Top 5 Books

Last year (or semester if your a student) I wrote a list of my top five kids books of all time. It felt good to go down memory lane and relive the books that shaped my childhood and instilled in me a love of books. I had meant to write a top five books list of books that I enjoy now but I never got around to it. (Plus what do you call it? Top five adult books? Top five grown up books? These can have double meanings!)

I am sitting down to write out and complete my list. These books have really brought me joy and changed the way I thought about different subjects. They've sucked many hours of my life from me and made me a hermit. The thing that set these books apart is that A. They are really, really, good and B. I would read them again. Interestingly enough, the books of this list are books that I would take with me to a deserted island, WERE read on a island, while I was a missionary.

1. Memoirs of a Geisha

This was the first book I read when I was on Majuro. It also might have been the most powerful. Its story of a girl with extraordinary eyes, rising to become the top Geisha in a society that is beautiful and isolated is an amazing tale. The descriptions of love and the frank portrayals of humanity made this book my number one choice.

2. Their Eyes Were Watching God

I enjoyed this novel for several reasons. The first was because it talked of my home state of Florida. While living in a foreign country mention of your home is always a welcome thing. It got the essence of Florida right. It is a heartbreaking story of empowerment and one's selfworth.

3. The Yearling

This book also talked about my home region of North Florida. Something in the water must produce good literature! Even though its technically for kids this book about a boy and his deer in 19th century Florida sucked me in. I found my self getting angry at the main character and his dumb deer. BUT if a book can have you angry at it and still love it then it must be great.

4. The Hobbit

Another book technically for children but still in my top ten. The first and I might add best of the Lord of the Rings series tells the tale of Bilbo Baggins and 12 dwarves. Because Tolkien was writing for children and not adults this book is not weighed down by the description and history of every tree, rock, and living thing in Middle Earth like the LOTR trilogy was. Bilbo's encounter with a certain character in the goblin tunnels beneath the Misty Mountains shows Tolkien's humor as well.

5. Searching for a God to Love

This book, written by Union College professor Chris Blake, really shaped my view of God while I was serving as a SM. I read it throughout the year and was struck by the energy found in the book. I really felt that freedom was in God not being away from Him after reading this book. It changed the way I viewed God.