PBS has put out a list of America's 100 "best loved" novels and encourages viewers to vote for their personal favorite. Which titles have you read, or want to read? 100 books is a lot to choose from, so I've taken the liberty to share my top selections. If these don't strike your fancy, check out the complete list here: http://www.pbs.org/the-great-american-read/books/#/ and be sure to add your finished books to KCPL's Summer Reading Program list!
The ultimate psychological thriller. If you like getting into the heads of characters, Raskolnikov's struggle to justify a murder and how it affects him psychologically afterward is page-turning. One of my favorite books.... ever.
The ultimate psychological thriller. If you like getting into the heads of characters, Raskolnikov's struggle to justify a murder and how it affects him psychologically afterward is page-turning. One of my favorite books.... ever.
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The ultimate psychological thriller. If you like getting into the heads of characters, Raskolnikov's struggle to justify a murder and how it affects him psychologically afterward is page-turning. One of my favorite books.... ever.
The ultimate psychological thriller. If you like getting into the heads of characters, Raskolnikov's struggle to justify a murder and how it affects him psychologically afterward is page-turning. One of my favorite books.... ever.
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Classic Americana and Steinbeck at his best. Class struggles, employment, hopes of a better life - these are all themes that still resonant today. Also a great Steinbeck read: Travels with Charley.
Classic Americana and Steinbeck at his best. Class struggles, employment, hopes of a better life - these are all themes that still resonant today. Also a great Steinbeck read: Travels with Charley.
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Classic Americana and Steinbeck at his best. Class struggles, employment, hopes of a better life - these are all themes that still resonant today. Also a great Steinbeck read: Travels with Charley.
Classic Americana and Steinbeck at his best. Class struggles, employment, hopes of a better life - these are all themes that still resonant today. Also a great Steinbeck read: Travels with Charley.
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I still remember reading this as a teen and undoubtedly it is THE V.C. Andrews classic - none of her other books hold a candle to the salaciousness and depravity of some these characters.
I still remember reading this as a teen and undoubtedly it is THE V.C. Andrews classic - none of her other books hold a candle to the salaciousness and depravity of some these characters.
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I still remember reading this as a teen and undoubtedly it is THE V.C. Andrews classic - none of her other books hold a candle to the salaciousness and depravity of some these characters.
I still remember reading this as a teen and undoubtedly it is THE V.C. Andrews classic - none of her other books hold a candle to the salaciousness and depravity of some these characters.
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Confession: I didn't actually read this until I started watching the Hulu series of the same name, but I have to admit, this dystopian novel grabbed me ...Show more
Confession: I didn't actually read this until I started watching the Hulu series of the same name, but I have to admit, this dystopian novel grabbed me from the first page, and turned me into a big Margaret Atwood fan. So much to chew on here - themes ranging from feminism, monotheism, sexual violence, and lots more.
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Confession: I didn't actually read this until I started watching the Hulu series of the same name, but I have to admit, this dystopian novel grabbed me ...Show more
Confession: I didn't actually read this until I started watching the Hulu series of the same name, but I have to admit, this dystopian novel grabbed me from the first page, and turned me into a big Margaret Atwood fan. So much to chew on here - themes ranging from feminism, monotheism, sexual violence, and lots more.
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Sometimes life lessons can be learned from a seemingly simplistic story of a farm girl, her pig Wilbur, a spider named Charlotte, and the whole barnyard gang. The themes of love and enduring friendship in this book still touch me to this day.
Sometimes life lessons can be learned from a seemingly simplistic story of a farm girl, her pig Wilbur, a spider named Charlotte, and the whole barnyard gang. The themes of love and enduring friendship in this book still touch me to this day.
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Sometimes life lessons can be learned from a seemingly simplistic story of a farm girl, her pig Wilbur, a spider named Charlotte, and the whole barnyard gang. The themes of love and enduring friendship in this book still touch me to this day.
Sometimes life lessons can be learned from a seemingly simplistic story of a farm girl, her pig Wilbur, a spider named Charlotte, and the whole barnyard gang. The themes of love and enduring friendship in this book still touch me to this day.
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It wasn't until after I visited Margaret Mitchell's former home in Georgia that curiosity got the best of me and I picked up this novel. I'm not much for...Show more
It wasn't until after I visited Margaret Mitchell's former home in Georgia that curiosity got the best of me and I picked up this novel. I'm not much for historical fiction, but this book.... this one is an exception. It explores so much more than just romance!
