It’s no secret–I love books. Being able to sit down and really get into a good book is a real treat for me. My favorite genres are science fiction and dark fantasy, as well as classic fiction (think Homer, Shakespeare, Kate Chopin, and the Brontë sisters). More recently (within the last 2-3 years) I’ve increased my graphic novel collection quite a bit, as well as books on philosophy and autobiographies. As my tastes have changed from childhood to adulthood, so have the books I’ve chosen to read. Of course, some genres I read on a much less consistent basis than others (particularly non-fiction).

It’s my hope that, in sharing this list, many of you will be inspired to pick one (or more!) up and have a look for yourselves. I’ll do my best to include a variety of authors and genres, and I’ll mention here only books that I’ve had the most profound reaction to.

Winter 2007…

Spring 2007

The Time Traveler’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger, science fiction)–This book was originally presented to me as being of the science fiction genre; I would not put it into that category, however. It’s slow on the “sciency” uptake, and the reasoning behind why one of the main characters is able to time travel is a bit thin. That being said…I LOVED THIS BOOK and very quickly got over the science part.

The details are rich and the story is written in an intriguing and intelligent way. Written from the first-person point of view of the main characters, the plot unfolds in a completely natural way, despite the leaps from one decade to another while reading sequentially through the chapters. It makes complete sense as, in life, our experiences and memories move us outside of time to present a full and comprehensive existence. In a way, we each experience time travel every day.

The main characters, Clare and Henry, possess very real, very tangible personalities–I saw in them likenesses to several people I’ve known well. Through their personal accounts, a very tender, honest, and sometimes dark, reality is exposed. Niffenegger gives the reader a blunt, and sometimes painful, glimpse at Clare and Henry, but not in an overwhelming way. Instead, with each chapter, I found myself more convinced that Clare and Henry really do exist somewhere out there. As is true with any honest and compelling drama, romance plays a huge role, and that is where Clare and Henry congeal as excellent characters. They love, hurt, cry, struggle, laugh, sleep and move through life together. Theirs is truly a story of admirable compassion, love, and sacrifice. I couldn’t put this book down.

Winter 2006

Doomsday Book (Connie Willis, science fiction)–This book really appealed to my senses! It combines elements of history, fantasy and romance into a well-told, very intriguing work of fiction. The story begins in England, in the not-too distant future, when historians are able to travel to the past instead of just reading about it. When a head-strong young graduate student maneuvers her way onto the latest archaeological dig, history reveals itself in unexpected and paradoxical way. This one is a provocative and courageous adventure–a real page-turner!

And Coming Soon…

The Algebraist (Iain M. Banks, science fiction)

The Darkness That Comes Before: Prince of Nothing Book I (R. Scott Bakker, fantasy)