Books are the bomb!!!
Here is my story. I didn't read. In high school the teachers would assign a book and I would find a way around it. No way was I going to read a book. It was boring. I think I literally never read a book all the way through until much later in life. Is that the saddest story you have ever heard? I think it is now. I pity young Whitny.
In 2008, everything changed. I found that I liked audio books. One of my first books was Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens. The beginning is a little hard to get through. I mean it's about getting a carriage up a muddy hill for heavens sake. But OH my goodness. I kept going. Wow. Just fell in love with classical writing and Charles. I have read (listened) to almost everything he has written. I read across every genre. (Well maybe not car manuals.)
I found out that I LOVE LOVE LOVE books. And I learn by listening. I knew this to a degree growing up, and now I have found that books have just changed my life completely. Since then I have read 460 books an counting. If you need a book recommendation, I am your gal. They are like my children. I love them, well all but Wuthering Heights. That's like the child that has just really disappointed you and burned down your house and you just don't want to really see them any more. Great writing, but the characters, Ugg. They are just so miserable.
So I just listened and listened and I can remember each of these books and where I was when I read them. I also realized how much I could learn so I have sprinkled history and science into the mix. Especially History.
Seriously, if you are looking for a good book send me a message. I can hook you up.
My favorite books and writers.
Thursday Next Series by Jasper Fforde
Count of Monte Cristo
Les Miserable Hugo
The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morten
Pillars of the Earth series by Ken Follett
Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon
Orbit by John Nance
Power of One by Bryce Courtenay
Scarlet Pimpernel (Way better than any tv show they did)
Cinder, Scarlet, Cress, and Winter by Marissa Meyer
Life Changing Magic of Tidying up by Condo
Scrum: The Art of Doing Twice the Work in Half the Time
Nightingale by Kristen Hannah
Atlas Shrugged By Ayn Rand
Mill on the Floss By George Elliot
Adam Bead by George Elliot
To Kill a Mockingbird
Girl on a Train by Paula Hawkins
The Clicking on Cuthbert and Pelican at Blandings by PG Whodehouse
Anatomy of Peace, Leadership and Self Deception and Outward Mindset by Arbinger Institute
Ender's Game and the series following Orson Scott Card
Earth's Children Series By Jean M Auel
Harry Potter of course
Rent Collector by Cameron Wright
Team of Rivals by Doris Kern Goodwin
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
Pope Joan
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
Kathrine by Anya Seton
Fearless by Eric Blehm
Til We Have Faces By C.S. Lewis
Mistborn Series by Brandon Sanderson
The Sea Wolf by Jack London
Anna Karenina by Tolstoy
1906 by Dalessandro
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Hurston
Uglies, Pretties, Specials and Extras Series by Scott Westerfeld
Frederick and Fredericka by Mark Helprin
I have lots more on my Goodreads profile where I track every book I read or want to read.
http://www.goodreads.com/whitnyshields