Books like Charlottes Web — picked by fans

For me, what drives this book is perspective, the crazy, intense story of a deeply dysfunctional family as seen through the eyes of a child, and the title refers to a bar her father frequents, often accompanied, inappropriately, by his young daughter.

From the quality of the writing to the vividness of the characters and the nutty outrageousness of the family, this is simply one of the best memoirs I have read. Definitely a book I will read a second time, when I get a chance. 

I turn to Mrs. Ramsay, the wife, mother, and hostess of this book, whenever I question my value in the world. By Victorian standards, she “has it all”: a doting (if difficult) husband, eight loving children (with whom, amazingly, she seems to have no problems), and a comfortable way of life. She alone, not her renowned philosopher spouse, not the young poet nor the dedicated artist who comes for a visit, brings meaning and harmony to a group of guests over one holiday weekend.

Mrs. Ramsay reminds me that nurturing and feeding (in all the meanings of that word) other people is a sacred task, even if our society doesn’t recognize it as such. Even a simple dinner party can partake of spiritual eternity: “Of such moments, she thought, the thing is made that endures.”

When I spend too much of my own day on seemingly mindless chores or… show more.

Until I readthis book, I thought Satan was a bad guy. But the Satan of this book is surprisingly sympathetic. I love re-reading familiar stories from the point of view of a character who is not what I expect. Satan makes his rebellion of angels sound like a popular uprising against an autocratic ruler, one who was not elected but “upheld by old repute,/Consent or custom.” It’s like Satan is the George Washington of Heaven, rising up against God’s King George. And I applaud his acceptance of his current situation in Hell: “Here at least/We shall be free.” No whining or self-pity.

There’s also Satan’s honest self-appraisal. You’d think he’d spent years in psychotherapy. He admits to his “dread of shame,” his love of boasting, and his joy in his own ambition. I love an intelligent, clever, and complex character. When Gabriel chastises Satan for leaving Hell, Satan says… show more.

First of all, this book is hilarious. Second of all, it made me cry.

A trans woman leaving a men’s prison? After twenty years inside? With nowhere to go that will meet the requirements of her parole? Never mind meeting her requirements in the way of wardrobe. So this novel was quite a ride for me, right from page one. Although I have nothing in common with Carlotta, I somehow found myself identifying with her, and I was hooked. I can’t explain it.

I’m fussy about grammar and punctuation—until this book, which had my head spinning with mid-sentence switch-ups between first person and third person, between prison-speak and whatever I speak, between using and not using punctuation and sentence structure. I loved every minute, every sentence.

I mean, not sure how much I need to say about the delight this book has brought to children since 1952. After being asked to read it to a group of first graders recently, I dissolved into tears having to read the scene where Charlotte dies, alone. The students that day thought I was silly. Yeah, as a kid, that didn’t bother me much. As an adult, well.

There’s something in this tale of love, friendship, and courage for all ages. Excellent for read-aloud if you are willing to commit to using different voices and really hamming it up.

This Ukrainian-Canadian author’s novel for teens is banned in Russia because it tells the truth about the Holodomor—the early 1930s famine the Soviet regime under Josef Stalin imposed on a restive Ukrainian population that didn’t want to live under Communism.

Nyl’s family and the rest of the village want to keep their small farms and their religion, but soldiers sent from Moscow massacre village leaders, seize land and grain, and starve all those who remain. Today the Kharkiv region where this book is set endures regular terror bombing from Russia.

Every discussion about the evolution of writing in ‘the West’ has to start with Willa Cather, who was the first writer from the west to be awarded a major literary award when she won the Pulitzer Prize for One of Ours, which isn’t even one of her five best novels. Cather wrote openly about alcoholism, domestic violence, and other painful topics, transforming western writing from cardboard cutout characters to real people. My Ántonia has become an American classic, not just in western literature but in all literature. My Ántonia is told from the point of view of a young farm boy who falls in love with the enchanting Ántonia, and it’s beautifully written, taking us into the emotional heart of youth and idealism in the West.

The main character, Robert was so relatable to me as he played around his family’s farm and I loved all of the beautiful descriptions of the countryside and surrounding farmland.

I fell in love with him even more when he got to keep the piglet. I could feel the pure joy of watching their bond grow. I was brought back to my own childhood and fully immersed in the setting, the characters, and the way that childhood decisions and perspective can be robbed from you in one day. 

James D. Houston is an underrated California novelist, and Continental Drift is his best book.

I love this story of a family trying to re-establish a life in a world haunted by the aftermath of the Vietnam War and threatened by a string of inexplicable murders.

Houston’s descriptions of the land rival Steinbeck’s, and he situates the family’s home on the legendary San Andreas Fault—symbolically invoking the potential for disaster that lurks beneath the fertile soil.   

This is by far my favorite novel by John Grisham. I loved that he delivered a sensational narrative of Luke Chandler, the son of a poor cotton farmer. The boy must learn to deal with life faster than a seven-year-old should ever have to, as life on the farm comes with many obstacles and plenty of secrets he must manage to juggle.

It is masterfully told, and the life as Luke sees it is well depicted. I recommend this highly.