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 For some, it was a childhood storybook.

For others, a spiritual guide to faith.

For still others, a cherished fantasy layered with colorful characters in a faraway world.

Some of you knew the answer right away. Some fumed that we'd dare force you to choose only one. There were well-known classics, hidden gems, pulp-laden thrillers and even political tomes.

We asked for your favorite book of all time, and here is what you had to say.

"Angela's Ashes"

By Frank McCourt

Nothing is more inspiring than reading true stories of triumph over misfortune. McCourt tells the story of his dismal childhood with honesty and humor. It is an ordinary person's extraordinary story. It inspires me to write my own life story, not someday, but now.

Y.F. Sadjadi, High Point

The Bible

It contains everything I like in one book. It includes poetry, history, philosophy, love stories, adventure and drama. There are strong kings and beautiful queens, sturdy warriors and romantic lovers. There are angels and demons, prophecy and revelations.

Christine McCarthy, Greensboro

It tells me my message for life. I am 86 and I try to do the right thing, and as I am a sinner, reformed in the Presbyterian faith and live the church life, I need and have the word to go by. There is no book greater in the world.

Mildred Lewey, Greensboro

At 15, I made a decision and joined Shady Grove Wesleyan Church in Colfax. An exemplary senior member, Essie Bowman, gave me a King James Bible that has proven to be my favorite book for 64 years. The contents are a bridge from the past to present and future. A guide, per examples, is the answer to any need for optimum quality of living, my catalyst in daily communication.

Jessie Donathan-Howard, Greensboro

It is a supernatural book because it is given by inspiration of God, 2 Timothy 3:16.

Reid Joyce, High Point

Because of the vast knowledge and wisdom given to us by God, I consider this book to be my instruction booklet. Just as Solomon asked God for wisdom and spoke 3,000 proverbs and wrote 1,005 songs, by following the Bible's instructions, we can have the same.

Jan Laughlin, Randleman

When I read it, I am less anxious. I feel reassured, and most of all, I know God loves me and cares all about the big things and small ones in my life. My Bible is a blueprint by which I can live my life in love.

Ben Jones, Greensboro

All-time bestseller written by inspiration of God himself. Up-to-date, living word of divine unity with an eternal design and purpose. Love, mercy and grace prevail against the dilemma of sin and death. Triumphant truths as God reveals his perfect plan for all mankind.

Mary Cheek, Greensboro

With its rich divine authority, it is food for my faith. It educates, inspires, motivates and warns of patterns of conduct to avoid. It scrutinizes, challenges and encourages my life. It helps me to believe the truth. Through this I find love, joy, peace, contentment and deliverance from despair.

Amin K. Haddad, Greensboro

"Jane Eyre"

By Charlotte Bronte

I read it when I was 13 or 14, 69 years ago. It had everything an adolescent desired: a heroine who was smart, misunderstood and mistreated. Nevertheless, she was able to make her own way. The story had romance, mystery, scary parts and after many disappointments, the perfect ending.

Betty Lou Bruton, Biscoe

"South of Broad"

By Pat Conroy

The main "character" in this novel is the city of Charleston, though the cast of human characters is rich, varied and deeply Southern. Conroy's artistry with words is breathtaking as he wields his pen like a Picasso, painting an achingly-beautiful portrait of a unique Southern city and its people.

Linda Faltin, High Point

"The Thorn Birds"

By Colleen McCullough

The author transported me to Australia, a country of great interest. When I later visited the Outback, I visualized the Cleary family and Drogheda. Who could ever forget Meggie and Father Ralph? I was captivated by the whole family saga. Yes, I will keep a copy in my bookcase -- ready for a bloody good re-read.

Patsy Troutma, Colfax

This is the most romantic, touching and earthshaking book that I have read. Although I read this book years ago, I'll never forget the passionate, forbidden love that the two main characters shared.

Hurlyn Barksdale, Greensboro

"Pride and Prejudice"

By Jane Austen

A superbly written novel, it displays timeless social misunderstandings in an 18th-century setting. It is a glorious and compelling love story that baffles and infuriates, as well as exhilarates and amuses us as readers and as people who continually err in judgment.

Katie Shelton, Greensboro

"Look Homeward, Angel"

By Thomas Wolfe

The honest, perceptive story of a boy's struggle toward maturity. Produced from the author's uncanny memory, framed in his poetic prose, it is so skillfully told that it grips the reader, who identifies with his search for the meaning of life. A work of genius.

