There is a quote attributed to Mark Twain that has made the rounds online:

“A person who won’t read has no advantage over one who can’t read.”

Reading is one of my favorite past times and the love I have for it is one of the many gifts handed down to me from my dad.

When I was really little, I of course read for fun, but as I quickly discovered, if there was something I wanted to learn or better understand about myself or the world, the answers could be found in a book. Also, I realized that reading of almost any sort enriched my life and made me a more intelligent and – I hope – more interesting person.

The books I’ve read over the years have shaped who I am in more ways than I’ll likely ever know and I continue to devour books both for fun and for knowledge.

The following list (which I’ll continue to add to as I revisit old favorites and find new ones) offers a taste of what’s in my home library. These are the books that have either been wildly entertaining, packed with information that helped me as a person, writer, cook or some other thing or that have completely changed my life.

Enjoy, share your favorites and please, if you end up reading one of my favorites and you want to discuss it, comment or drop me a line of Facebook, Twitter or via email.

Fiction

“The Awakening,” by Kate Chopin

“Pride and Prejudice,” by Jane Austen

“On the Road,” by Jack Keroac

“The Dharma Bums,” by Jack Keroac

“The Unbearable Lightness of Being,” by Milan Kundara

“The Great Gatsby,” by F. Scott Fitzgerald

“Flowers in the Attic,” by V.C. Andrews

Non-Fiction

“Emily Post’s Etiquette 18th Edition,” by Peggy Post

“A Room of One’s Own,” by Virginia Woolf

“The Artist’s Way,” by Julia Cameron

“The Not So Big Life,” by Sara Susanka

“The Official Preppy Handbook,” by Lisa Birnbach

“French Women Don’t Get Fat,” by Mireille Guiliano

“The Betty Crocker Cookbook”

This ongoing list will live on the “Library” page of the site, so check back and comment often. Happy reading!