I read these books, I often became angry over the inhumane treatment perpetrated by one group against another, but at the same time I remained hopeful, knowing people are capable of change. As Anne Frank wrote in her diary, “In spite of everything, I still believe that people are really good at heart.” Although, lately, that’s becoming increasingly difficult. I also worry that if these books and others are denied to us and future generations, no one will have the opportunity to learn about all the shades of gray.
It’s also made me wonder if perhaps this is why I gravitated to writing humorous cozy mysteries. I know that more and more lately, I need an escape from life, and I’m sure others do as well. Maybe if we all laughed more, the world would be a better place.
Of course, I couldn’t convey any of this to my nine-year-old grandson. I needed to give him the title of my favorite book. In the end, I settled on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, also a book about hope and believing in the goodness of others.
What’s your #1 favorite book of all time? Post a comment for a chance to win a promo code for a free audiobook download of any of the available Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mysteries or Empty Nest Mysteries.
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USA Today and Amazon bestselling and award-winning author Lois Winston writes mystery, romance, romantic suspense, chick lit, women’s fiction, children’s chapter books, and nonfiction. Kirkus Reviews dubbed her critically acclaimed Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery series, “North Jersey’s more mature answer to Stephanie Plum.” In addition, Lois is a former literary agent and an award-winning craft and needlework designer who often draws much of her source material for both her characters and plots. Her newest release is Embroidered Lies and Alibis, the fifteenth Anastasia Pollack Crafting Mystery.
This has to be the hardest question posed on The Stiletto Gang ever, Lois. One book i have never forgotten was The Glory and the Lightning by Taylor Caldwell, the story of Pericles and Aspacia, who is credited with womens’ rights and was considered one of the world’s first feminists. I found that after this book i devoured historical fiction because it interpreted history (albeit not always accurate) in a way that made it sense to me. Daniel Silva’s Gabriel Allon series, Lawrence Sanders, who i credit to my becoming a fiction writer. Oh! Too hard! The Velveteen Rabbit, The Bible, Grimms Fairy Tales. Books that make you think and make you feel. Impossible for me to narrow it down.
Donnell, I’ll be interested in seeing how the comments break down, whether the majority are in the “too many to choose” column or list one specific book.
What a thought-provoking question, Lois! With so many to choose among, it’s almost impossible to say. The first one that comes to mind is Dear Theo, a compilation of intimate letters from Vincent Van Gogh to his brother, who was his sole financial and emotional supporter during his most turbulent years. It was the first book that brought home too me the fact that famous people in history had difficult struggles of their own. I think it not only made me a more compassionate person, but it also taught me perseverance in the face of adversity or self-doubt. He also loved books, as he wrote to his brother, “So often, a visit to a bookshop has cheered me and reminded me that there are good things in the world.”
Gay, thank you for the reminder of Dear Theo. I read it so long ago that I’d forgotten how wonderful it was.
So well-written, and I applauded every paragraph. I have many favorite books, To Kill a Mockingbird, The Poisonwood Bible, All the Light We Cannot See, A Prayer for Owen Meany, The Book Thief. I could go on and on. And I love cozies, too. You’re right–we need comic relief sometimes.
Saralyn, you’ve mentioned some I could just as well have added.
Mine was Damned If You Do, Damned If You Don’t by by Marjorie Ostermann
Debra, I’ve never heard of that book. I’ll have to look it up.
My favorite book is ‘Shile Still We Live’ by Helen MacInnes. Its a story about the Nazi invasion of Poland and the resistance. It has history, romance and intrigue all wrapped up in one story. I’m not sure if it’s still in print, but my tattered copy is still readable!
Sorry, fat fingers. While Still We Live…
Jody, I looked it up. It’s still in print and reminded me of Mila 18 by Leon Uris. The author was quite prolific and several of her books were made into films.
I can thank Truman Capote for my acceleration from Grade 4 to Grade 6. When the other kids in class did their book report on Nancy Drew or the Hardy Boys, I wrote mine on In Cold Blood. I remember realizing, as I read it, that an author could paint a picture with words. I reread it years later as an adult and was surprised at how vividly I remembered it. So that’s one. The other is Emily Climbs by L.M. Montgomery, better known for her Anne of Green Gables series. Emily was an aspiring journalist. The moment I read that book, I knew that was what I wanted to do with my life. I might have been..not sure, six at the time? It was a Christmas gift from a friend of my parents. It’s one of the few books that have traveled with me through every one of my many moves.
As far as banning books, it’s as outrageous as pretending horrible parts of our history don’t exist. We should learn from the past, even, or especially, when that past is painful. Good post.
Reading in Cold Blood by 6th grade? I’m impressed, Judy!
Lois, I read it in grade 4 — that’s why the decision was made to accelerate me to grade 6. The teacher/principal thought I’d be bore in grade 5. I would never recommend skipping a grade (social considerations and my math skills weren’t advanced) but it’s a great book.
Judy, I also skipped a full grade. First, the second half of 3rd grade. A year later, when the city schools moved to an annual system, I went into what they called 5T, doing the second half of 4th grade and all of 5th in one year. The social aspects were difficult, to say the least. Math became really problematic when we moved from the city to the suburbs where kids had been taught “new math.” I was completely lost!
That’s a tough question to answer, and I agree that different books resonate at different times in life. But if I had to choose, I’d narrow it down to three: The Great Gatsby, a story about hope; To Kill a Mockingbird, a story about doing the right thing; and, as Saralyn mentioned, A Prayer for Owen Meany—one of the most powerful novels I’ve read—about self-sacrifice, enduring friendship, and unwavering faith. The messages from these three books linger.
Kathleen, A Prayer for Owen Meany is one John Irving book I never got around to reading. Looks like I need to add it to my TBR pile.
As others have said, I’ve had quite a few books over the years which were quite pivotal at specific times in my life. But if I had to choose one favorite, I would go back to very early years, to Charlotte’s Web by E. B. White. It represents friendship and caring in the world as I would like it to be, and which I fear we have largely lost sight of currently.
Sharon, Charlotte’s Web should be mandatory reading in every elementary school classroom. Thanks for stopping by and commenting.
The three books that made me a writer were Little Women, The Diary of Anne Frank, and Emily of New Moon, which I first read at age 7 (Emily Climbs was one of two sequels). My favorite book for many years has been Lois McMaster Bujold’s A Civil Campaign. What a writer! It’s character-driven novel with characters you love, science fiction, comedy of manners, political thriller, feminist love story, has brilliant dialogue, tremendous suspense, and is hilariously funny. The series is The Vorkosigan Saga, and the novels are space opera plus political thriller, space opera plus mystery, space opera plus social satire…you can tell I’m a fan.
Thanks for stopping by and posting a comment, Elizabeth. A Civil Campaign sounds fascinating.
I have too many to name, but the first thing that came to my mind was My Brother Michael by Mary Stewart. I think I visited Delphi twice because of that book.
Merrily, a book that inspires two trips to Delphi? Amazing!