BJ Hoff's GRACE NOTES

A Wee Bit of Celtic (2)

For those of you who prefer your Celtic stories in dramatic form rather than documentary, here's a brief addition to my previous entry with a few more book suggestions. *Note: With one exception, these are "general market" novels, not CBA books. There's some "language" and possibly scenes that might be offensive to some. That said, I stand by my opinion that they're great books and important reading for those interested in all things Irish.  

Famine by Liam O'Flaherty. A great historical novel about the Potato Famine of the 1840s--but it's much more. To quote William Plomer's copy on the back cover: "It is an indictment of tyranny and the callous misgovernment of a people treated as if they were in a state of armed insurrection instead of their being on the point of destruction by famine." A thoroughly Irish novel by a wonderfully talented Irish writer.  

Trinity by Leon Uris. I consider this Uris's magnum opus--yes, even more powerful than his Exodus. My copies are well-worn. One could question how a contemporary American writer could so accurately and sensitively portray Ireland's bloody and tragic struggle for freedom, but once you read Trinity, you realize that, although Uris wasn't Irish, Ireland's story was in the hands of a true Seanchai, a storyteller capable of bringing one of the most dramatic, sweeping eras of Irish history to life. There's no way to describe a novel of this quality--it simply defies description. 

Walter Macken's historical trilogy: Seek the Fair land, The Silent People, and The Scorching Wind. Macken, a Galway native, wrote these classic novels in the 1950s, but they will never be old. The best recommendation I can give them is that they take you to the land, the towns, the countryside of which he writes and allow you to see it and experience it. You will mourn and love and rejoice through the characters, and even if you don't have a drop of Irish blood in you, you'll feel Irish after you read these three. 

The late Thomas Flanagan's trilogy: The Year of the French, The Tenants of Time, and The End of the Hunt. These big, colorful, masterfully written novels range from the failed uprising of 1748 through the 1916 Easter Rebellion and the emergence of the IRA. Flanagan told his stories with a dramatic and realistic mix of both historical and fictional characters, and he told them with genius and brilliance.

Oh--dare I mention a certain five-book series entitled  An Emerald Ballad  by yours truly?  

There are so many, many more. I'd especially love to go into more depth about novels by Irish writers, but no more time for now ...

P.S. After I published this, a friend emailed me that I really should have included another of my own efforts among these. Well ... why not? So here's a shameless plug for my most recent release, Song of Erin.

Enjoy!

BJ

  

She Always Wore Red

Jennifer Graham--mother, friend, and embalmer's apprentice--is back! In this second book of the Fairlawn Series, Angela Hunt, author extraordinaire, paints from a wide palette of emotions and gives readers yet another colorful, imaginative, and unpredictable work of art. Jennifer's continuing story will leave you breathless in places, make you smile in others, and probably even prompt you to shed a few tears before you come to the end.

Angie is known for her novels that feature the "unexpected," and She Always Wore Red gives new meaning to her "brand." It takes a writer with a masterful hand and a formidable imagination to deliver a story that probes in-depth emotions and relationships, combined with a light touch of well-timed humor and enough tension to keep readers turning the pages more quickly with each chapter. This is another example of a popular author's keen ability to deliver all the above and even more.

Before I read the first book in the series--Doesn't She Look Natural?--I had to wonder if even Angie could keep me reading a novel with a funeral home setting. Well ... she not only kept me reading, but as I recall, the last page wasn't even cold before I asked her when Book Two was due for release!

Now I'm wondering when I can get my hands on Book Three!

You're going to love this book!

BJ  

  

Words about the Word

It's no secret to many of you who visit Grace Notes that for many years now I've collected Bibles. Actually, I have only two collections: Bibles and Mac computers--not exactly a close fit, but there you have it.

Although I say I collect Bibles, it's probably more accurate to say I collect "versions" of the Bible. The different versions of the Word are what first drew me to collect various copies. But I also have some "specialty" Bibles that have nothing to do with their versions.

For example, I have the huge "family Bible" my grandfather gave my grandmother not long after they were married in the early 1900s. It's a work of art, it truly is. Embossing, rich, full-color illustrations, pages for family memories and statistics--and enough notes to satisfy the most eager student of the Word.

