Lisa's Bookshelf

I actually have to two favorite books of all time, and both have made quite a few appearances during this challenge.  Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen is the first.  I will never forget the first time I read Pride and Prejudice.  It was a magical experience and it was probably the first time I fell in love with one of the classics (aside from a few classic children's books).  Despite the fact that it was written in the nineteenth century, and the language was outdated I really enjoyed reading it.  I love it so much that when I had finished I picked it up again and read it a second time.  I loved all the characters, especially Elizabeth Bennett, and her romance with Mr. Darcy was pure perfection.  The book is funny and heartwarming.  If I need a pick me up, this is my go to book.  

Gone with the Wind by Margaret Mitchell is in many ways the exact opposite of Pride and Prejudice. It's long, serious, and the ending is anything but happy.  My copy of Gone with the Wind is 1036 pages and I finished it in three days, which is feat for someone who is as slow a reader as I am.  I couldn't put it down.  All I did for those three days was eat, sleep, and read (it was the summer before I went off to college so there as no school to get in the way).  I actually resented sleep and food because it took time away from the book, and I went to bed far later than I should have because I had to keep reading.  Gone with the Wind was an emotional roller coaster.  Tears were literally streaming down my face for the last 100 pages and I was depressed for three days after I read it.  But it was a good depression.  That sadness meant that I was emotionally invested in the character and the story.