I love to mark these books I own, noting books I’ve read, books I own, asterisking books I’d like to add to my collection. I hand these kind of books to other book-lovers with a colored pencil and ask them to mark and initial the titles they love. I have often bought Honey for a Child’s Heart
Terry Glaspey’s Book Lover’s Guide to Great Reading
Here is Terry Glaspey’s List – Ten of My Favorite Novels
Mark Helprin
3. Anna Karenina
4. Les Miserables
5. Jane Eyre
6. The Brothers K
7. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
8. The Power and the Glory
9. The Second Coming
10. Cancer Ward
I’m planning to read # 2 this summer (but hadn’t heard of it before last week). I’ve never heard of titles #9, #10, but I know the authors. I’ve read 4/10 of these books. It is past time that I re-read The Brothers Karamazov, a book I read plowed through (in between diaper changing) the summer of 1986 because it was so often named as a favorite novel on a radio program I heard.
Familiar with any of these? What book (s) would go on your ten favorite novels?
A Living Pencil 
I’ve only read three: Anna Karenina, Jane Eyre, and Huck Finn. I have The Brothers Karamazov waiting on my to-be-read shelf, and the Greene title, Les Mis, and Soldier of the Great War are on my to-read list, but I don’t own them yet. I haven’t heard of the last two, or The Brothers K – so I’m clicking over to Amazon to check them out. I love books about books, too. :)Carrie
The Brothers Karamazov is #1 on my list and I’m ready to re-read it. I, too, plowed through it three years ago and only after I finished it did I realize it was so good. No other book could match it afterward. I’ve got a different translation and I hope to start it soon.I also really, really enjoyed How Green Was My Valley by Llewelyn. It’s probably not great literature, but the story has stayed with me a long time. Others:Kristin Lavransdatter TrilogyPride and PrejudiceAs I Lay Dying The Grapes of Wrath Tale of Two Cities
While trying to come up with my list of ten favorite novels I realized for the first time that many of the books I love don’t fall into that category. Anyway, some of my favorite novels are Jane Eyre, Middlemarch, Wives and Daughters, The Warden, and Mansfield Park.
I read the Brothers Karamazov a few years ago with an online group, and enjoyed the discussion so much. It also kept me on task, as we had to read a certain number of pages each week. I might not have finished it otherwise.Only made it through half of Les Miserable; I liked it but it was slow going and I got sidetracked. I didn’t have the group support for that one!Didn’t need extra support with Jane Eyre… loved it and would definitely include it in my top 10 list. My daughter read it last year and we enjoyed discussing it~ now she is viewing the movies and we are comparing them.In the Sunday editorial section of the newspaper, there was an article about how difficult it is to sit down and read deeply after developing the habit of “skimming” and “scanning” quick reads on the computer. I look forward to the summer months when I can spend more time with books of my own choice, and honing that art of reading deeply. Right now I’m reading Ben Franklin’s autobiography. It took me a bit of time to get used to the archaic spelling and writing, but I find it is very engaging!Loved your idea of giving Honey for A Child’s Heart as a shower gift! I’m going to order a few for just that purpose. Thanks!
booklists! agghhh Am familar with 7 – dusting on the shelf – due for a re-read (first read well, can’t remember if i made it through the first 30 pages). Favorite novels – Carol, I’ll have to think about this one! Novel reading long overdue. Which one shall I start with? Karamazov? Do I need a tractor?
I’m at 5 out of 10. Les Miserables is my favorite novel of all time. You’ve probably already seen my list of best fiction at http://www.semicolonblog.com/?page_id=1541I'm not sure I could narrow it down to ten favorites, but the five I’ve read from Mr. Glaspey’s list are on my longer list.
@SemicolonSherry – Sherry, I have troubles coming up with the top ten. I have read your list (also your DVD list) and appreciate it. I’m eager to read Helprin’s novel. It was a list of favorite books where I first saw Kristin Lavransdatter (Elisabeth Elliott’s favorite novel); it is on my top five now!