I also have an 1873 edition of a German "family Bible" that was passed down through my husband's family for years. It's the only Bible I've ever seen with a lock on it. Now why someone would want a Bible that locks, I'm not so sure, but this one locks. It also has "pockets" in the back for a dozen or so family photographs. I can't read it, of course--it was published in German--but my husband can, so he's answered a number of questions for me about some of the "extra features" included.

Both of the above are the kind of Bibles that used to be placed on pedestals in the "parlor" from which children were routinely banned. It's obvious that they were once beautifully bound and illustrated, but the bindings on each now badly need repair. I'm hesitant, though, to do anything that might spoil the original binding, so if any of you know of places that do the sort of work that restores, yet somehow retains, the original binding, I'd love to know about it.

I also have my mother's first Bible, which is in better condition than the older, family Bibles, even though it was much-used and well-marked.

One of the less elaborate "versions" in my collection is a first edition of the esteemed Pearl S. Buck's Story Bible. I found this to be an excellent version to read to our daughters when they were children.

A more contemporary version is The Learning Bible, published by the American Bible Society. This is the Contemporary English Version. Although this is one of the "dynamic equivalence" versions rather than a "formal, word-for-word equivalence" version, it's not a paraphrase. Just an easy to read Bible with an abundance of color illustrations, study helps, lots of articles, its own reading plans, and notes marked with icons for their relevance to geography, objects, history and culture, and other categories. This is much too large for carrying to church or elsewhere, but it's a great resource Bible for amplifying your home study--and it's interesting to just sit down and browse.

I wrote an earlier entry about the Literary Study Bible (English Standard Version), so I won't go into that here, but I've heard from a number of writers and readers who are really enjoying it. The ESV is probably my favorite literal, word-for-word version, and I'm anticipating with great interest the fall release of this same translation in a new study Bible.

My most recent addition to the collection is quickly becoming one of my favorite study Bibles, and that's the New International Version of the Archaeological Study Bible. I opted for the hard cover, large-print edition of this, because the standard font is really small, and if you use your eyes as much as I do, you need a boost when it comes to Bible study. The print isn't actually all that large--it's 11 point, which makes it very readable, but it doesn't "shout" at you. This is just a beautiful, amazingly comprehensive Bible of approximately 2300 pages, including nearly 500 color photographs, great, finely detailed color maps, insights into Scripture's roots, a good NIV concordance, and loads of other fascinating "extras."

Most of the other items in my collection date from the early 20th century (no, I'm not that old ... I'm a collector, remember) up through today, and include one of the first Life Application Bibles to come off the press; an early Thompson Chain-Reference Bible and a few later editions also (I've always been particularly fond of the TCRB, because of its chain method of study rather than the sometimes burdensome, copious footnotes and articles that tend to "clutter" the page (and my mind); and a variety of bindings and versions including the KJV, the NKJV, the NASB, the NRSV, the NLT, the Amplified Bible, the Good News Bible, two first editions of the Open Bible, and others.

One of the most fascinating traits all these versions and editions hold in common is the fact that, no matter the various ways God's Truth is presented, it's still God's Truth ... the Word still stands and shines its Light to the world ... and still draws seeking hearts to His gift of love and eternal life.

I love the Word. I love to feed on it and memorize it and cling to the promises it holds for all of us. May God bless your every reading of it, no matter which translation you choose. 

BJ

Revision & Self-Editing

Are you writing a novel? In the middle or nearing the end of a first draft? Facing yet another long and frustrating process of rewriting and revising your tenth manuscript, dreading it as you always do? Losing sleep and losing your nerve because you love your story but hate the grueling job of whipping it into shape before sending it off to your editor?

Not to worry. There's help. James Scott Bell, Christy Award winning novelist, contributing editor to Writer's Digest,  conference instructor, and author of Write Great Fiction: Plot & Structure, recently published a terrific handbook for all writers--novice and experienced novelist alike.

Beginning writers need to learn early in the process that there are certain essentials they must grasp and command if they ever hope to sell. Advanced writers already know they're never finished with mastering the craft: there's always more they need to learn. 

Moreover, in today's crowded, competitive publishing world, there's an ever-increasing need for the serious writer also to be an accomplished self-editor. Editors don't have time and aren't paid to rewrite your manuscript--that's your job.

Plot & Structure makes the process easier and less painful, no matter where you are on the road to publication. The book is arranged in two parts, Part One covers self-editing, and Part Two covers the revision process. Here's a sampling of only a few chapters from both sections: Characters, Plot and Structure, Point of View, Scenes, Dialogue, Beginnings, Middles and Ends, Show vs. Tell, Voice and Style, Setting and Description, a Philosophy of Revision, and a Revision Checklist. The author also provides excellent writing exercises and questions to help you check your progress and comprehension.

