The Handmaid’s Tale, By Margaret Atwood
A chilling tale set in the near future, where women have little to no rights.

In a Sunburned Country, by Bill Bryson
Look, with his delicious wit, you really cannot go wrong with anything by Bill Bryson. But I loved this book, even though it made me never, ever want to go to Australia, where it seems the entire continent is trying very hard to kill you.

The Prince of Tides, by Pat Conroy
There are few books that have moved me quite like this one.

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe, By Fannie Flagg
This is a beautiful story, marvelously translated onto the screen.

Cold Mountain, By Charles Frazier.
There are two paragraphs near the end of this book that I read again and again and again.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, by Mark Haddon
Although this book was received with mixed reviews in our household (where it is also called “The night the poodle got murdered”), I thoroughly enjoyed it.

The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini
A terrific debut novel and worth all the attention has received.

To Kill a Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
A timeless classic and must re-read.

Mystic River, By Dennis Lehane
A good movie, but a better novel. 

The Giver, By Lois Lowry
The first in a trilogy of tales from a post-apocalyptic world.

The Time Traveler’s Wife, By Audrey Niffenegger
This is a haunting book that is difficult to put down and that stays with you while you’re away from it. A terrific read.

Engelbert the Elephant, by Tom Paxton
This is a delightful children’s book about an elephant invited to the queen’s ball (thanks to a pair of prankster mice) and the chaos and friendship that ensues. I cannot tell you how many times I read this to my children, but we all loved it each time.

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J.K. Rowling
What can I tell you. This final book of the Harry Potter series is excellent. J.K. Rowling’s story of the boy wizard and his friends has produced a world of new readers.