Books Are Like Old Friends

My Auntie Lori is here visiting from Oregon, staying with my Grammy while our family struggles with decisions about her care and what to do in regards to her recent diagnosis of Alzheimer's. She asked me to bring some books over to her so she has something to read while she's at Grams all day and all night. I gathered up a paper grocery bag full of books today. As I made a pile of books on my dining room table, I tossed some in the bag for her and rejected some. Some I lovingly held, opened to favorite passages and read for a smidgen of a moment. To me, books are like old friends. My books take me back not only into their story and characters but back to a specific time in my life as well. I know people say smell is the strongest sense that will take you back to a specific moment in your life or a memory. But for me, opening the pages of a book or even looking at it's cover is the most powerful sensation in the world. As I stared at some books, I rolled my eyes or got irritated that I spent all that time wasted on it's pages. But mostly, I just basked in the wonderful memories of reading a book while drinking hot chocolate, reading a book while I had life saving iron pumped into my veins, reading a book while I had a insomnia and a midnight craving for Cheetos - the orange fingerprints were left there as evidence I have been there once too. I reminisced with vampires, CIA agents, attorneys (thank you John Grisham), murder detectives, veterinarians, Victorian era girls at a finishing school, lonely bachelors in Alaska and entire towns and families of characters in my series books that continue the story over several volumes. I love these books. They are my friends and they comfort me and bring joy to my life in ways no other thing can. It's been this way since Margaret asked God if He was there...and the Wakefield twins attended Sweet Valley High. So I wanted to give you a top ten list of my favorite books. Realize this is my top ten today, right this moment. In twenty minutes I'll think of a book I forgot or one that I should swap out and then tomorrow morning I'll change my mind again. Okay here we go. This is NOT in order of preference because picking a favorite book is harder than picking a favorite food or a favorite diamond. How would you do that. You can't. So here are ten of my all time favorites, some of them are series or sagas.

1. Gone With The Wind by Margaret Mitchell (because Rhett Butler is the best character in literature)
2. The entire Harry Potter series except for book five (Because I want one of my daughters to marry someone like Ron)
3. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy (Did a paper on this in college. The writing is like poetry)
4. The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood (Changed my life as a kid. Given how much of this book set in the future has already come true and how I can see the rest of it happening so easily it so scary. And the relationship between the protagonist and the Commander is amazing)
5. Zorro by Isabelle Allende ( Just plain fun adventure. You will not be able to put it down so prepare for sleepless nights)
6. The Circle of Six Triology, by Nora Roberts (Don't judge me - this is one of the most addictive series of books I've ever read, the characters are people you fall in love with and the author creates an alternate world that is wonderful and amazing)
7. The Pact, by Jodi Piccoult (If you aren't scared to have teenagers, you might be after reading this book. The heartache that Piccoult makes you feel is so real)
8. Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (I am named after Amy from the book - but I always loved Jo the best and wanted to change my name to Jo. Amy is selfish and cares way more about money and status than any decent person should. I really am nothing like Amy. Maybe my parents dreamed I would be overwhelmingly beautiful and marry a very rich man. Sorry Mom and Dad)
9. The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein (my parents gave this to me as a kid and I ALWAYS buy it for people that are getting married, graduating from college, having a baby whatever. If we were all the Tree this world would be so much better)
10. The Work and The Glory Saga by Gerald Lund (historical fiction about a family starting in like 1825 and ending up in like 1850 or something like that. It chronicles the establishment of the LDS church and the lives of the Mormon Pioneers but bases it on this fictional family that you grow to love as your own. )

Honorable mention goes to the Twilight Saga because Edward and Jacob are impossible to chose between and I'm in love with both, The In Death series by JD Robb, The Notebook but only if you didn't see the movie because hello? It RUINS it. The Wedding which is the sequel to the Notebook. Anne of Gables. Clan of the Cave Bear.