The Best Books I’ve Read and Loved in 2013
Each year, I read a substantial number of books because I enjoy reading. But this year, because of the Virtual Literary World Tour, my reading was a lot more focused. I read many books that were well-written, but not all of them I enjoyed, so take this list with a grain of salt, and it really is only a sampling of the many books I enjoyed this year. For instance, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the Flies, Frankenstein, and Slaughterhouse-Five are well-written books, and some would call them seminal works. However, I hated all of them because they are so depressing, perhaps not the types of books you should be reading when trying to heal.
Great Expectations (Sterling Classics)
, Charles Dickens: It took me three weeks to read the first 100 pages of this book, and the final two-thirds in a couple of days. Dickens wrote his books in serial form, so the more he wrote, the more he got paid, therefore, his books tend to be very long. I loved Great Expectations because it is a story about becoming fully human.
Related Post: Around the World In 120 Days, Week Three, Day Two
Black Beauty (Signet Classics)
, Anna Sewell: Although this book is sad because of animal cruelty, I loved it because it created awareness to the problem. I also liked the fact that even though Anna Sewell was not physically able like most, she made a substantial contribution to the world, which demonstrates that we can contribute more that we think we can, and that we should treat all fairly. Because a person has a disability, doesn’t mean that she cannot do job, perhaps she has to perform the job a little differently.
Related Post: Around the World in 120 Days, Week Three, Day One
A Christmas Carol
, Charles Dickens: I recently read this book for the first time, and I loved it because it is a social commentary on the plight of the poor, which is still relevant today.
Related Post: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, Book Review
The Giver, Lois Lowry (The Giver Quartet 20th Anniversary boxed set
): This year, I read several dystopian novels, and I loved The Giver the best. This book teaches us how much we can accomplish if we persevere, and that sometimes it’s best if we go against the grain. We also have to learn to think for ourselves, that’s what the Enlightenment period was about.
Related Post: Virtual Literary World Tour Arrives in the US Part II
The Coroner's Lunch
, Colin Cotterill: I really enjoyed this book, and I was rooting for Dr. Siri, the main character, because I like the underdog. Imagine being placed in a job that you are not qualified for, but you were not placed there because your superior believes that you could grow into the position and do an excellent job. You are being set up to fail. You decide to teach them a lesson, and therefore rise the occasion. You invest the time to learn the new job, and you succeed. The Coroner’s Lunch is also a murder mystery.
Related Post: Around the World in 120 Days, Week Three, Day One
The Hobbit, JRR Tolkien (J.R.R. Tolkien 4-Book Boxed Set: The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (Movie Tie-in): The Hobbit, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Two Towers, The Return of the King
): Are leaders born or made? In The Hobbit, Bilbo Baggins is placed into a situation where he has to rise to the occasion and depend on himself. An unlikely leader emerges.
Related Post: The Hobbit by JRR Tolkien, Book Review
Gilgamesh: A New English Version
: Today we are still searching for the fountain of youth. By going through hardship after hardship in the quest to find the secret to immortality, Gilgamesh learns humility and becomes a much better leader.
Related Post: Around the World in 120 Days, Week Five, Day One
Siddhartha
, Hermann Hesse: This book teaches us humility and not to believe our own press. We all have the capacity to learn new things because we do not know everything.
Related Post: Around the World in 120 Days, Week Four, Day Two
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe: The Chronicles of Narnia
, CS Lewis: Never stop dreaming. In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, CS Lewis takes us out of our comfort zone and places us into the land of make believe.
Related Post: Around the World in 120 Days, Week Three, Day One
The Duppy
, Anthony C. Winkler: This book will not win any literary awards, but I loved it because it made me laugh so much when I needed it the most.
Related Post: Around the World in 120 Days, Week Two, Day, One
In 2014, my reading will be more focused than in 2013, as I journey toward a classic education. Please let me know your thoughts in the comments section below. Liked this post? Share it and subscribe to my RSS feed and get loads more!
Author Bio: Avil Beckford, an expert interviewer, entrepreneur and published author is passionate about books and professional development, and that's why she founded The Invisible Mentor and the Virtual Literary World Tour to give you your ideal mentors virtually in the palm of your hands by offering book reviews and book summaries, biographies of wise people and interviews of successful people.
Book links are affiliate links.