Life in the Boomer Lane has always been a crazy, voracious reader. Her dad would sometimes stop at a store on his way home from work and bring her a little Golden Book. To this day, the sight of the metallic paper strip along the spine of the Golden Books sends her into a little swoon. Here are LBl’s Top 10. She’ll exclude the books of her childhood, but for anyone who is interested, the Top 2 were “A Little Princess” and “The Secret Garden.” Just typing the titles makes her want to re-read both. Also, she’ll limit herself to fiction or memoir. And she knows there are a lot of books she has forgotten at the moment.
Beloved, Toni Morrison
Everything is Illuminated, Jonathan Safran Foer
The History of Love, Alison Krauss
What is the What, Dave Eggars
The Spirit Catches You and You Fall Down, Anne Fadiman
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
Breakheart Hill, Thomas Cook
The Crying Heart Tattoo, David Lozell Martin
The Architecture of the Arkansas Ozarks, Donald Harington
The Choiring of the Trees, Donald Harington
Lamb, Christopher Moore
Angela’s Ashes, Frank McCourt
The Lost:A Search for Six of Six Million, Daniel Mendlesohn
The Lord of the Rings trilogy, JRR Tolkien
Even Cowgirls Get the Blues, Tom Robbins
Songs in Ordinary Time, May McGinty Morris
Fall on Your Knees, Ann Marie McDonald
Imaginary Crimes, Sheila Ballantyne
The Red Tent, Anita Diamant
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, Michael Chabon
The Good Earth, Pearl Buck
Watership Down, Richard Adams
Handling Sin, Michael Malone
Luck You, Carl Hiaasen
The Glass Castle, Jeanette Walls
If you are an extremely astute reader, you will notice that her Top 10 list has 25 books on it. And if you ask her tomorrow, some of the titles will change. But more likely, she will just add more. It doesn’t matter. This is her blog, so you can’t fire her.
Life in the Boomer Lane 
writerwoman61
July 12, 2010
I’ve read a few of your Top 10, Renee (I am a Tom Robbins fan – favourite – “Fierce Invalids Home from Hot Climates”). I am currently reading “The Glass Castle” for our Book Club (and just finished “The Poisonwood Bible” before that! – have you read Kingsolver’s “Prodigal Summer”?)…
Good list!
Wendy
lifeintheboomerlane
July 12, 2010
I haven’t read that but have heard of it. I am now almost finished with “The Girl Who Played With Fire.” I usually don’t read mysteries, but am loving these books! I read several Tom Robbins books many years ago and adored him, but never read the later ones. I will put “Fierce Invalids” on my list. One I didn’t mention on the list is “A Fine Balance” and another is “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao.” Both fantastic. Oh, and “The Book Thief” and “Suite Francaise.” Uh oh, I’m out of control.
writerwoman61
July 12, 2010
We read “A Fine Balance” for Book Club…probably the best book I’ve ever read…
lifeintheboomerlane
July 12, 2010
I’m so happy to hear you say that! So many people are turned off by books that deal with “depressing” subjects or where everything doesn’t come out OK in the end. I have found great value in books like that, especially the ones that show human tenacity against overwhelming obstacles (no matter the outcome). “The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao” was like that also. And “The Road.”
writerwoman61
July 12, 2010
Love Cormac McCarthy and “The Road.” Scary, scary movie too!
Walker
July 12, 2010
Love your reading list. I keep one all the time and am currently slowing meandering my way through a goal of 100 this year.
Like you I’d count The Secret Garden on my top list. Your list is interesting, I’ve read less than half and some I don’t recognize at all. Book Thief and Suite Francaise are recent reads of mine.. and quite good. Have you read The World to Come by Dara Horn?
Textual Healing..wish I’d come up with that!
lifeintheboomerlane
July 12, 2010
You have an interesting blog. I will have my daughter link your to mine (I still can’t seem to do that). I did read “The World to Come.” Good book. I have a stack of books to read which never seems to diminish in size. –R