J. Sam Johnson, Greensboro

"The Neverending Story"

By Michael Ende

As Bastian reads this book about Atreyu, the hero he wishes he were, he becomes part of the book and embarks on an amazing journey, discovering his self-worth. When you find a treasure like this, you read it countless times.

Amanda Holt, Greensboro

Continued from Page H

"To Kill a Mockingbird"

By Harper Lee

In spite of all the tragic moments in the book, this brilliant story, as told through the eyes of a child, touches your emotions on all levels. In the end, it leaves you feeling positive about mankind. You are taken from despair to joy, with the realization that good can come from evil.

Genny Cobrda, Greensboro

When I first read this, I thought, 'What a great book.' Since that time I still feel it's the best book I have ever read, and I even picked it for the book club and have the movie on tape.

Lois Rankin, Greensboro

"Atlas Shrugged"

By Ayn Rand

When I am at the point that I am asking, "Who is John Galt?" I know it is time to once again read it. My faith in total respect for the individual is nourished, and the courage to believe in myself and my ideals is restored.

Linda Taft, Greensboro

A fictional account of how individuals fight back to preserve the integrity of their talents and their work after socialism has crept into the hearts and minds of the greater population and the desire for false, unattainable equality becomes the first concern of America.

Jo Ann Newman, High Point

"Heart of Darkness"

By Joseph Conrad

An account of a man's physical and moral disintegration in the Belgian Congo, told by the captain of a riverboat sent to rescue him, stands unsurpassed as a profound and disturbing analysis of the human psyche, the nature of evil and the means of resisting it.

Donald Darnell, Greensboro

"Shogun"

By James Clavell

Set in feudal Japan, it quickly transports the reader to a beautiful, ancient land on the brink of civil war. Political intrigue, forbidden love, bloodshed and unforgettable characters propelled by Clavell's headlong descriptive narrative make this my ultimate favorite book.

Robert Marsh, Kernersville

"The Old Man and the Boy"

By Robert Ruark

I become that boy that Ruark lets have fishing and hunting adventures in coastal North Carolina. The old man's (grandfather's) philosophy colorfully adds humor and common sense to the values he teaches the boy in how to be at peace with man and nature.

George Setzer, Greensboro

It is absolutely beautiful in its simplicity and lack of ostentation, the story of the relationship of grandfather and grandson who spent summers together in the coastal North Carolina town of Southport. The "old man," a retired riverboat captain, taught the pre-teen boy the delights of nature, the intricacies of hunting and fishing.

Leo Derrick, Asheboro

"A Lesson Before Dying"

By Ernest J. Gains

The story of two heroes. Heroes who did what was right. Not popular, easy or lucrative, but right. One taught another man, discarded by the community, to read. The man who learned to read faced the most terrifying situation imaginable and never blinked or backed down.

Roger J. Crotty, Asheboro

"Memories of Carolinian Immigrants: Autobiographies, Diaries, and Letters From Colonial Times to the Present"

We learn through historical research and personal writings the history of the Carolinas starting in 1700 to the present. It helps to understand the cultural fabric of two states and the changing demographics. The book gives insight into where Carolinians came from and their new lives in the Carolinas.

Gisela Hood, Oak Ridge

"Slow is Beautiful: New Visions of Community, Leisure and Joie de Vivre"

By Cecile Andrews

This book reminds us that a rich life requires that we hold as sacred the values of conversation and exuberance for life. The book's hopeful message is that dialogue, truth and transformative possibilities for our communities are interconnected through service and a commitment to social justice.

Spoma Jovanovic, Greensboro

"The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society"

By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

It highlights the effects of World War II on the Channel Islands, an area largely ignored by history books, and is a charming story of an amazing group of people. You'll come away believing you have made wonderful new friends.

Pat Mackall, Greensboro

"Undaunted Courage"

By Stephen E. Ambrose

Here's a patriotic lift, adventure, travel, history, lessons in stamina, all in one. Lewis and Clark and their small troop showed this "undaunted courage" as they explored the known wilderness of the Louisiana Purchase to report its vast geography and newly acquired riches to President Thomas Jefferson. Inspiring!

