My Favorite Books - Classics

When I was a kid I used to read all the time. Then came college and a new family and I stopped reading. Fifteen years ago I decided it was important and forced myself to read at least ten minutes a day. I have noticed my reasoning, spelling, and many other mental skills have improved.

Anyway, since I have a platform, I'll occasionally discuss my favorite books. Books generally considered classics (fiction) I have three true favorites - Treasure Island, A Tale of Two Cities, and To Kill a Mockingbird.

Treasure Island is just the epitome of a boys' adventure novel. It has all the necessay elements - a young protagonist the reader can identify with, a complex villain, exotic settings, and a happy ending. Stevenson is a master of his trade, the writing is tight and clean and the pace is rapid.

A Tale of Two Cities is a complex historical novel that captures the people, the passion, and the epic history. Dickens is a master wordsmith. And the history is clean and expertly woven into the fiction.

Finally, my all time favorite, To Kill a Mockingbird. Again, it is a tightly woven portrayal of a historical period and the ways, both typical and atypical, that people the reader can identify with, react to the historical situation. The period, the people, and the setting are all expertly captured.

Feel free to share your favorites.