The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett
When I read this story as a little girl, I experienced for the first time the way books let you lose yourself in another person’s life—in this case, orphaned Mary Lennox. The magic of a secret garden captured my imagination and jumpstarted a lifelong love for the transportive power of a good book.
Pope Joan by Donna Woolfolk Cross
The fabled (and perhaps true) story of a female pope in the darkest of the Dark Ages ignited my love of historical fiction. It also served as the inspiration for my first college research paper and, eventually, a degree in history. If you haven’t read it, prepare to be completely intrigued.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Barbara Kingsolver has a way with words. This book showed me how gorgeous writing itself can be—while at the same time, telling a story more compelling than almost any other I’ve read. While I haven’t been as entranced with some of her later works, this book should be required reading for everyone.
Daughter of Fortune by Isabel Allende
I credit Isabel Allende with my love of epic family dramas. Her sweeping stories of secrets, love, and betrayals make her one of my favorite authors to read on vacation. While reading this particular book on the beach, an unexpected wave drenched it with salt water and sand—which only had the effect of making the beautiful prose more romantic and alluring.
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang
When I read this memoir about three generations of women in 20th century China, I realized that nonfiction can be every bit as riveting (if not more so) than the best fiction. Memoirs have since become one of my favorite genres.
Are there special books that inspired your own love of reading?
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