Whenever people ask me what my favorite book is, I always say, there are too many and it is hard to choose. It is easier to choose my favorite books from childhood. The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The book's descriptions of the garden and the healing power associated with it really struck me. I also like how Mary is a character who is not very likable at the beginning but she gradually transforms because of the garden. As an adult, I saw a book called Return to the Secret Garden or something like that (can't remember the name of the book) which was supposed to be a sequel to the beloved classic. I read the book standing in the bookstore in a few hours and hated it so much! Of course there have been a lot of criticisms of The Secret Garden from a post colonial point of view, but it still stands out as a childhood favorite.

A book that I enjoyed recently is Peter Carey's The Chemistry of Tears. I love the descriptions of the museum and the sense of mystery in the book. It also describes how a woman deals with grief in a very interesting way.