When Missy Caulk tagged me on this assignment, my first thought was...How do you narrow the list of favorite books down to 5! Books are an incredibly precious part of my life. I read all the time and have since I was a little girl. Books are all over my home, stacked on my bedside table, over-spilling almost every square inch of bookshelf space, tucked into cartoons and displayed on coffee tables. When I visit a home, I always instinctively look towards the bookshelf. Books draw me with magnetic power. Can you tell, I LOVE BOOKS!!
Well, here was the assignment as passed on from Missy's blog: (and prior to this Maureen McCabe and prior to that the original post by Carole Cohen)
Here were the instructions, " Please pick your Top Five books of all time, and tell us why you like them so much. Are there books you find yourself revisiting? At some point in your life did you find a book so enthralling you had to read it from start to finish without putting it down -- even if that put your entire life on hold for a day? You can use any criteria for favorite books and the only thing I ask is that you describe why you like the book so much. Personally I think it's only a slightly difficult exercise because narrowing it down to five might be tough. Of course you can take some creative license and make the list longer :-)
So, here's the list with one caveat...this list simply represents what's on my mind or recent reading right now. Naming favorites with books is somewhat like naming favorites with friends...as far as I'm concerned...Difficult if not impossible! 
The Only Book I read everyday is the Bible. When I was married, we were given a family bible. And although I have owned many Bibles, this particular one became my favorite devotional because it was my first Study Bible. My personal notes in this Bible are instructive of the many vital lessons I have learned & continue to learn. For me, the Bible is a Vibrantly, Alive Spiritual book that continues to pour out fresh inspiration and insight on a daily basis. I find it to be extremely relevant. It is my most treasured possession.
The Spiritual Man by Watchman Nee is a book that took me a year to read! Not because of how long it was but because of it's depth. Watchman Nee, a Chinese Christian wrote this book over many years in prison during the 1920's. It is a compilation of 3 profoundly insightful volumes about the Inner Life...Spirit, Soul & Body. This book took much personal sacrifice for the writer who nearly lost his life during the process of writing it. It remains a marker that has inspired my understanding of who we really are and what God fully intends for us to live and be. The sections on the laws and principles that govern the spirit and the mind are deeply impacting if you're at a place where this type of information is arresting to you.
The No. 1 Ladies Detective Series (7 books so far) by Alexander McCall Smith is one of the most delightful series of books I have ever read. Set in the southern regions of Africa, the series revolves around the life of one most amazing Lady Private Detective...Ms. Precious Ramotswe. I was introduced to the series by a friend who had lived in Africa. You don't have to be African or have lived in Africa to gain much joy, hilarity and wisdom from this series. You will find yourself absolutely immersed in the mysteries and peculiarities of Mama Ramotswe's adventures and enjoy her down to earth, simple and direct approach to life and business.
A Whole New Mind by Daniel H. Pink has deeply impacted my thinking from a business perspective.. This book was given to me as a Christmas gift. This quote is from a section on the books back cover: "Lawyers, Accountants, Software engineers. That's what Mom and Dad encouraged us to become. They were wrong. Gone is the age of "left-brain" dominance. The future belongs to a different kind of person with a different kind of mind: designers, inventors, teachers, storytellers-creative and emphatic "right brain thinkers.... " Daniel Pink draws on a rapidly emerging new paradigm which is changing our world. This book went down in me like a cold drink of water on a hot & dry day. Refreshing, inspiring and totally on target.
The World is Flat by Thomas Friedman remains one of my favorite books. I've read several of Friedman's books and his insights into the implications of the changes in world are deeply thought provoking. His analysis and observations about different cultures and how the global economy impacts the United States is fascinating...even if sometimes troubling. I trust this man's instincts and his intellect. I appreciate the clarity with which he sees things. I recommend just about everything that Mr. Friedman has published!
*The Widget at the sidebar of my blog highlights some more personal favorites. The librarything is a really cool site if you love books, you might enjoy checking it out.
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