… But I Can’t Stop at TEN
By Jeff Salter
Over the past few months I’ve been tagged several times on Facebook to share my Top Ten Titles or Top Ten Authors. But I never even attempted. Partly because I’ve been really busy lately, and partly because I can never whittle it down to only ten.
I’ve been an avid reader for most of my life and often my “favorite” book is whatever I’m reading at the moment (unless it’s rotten). I’ve also gone through spells in which I’ll read everything I can find by a certain author. I did this with Ian Fleming’s James Bond novels and also with Donald Hamilton’s Matt Helm novels. Yet, despite how much I enjoyed reading those at the time, I don’t think I could truthfully say any one of those (nearly 30) titles could qualify for my Top Ten List.
So, as I’ve done occasionally before, I’m going to weasel out of declaring a definitive Top Ten List. Instead, I’ll refer you back to four blogs I’ve previously posted on this general topic. If you’ll take a few moments to click through, I think you’ll enjoy those posts.
The first is “Most Influential Books Which Shaped Me as a Writer”… and includes Childhood of Famous Americans Series, Bill Bryson, and more.
Next is “Favorite Titles I’ve Read More Than Once and Would Gladly Read Again.” This list is special because I RARELY read a book more than once.
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2011/04/14/favorite-titles-books-ive-read-more-than-once/
Next is my tribute to Walker Percy, critically-acclaimed writer of both fiction and non-fiction… who lived in my hometown and was also a good friend of my parents.
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2014/01/16/letters-to-my-literary-hero/
Finally, here is my blog on conversations I wish I could have with some authors who are among my favorites. Features William Shakespeare, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Emily Dickinson, et al.
https://fourfoxesonehound.wordpress.com/2014/01/23/my-conversation-with-shakespeare-among-others/
Question:
So what about you? Who are among YOUR favorite authors? What are among YOUR favorite titles?
Angela Schroeder
Patricia Kiyono
Elaine Cantrell
Jeff Salter
Joselyn
Tonette Joyce
Four Foxes, One Hound 
My blog on this is going to be the same as yours in one respect, Jeff. I can’t say I really have a “favorite Top 10,” either. Enjoyed your post! 🙂
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Thanks, Janette.
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Oh, great and here I struggled to make a list! Or darned close to it. I don’t see how we avid readers can possibly list 10 favorite…50, maybe…100, probably.
It would be the same with movies.,I hate it when they ask which is my favorite movie…I can’t whittle that down to 10, either.
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yeah, easier to list the fav. 100… but that also takes a lot of time!
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I enjoyed reading back through your older posts. And agree that Emily would have been able to benefit from Facebook.
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Thanks, Angie.
I’ll have to go back and re-read what I said about Emily & FB. Ha
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I’ve been tagged several times for this on Facebook as well. It’s too hard to list a favorite 10 list. But I do find certain stories resonate with me more than others. I’m a fan of Anne Rice, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Sherrilyn Kenyon, Janet Evanovich, Carl Hiaasen, Katie McAlister, Darynda Jones, and a host of others.
While the author isn’t on any of my lists, one story has always stuck out at me. The Lottery by Shirley Jackson. It isn’t a long story at all, and if you haven’t read it, you should.
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I’ve read one by Anne Rice, one or two stories by Stephen King, and had my wife read me scenes from Evanovich. I’m familiar with Hiaasen and Koontz. Recognize the names of Kenyon and Jackson, but haven’t read any of theirs.
So what is “The Lottery” about?
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The Lottery…chilling. Not a favorite.
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Google it. 🙂
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I guess if I actually stopped to think about it, there would be more than 100. But then my list included a couple of series (Little House series, Nora Roberts series, etc). As you say, my favorite tends to be what I’m reading now. But since I don’t read as often as I used to, my favorites are what comes to mind first. I didn’t go back and read your previous posts, because I’ve already read them and my eyes are tired. But I remember what you said about Emily and FB.
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Strange that I’ve never read Nora Roberts or Laura Ingalls Wilder…
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I’m humbled and honored.
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thanks for visiting today, Gretchen.
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