5 Best Books

5 Best Books is hosted by Indie Reader Houston blog. This week's 5 Best Books is a category I love reading so I thought I would play. Here is my list of 5 Best Books ... that take place during war.

My All Time Favorite:

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens

Set during the French Revolution, this is probably the first classic I truly fell in love with when we read an excerpt in my 9th grade English class. It is such a lovely love story. Full of heart and compassion, yet also deceit and angst. I shed a few tears with this novel, which I made a point of reading at least once a year through high school and college. I own a cloth bound copy of this book and it is one I truly treasure.

Recent Reads:

The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman

I picked up this book at a charity book sale. I liked the cover, but it was the fact it was set in a zoo during World War II that I chose to read it. I once worked as a zookeeper and often wonder what happens to zoos during war time. After reading a bit about the book, I learned that a lot of research had been done and much of the story is fact based. When I visited eastern Europe last year I so wanted to go to Warsaw Zoo, but Warsaw was too far from our other stops. My next trip to Europe has Poland on the agenda.

Skeletons at the Feast: A Novel by Chris Bohjalian

Another wonderful read set during World War II (it is my favorite war to read about). I started blogging just so I could share this book with other readers, so go back to the beginning of my blog to see my full review. I enjoyed this story because it wasn't told from the Allies point of view (which most WWII books I read are), but a German plantation owner. Again this book is based on real life accounts. The authenticity of the story is what puts it high on my list of books you should read.

A Series:

The Hunt for Red October by Tom Clancy

Really this whole Cold War era series could be on my list, but since that is too many and I have other great war set books I'll just list the one that got me hooked on the series. I love the Jack Ryan series. I think this might have been the first real adult books I really read. It is this series that hooked me on espionage/thriller novels. (I had always loved that kind of movies, but I guess there weren't a lot of YA titles in this genre). I never got tired of reading one of Clancy's Ryan series novel no matter how many he wrote. I kind of wish he would write another just so I can experience the thrill once more.

One From Childhood:

The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

Another classic tale set during World War II. I think this book really made World War II come alive for me, you know, go beyond just words in a history textbook. It is probably also the book that peeked my interest in tragedies and dark fiction. I am always amazed at what the human spirit can endure and overcome.