Mary L. Speidel, Greensboro

"One Hundred Years of Solitude"

By Gabriel Garcia Marquez

It addresses humanity's struggles profoundly. With his brilliant poetic style, Marquez deftly weaves a fantastic tale of the mythical Buendia family, founders of the town Macondo, experiencing war, natural calamity, the railroad, the banana company, human passion and frailty.

Danny Glenn, Greensboro

"Stoner"

By John Williams

Williams creates a quiet, unforgettable English professor, teaching at a small Midwestern town, one who adds nothing to the canon and lives an unremarkable life, personally and academically. Stoner dies virtually unmourned. The reader is privy to all this information in the novel's first few pages.

Joe Benson, Greensboro

"The Burgess Bird Book for Children"

By Thornton W. Burgess

Dad's 1950 gift of this book spawned a lifelong hobby leading me to more than 20 years of feeding and counting birds for Cornell University and to being the first president of the N.C. Bluebird Society. My sons and granddaughter are also birders, all because of this book.

Bea Mansfield, Reidsville

"Treasure Forest"

By Cat Bordhi

A young-adult fiction book with lots of adventure and imagination, it deals with family issues, developing one's internal resources, learning new skills and being open to new experiences. It has nicely defined characters and a good story line that flows along well.

Kathleen Crapse, Reidsville

"The Shadow of the Wind"

By Carlos Ruiz Zafon

When Daniel, the son of an antique bookseller in post-war Barcelona, selects an obscure book from the "Cemetery of Forgotten Books," his quest to find its long-disappeared author changes his life forever. I love a good mystery &ellipses; especially if I am guided through it by complex characters the author has taught me to care about.

Micki Carnaghi, Greensboro

"The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay"

By Michael Chabon

A World War II-based Pulitzer Prize-winning epic written in 2000, it centers on the comics and the war but appeals to those with no interest in either. It is, itself, amazing.

Mike Clark, Greensboro

"Anna Karenina"

By Leo Tolstoy

Who can forget the opening: "All happy families are alike; every unhappy family is unhappy in its own way." Dostoevsky declared it to be "flawless as a work of art." His opinion was shared by Nabokov, who admired the motif of the moving train, subtly introduced early when the children were playing with a toy train and heralding the novel's majestic finale.

Jackie Upton, Greensboro

"John Paul the Great"

By Peggy Noonan

Peggy Noonan, a best-selling author and a former CBS News correspondent, writes so well that once you start reading her books, you don't want to put them down. She explores the pontiff''s life as a source of remarkable spiritual energy. If you are searching for spiritual wisdom, this is a book you must read.

Matthew Thekkekandam, High Point

"Walking With The Wind: A Memoir of the Movement"

By John Lewis with Michael D'Orso

John Lewis humbly traces his path from rural poverty on a sharecropper farm in Alabama to the halls of Congress. Along the way he takes you front and center to many of the major events of the civil rights movement. This is a great story of faith, courage and determination.

Chip Berry, Greensboro

"The Red Tent"

By Anita Diamant

A wonderful page turner about Dinah, daughter of Leah and Jacob. Though probably enjoyed more by women readers, it's one that everyone can relate to. It puts forth a different picture of Leah and Rachel than the Bible presents.

Glenda Layton, Carthage

"Goodnight Moon"

By Margaret Wise Brown

This became my favorite book after I read it all summer to my granddaughter, Ursula, born 16 weeks early and still in ICU after six months. She was fascinated by pages alternating between color and black-and-white illustrations. Margaret Wise Brown's poetry and art are truly magical.

Annabel Link, Greensboro

"The Book Thief"

By Markus Zusak

It will beg you to find someone else with whom to share it. Set in Nazi Germany, it is a tender-hearted story of a hiding Jewish family and their triumphs and losses. Cleverly narrated in the omniscient voice by an overworked grim reaper; it's not told morbidly, but reverently.

Kyle Jackson, Greensboro

"The Help"

By Kathryn Stockett

In Mississippi during the Martin Luther King Jr. era, black maids contend daily with their white mistresses, who do not consider them whole or feeling human beings. When two maids join a young white woman to publish a book exposing domestic life from the blacks' point of view, the town gets nervous.

Karlyn Shankland, Greensboro

"Mary Poppins"

By P.L. Travers

I discovered her in the first grade, and I have loved all books ever since. Her magic and coming to care for the children was lovely to me. I have four "Mary Poppins" books on my nightstand, and still, just having them there means so much to me.

