Books You Can't Put Down

Spurred by Jon's email here are some of my favorites....haven't updated it in a awhile but these are definitely still incredible:

*The Books You Can?t Put Down Book List*

In Random Order?.(close your eyes and pick)

1. Midwives
* Absolutely will change the way you think about the birthing process incredibly and written from a woman?s perspective by a man (very rare).
2. The Good Rain by Timothy Egan
*Again, must read for the Seattleite?nonfiction about the history and power of the Pacific Northwest, especially for the elite club of the climbing world.
3. Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
*As all her woven tales, you can?t put it down. This is the book I am currently reading and am enthralled by the Congo based story about a missionary, his wife, and 4 daughters in 1960.
6. Snow Falling On Cedars
*So much better than the movie you will forget Ethan Hawke was even a part of it.
7. The Awakening by Kate Chopin
*Every woman should read this, and be lucky we didn?t live in the real 1920?s??The first shocking novel that told it how it was and awoke women everywhere.
8. The Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison
*Although difficult, this is a masterpiece of American history through the plight of African Americans and the sickening truth behind one man?s life of struggle.
9. Before Night Falls
*Changed my life. True story of a Cuban writer?s battle with his Communist country as an artist and homosexual.
10. Gone With the Wind
*Must read. Twice.
11. Body and Soul by Frank Conroy
*Took me by surprise and I couldn?t out it down. Extremely well written about a child piano prodigy in the late ?40s of New York City.
12. Like Water for Chocolate
*Like poetry??.incredible.
13. Possessing the Secret of Joy by Alice Walker
*My absolute number one most influential book. Uncovers the dreadful reality of female circumcision. Must read.
14. Prayer for Owen Meany or Cider House Rules by John Irving
*Pick one and settle in for the ride.
15. Brothers K by David James Duncan
*Family of boys whose dad is a minor league baseball player living through the Vietnam War in the Pacific Northwest. I know I have said it, but truly one of my favorite books (have begged Jon to read it for years).
16. Corelli?s Mandolin by Louis De Bernieres
· ?Brims with all the grand topics of literature- love and death, heroism and skullduggery, humor and pathos, not to mention art and religion?A good old fashioned novel.? And that doesn?t even BEGIN to say how great it is. Quick- read it before the movie comes out??
17. Breath, Eyes, Memory by Edwidge Danticat
*Written by a 17year old, I read this in 2 nights?.literally could not put it down it was so?..real. You are immediately transported to Haiti.
18. The Mambo Kings Play Songs of Love by Oscar Hijuelos
*You can see I love Cuban novels?this one is so rich---it is about ?passion and loss and memory and desire?. Just beautiful.
19. Wicked by Gregory Maguire
· Absolute genius. It is the life and times of the Wicked Witch of the West. Period. Her entire fictitious story. You will gasp and laugh out loudJ
20. The House of the Spirits by Isabelle Allende
run don't walk--read now.
21. The Red Tent by Anita Diamont--
unless you are reading this
22. The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Klay by Michael Chabon:
perfect for ANYONE who loves a good story--if you haven't heard of Michael Chabon or read anything by him you are committing a crime:)
23. Me Talk Pretty One Day by David Sedaris:
Only read in a place where you can laugh out loud. Literally.
24. The DaVinci Code--who hasn't read it? And why haven't you?
25. And finally EAST OF EDEN by John Steinbeck --was my favorite (yes THE favorite) before Oprah brought it back to life....Mixes Monterey, with trashy romance novel material written by a master...