I can't think of another author who could make the editing and revision process interesting and even fun, in addition to providing techniques that actually work--but James Scott Bell manages to do just that.

When I referred to Write Great Fiction: Revision & Self-Editing as a "handbook," I meant exactly that. It's a book for the writer to keep close at hand, because you're going to refer to it again and again. Just when you reach the point that you think you've covered all the secrets and richness it has to offer, you're almost certain to come up against a question or a problem you haven't anticipated ... and you're going to reach for this book. Trust me, it will not collect dust on your shelf.

So ... polish and publish, while enjoying the process.

BJ

A "Harvest" of Good Books

Thought I'd give you a heads-up on some new books from my publisher, Harvest House. These are just a few among the many titles they publish. Unfortunately, I never find the time to read all the new releases, but I have read these and can recommend them:

Whispers of the Bayou by Mindy Starns Clark. You've probably already read some of Mindy's novels, but if you haven't, this is a great one to begin with. In this case, you really can judge a book by its cover--great cover, great story! Miranda Miller is a woman with secrets who travels back to her grandparents' estate, hoping to find the answers to questions about her past and also claim an inheritance.

Learning to Fly by Roxanne Henke. A rich story about being a mom. You can make the journey with Susan Schaffer and her friend through the challenges and the joys of being mothers. A story that allows the reader to watch their daughters grow and change ... and watch their moms grow and change right along with them. Roxanne writes compelling women's fiction that stays with you long after you read it.

