Books I Recommend

When I do writing workshops, I am often asked to recommend books and authors. Just yesterday, I did a reading from Mama's Shoes at the Princeton Public Library in Princeton, WVA and we found ourselves talking about books by Appalachian authors. I recommended books and authors that many in this group hadn't read, and I was delighted at their excitement. I decided to post my list, that is forever growing, here. I would love to hear your recommendations for a "good read."

Books I HIGHLY Recommend

To Kill a Mockingbird Harper Lee

The Help Kathryn Stoddard

Olive Kitteridge Elizabeth Strout

Gilead Marilynne Robinson

Cold Sassy Tree Olive Ann Burns

Family Linen/Oral History/Saving Grace Lee Smith

The Scarlet Thread Francine Rivers

Eli the Good/The Coal Tattoo/Clay's Quilt/A Parchmentt of Leaves Silas House

Lonesome Dove Larry McMurtry

Cold Mountain Charles Frazier

The Cove/One Foot in Eden Ron Rash

The Secret Life of Bees Sue Monk Kidd

Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant Anne Tyler

Plainson/ Eventide by Kent Haruf

The Lovely Bones Alice Sebold

Snow Falling on Cedars David Guterson

The Dollmaker Harriette Arnow

She's Come Undone Wally Lamb

Beloved/Home  Toni Morrison

Poisonwood Bible Barbara Kingsolver

The Typist Michael Knight

Room Emma Donoghue

The Color Purple Alice Walker

Pilgrim at Tinker Creek  Annie Dillard

Bloodroot Amy Greene

Tinkers Paul Harding

Their Eyes Were Watching God Zora Neale Hurston

Winter’s Bone by Daniel Woodrell

The Unquiet Earth/Storming Heaven Denise Giardina

Moon Women/Plant Life/The Big Beautiful Pam Duncan

River of Earth James Still

The Common Man Maurice Manning 

My Sister's Keeper/The Pact/ Nineteen Minutes Jodi Picoult

I must say that once I fall in love with an author, I read everything by that writer! If you notice, there are writers listed who have many more works than I listed. It goes without saying that I recommend all of that writer's works.