Guest post by Frank Mundo. You can follow Frank on Twitter or visit his site at Examiner.com.

My wife says that I only like to read sad books. She says that, when we go to the bookstore and she reads the summaries on the backs of the books that I just bought, she can tell right away if I’m going to like them or not, long before I even read them. And she’s usually right, too. At least, she’s right about whether or not I’ll end up liking them.

But just because she’s right doesn’t mean that I only like to read sad books. If fact. I think her books are way sadder than mine. She likes crime fiction mainly, those authors with long series of books based on some sort of theme, like the alphabet, colors or numbers. She likes One for Evanovich and G is for Grafton the most. She likes Patricia Cornwell, too, but lately she’s been more into Karen Slaughter, who’s like Cornwell’s way darker and way edgier and way sadder little sister.

These books are more than just crime fiction, sure. I get it. They’re about tough women, funny women, strong women, who, as the bodies and horrid images of mutilation and murder pile up, always seem to get their “man” in the end. Again and again. Book after book.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not a book snob.

I love a good potboiler. In fact, Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett, Cornell Woolrich and, more recently, Walter Mosley are some of my favorite writers of all time, and I consider their books classics, the kind of books I turn to again and again, book after book, to admire their craft.

But sometimes when I read, most of the time, I guess, I want more than just entertainment, and more than just great writing or great storytelling. I want experience. I want to plunge myself into the world of someone else and to walk in their shoes for a few days. And those long series of happy-ending books just don’t do it for me.

You see, I love to read. And I consider myself a good reader, an empathetic reader, the best kind! It’s not just a hobby or a pastime for me. It’s a huge part of life, of who I am. It’s why, for the last decade or so, I’ve continued to write about books and writers even though I’ve made very little money at it. It’s why I suffered through the odd stares and raised eyebrows I got whenever people found out that I worked two jobs, 65 hours a week, just to pay for my college tuition as an English major.

But, to settle the debate, my wife and I have agreed to leave it in your hands.

Below you will find three books that I’ve recently read and extremely enjoyed that my wife says proves that I only like to read sad books. The books are all very different from one another. One is from 1970, one from 1996 and one is from 2005. Two of the books are fiction and one is a memoir – and each book’s protagonist is extremely different.

All of the books, however, have three things in common.

1) They are all coming-of-age stories

2) Each of the main characters face very challenging circumstances

3) I will never forget these incredible people. They’ve each managed to join forces with the hundreds of sad Holden Caulfields and lonely Arturo Bandinis who live joyfully forever in my memories.

I’m not going to review them any further or continue to persuade you to the dark and sad side. If you choose to participate in this debate, however, (whether you’ve already read these books or not) I only ask that you report back here and share what you think about these works. Am I just a sad sap reader, or is there more to these works than what wells up the eyes? I leave it in your hands…Happy reading!

1)      Push by Sapphire

2)      The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls

3)      The Greatest Thing That Almost Happened by Don Robertson

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“A good book on your shelf is a friend that turns its back on you and remains a friend.” ~Author Unknown

At TJCC we achieve collective learning through the deep conversations and intimate connections that first germinate in our posts, then blossom through comments and emails. It’s a natural fit for us to have an ongoing feature where contributors and editors share those resources that reflect the more personal part of our cultural learning center.

Why Books?

Why didn’t we choose to highlight our authenticity by noting our favorite artist, our favorite film, our favorite cheese?

We might someday. But let’s start with books, the origins of our formal classroom learning. And mix it up with life lessons.

Books we love most tell the true tale of who we are. It is in between the pages where we can examine fragile thoughts without breaking them, or handle incendiary ideas without fear of getting burned.

Books have told stories, delivered valuable lessons and harbored the best and worst of humanity for hundreds of years. Textbooks, e-books, biographies and anthologies. Children’s books, language and poetry books.

Books are some of the sharpest tools in the cultural learning toolbox. By writing them, we create ideas. By reading them, we learn.

Books have the power to educate and unify. Regardless of cultural differences.

A List with Lessons

We went beyond listing the books; we wanted to share what our favorite books truly meant to us by way of the lasting impact contained in their message.

Through sharing, we initiate conversation – a single person, in small to large groups, and through societies scattered across the globe. We gathered our collective wisdom to teach one another – and share here with you.

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Frank Mundo

My favorite book is Ask the Dust by Los Angeles writer John Fante. Reading this book changed my life forever. I was 18 years old and I loved to read and write, but this book made me want to be a writer. There’s just something magical about the writing: it’s poetry and prose — it’s art and craft — even now. I read it every couple of years, and each time I find something new and more wonderful than the last. Like Charles Bukowski, Fante was my God in the darkest and lonliest time of my life. I can’t imagine a more important book to me than Ask the Dust.

Christa Avampato

My favorite book is Alice in Wonderland. For a recommended resource, I’d list a book I just finished: Inside Obama’s Brain. The book has incredible life lessons for everyone, no matter what we do for a living or how we spend our free time. Obama’s confidence and belief in his destiny are powerful motivators. I just spoke to the author for Examiner.com and what surprised him most about Obama is Obama’s ability to imagine how all the different routes he could take in life would manifest in the long run. A tremendous use of analytical thinking to build idealistic dreams.

