Favorite Books

I liked this quote I read on Merc's site: "A man is known by the books he reads." — Ralph Waldo Emerson. I think it is very true. So I thought it fitting to list my top three favorite books (granted this is on a list a mile long, I am a nerd and proud of it).
1) Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn. This book is responsible for (to use my husband's term) "waking me up". I first read it in high school after a friend, who was more "awake" than I was at the time, allowed me to read his copy. I of course own my own copy now and have read it multiple times. I always turn to it when I feel I need a little motivation for my continued quest of saving the world. It is now sufficiently written in and dog-eared, the way all good books should be.
2) Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte. Not entirely sure why I love this book so much, but I do. It may be the classical, romantic (as in time period and style not mushy) elements, as well as the hints of feminism. This spot could be tied with Mary Shelley's Frankenstein. If you have not read it, you should. I would also recommend reading any cliff notes or study guides with it, as I read it for two different classes and believe you need to know all of the background of this great novel to get the full effect of it beauty.
3) Beyond Civilization, also by Daniel Quinn. Another book which is written in and dog-eared. Short read but well worth the time. May be necessary to read Ishmael first in order to grasp what he is getting at. I guess I should just say that I adore Daniel Quinn and everything he has written.
3)b) Again there is a tie here, with Jared Diamond's Collapse. I had the extreme pleasure of hearing Dr. Diamond speak last month and I certainly agree with the President of my university calling him "one of the greatest minds of our time".

Some day I shall make a full list of all the wonderful books I have read as well as categorizing my thoughts and feelings about them. By someday I mean before I turn 80, because that is when I assume I will stop taking college courses and will have some free time =).