Janet Grissom, Kernersville

"Water for Elephants"

By Sara Gruen

This book has everything: adventure, mystery, good, evil, love, hate, tragedy and triumph as experienced by a hero whose ordinary life becomes extraordinary. There are times that Jacob's story is utterly depressing, but that just makes the conclusion so much more satisfying. The reader will always remember it and smile.

Nancy Elkins, Greensboro

"Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil"

By John Berendt

It is a real hoot! All the characters are eccentric and unbelievable, although they are or were real people living in Savannah. When I read this book, it keeps me laughing. I don't feel like I am reading a book for a test, and it does not teach a moral. This book takes me away from the problems of the day, and after all, we can use a good laugh occasionally.

Mae R. Brown, Greensboro

"The Yearling"

By Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

I read and loved the book and have read it two times in the 70 years since then. Perhaps it is because I was denied the right to read it that makes it my favorite, but I truly think it had a great deal to do with my learning to like and appreciate "good" books. At the age of 80, I still am thankful that I am able to read and enjoy them.

Royce H. Riddick, Greensboro

"Cold Sassy Tree"

By Olive Ann Burns

Fourteen-year-old Will Tweedy comes of age in Cold Sassy, Ga., in 1906. As this rollicking, sensitive, charming, tale-twisting novel unfolds, it will melt over you like butter on a hot ear of corn -- sweet, lip-smacking silver queen, to be sure. Truly, an exemplary southern novel not to be missed.

Tom Hardin, Greensboro

"The Lord of the Rings"

By J.R.R. Tolkien

My very successful, lifelong relationship with the love of my life has at its roots a mutual passion for the same great book. It has been a constant in our life since we took turns reading aloud to one another more than 30 years ago.

Daniel S. Nicholson, Greensboro

In my opinion, my favorite book of all time is also the greatest work of the 20th century. I first read it in September 1966, the same month as Bilbo Baggins' eleventy-first birthday.

David Angel, Summerfield

Vast eons of history, a meticulously detailed and believable alternate world, epic scope, lovable characters, the triumph of the underdog, gorgeous prose and an indefinable atmosphere of magic and delight make this book my favorite book after 32 years and 15 readings.

Stephen G. Wessells, Greensboro

"The Hobbit"

By J.R.R. Tolkien

My home life during high school was filled with darkness and unexpected "adventures." This book provided escape and hope while inspiring me to read and learn about a world filled with promise. Consequently, I became the first member of my family to attend college.

George A. Boschini, Greensboro

"Eat This, Not That: Supermarket Survival Guide"

By David Zinczenko

I have never read a book this informative and critical to overall good health for everyone! One doesn't always believe what one reads (sorry, journalists), but whatever one believes, this book brings healthy eating/living to the forefront of life.

Judith Abraham, Greensboro

"The Good Earth"

By Pearl S. Buck

It introduced the world to China. In this 1930s novel, Wang Lung, a poor farmer, struggled to attain prosperity. After realizing his dream, he lost everything by succumbing to greed. Sound familiar? Apparently, shysters sabotaging our current economy missed the wisdom embodied in this classic.

Sandra Redding, Greensboro

"A People's History of the United States"

By Howard Zinn

It's a must-read for anyone who wants to know the truth about how we got here, where we are and where we are headed. You are a better citizen after reading it.

Michael L. Sileno, Greensboro

"The Perfect Husband"

By Lisa Gardner

This book had everything a great fiction book should have: suspense, romance, action and drama. This novel was so beautifully written that as I was reading it I could picture the scenes in my head. Some of the scenes were so good I read those pages twice. A great summer read.

Jewel Aiken, Eden

"Hotel Paradise"

By Martha Grimes

Its engaging heroine, Emma, on the cusp of puberty, makes salads, mixes drinks, confounds her nemeses, finds friends everywhere and uncovers a mystery in her mother's aging resort hotel. I adore plucky Emma and treasure the nostalgia she engenders.

Mary A. Browning, Jamestown

"How Green Was My Valley"

By Richard Llewellyn

A beautifully written story of a poor mining family in turn-of-the-century Wales, through the eyes of Huw, the youngest of the Morgan children. This favorite book could be the story of my Welsh grandparents.

Sandra Barnes, Greensboro

"And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street"

By Dr. Seuss

Even after more than 60 years, each time I read it I am enthralled with its rhymes and pictures and the premise that one's imagination can make even the most mundane activity (such as walking home from school) exciting.

