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E-mail YingIf asked to pick my ultimate, all-time, top 3 desert-island books, I’d be paralyzed with indecision and fail to choose before being exiled to said island. But I enjoy the game enough to play a little, and talked about it briefly with Tiffany Trent on Twitter last week (hers are here). So, with heavy qualifications, here are my 3 Favourite Books (reflecting my reading passions from ages 8 to 25, presented in chronological order).
1. L. M. Montgomery, Emily of New Moon.
I read the Anne books first, but this is the trilogy that stayed with me. Emily Starr is, like Anne Shirley, a fiery, much-misunderstood orphan raised by loving but emotionally stunted adults in Prince Edward Island. But despite the similarities, the Emily novels are a bit darker, a bit subtler, and that much more perceptive. At least, I think so – I’m terrified to re-read them because they’ll never live up to my childhood experience of reading.
2. Madeleine L’Engle, A Wrinkle in Time
Oh, the Murrys: they were the first intellectual family I read about, and I was absolutely enchanted. As much as I loved Meg’s and Charles Wallace’s adventures (Mrs. Whosit! Aunt Beast! Meg, declaiming poetry to save Charles Wallace!), it was the family bond that I found truly addictive. They’re such serious, thoughtful, nuanced YA novels.
3. George Eliot, Middlemarch
I love this novel so much that I have trouble talking about it critically. I first read it as an undergrad and it changed the way I thought about Victorian novels. It’s rich and subtle, and every time I re-read it I marvel at different aspects of the story. It’s beautifully written, utterly moving, and I think everybody in the English-speaking world should read it. Really.
And that’s my desert-island 3. For now. What are yours?
Tags: reading
Good choices…it’s amazing how L.M. Montgomery has shaped the lives of so many women for so many years. She is a true Canadian treasure.
If I HAD to pick three, I’d go for How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, and Not Wanted on the Voyage by Timothy Findlay…variety is the spice of life!
Middlemarch?? *runs from your desert island* LOL.
Them’s fightin’ words, T.
Vikki! Nuts – I have still to read How I Live Now. And I agree about Not Wanted… definitely Findley’s strongest work.
olivia (age 10) and i are definitely headed to the bookstore today after dance camp. she’s never read A Wrinkle in Time and my only copy, a paperback, is falling part. i think a new one is in order and this summer seems the perfect time to to introduce her to Ms. L’Engle.
Emily of New Moon will be coming home with us too.
not sure about Middlemarch now after tiffany’s comment! lol
I don’t think I could pick just 3. Something by Tamora Pierce would definitely be in there.
I finally finished Spy in the House, it was fantastic! I can’t believe Quigley died though!
http://book-rants.blogspot.com/2010/06/agency-spy-in-house-by-y-s-lee-review.html
Tricia, Tiffany is grievously mistaken. Since she’s otherwise a goddess, I think we’ll just have to let this one go.
But I’m so glad you’re introducing Olivia to the delights of L’Engle and Montgomery!
Rebs, picking 3 was ridiculously difficult, even with all those qualifiers! I’m so glad you enjoyed Spy – thanks for the lovely review.
my 3 books would be
1) Mrs Frisby And The Rats of NImh by Robert C O’Brien, my favourite as a child and the magic never left, still one of my favourite books.
2) Animals Of Farthing Wood – (going to cheat here slightly and say series, 8 books in one) by Colin Dann. Loved the animals adventure, made me think more about wildlife and the planet. gave me my love of foxes and badgers.
ooh this is hard, but think i would say
3) The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis, again cheating slightly as i have the whole set in one book edition. Again books that captured me with their magic and let me get lost in their land.
i would be happy with these to keep me occupied. in fact i would be too busy reading to make any attempt to escape the island. I realise they are all principally children’s books, but i still love them, and hey i embrace my inner child
Haven’t read any of your books, but am tempted to try Wrinkle In Time and Emily. not convinced with Middlemarch, but might give it a go sometime.
I love looking at things like this, you can find some great recommendations for other books.
In no particular order:
1) Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell
2) The Golden Compass, Philip Pullman
3) I Am A Cat, Soseki Natsume
Wow, Colleen – you love GC that much? Also, I’m off to buy Cloud Atlas this week.
Nice to hear from you, Becky. I’ve never even heard of Colin Dann, but found the Chronicles of Narnia so powerful as a kid. Thanks for playing!