What Do Authors Really Read? by Janie DeVos

 

   Recently, I was asked to join a group of 7,000+ authors on the website, Shepherd.com, who have each shared a list of five books that are, to their minds, the “Best Books” in a certain category, theme or mood, and that in some way reflect the topics they write about.  To begin with, each author describes who they are, why they write what they write, and one of their books is showcased, after which, the five books they recommend are listed. 

Before I jumped on board, I asked a bunch of questions, and also perused the list of the many authors and their recommendations. What I found was that each author’s description of a particular book is brief, concise and explains why it hit the mark with them.  As a result, my list of “Must Reads” has grown so long it will take me several lifetimes to finish it. 

The theme I came up with to describe my five-book selection is, “The Best Books Portraying the Flawed but Indomitable Spirit.”  I felt that these novels accurately mirror the type of characters that I always write about; characters that are realistically fractured in ways, but ones that we can easily connect with and who are strong, resilient and tenacious.  Some of my recommendations might surprise you, and I do hope you’ll read at least a couple of them, as well as many from the authors who have compiled a really fascinating bunch of great reads. 

I’ve embedded the link below, so grab a mega-sized cup of whatever, find a place to tuck yourself away for a good while, and, as usual, happy reading!  

https://shepherd.com/best-books/the-flawed-but-indomitable-human-spirit