Favorite Book. Book Club. Book Thief.

Now I'm a scientist. Ha! Joking. But I did conduct a survey. A small very unscientific survey. There was no control group and the sampling of people was pretty biased. The survey went a little something like this: What is your favorite book? The question was put forth in two forms; Facebook status and general conversation. Here is a look at a few of the answers I received:

I was told that the question was impossible to answer by two people.

I didn't hear one book repeated. The thing that really struck me is how completely different each of these books are from each other.

Another thing that I found fascinating was that several of the people who answered the favorite book question had recommended books to me when I begun the challenge. Not one of those people had recommended their favorite book . Which I completely understand, a favorite book is a very personal thing.

I should follow up my survey question with another: " What makes it your favorite?"

Is it: Something you can read several times and it always feels new? A book that you can't put down? Characters you can see yourself in? A book that makes you think in a new way?

Well here is what I can tell you, I don't have a favorite book. I have several (pretty lame answer, I know, I was disappointed when I received it in my survey). I feel like every time I finish a book that I loved it becomes my favorite, so what I want to do is return to some of those books to see if the attachment is still there.

On another note, I've started a book club. March's book will be: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon

Further book club discussions will be included in future posts.

Update Book 18: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

"The Book Thief" has been added to my list of favorites (joining two others from this year). Off the top of my head I can think several reasons why I enjoyed this book.

I love the way it is written. It seems accurate for a book that takes place in WWII to be narrated by Death. He is sarcastic, funny, and captivating. Mostly, he just tells a great story.

I loved all of the characters. Actually it was more like FELL in love with them. The characters were believable, lovable, and decent. From the foster mother who cusses like a sailor, to the best friend with a heart of gold, the list goes on and on but the little girl who is our protagonist became my favorite. She is the book thief.

Disclaimer: I cried and cried and cried at the end.

The first page of this book is filled a list of literary awards it has won and critical praise like, "Brilliant and hugely ambitious... It's the kind of book that can be life changing," "Exquisitely written... a tour de force to be not just read but inhabited," and "A haunting tale that will steal your heart." All I can say is "Agreed."