The Lost Sheep by Brandt Dodson. Brandt Dodson is a strong, unique voice in CBA suspense fiction, and this novel showcases his considerable talents. I haven't yet read the most recent of his titles, but this one--a "Colton Parker Mystery"--is still fairly new and a real page turner. When Parker's daughter vanishes, he's forced to confront evil in its own arena, and the stakes couldn't be higher.  If you haven't read the earlier books in the Colton Parker Mystery series, you might want to check them out before reading this one.

~~~~~~~~~~

And here are two other titles I especially want to mention. These aren't fiction--in fact they weren't published by Harvest House. But they were written by Harvest House's senior editor, Nick Harrison. If you appreciate contemplative devotional books that make you think, that make you desire to draw nearer to God, and that actually bless you just by the reading of them, Nick's Magnificent Prayer and His Victorious Indwelling will capture your mind and your heart. He offers his own wisdom and skillful pen to the writings of many holy heroes of the faith, with the end result in each case being contemporary classics. I used His Victorious Indwelling last year for my daily devotional guide, and now I'm into Magnificent Prayer and finding the same quality of excellence and the same thoughtful and practical applications I discovered in HVI.

Enjoy!

BJ

The Believers

You might wonder why I would devote an entire entry to a novel written in 1957 by an author who, although highly acclaimed and respected, is relatively unknown to many contemporary readers. In fact, Janice Holt Giles remained relatively unknown to me as well until a few years ago when I was in the mood for some "regional fiction" that didn't feature stereotypes of Appalachian characters and a lot of deadly dialect.

I had recently read for the second time Harriette Arnow's The Dollmaker and was on the hunt for more in the same genre when I spotted a well-worn copy of a novel on my own shelves that I'd been given by a friend many years before but had never got around to reading. It was titled The Believers, and a few pages into the first chapter I felt the "sunburst" that occasionally ignites inside a reader who knows she's just discovered a new favorite author.

The Believers is a small novel by most standards--the newer edition I purchased a few years ago is 214 pages--but it's huge and rich in story. I've seen it referred to as a novel of Shaker life, but in reality it's more the story of the seventeen-year old Rebecca Fowler who reluctantly follows her husband into a Shaker religious community in Kentucky. While the story does take place in a Shaker settlement, the real story takes place in a woman's heart.

This is the book that, when I read it for the first time, led me on a search for other novels by the same author. To my surprise, I found many. To my even greater surprise (and pleasure), I discovered an author of historical fiction who keenly and authentically managed to capture the color and character of any rural culture she chose to write about in some of the most realistic, honest, and well-written fiction I'd come across in years. Janice Holt Giles has remained a favorite, whose books are always worth another read.

Not long ago I re-read her Piney Ridge Trilogy (The Enduring Hills, Miss Willie, and Tara's Healing) and followed it up by reading The Believers again. It struck me during this cycle that one of the elements that drew me to her body of work is the integrity and simplicity of her fiction. Giles was no stylist, could never be accused of being enamored with her own words or manipulative with her characters' emotions. She made no pretensions of being anything but what she was: a storyteller. I imagine she'd be surprised today to learn the high degree of respect and admiration accorded to her fiction.

I confess that from time to time over the years I've entertained the idea of writing a novel set in a Shaker community. Some of the miscellaneous reading I've done on Shaker life has only sharpened my taste for more, and I've long had the seeds of a story just waiting to be planted. I haven't given up the idea , but unless I come to the point that I think I can write about this community with as much honesty, understanding, and realism as Giles did in The Believers, I wouldn't dare take on such a project. The clarity, the lack of bias, and the insightful observation with which Giles was able to write The Believers--and her development of one of the strongest and most interesting female protagonists in her entire body of work--is nothing less than inspiring, in the truest sense of the word.

I'm also intrigued by the way Giles is able to show the effect of change on people and communities who would appear to be stationary and "unchangeable." It's never more evident than in The Believers.

So--my answer to why I'm writing about a book published half a century ago by a woman whose name is not exactly a household word is all the above, plus a deep love and insatiable hunger for Appalachian fiction and its best writers.

Reason enough.

BJ   

The ESV Literary Study Bible

I've collected Bibles for many years, but hadn't made any new additions for a long time--until recently. Although I'd read quite a lot about the ESV Literary Study Bible before its release, I hadn't been too interested because I've been using an ESV translation for some time now. In fact, it's one of the two translations I use most, but I already had a nice leather edition and wasn't thinking to buy the same translation in a different format. But after downloading some sample pages, reading a feature overview, and sampling some online reviews, I changed my mind.

This is in no way a review, but only my personal response to what would seem to be a wonderfully original Bible. To my knowledge, there's not another version around that compares with it. If you want to learn more about it than time and space allows here, there are numerous comprehensive reviews available, many of which you can find by just going to this page at the ESV Bible Blog. 

