There are many books that I read and enjoy over and over, but there are three that have been my favorites for most of my life: The Hobbit, Watership Down, and Brave New World.
- The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkein) - I don't remember what incited me to read The Hobbit for the first time as a twelve year old, but I do remember absolutely loving it. Bilbo encounters many fantastic creatures on his quest--hungry trolls, bloodthirsty goblins, angry elves, a tricksy Gollum, and an articulate and intelligent dragon. Just don't get me started on Peter Jackson's "adaptation."
- Watership Down (Richard Adams) - This is an adventure story featuring a cadre of compatriots who just happen to be rabbits. Some readers claim that it's a chilling indictment of communism, whereas Adams himself claimed it was simply a story he made up for his children. I enjoy the mythos Adams created around the secret world of rabbits, including the lapine language and the tails of the lapine legend El-ahrairah.
- Brave New World (Aldous Huxley) - I've read a few dystopias, but this one is my favorite. The structure of the world government, as well as the scientific method for growing humans and the resulting social structure make this a fascinating read. Further, I'm drawn to the struggle faced by John, a young man who grew up on a reservation but no more fits there than he does in the modern world from which his absentee father came.
Which books do you find yourself returning to multiple times, and what qualities draw you in?
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