Books for Your Must Read List

There are certain books that shaped me into the fine upstanding woman I am today. If you are in a quandry what to read next, here's a list of books to help you on your way to being just as fine and upstanding.

1. Little House on the Prairie, By Laura Ingalls Wilder. The true story of a young girl and her adventures as she and her family moved across the prairie to discover new frontiers and settle in new surroundings. I personally enjoyed the later books when "Manly" came courting. Nothing makes a girl swoon more than a man willing to ride through a blizzard with horses with no auto defrost on their nostrils just to see you.

2. The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis. A witty look at the weaknesses of man as seen through the eyes of the demon correspondants, Screwtape and Wormwood, as they work to draw man down a slippery slope to hell. What could be more fun?

3. The Princess Diaries, by Meg Cabot. An awkward teenager discovers she is a princess, and struggles with this new duty, as well as other growing pains connected with making it through high school. Not written for 10 year old girls, contrary to the belief of many a parent who likes the Disney movie. More a middle/high school kid demographic, which makes it perfect for me. I still need to get my hands on the 10th and final book in the series. Will she realize who her One True Love is? And what college will she go to? These are the questions that keep me up at night.

4. Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen. My favorite novel since I read it the first time when I was 14. Mr. Darcy is mine, and the rest of you who say you are going to marry him can just back off.

5. Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maude Montgomery. If you have to pick between reading the books and watching the movies, pick the books. Anne taught me about kindred spirits, and how reading the epitaphs in graveyards can be lots of fun. Good meaty stuff.

6. Slugs, by David Greenberg. When I did a search on Amazon for Slugs, it came back with "did you mean: plugs? Oh, yes. Silly me. I knew that Amazon would be able to find the word that was eluding me. Thank heavens for their smart, smart search engine. Otherwise I would have an incomplete ear jewelry collection.

7. Princess Bride, by S. Morgenstern. The Pit of Despair is ten times more interesting in the book than what they had time for in the movie. I do have to warn you though, there's kissing not in The Pit, silly!).

8. The Three Musketeers, by Alexandre Dumas. I found this book hysterical in high school. I can't tell you why because I haven't read it since, but I have determined to read it again soon to remember. Just trust me that it was funny, and it has made me the woman I am today. I feel like I should be a sword wielding horse rider.... Or at least have a fleur de lys on my back. Except that would mean I am a murderess. I think that's bad.

9. Ramona the Pest, by Beverly Cleary. I will never crack an egg on my head, even if I believe it is boiled. I will always call girls with really curly hair Susie with the Boing Boing curls, even if it is just mentally. I will never call a girl with acne pizza face. These are just a few of the life lessons in the Ramona books.

10. A Room with a View, by E.M. Forster. What's more comic than three men streaking through the forest as the ladies wander by in 1900 England? Some day I want to go to Italy and have a room with a view.