Made you cry (and still does): A Prayer for Owen Meany, John Irving, and Where the Wild Things Are , Maurice Sendak.
Scared you (and still does): Ghost Story by Peter Straub. Only Ms. Rebecca Louden has a comparably terrifying wasp. What Maisie Knew & The Turn of the Screw , Henry James.
Made you laugh: What Do You Say, Dear?" by Maurice Sendak.
Disgusted you: Choke by Chuck P.(although I loved it).
You loved in elementary school: The Velvet Room by Z. Sherburne; Jade (a girl who became a pirate--if anyone knows who wrote this, let me know--I'd love to buy Raleigh a copy). Alice in Wonderland.
You loved in middle school: Something in the Wind by Lee Smith. This book opens with a man trading his wife for a valise. How can anyone possibly have a better hook than that?
You loved in high school (and still love): The Big Sleep. When I read about knights and their quests in college, I loved this book all the more.
You hated in high school (and still hate): The Mill on the Floss
You loved in college: Lolita. The best detective story of all time.
Challenged your identity: The Unbearable Lightness of Being. Sabina or Tereza? Ecclesiastes, especially bookended against The Song of Songs . All is vanity versus the sexiest writing anywhere. I guess the question is where true wisdom is found--Spirit or Sexuality? What does it mean to know?
Series did you love: Nero Wolfe books by Rex Stout (Until my dying day, I will long to kiss Archie Goodwin in a taxicab, in a rainstorm, in NYC...)
Is your favorite horror book: Again, Ghost Story. Really, I cannot recommend P. Straub highly enough---I also admire Koko. Honorable Mention: It (for the kids), The Shining (for the marriage), and especially Misery (for helping me understand some things about my family), all by Stephen King.
Is your favorite science fiction book: A Wrinkle in Time by L'Engle. Anything by Ray Bradbury goes here, also.
Is your favorite fantasy book: Neil Gaiman is my current literary crush. I especially love Neverwhere and American Gods. Another book that terrified me is Coraline. I've not felt the same about buttons since.
Is your favorite mystery book: It's really Lolita, but in the interests of genre it's hard to beat The Ax by Donald Westlake, which is as brilliant a depiction about the working-class man and his family as is Death of a Salesman.
Is your favorite biography: It's not really a biography, but The Master is the truest account I've read about Henry James.
Is your favorite "coming-of-age" book: A Member of the Wedding is one. The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn is another.
Is your favorite book not on this list: Miss Lonelyhearts, The Day of the Locust, Song of Solomon, Beloved, The Ambassadors, & Death in Venice.
Tagged: All readers. What do you like? What books do you need?
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