Thursday, January 24, 2008

Booking Through Thursday - Huh?

Here is this week's BTT question:

What’s your favorite book that nobody else has heard of? You know, not Little Women or Huckleberry Finn, not the latest best-seller . . . whether they’ve read them or not, everybody “knows” those books. I’m talking about the best book that, when you tell people that you love it, they go, “Huh? Never heard of it?”


This is going to be a short and sweet answer because I just got home from work after a full teaching day and an evening parent meeting. My choice is Paula by Isabel Allende. Most people have heard or, or read, something by Allende, but when I mention Paula no one seems to have read it or know about it. It is Allende's account of her adult daughter's sudden illness and ultimate death. It is one of the few books that I have weeped during. I can't read the last few pages without tears in my eyes. Not because it is so overwhelmingly sad, which it is, but because of the beautiful way in which Allende immortalizes her daughter's spirit. It really is breath-taking. I think my copy may even have tear stains on it. As many of you know, I don't tend to keep books that I've already read. I pass them along to others. This is one of the books that I have kept. It is also one I don't tend to loan out because I'm afraid of losing it. I actually bought someone their own copy rather than lend them mine!

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

I haven't read a lot of Allende, and you're right - PAULA is not one of the books I've encountered. Will add it to my list.

Lori said...

Mine is "The Testament of Gideon Mack" by James Robertson. He's an award winning Scottish writer. The book is about a priest who does not really believe in God, spending time with the Devil after a strange accident. Very haunting story. Very well written.

I've heard of "Paula" and I love Allende. Just haven't gotten to that one yet.

chelsea said...

I read everyone's responses and my TBR list continues to grow. I will be searching for Paula at my library this weekend.

Anonymous said...

To the best of my knowledge I've never read any Allende - will have to look for it the next time i go to the book store ;)

J.C. Montgomery said...

The author's name sounds familiar, but until this post, I had no idea how good her work(s) were...thank you for the recommendations.

I too have favorites that I refuse to part with and in fact have started a TBR-R list. (To Be Re-Read) The Shadow of the Wind and The Time Traveler's Wife head that list.

Thank you for sharing such wonderful information. Until the next BTT....

BookGal said...

miss meliss - If you've liked her other stuff, you'll like this one.

Pres - Sounds like a great read. Do you loan it out?

Ebony - So does mine:)

Liss - I'd love to hear if you read it.

J.C. - I already have The Time Traveler's Wife on my TBR list. I've heard so many good things aboutit.

Trish @ Love, Laughter, Insanity said...

I really liked House of the Spirits, but I've never heard of Paula. I have Daughters of Fortune on my shelf; I haven't heard enough about it to want to pick it up and read it now. :)