Ten Memorable Books

Cindy and I awoke around 3:00 this morning and couldn't go back to sleep.  Frustrating.  We somehow started talking about the most memorable books we each had read.  After thinking about this subject for a few minutes, I realized this might make a great blog topic.

Of course, it is impossible to come up with ten books that are the best, especially after one has lived a few years and read quite a bit.  Nonetheless, I put together this list of ten that have been very memorable for me.  What books are most memorable in your life?

Timeless Wisdom Through the Ages

---The Bible.  Nothing comes close to this timeless wisdom.  Here is our definitive guide to this life....and the next.

Originally Copyrighted in 1929, This Wonderful Little Book Opened My Eyes to The World of Verse

---101 Famous Poems.  My mother read to me from this book when I was just a boy, and it instilled in me a love for poetry.

Bruce Catton's 1963 History of the Civil War Was the First Time I Ever Read History That Was Written as A Story in A Most Interesting Style

---Terrible Swift Sword.  Bruce Catton's second book of his masterful trilogy of the Civil War.  I read this when I was in my teens, and I never knew history could be so interesting.  This book started me on my fascination with American history.

If You Want to Know How to Live Your Life By Faith in God, Read This 2003 True Story By Mary Dunham Faulkner

---Gentle Wisdom for Tough Times.  I read this little book almost by accident, and it made an enormous impact.  Mary Dunham Faulkner describes a real-life family that lived their lives together through faith in God.  This is an example of how we should all live.

There is No Better Way to Start Your Day Than With The Daily Readings From Mrs. Charles E. Cowman's 1928 Devotional Masterpiece

---Streams in the Desert.  Mrs. Charles E. Cowman's classic daily scripture readings that always uplift.

Phenomenal Writing From a Storytelling Master, Cormac McCarthy, 1979

---Suttree.  Cormac McCarthy's semi autobiographical novel that is perhaps the best writing I have ever read. What a storyteller!

A Treasure Trove of Americana in Diane Ravitch's 1990 Classic Compilation

---The American Reader.  Diane Ravitch's compilation of the most significant speeches, songs, discertations and poems in American history.

Has There Ever Been A Better Storyteller Than Jack London?...1903

---The Call of the Wild.  Jack London's classic story.

You Will Laugh.  You Will Cry.  You Will THINK in Mitch Albom's 2003 Classic.  On the New York Times Best Seller List For 95 Consecutive Weeks

---The Five People You Meet in Heaven.  Mitch Albom's story that makes you think and cry with joy.

James Agee's 1958 Pulitzer Prize Winning Novel, Set in Knoxville, Tennessee, Explores Family and Societal Dynamics in Death. 

---A Death in The Family.  James Agee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel that cuts to the heart of family and societal dynamics when a loved one passes away.

What are some of your most memorable books?

Antiquarian Books & Love

The love of books and the love of poetry begin at an early age. My mom and dad always had lots of books around the house---everything from dictionaries to novels to poetry to the classics. There was never a shortage of things to read. In their spare time they would read, read, read.

Over the years I, too developed a love of reading. For me, my favorites are history/biography and poetry.

About 15 years ago, my love of books consumed me and I became a familiar figure around the country at antiquarian book fairs. These fairs are where collectors buy and sell old books of every kind. My passion was---and still is---old poetry books in good condition.

Some of my favorites in my collection are pictured here. The two sets pictured are a sixteen volume original author's set by the great American poet, James Whitcomb Riley and a five volume original set by my personal favorite poet, Madison Cawein of Kentucky.

Riley's set was originally owned by the mother of Eugene Field. The Cawein set is a rare collection of his best works.

The next picture shows first edition volumes by the black American dialect poet, Paul Laurence Dunbar with photograhic illustrations of early American black life; and the other volume is a Riley original edition with wonderful woodcut illustrations. Let's just say they don't make 'em like that any more.

Nevah Min', Miss Lucy

Paul Laurence Dunbar

Seen you down at chu'ch las' night,

Nevah min', Miss Lucy

What I mean? Oh, dat's all right,

Nevah min', Miss Lucy.

You was sma't ez sma't could be,

But you couldn't hide f'om me,

Ain't I got two eyes to see!

Nevah min', Miss Lucy.

Guess you thought you's awful keen;

Nevah min', Miss Lucy.

Evahthing you done, I seen;

Nevah min', Miss Lucy.

Seen him tek yo' ahm jes' so,

When he got outside de do'---

Oh, I know dat man's yo' beau!

Nevah min', Miss Lucy.

Say now, honey, wha'd he say?---

Nevah Min', Miss Lucy!

Keep yo' secrets---dat's yo' way---

Nevah min', Miss Lucy.

Won't tell me an' I'm yo pal---

I'm gwine tell his othah gal,---

Know huh, too, huh name is Sal;

Nevah min', Miss Lucy!