Peggy Clapper, Greensboro

"Black Elk Speaks"

By John Neihardt

A captivating story of magic, suspense, tragedy, life, love and everything in between -- all truth. The protagonist: Oglala Lakota Sioux medicine man Black Elk. The villain: Our American frontiersmen. Translated from vigorous dialogue between the man himself and John Neihardt, the story is an immense gift, not to be ignored.

Daniel Peoples, Asheboro

"Paradise Lost"

By John Milton

Twenty-first-century America's economic meltdown and sick health system beg for an antidote to collective hubris. "Paradise" is that medicine because it dares to "justify the ways of God to men." The currency and cure of "In God, We Trust" is devalued without this understanding.

Stephen McCollum, Greensboro

"Song of the Dodo"

By David Quammen

Without ever becoming preachy, this book tells why the destruction of natural habitats and the extinction of species matters to all of us. It will change the way you see the world.

Reid Phillips, Greensboro

"The Thread That Runs So True"

By Jesse Stuart

As a native, and resident then, of mountainous West Virginia, I understood the rural young Kentucky teacher's life depicted. With our two young children, we visited Stuart in 1970. With two personal letters, he inscribed a book to each of us.

Don Francis, Whitsett

"Middlemarch"

By George Eliot

A literary feast with compelling characters and subplots and, most important, the heroine Dorothea Brooke, who is trapped in an ill-chosen and unfulfilling marriage but manages to enrich the lives of everyone she encounters, a vivid example of goodness and purpose.

Bettie Knox Johnson, Greensboro

"Death at an Early Age"

By Jonathan Kozol

The cover of my copy says, "The classic indictment of inner-city education." With anger and compassion, Kozol documented his experiences teaching in a ghetto school in Boston in 1964-65. Today he continues to advocate for the children, still marginalized and underserved in our nation's schools.

Martha Crotty, Asheboro

"Little Women"

By Louisa Mae Alcott

Reading this book many years ago while in junior high school, I felt I was there participating in the lives of Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy. I reveled in Jo's attempts to be a professional woman in a man's world. I cried at Beth's death, and I felt a comforting warmth reading about Marmee's loving kindnesses to the community, her daughters and husband.

Jan Davenport, Siler City

"A Tree Grows in Brooklyn"

By Betty Smith

The plot is rich, without unnecessary detail or drama. The characters are real mixes of good and not so good. Hope and perseverance live in the story just as unpretentiously as the namesake tree.

Norma Matto, Greensboro

"The Intimate Merton: His Life from His Journals"

By Thomas Merton; edited by Patrick Hart and Jonathan Montaldo

Thomas Merton was a Trappist monk and a spiritual giant whose writings and journals continue to inspire me as a spiritual seeker. This book has been culled from the seven volumes of his personal journals.

Stimp Hawkins, Greensboro

"Angels Always Near"

By Lynn Valentine

Every word, from the introduction to the end, gives the reader hope. It also reminds each of us to never take for granted the wonderful people that we meet. Kindness and concern for others is shown throughout the book. Prayers are powerful. Miracles are performed over and over again.

L.V. Kite, Greensboro

"Watchers"

By Dean Koontz

Travis Cornell has an encounter with a stray golden retriever named Einstein, who is incredibly smart. The plot involves genetic manipulation and the creation of two unusual animals: "Einstein" and a murderous creature called the "Outsider." Hunted by both the government and a hired killer, Travis tries to keep Einstein safe.

Barbara Bolden, Eden

"On the Road"

By Jack Kerouac

In the 1950s, a red-blooded American male was expected to play ball, get a diploma and a degree, wed and beget. Thank God, Jack Kerouac created a travel guide that celebrated the panorama beyond the parade ground and the joy and pain of being oneself.

Michael Gaspeny, Greensboro

"Let the Great World Spin"

By Colum McCann

I have been reading books for 72 years now and have never been so delighted and intrigued with any book. ... McCann's prose is pure poetry, such evocative combinations of words, and the story is built so beautifully. There's a glorious love story, tragedy for those the main man is attempting to care for, the comical interaction between mothers of those lost in the Vietnam War, and more.

Gay Cheney, Browns Summit

"Gone With the Wind"

By Margaret Mitchell

Scarlett O'Hara, the heroine, survived heartbreak, a war and poverty; ever resourceful, if Plan A didn't work, Scarlett always had Plan B. My second favorite book? "Cold Mountain"? "Pride and Prejudice"? I'll think about that tomorrow.