There's always the possibility that an erroneous assumption will be made about a Bible carrying the term "literary." For example, too many classes that teach the Bible as literature employ only a humanistic, liberal approach. But the theology of Leland Ryken and Philip Graham Ryken, the general editors of the ESV Literary Study Bible, is thoroughly evangelical, and they clearly acknowledge the Bible as divinely inspired. This is not a "looose" translation or a paraphrase, but an essentially literal translation. I've detected no noticeable liberal slant, and certainly the "Bible as literature" concept in this work doesn't minimize the importance of the "Bible as God's Holy Word."

Just a little about the overall format: The text is presented in single column, black text, with each book receiving an overview and introduction. It's described as a "study Bible," because it contains commentary, but the commentary focuses on the literary aspects of Scripture rather than merely providing references. This appeals to me because I've never been a huge fan of the more traditional "study Bibles" with the endless footnotes and references. Unless I'm doing an exhaustive topic study, I sometimes find the voluminous notes distracting.

If you think this is only a "writer's Bible" (because of the literary format), it's not at all. It's more a "reader's Bible," in that it's been designed to facilitate reading through the Scriptures rather than simply analyzing sections through reference notes. One of the more appealing features (for me) is that, although the format uses the traditional chapter and verse numbers, it enables the reader to grasp the passage as a whole. It's much more a Bible for reading than for reference. It does away with the temptation to read the references instead of the Word itself.

Although it's definitely a reader-friendly Bible, it's also artistically, even elegantly, designed and formatted. To simplify any description, it's an enjoyable, "pleasurable" Bible to read.

The only negative I've found--and this is undoubtedly more a personal dislike, certainly not a common distraction, although I've seen this same complaint in a couple of reviews--is the font. I wish it might have been just a wee bit larger and darker. If your eyes are often tired--and mine are--this particular font isn't the best. I'd have to say it can even contribute to some eyestrain. That may seem a small thing, given all the positives that can be said about this work, but it's a very real irritation for some.

One thing is certain: the more I use this Bible, the more I want to use it. For me, that justifies the expense of a second ESV.

BJ

Song of Erin

Some news--news about which I am delighted, to say the least. Here's a heads-up on a special release coming next spring from Harvest House.

A few years ago, I published two novels entitled Cloth of Heaven and its sequel, Ashes and Lace. As often happens, the books eventually went out of print. Anytime the product of an author's dream and hard work goes out of print it's a huge disappointment, although in today's publishing world certainly not an unexpected one. This was a particular disappointment to me, though, because these stories featured characters who even today remain among my personal favorites: Jack Kane, an Irish immigrant and founder of a powerful newspaper publishing empire in New York City whose efforts to help his people—and redeem himself—seem continually thwarted by rumors of corruption. Samantha Harte, devoted to her faith and to helping the less fortunate, but haunted by her past. Beneath her well-bred exterior lie secrets too shocking to reveal, wounds too deep to heal. Therese Sheridan, desperate to escape the crushing poverty of Ireland, pays a price far higher—and more far-reaching—than she ever could have imagined. Brady Kane, a gifted but troubled artist whose pursuit of personal freedom in Ireland and a life of self-indulgence entrap him in a web of deceit that eventually touches everyone he loves.

It’s always exciting for an author to see her earlier books given “new life,” and I was especially pleased to learn that Harvest House plans to release both of these novels in a special two-in-one edition, under the title of Song of Erin. You can expect to find them in your bookstores early in April!

BJ

Handbooks and Guidebooks and Manuals ... Oh,My!

Recently, an up-and-coming novelist asked me which of the many "writers' handbooks" I'd recommend for new and aspiring writers. Some already appear on the sidebar of Grace Notes; others you've heard mentioned in entries here from time to time. So I'll take the easy way out on this and just give a few the "star" rating, five stars being my top choce, on down the line. (Think asterisks for stars.) I'd actually recommend only the first three, but the others have some value worth a mention.

Caveat: This doesn't include the "books about writing," English usage manuals, or writer memoirs that seem to proliferate year to year (Stephen King's On Writing, etc.), but only those that you'd consider actual "handbooks" or "guidebooks" and such. Nor does it include "style manuals," such as The Chicago Manual of Style, or market guides, such as the Writer's Digest Writer's Market. Those fall into a different category.

