If you're expecting to see a list of my favourite Victorian Era classics or an opinion on the best Jane Austin novel, I can assure you that you won't find it here.  I (unfortunately) am just not in to those books.  Some of my favourite books have been the ones I've studied in English class.  Read'em for an essay, and liked them a lot.  Maybe someday I'll cultivate my literary interests outside of the school's booklists, but for now I'm happy!

I do like some Shakespeare, I find that many of the 'classics' go overboard on descriptions, and some of those 'bestsellers' just don't get to the point.  I've got my shelf of books which match my picky criteria.  These are the ones.

Night, Elie Weisel
Probably one of the most powerful books I have ever read.  The author won the Nobel Prize for his personal account of what it was like to go through the Holocaust and lose everything.  An incredibly sad but important novel.

Animal Farm, George Orwell
Apparently, Animal Farm is on grades' 2, 6, 10 & College curriculums because there are so many different levels it can be interpreted on.  A quick read that really makes you wonder.

The Grapes of Wrath, John Steinbeck

The Pearl, John Steinbeck
A great story about what one man's fortune can do to the fate of his family.

Romeo & Juliet, William Shakespeare
In spite of everyone's gripes with the language, this is a damn fine play.  There is meaning behind each line of this script.  And yes, it is also very romantic <blech, blech!>

To Kill A Mockingbird, Harper Lee
The first and last novel ever written by this author.  An exceptionally good book that dealt with a lot of uncharted territory in the day it was written.

Tuesdays With Morrie, Mitch Albom
What was picked up as simply a short-read for an English assignment turned out to be a heartwarming, albeit non-cliche look at a very unique relationship...  No coincidence that it's been a 138 week+ fix on the NY Times Bestseller list.