Reading List of Popular Books

A #1 National Bestseller, The Reader by Bernhard Schlink is also a New York Times Notable Book and a Los Angeles Times Book of the Year. It is a bestseller for a reason. According to the New York Times book review, it is "Moving, suggestive and ultimately hopeful....Speaks straight to the heart."

After reading the back cover, I bought the book wanting to know more. Where did Hanna go after she disappeared? What crime did she commit that was so hideous? And what is the secret that she was hiding?

When a young Michael Berg falls ill on his way home from school, he is rescued by Hanna, a woman twice his age. She cares for him then sends him on his way home. When Michael goes back to thank Hanna, he finds himself falling in love with her. They begin a secret love affair. One day Hanna disappears, however, and Michael does his best to get over her and move on with his life. Years later, when Michael is in law school, he sees Hanna once again. She is on trial for a horrific crime, refusing to defend herself. As Michael looks on, he realizes her deepest secret.

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I am a huge fan of John's Grisham's work. He was the best-selling author of the 1990s, and is well known for his legal thrillers. Grisham has written over twenty novels, including a piece of non-fiction. I have read most of his novels; here are my top ten personal favorite novels written by Grisham.

#1 Novel: The Partner - By far, the first Grisham novel I ever read is still my favorite. It all begins when they find him living in Ponta Pora, Brazil. Danilo Silva always knew they would find him, so he was prepared. What he wasn't prepared for, however, was the physical torture that lay ahead.

#2 Novel: The Firm - Another of Grisham's best works, this novel is about a young lawyer named Mitch McDeere. He is miraculously offered a very high-paying job with a firm right out of law school. Soon, Mitch realizes the job is too good to be true.

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"A professional writer is an amateur who didn't quit." -Richard Bach

Chicken Soup books nourish the soul with funny, touching, and inspirational stories for people of all walks of life. There are books for teens, parents, pet-lovers...there is even a Chicken Soup book to inspire both aspiring and seasoned writers: Chicken Soup for the Writer's Soul. The stories in this book are shared by a range of professional writers, freelancers, and poets to "turn you, America and the world on to the value of writing", as the back cover states.

It goes on to list all that you will learn by reading this book: live your dreams; discover your writing voice, write to conquer your fears; overcome obstacles; write your way through college; handle rejections; write from the heart; and remake the world.

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