***** Writing Fiction: Gotham Writers' Workshop: The Practical Guide from New York's Acclaimed Creative Writing School. A wealth of practical--and entertaining--information. Invaluable for fiction writers.    

***** Modern Library Writer's Workshop: A Guide to the Craft of Fiction. Stephen Koch. A unique collection of wisdom and expert advice. This is one I'd recommend for the shelf of any novelist or aspiring novelist. 

**** The Christian Imagination. Leland Ryken. More than a handbook, it also provides inspiration and challenge for those writing from a Christian worldview.

**** The Writer's Handbook. This is an annual, and although it's primarily a market guide, I'm including it because of the number of excellent, informative articles by established writers. Some are repeated in each year's edition, others are new.

**** The Career Novelist. Donald Maas. *Note: Just added this one, which I overlooked when I wrote the original entry. His Writing the Breakout Novel is excellent as well. Neither are what I'd consider as "handbooks" in the traditional style, but they're too helpful to be ignored.

*** Fiction Writers Handbook. Hallie and Whit Burnett. Golden oldie.

** The New Writer's Handbook. Edited by Philip Martin.  Someone sent me a copy of this, which I understand is brand new. I'm still working through it, and I've found a few good articles, but overall what I've seen is somewhat disappointing. The typos don't help its case.

** The Indispensable Writer's Guide. Scott Edelstein. This is fairly dated by now, but there's still some good information in it, including sections on contracts, taxes, misconceptions, and resources.

BJ

A Reading List According to You

Lisa Samson tagged me for this little goodie. If you'd like to play, consider yourself tagged!  Directions follow:  -BJ

Bold the ones you've read.
Italicize the ones you want to read.
Leave in normal text the ones that don't interest you.
Put in ALL CAPS those you haven't heard of.
Put a couple of asterisks**by the ones you recommend.
Like Lisa, I put a ++ by those I started but didn't finish. 

1. The DaVinci Code (Dan Brown)++
2. Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen)
3. To Kill A Mockingbird (Harper Lee) **
4. Gone With The Wind (Margaret Mitchell) **
5. The Lord of the Rings: Return of the King (Tolkien)
6. The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring (Tolkien)
7. The Lord of the Rings: Two Towers (Tolkien)
8. Anne of Green Gables (L.M. Montgomery)**
9. Outlander (Diana Gabaldon)
10. A Fine Balance (Rohinton Mistry)
11. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (Rowling)
12. Angels and Demons (Dan Brown)
13. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (Rowling)
14. A Prayer for Owen Meany (John Irving)
15. Memoirs of a Geisha (Arthur Golden)
16. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Rowling)
17. Fall On Your Knees (Ann-Marie MacDonald)
18. The Stand (Stephen King)**
19. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (Rowling)
20. Jane Eyre (Charlotte Bronte)**
21. The Hobbit (Tolkien)
22. The Catcher in the Rye (J.D. Salinger)
23. Little Women (Louisa May Alcott)**
24. The Lovely Bones (Alice Sebold)
25. Life of Pi (Yann Martel)
26. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams)
27. Wuthering Heights (Emily Bronte)**
28. The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C. S. Lewis)**
29. East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
30. Tuesdays with Morrie (Mitch Albom)
31. Dune (Frank Herbert)
32. The Notebook (Nicholas Sparks)
33. Atlas Shrugged (Ayn Rand)**
34. 1984 (Orwell)**
35. The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley)
36. The Pillars of the Earth (Ken Follett)
37. The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay)
38. I Know This Much Is True (Wally Lamb)
39. The Red Tent (Anita Diamant) **
40. The Alchemist (Paulo Coelho)
41. The Clan of the Cave Bear (Jean M. Auel)
42. The Kite Runner (Khaled Hosseini) **
43.Confessions of a Shopahaulic (Sophie Kinsella)
44. The Five People You Meet In Heaven (Mitch Albom)
45. The Bible **
46. Anna Karenina (Tolstoy)
47. The Count of Monte Cristo (Alexandre Dumas)**
48. Angela’s Ashes (Frank McCourt)**
49. The Grapes of Wrath (John Steinbeck) **
50. She's Come Undone (Wally Lamb)
51. The Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver)**
52. A Tale of Two Cities (Dickens) **
53. Ender’s Game (Orson Scott Card)
54. Great Expectations (Dickens) **
55. The Great Gatsby (Fitzgerald)**
56. The Stone Angel (Margaret Laurence)
57. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (Rowling)
58. The Thorn Birds (Colleen McCullough)
59. The Handmaid’s Tale (Margaret Atwood)
60. The Time Traveller’s Wife (Audrey Niffenegger)
61. Crime and Punishment (Fyodor Dostoyevsky) **
62. The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand) **
63. War and Peace (Tolstoy)
64. Interview With The Vampire (Anne Rice)
65. FIFTH BUSINESS (Robertson Davies)
66. One Hundred Years Of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
67. The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants (Ann Brashares)
68. Catch-22 (Joseph Heller)
69. Les Miserables (Victor Hugo)**
70. The Little Prince (Antoine de Saint-Exupery)** 
71. Bridget Jones’s Diary (Helen Fielding)
72. Love in the Time of Cholera (Gabriel Garcia Marquez)
73. Shogun (James Clavell)**
74. The English Patient (Michael Ondaatje)
75. The Secret Garden (Frances Hodgson)
76. THE SUMMER TREE (Guy Gavriel Kay)
77. A Tree Grows In Brooklyn (Betty Smith) **
78. The World According to Garp (John Irving)
79. The Diviners (Margaret Laurence)
80. Charlotte’s Web (E.B. White)**
81. NOT WANTED ON THE VOYAGE (Timothy Findley)
82. Of Mice And Men (Steinbeck)**
83.Rebecca (Daphne DuMaurier) **
84. WIZARD'S FIRST RULE (Terry Goodkind)
85. Emma (Jane Austen) ++
86. Watership Down (Richard Adams)
87. Brave New World (Aldous Huxley)
88. The Stone Diaries (Carol Shields)
89. Blindness (Jose Saramago)
90. Kane and Abel (Jeffrey Archer)
91. In the Skin of a Lion (Michael Ondaatje)
92. Lord of the Flies (William Golding)
93. The Good Earth (Pearl S. Buck)**
94. The Secret Life of Bees (Sue Monk Kidd)**
95. The Bourne Identity (Robert Ludlum)
96. The Outsiders (S.E. Hinton)**
97. White Oleander (Janet Fitch)
98. A Woman of Substance (Barbara Taylor Bradford)**
99. The Celestine Prophecy (James Redfield)
100. Ulysses (James Joyce)