Tara Joyce

The book is Where the Sidewalk Ends by Shel Silverstein. Why? As a kid, I don’t think there was a single book I read more. I would repeatedly take this collection of poems out of the library and pour over them like I was reading them for the first time. Reflecting on the emotions this book stirs in me today, I observe that Shel’s energetic, whimsical and hopeful writing-style, and the eccentric drawings that complimented his poems, connect with my need for authentic self-expression, support my belief that my dreams can be shaped into reality, and provide me with assurance that even in adulthood, I can still be child-like and fun-loving.

Sean Platt

I can’t possibly pick a favorite book, as I’ve been inhaling pages since I could string sentences together. However, I’ll pick a book by Mark Halprin, Solider of the Great War, since it was the first book that floored me with it’s poetic language. I remember reading it and thinking, How can anyone articulate simple thought with such majesty? But he did. I think in a quiet way, that book had something to do with my eventually moving my own pen across the page.

Elisa Philips

My favorite book right now is Outliers by Malcom Gladwell. Reinforced the need to think differently about the way we educate children and foster talents which take 10+ years to form. Every child should be educated (build more schools not jails) and the standards for schools should be taken up about 5 notches. Bridge the gap between public and private school. If kids in the Bronx can do it, anyone can.

Dani at Positively Present

As an avid reader, it’s really hard to pin down my absolute favorite book. It’s hard to even think of my top five favorite books. So, instead of discussing the book that’s my favorite, I’m going to talk about the book that’s influenced me the most lately.

On a recent business trip, I picked up a copy of Positivity by Barbara Frederickson. I’d been meaning to read this book for awhile, considering I have a blog that focuses on positivity, but I’d never gotten around to reading it. When I saw it propped up in a small bookshop staring me in the face, I decided it was high time I picked up a copy. And, man, am I glad I did. The book has impacted in more in the past few days that almost any book I’ve read. I can hardly put it down and my mind is racing with all of the great information, most of which I can attest to first hand. It’s the kind of book I believe anyone and everyone interested in changing their lives for the better should read.

I could go on forever about books I love (and for more on those, check out the “Brilliant Books” section on www.positivelypresent.com), but this one has had a tremendous impact on me lately and I would recommend it to anyone. If you haven’t already read it, pick up a copy ASAP!

Amanda Hirsch

Favorite book: The Artist’s Way, by Julia Cameron

What I learned: The Artist’s Way is my gospel – it unlocked the artist trapped inside me, and set me on the path of living my life as a work of art.

Kellie Fitzgerald

My favorite book is constantly evolving. Most recently, it is A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. While reading this book, I was reminded that the female spirit and the relationships that we form with one another are incredibly resilient. I was moved by Mariam & Laila’s ability to find pleasure in simple things like a cup of tea or the moonlight on a warm night amidst their life of unimaginable loss, violence, injustice and suffering.

Stephanie Finigan

Fave book: (such a hard question!): A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. What did I learn: That geeks and misfits really do end up as the cool kids you admire and wish you were friends with. Oh and one more just b/c I loved this book so so much (who didn’t??): She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb. I learned: There is always hope!

Join the conversation! What’s your favorite book? What did you learn?

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Post written by Laura Cococcia. You can follow Laura on Twitter.

I recently saw a post on Facebook that said “my personal goal is to read all of John Irving’s books by the time I die.”

I want to steal that goal. Is that allowed?

Are you a fan of The Cider House Rules, A Prayer for Owen Meany, A Widow For One Year, The Hotel New Hampshire? Me too. And I’m just diving into John Irving’s latest, Last Night in Twisted River. Loving it.

As a child, I remember seeing The World According to Garp in my father’s library. Since I couldn’t read much more than 10 pages at six years old, I wasn’t tempted to take it down, but always thought it was a cool title.

Not too long ago, I picked it up. More like lifted it up. It’s more than 570 pages of the best fiction I’ve ever read.

Luckily, I was on holiday in Grand Cayman when I read it, so had plenty of time to lounge in my hammock and soak up one of my Top Ten favorite books of all time. All Top Ten books demand a review.

Writing, Death and Lust

Garp is a fascinating character. Do a little research after you read the book and you’ll see that much of Garp’s narrative reflects Irving’s own life. Garp takes us on his sequential life journey, which tackles themes like death, feminism, being a writer and (gasp!) lust.

The feminism and lust themes include a few interesting tangents. Garp’s mother, a self-proclaimed asexual character, writes a novel entitled “A Sexual Suspect,” which quickly becomes an acclaimed best-seller. Garp also seeks out a number of experiences with prostitutes, which end up providing him ‘that type’ of education his mother couldn’t offer.

Also, Garp’s wife and her indiscretions represent the complete opposite of this mother’s sexual philosophies, a juxtaposition that at first glance, might seem trite. But Irving flaunts a bit of his word magic to make the subject matter diverse and keep the reader entranced.

I could write a thesis about Irving’s character development skills and the philosophical merits of his other thematic insights and impact on American literature.

Actually, that sounds like a really good thesis title.

Even if the length of The World According to Garp seems daunting, I encourage you to invest a bit of time in Irving’s masterpiece.

I will, however, discourage you from watching the movie, which was produced five years later. I thought it would enforce my Garp infatuation, but all it did was make me sad. And it even starred Robin Williams. Who always made me happy. Bummer.

But the book rocks.

Have you read The World According to Garp or any other John Irving works? What did you think? Viewpoints of all colors, shapes and sizes welcome.

Also be sure to check out the series “10 Questions on Reviewing” over at Lemon Hound.  A variety of perspectives on book and poetry reviews, approaches and lessons.

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