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It wasn't until after I visited Margaret Mitchell's former home in Georgia that curiosity got the best of me and I picked up this novel. I'm not much for...Show more
It wasn't until after I visited Margaret Mitchell's former home in Georgia that curiosity got the best of me and I picked up this novel. I'm not much for historical fiction, but this book.... this one is an exception. It explores so much more than just romance!
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What does it mean to be truly wild? London's classic about a domestic dog who is forced to turn to his "inherent wolfness" in order to surviv...Show more
What does it mean to be truly wild? London's classic about a domestic dog who is forced to turn to his "inherent wolfness" in order to survive and eventually lead his own pack in the true wilds of Alaska forces us to think about our own primordial instincts (well, at least it did for me).
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What does it mean to be truly wild? London's classic about a domestic dog who is forced to turn to his "inherent wolfness" in order to surviv...Show more
What does it mean to be truly wild? London's classic about a domestic dog who is forced to turn to his "inherent wolfness" in order to survive and eventually lead his own pack in the true wilds of Alaska forces us to think about our own primordial instincts (well, at least it did for me).
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I remember reading this in a college literature course. I never thought I would like it as much as I did, but I loved the way Shelley delved into themes ...Show more
I remember reading this in a college literature course. I never thought I would like it as much as I did, but I loved the way Shelley delved into themes of what it means to be human, and the relationship between a creator and his creation (much like father and son), and what that creator "owes" to his creation.
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I remember reading this in a college literature course. I never thought I would like it as much as I did, but I loved the way Shelley delved into themes ...Show more
I remember reading this in a college literature course. I never thought I would like it as much as I did, but I loved the way Shelley delved into themes of what it means to be human, and the relationship between a creator and his creation (much like father and son), and what that creator "owes" to his creation.
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I reread this title recently and I think I got more out of it as an adult then I did when I read it in high school. One line especially resonates: "...Show more
I reread this title recently and I think I got more out of it as an adult then I did when I read it in high school. One line especially resonates: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Important words to ponder in our current polarized political society. The movie staring Gregory Peck is equally amazing.
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I reread this title recently and I think I got more out of it as an adult then I did when I read it in high school. One line especially resonates: "...Show more
I reread this title recently and I think I got more out of it as an adult then I did when I read it in high school. One line especially resonates: "You never really understand a person until you consider things from his point of view … until you climb into his skin and walk around in it.” Important words to ponder in our current polarized political society. The movie staring Gregory Peck is equally amazing.
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I remember being mesmerized by this tale of a young woman's path into the life of a geisha, while learning a lot about Japanese culture and history at the same time.
I remember being mesmerized by this tale of a young woman's path into the life of a geisha, while learning a lot about Japanese culture and history at the same time.
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I remember being mesmerized by this tale of a young woman's path into the life of a geisha, while learning a lot about Japanese culture and history at the same time.
I remember being mesmerized by this tale of a young woman's path into the life of a geisha, while learning a lot about Japanese culture and history at the same time.
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Suspenseful and twisty with a lot of dark themes - just the kind of book I like! Even though some readers are really put off by the manipulative Amy's de...Show more
Suspenseful and twisty with a lot of dark themes - just the kind of book I like! Even though some readers are really put off by the manipulative Amy's deceitfulness (& don't like the book as a result), I think it's a compliment to the writer that one of her characters elicits strong, negative reactions! Not all characters will be likeable. Likeable is easy; writing a character everyone loves to hate... that's hard. I became a Gillian Flynn fan instantly.
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Suspenseful and twisty with a lot of dark themes - just the kind of book I like! Even though some readers are really put off by the manipulative Amy's de...Show more
Suspenseful and twisty with a lot of dark themes - just the kind of book I like! Even though some readers are really put off by the manipulative Amy's deceitfulness (& don't like the book as a result), I think it's a compliment to the writer that one of her characters elicits strong, negative reactions! Not all characters will be likeable. Likeable is easy; writing a character everyone loves to hate... that's hard. I became a Gillian Flynn fan instantly.
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The book that turned me into a Dan Brown fan and kept me following his character, Robert Langdon, through successive novels.
The book that turned me into a Dan Brown fan and kept me following his character, Robert Langdon, through successive novels.
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The book that turned me into a Dan Brown fan and kept me following his character, Robert Langdon, through successive novels.
The book that turned me into a Dan Brown fan and kept me following his character, Robert Langdon, through successive novels.
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StaceyM_KCMO
StaceyM_KCMO
