This is a list of books that have shaped my life. I plan to keep adding to the list, and share them here in no particular order, but with the ardor that comes from having met something exciting and wanting to tell someone about it.
Because I read or post a title doesn’t mean I love everything in the book, but that I have benefited substantially from the over-arching message. Reading with discernment is like eating fish, they say: chew it and spit out the bones.
Michael O’Brien:
Sophia House
Strangers and Sojourners
Island of the World
A Father’s Tale
Sheldon Van Auken:
A Severe Mercy
Under the Mercy
Penelope Wilcox: The Hawk and the Dove series
Sue Monk Kidd: The Secret Life of Bees
Ravi Zacharias:
From East to West
Recapture the Wonder
Cries of the Heart
Francis Schaeffer:
The God Who is There
He is there and He is Not Silent
Whatever Happened to the Human Race?
How Shall We Then Live?
John Boyne: The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
Dominique LaPierre: City of Joy
C.S. Lewis: The Chronicles of Narnia
A.A. Milne: The House at Pooh Corner
Elisabeth Elliot:
Shadow of the Almighty
Passion and Purity
Quest for Love
Keep a Quiet Heart (anything written by Elisabeth Elliot)
Elisabeth Goudge:
Green Dolphin Street
The Dean’s Watch
Rummer Godden:
In This House of Brede
Five for Sorrow, Ten for Joy
An Episode of Sparrows
The Didakoi
Philip Yancey:
Disappointment with God
Soul Survivor
Where is God When it Hurts?
What Good is God?
Vanishing Grace
Amy Carmichael: Mountain Breezes, (poetry)
Torey Hayden:
Twilight Children
One Child
Tiger Child
Somebody Else’s Kids
Paula Rinehart
Strong Women, Soft Hearts
Better than My Dreams
Sex and the Soul of a Woman
Lauren Winner:
Girl Meets God
Mudhouse Sabbath
Real Sex
Dorothy Clarke Wilson:
Ten Fingers for God
Take my Hands
Don Miller
Blue Like Jazz
Searching for God Knows What
To Own a Dragon
A Million Million in a Thousand Years
Scary Close
Steve Lopez: The Soloist
J.R.R.Tolkien: The Lord of the Rings trilogy
Emerson Eggerichs: Love and Respect
Leigh McLeroy: The Beautiful Ache
Wm. Paul Young: The Shack
Henri Nouwen: The Wounded Healer,
Jan Meyer:
The Allure of Hope
Beauty and the Bitch
Abbie Smith: Celibate Sex
Jan Pollock Michal: Teach us to Want
Paul Kalanithi: When Breath Becomes Air,
Sara Hagarty:
Every Bitter Thing is Sweet
Unseen
Tara Owens: Embracing the Body
Lois Lowry:
The Giver
Gathering Blue
Peter Hessler: River Town
Victor Hugo: Les Miserables
Leo Tolstoy: Anna Karanina
Tis a Gift to Receive 
Hi Anita,
I’m tickled with these recommended reads! I just discovered one of the cheapest websites for buying books….. thriftbooks.com and they have free shipping on top of their low prices. There are many smiles in my voice 🙂 I’ve ordered a few and will wait to recommend the site until I get my books and see what they’re like. I’ve got a lot in my wishlist too for the time when my money tree starts yielding. 🙂
Please keep adding books as you approve them. I’ll be back to see if there’s more.
Pingback: Just to say… « Tis a gift to receive…
I’ve got a $40 Barnes and Noble gift card burning a hole in my pocket. Since I don’t have access to my beloved Queens library anymore, I might actually have to start buying books again. 🙂 I copied your list and plan to make a couple selections based on your recommendation.
How delightful to find someone who read Green Dolphin Street! I couldn’t believe at the end that I really liked Marianne. I simply couldn’t believe it. I had to reread the last chapter and sure enough, I liked that woman! So much that we named our youngest daughter Marianne.
Fascinating, Harvey!
I just found this list again and was tickled to see the “print” button. Now a copy of your list will hang out in an inner pocket of my purse with my own list of books I wish to read. Thanks for sharing!- You’ve introduced me to many books, places, and other delightful finds!
Wow! I love this! This gives me some great gift ideas!
I’m honored to read that “Celibate Sex” was a meaningful work for you, dear Anita. Merry Christmas! -Abbie