Ten Favorite Books of All Time

1. Madame Bovary – Gustave Flaubert
Perhaps Gustave Flaubert’s best work, Madame Bovary tells the story of one woman caught up in her desires. As frustrating as Emma Bovary can be as a main character, it has been my favorite book from the time I read it, and I have read it multiple times since. I appreciate how greatly Flaubert exposes the human condition and of how our desires can take over our lives if we let them. Each readthrough tells me something new, and for that I love it.

2. The Road – Cormac McCarthy
If you haven’t gotten an idea yet of what types of books I love most, they’re often dark. The Road is a quick read, and Cormac McCarthy is one of the literary titans of our generation. The Road tells the story of a father and his son trying to survive in a post-apocalyptic world, dodging the dangers around them. The writing is simple yet gripping. This book has always stuck with me because it was one of the first books to absolutely rip me apart emotionally, and it paints such a beautiful portrait of what it means to love.

3. DUNE – Frank Herbert
I mean, come on – are you really a fantasy/sci-fi lover if you DON’T love DUNE? I am all about a coming of age story, and Paul Atreides is up there with my all time favorite literary characters. I truly love the entire series (minus Heretics of Dune – sorry if that is your favorite!) and I love Paul’s growth throughout his story. Dune was also pivotal for sci-fi/fantasy writing, and I have to thank Herbert for the work he put into writing Dune.

4. As I Lay Dying – William Faulkner
It usually surprises people when I tell them that William Faulkner is my favorite writer. Outside of fantasy, Southern American literature is my next love. As I Lay Dying was the first thing I ever read by Faulkner (obviously) and though it left me confused, it made me fall completely in love with Faulkner. Out of his works I also think the ending of this story is the best, and it threw me entirely for a loop. I have read it a few times now and understand it a little more each time, but I still have much to learn from Faulkner.

5. Wise Blood – Flannery O’Connor
I won’t lie, this one surprised me when I read it. It was the last novel I had to read in college and I was soooo over reading at that time, all I wanted to do was just get it over with. But wow, it knocked me off my feet. With some very weird moments, it tells the story of Hazel Motes, a man determined to make it through life proving that he doesn’t need God, yet at every turn, and to his demise, he learns he can’t escape God. It can be grotesque and odd at some points, but I love the message of the book. Not to mention Flannery is another one of the Southern American greats.

6. 1776 – David McCullough
This one also snuck up on me and surprised me. 1776 was assigned to me in college, and I dreaded reading it so much. From chapter 1 I was hooked. McCullough is one of the best writers of history and he writes in a way that everyone can understand. He told the story of the Revolutionary War so exquisitely that it read like a novel, and there were many nights I couldn’t put it down. This ain’t your grandpa’s history book.

7. Pet Sematary – Stephen King
I, like many sci-fi/fantasy writers, obviously adore Stephen King. He can be a hit or miss, but when he hits he hits hard. I picked up Pet Sematary thinking I would just read it casually. Boy, was I wrong to think that way! King writes about the trials of Dr. Louis Creed endures after moving to a new home, located not too far from an animal burial plot. I just loved this so much because it scared the absolute living hell out of me, yet I could not put it down. I had to know what would happen next. I think King does a great job at writing books that get you on a high, and this may be his best, in my opinion.

8. I’m Thinking of Ending Things – Iain Reid
Speaking of books that get you on a high, this was definitely a big one for me. Quite honestly, there is not much else out there that is like it. It was a quick read with a crazy slow burn that messed with your mind, leaving you questioning everything. I just remember being so shook by the ending. I am so excited to watch Reid’s writing continue to take off. Also, don’t get me started about the Netflix adaptation of this – all I can say is read the book and it is much, much better.

9. The Queen of the Night – Alexander Chee
Out of all my favorites so far, this has to be the most different. The Queen of the Night had really mixed reviews, but I think it is one of the most beautiful things I have ever read. Chee writes about the life of Lilliet Berne, a young woman who rose in the ranks of the opera world in the late 19th-early 20th century. It is a grand, sweeping tale that covers a life of singing, glamor, romance, and suffering. If you love Phantom of the Opera, I promise you will LOVE this one.

10. The Dark Tower series – Stephen King
I know, I know – Stephen King has made this list twice, but how can I not mention The Dark Tower? I know I counted the entire series as one here, but I only do so because it is difficult for me to pick just one that I love. I owe so much to this series, more than I even know how to say. Roland Deschain and his Ka-tet travel through Midworld to find the famed Dark Tower and whatever awaits them there. It is such an epic series, and maybe one of the greatest fantasy series, in my humble opinion of course.