Today’s topic is “Three all-time favorites books and three that we want to read.” I really don’t have three all-time favorites books. I consider every book that I read something to treasure and at least something that enjoyed reading. But if I have to choose, I guess these three would be it:

Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte
I would say Jane Eyre is my all-time favorite of all favorites. I’ve read it way back in high school but then re-read it later and really loved it. Even now, I think it’s one of the only book that I owned that I would never give away. I have two copies – a small paperback and a large hardcover – White’s Fine Edition. For me, I rather prefer the Rochester character and his complex personality but Jane Eyre has a certain flair and I like her independent spirit.

The Diving Bell and the Butterfly by Jean-Dominique Bauby
(translated from the French by Jeremy Leggatt)
I read this last year and it really stuck with me. I think the mind is so complex that it can create whole new universe within but at the same time it can torture us in various ways. Though I can never know how Bauby felt in those times, this book certainly open up my thoughts on the subject of the mind verses the body. The mind will always win somehow but without the body, it’s an incomplete thing. I don’t quite know what this book means to me except that I feel a strong sense of sorrow and hope in Bauby’s words. I even wrote a short fiction piece inspired by this book here.

The Bonesetter’s Daughter by Amy Tan
I love that Tan’s stories aren’t just about traditions and how the past shaped our lives but also about the importance of relationships and family. I was introduced to Tan with her first book, The Joy Luck Club, which has a similar theme of exploring mother/daughter relationships. I read The bonesetter’s daughter a few years ago and really like it. Not to say I can relate to the book but there are moments and situations that are like other families and we can also relate to those.

The three that I want to read are:

Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
I saw the mini-series and really love the character of Amy/Little Dorrit. I’ve never read a Dickens novel before so I think this one will be not only a challenging read but also it helps me to understand the difference between the film version and the book. I actually have the book and started a few pages but somehow got into doing other things and forgot about it. But I hope to finish reading it before the end of the year or at least part of it.

Emily’s Ghost by Denise Giardina
I didn’t really like Emily Bronte’s Wuthering Heights but I like the mystery of Heathcliff and Catherine. Emily’s Ghost is about Emily Bronte and her suitor, William Weightman. I have always been curious about writers and their inspirations. So this could be a great read.

The Portrait of a Lady by Henry James

I love the first few lines of The Portrait of a Lady:  “Under certain circumstances there are few hours in life more agreeable than the hour dedicated to the ceremony known as afternoon tea. There are circumstances in which, whether you partake of the tea or not – some people of course never do – the situation is in itself delightful. Those that I have in mind in beginning to unfold this simple history offered an admirable setting to an innocent pastime.” That’s pretty much why I want to read this. Again, I have not read any Henry James but this was recommended to me and I’m sure I’ll enjoy reading it if I ever got around to it. I still have a long list of books that I want to read and it’s always growing.

Please visit Frances at my blog in which she is guesting for this week