I was perusing through books at Half Price Books, one of my favorite places, when I happened upon a book of books to read (how many times can I use “book” in one sentence?). It had 500 books that will supposedly change your life. Or flatten a spider, seeing some of them to be huge 800 pagers. I don’t read over 400 pages. Life’s too short to spend that much time on one book. I also don’t continue reading after page 50 if I’m not into the book yet (this rule came after finally finishing Huck Finn). A lot of the books on the lists of books you absolutely must read are boring, outdated, and much too long. So I’m making my own very short list of great books to read if you have a short attention span and don’t like anything with the word “thou” involved.
1. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
2. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
3. The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
4. Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
5. Piece of Cake by Cupcake Brown
6. The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls
7. No Promises in the Wind by Irene Hunt
8. The Giver by Lois Lowry
9. Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
10. A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L’Engle
11. Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
12. Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery
13. Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
14. Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank
15. The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
You’ll notice many of the these books to be children’s books. I have a weakness for them (I already mentioned my short attention span, didn’t I?). In college, I read half of the Newberry Award winners. Perhaps I will finish those up next. I’ll make a spreadsheet out of it and then I’m sure I’d whip through them.
There are too many books in the world for me to be working a full-time job. I found this site that had too many great suggestions; I’d like to make sure I’m not wasting my time. What should I put to the top of my reading list? Tell me: quick! Before I start reserving Newberry Award winners from the 1920s on my library card.
holly pelesky 
do you have the giver? i would like to reread that one. and the bell jar, i need to reread it. i am the only person on the planet who has not read catcher in the rye. and i need to read the good earth too. i have 4 to put on my to read list.
The Great Gatsby
read “Ten Cents a Dance” recently. enjoyed it. easy read.
Good list…several that I have read and enjoyed, and several that I would like to read sometime. If you've never read it, Time and Again is a good read too.