Books I'm Glad Someone Recommended that I Read

The Broke and Bookish Blog

Top Ten Books that I read on a recommendation 

(and I'm glad I did!)

1.  Cold Sassy Tree by Olive Ann Burns
I credit this book for bringing me back to reading after a ten year hiatus.  I still think of it as one of my favorite books. (My sister, Kathy, recommended that I read it)

2.  Of Human Bondage by W. Somerset Maugham
This was one the first classics I remember reading where I was just swept up in the story. (My friend Rita recommended it.)

3.  Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese
I know this will be my favorite book club book of 2011. Even though it is long, it is worth the read.  Everyone in the book club really liked it, too. (Deborah recommended that we read it.)

4.  Pigs in Heaven by Barbara Kingsolver
My first Kingsolver, now a favorite author.  I read this book out-of-order (Bean Trees is first) because my friend was so high on it. (Rita)

5.  The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery
I love this exquisitely written story translated from French (My friend Margaret, who is a French teacher, recommended this one!)

6.  Going Bovine by Libba Bray
This was the #1 YA book last year and it was a student, Kelsey, who told me that I should read it.

7.  Harry Potter and and the Half-Blood Prince by J.K. Rowling (in audio format)
The whole family listened together as we drove to California for vacation.  We all enjoyed it immensely. (My neighbor, Susie, loaned us her audio-CDs of this book.)

8.  Traveling Mercies: Some Thoughts on Faith by Annie Lamott
This book really spoke to me on a spiritual level.  (My mom recommended that I read it.)

9.  The Book Thief by Markus Zusak
This is one of my favorite YA books ever.  It was a student who kept encouraging me to read it even though I had a hard time starting it, once I got going...WOW!

10.  Mountain Beyond Mountains: The Quest of Paul Farmer, a Man Who Would Cure the World by Tracy Kidder
This book that was recommended by someone at church, It really put a new idea of "mission" work into my head.

11. The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger
My oldest daughter, also named Rita, loved this book and kept at me until I read it.  I started reading it and then got derailed but she kept after me until I finished it.  I was so glad, too, as I loved it.

****Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins is on my pile of books to read as it comes with the strongest recommendation from my youngest daughter, Carly.  I promise to read it this month.  Moms must not ignore recommendations from reading daughters if they expect daughters to not ignore them!