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Since I'm spending a nice relaxing couple of weeks at my mom and dad's house in Indiana, reading to my heart's content, I thought it might be fun to do a little spotlight on my mom's favorite reads. Throughout my childhood, my mom always had her nose in a book, worked in the school library, and probably influenced me to be the bookworm that I am.
We had all the best intentions. This ended up being a slightly more difficult project that I had anticipated, however. When I asked her for her top 10 books, she gave me two. I said "Oh come on! You read all the time! You have to have more than TWO!". She then replied "Yeah, I do, but I can't remember. Mention some, and I'll tell you whether I liked them." Oh Jeez. So with a bit of brainstorming, we arrived at her top 10 (with the disclaimer that some may still be forgotten), in no particular order:
Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
We had all the best intentions. This ended up being a slightly more difficult project that I had anticipated, however. When I asked her for her top 10 books, she gave me two. I said "Oh come on! You read all the time! You have to have more than TWO!". She then replied "Yeah, I do, but I can't remember. Mention some, and I'll tell you whether I liked them." Oh Jeez. So with a bit of brainstorming, we arrived at her top 10 (with the disclaimer that some may still be forgotten), in no particular order:
Devil in the White City - Erik Larson
The Thorn Birds - Colleen McCullough
To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
The Complete Poetical Works of James Whitcolm Riley
East of Eden - John Steinbeck
In Cold Blood - Truman Capote
The Hour I First Believed - Wally Lamb
For One More Day - Mitch Albom
Roots - Alex Haley
For mom's #10 selection, we decided to list her favorite series, which would be:
The Left Behind Series - Tim LaHaye and Jerry Jenkins
The Stephanie Plum Series - Janet Evanovich
The Kinsey Milhone - Sue Grafton
The Jack Reacher Series - Lee Child
Stay tuned for next Sunday, where you will be enlightened by my sister's top reads (she is arriving tomorrow, and doesn't even know the fun she is going to have!).
Stay tuned for next Sunday, where you will be enlightened by my sister's top reads (she is arriving tomorrow, and doesn't even know the fun she is going to have!).
18 comments:
WOW! Your mom has amazing taste in books! My parents don't really read, so I can't ever really discuss books with them. You are so lucky to be able to share a love of books with her. The only one I haven't heard of is Devil in the White City - I'll have to go and look it up.
I look forward to hearing about your sister's books - my sister doesn't read either - how did I turn out so different?!
Readers beget readers I always say. Good for Mom! And good for you for dragging it out of her. Reminds me to finally read Devil in the White City. Everyone loves it, I have had it forever but have still not read it. Happy reading!
Great list! You know, I own Devil in White City...i got it for 50 cents at the library...but still have yet to read it. I need to get on it, i've only heard good things.
I've been curious about Devil in the White City...your mom is quite an eclectic reader! Can't wait to read about your sister's choices. Frances is right: "readers beget readers"-- who beget still more readers!!
Yay Mom! She's got good taste. When we were on a long weekend in RI recently the rental house had a big wall of paperback books in the kitchen. Of course we found The Thornbirds there and my sis-in-law decided she would read it instead of whatever she had planned. We decided that every baby boomer has probably read that book. I've only seen the mini-series but I would bet anything that I'll find it on my mom's shelves the next time I go to visit.
Your mom has awesome taste in books! Wow, I agree with so many-East of Eden, To KIll a Mockingbird...the list goes on. As for series I loved The Left Behind Series. It was amazing. What a great feature Sandy!
Aren't moms fun? This actually sounds like a fun mother/daughter thing to do. I might try to get my mom to do it... we'll see how that works out. =/
Cute post! :) Your mom has a relatively new book as a favorite - The Hour I First Believed. I have it on my iPod for quite some time, but haven't gotten to it yet. Being on her list has encouraged me. Thank you.
Jackie - Devil in the White City was on my sticky 15...I like to take credit for mom reading it. My sister's reads should be interesting. As you may remember, she is an artist and a movie critic...
Frances - You are so right! I never knew there was any other better hobby than reading growing up! Gotta read Devil...it blew me away. The history of Chicago architecture and a serial killer. Doesn't get any better!
Lauren - What a deal! You will love this book I think.
ds - Mom will read just about anything that is handed to her, so that has made her into an eclectic. I sure hope I beget readers. I wonder about my son!
Bumbles - I'm the same way...saw the mini-series but no book. And it was right there under my nose my entire life!
Dar - she does have good taste, doesn't she? I got about halfway through the Left Behind series and I got tired of it. But those first few books? I didn't sleep!
Heidenkind - it was pretty fun! I hope your mom kept better notes than mine did though!
Thoughts of Joy - I take responsibility for her reading The Hour I First Believed. I have that on my shelf, and is the last book I have to read for my TBR Challenge. She was wanting something to read, so I gave it to her. She just loved it!
I echo the others: Your mom has awesome taste in books!
I bought In Cold Blood recently because the title is being mentioned in a book which I'm currently reading. And I definitely need to put To Kill a Mockingbird to my TBR list!
I look forward to your sister's list!
I haven't read (or heard of!) all those books, but the ones I have I can say: those are some very fine books! I think my favorite of the list is Roots, with To Kill a Mockingbird jostling for place, and East of Eden coming in third.
I've read and enjoyed most of your mom's picks ... but I still haven't read Wally Lamb's latest!
I'd get a similar short response from my mother - she reads constantly, but I wonder what she'd remember enough to listfor top 10 (or top 2!)
This is so cool! I should ask my mom for her top reads - although I can imagine that she'd probably put a lot of Jean Plaidy books on the list. She loves historical fiction. Hmm, I guess that's where I got that from :)
I loved The Thorn Birds, and I enjoyed the Left Behind series, too.
My mom doesn't remember titles, so it would take us all year to figure out her top 10. LOL
--Anna
Diary of an Eccentric
Great idea! I would love to have my mom and sisters do lists on my blog. Oh, and my dad, too - he's a reader.
Hope you're having a wonderful trip!
I LOVE The Thorn Birds! I still haven't read the Stephanie Plum series even though I own most of them...
Your mom has good taste in books. :-) You've got me curious now about what my parents favorites might be. I'll have to work that into the conversation the next time I talk with them.
Your mother is a savvy reader! Someone told me that I would really enjoy Colleen McCullough, the queen of historical fiction. I should read your mother's selection. :)
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