Brenda Boyce, Greensboro

"Summer of the Skunks"

By Wilmoth Foreman

A story of misadventure involving a mother skunk, her babies, a down-on-his-luck alcoholic and a trifling relative all needing a place to stay -- whether inside, outside or even under the house. Summer chaos reigns.

De Gilmore, Greensboro

"A Prayer for Owen Meany"

By John Irving

This book challenges my core beliefs. As I read it, I am constantly evaluating my stands on love, death and redemption as compared to those of the struggling main characters, a pair of boys who grow to manhood during the Vietnam War era. I plan to read and re-read this novel as long as I am able.

Martha Balsley, Reidsville

"There's a Hair in My Dirt! A Worm's Story"

By Gary Larson

It's a cute story about a youthful worm that complains upon finding a hair in his dinner (dirt). Packed in beside Gary Larson's great humor and wonderful color illustrations are educational tidbits and great use of scientific vocabulary. It's entertaining for all ages.

Betsy Buhrman, Greensboro

"Full of Grace"

By Dorothy Benton Frank

It is currently my most favorite. The story had a wonderful Italian cultural background. An up-to-date theme regarding science issues about stem-cell research and an inspiring religious theme.

Nancy Valentino, Greensboro

"The Jungle"

By Upton Sinclair

I read this for a sociology class many years ago, but it's still relevant, although published in 1906. Telling of inhumane and unsanitary conditions in Chicago slaughterhouses, it led to passage of pure food laws. Workman's compensation and OSHA would only come much later to protect employees.

Marlene C. Nielsen, Greensboro

"Out and About"

By Shirley Hughes

Some of the most satisfying moments in my life were spent reading aloud to my children. For us a particular favorite was an illustrated book of poems called "Out and About." Recalling it today, I am again transported to "backyards full of shrieks and splashes."

Barry K. Miller

"Kane and Abel"

By Jeffrey Archer

One born into wealth, the other completely destitute. How these two men grew up and how they lived.

David R. Bassin, High Point

"Eat, Pray, Love"

By Elizabeth Gilbert

Each of us faces adversity in our lives. Elizabeth Gilbert shows us that the answers lie within us through our interaction with others through God. Faith through adversity, discovering self through diversity and not taking ourselves so seriously are the true answers to peace in our lives.

Babs Gill, Greensboro

"The Last Child"

By John Hart

Local author John Hart has written this book of lost children, lost parents and lost innocence. It is one of the best I've read because it combines mystery, thriller, history and emotional journey all wrapped up into one awesome read. Realism is the key, and exceptional characters are the icing on the cake.

Beverley D. Albright, McLeansville

"At First Sight"

By Nicholas Sparks

It is one of his best love stories. His characters walked right off the pages, revealing what the meaning of true, unconditional love is. Every emotion hit me, from laughter, to tears, to love, to real-life experiences. A thread of love woven throughout with a surprise ending.

Linda Gearhart, Greensboro

"Girls of Tender Age"

By Mary-Ann Tirone Smith

Two people shaped the author's childhood: her older, autistic brother and her friend Irene, murdered while they were in fifth grade. This memoir is riveting and beautifully written. Smith's book transports the reader to 1950s Connecticut and vividly tells her own story while paying tribute to her lost friend.

Julie Davis, Greensboro

"Tuesdays with Morrie"

By Mitch Albom

I don't usually get excited about my summer reading from school, but this book should be required reading for all human beings. Mitch Albom, a noted sports writer, spends his Tuesdays with his old professor and mentor Morrie Schwartz as he is dying of Lou Gehrig's disease. He finds that professor Schwartz still has many life lessons to teach and that he is truly a "teacher to the last."

Matthew Carnaghi, Greensboro

"The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe"

By C.S. Lewis

This beloved classic is full of adventure, loyalty, forgiveness, redemption and much more. The story follows four siblings who stumble upon a magical land and learn to conquer their fears.

Holly Sparks, High Point

"A Clockwork Orange"

By Anthony Burgess

The subtly futuristic and darkly funny novel is told in the imaginative dialect of the violent, dissolute and Beethoven-loving teenage gangster, Alex. It's both a fun read and a controversial, thought-provoking story of free will and morality.

Jordan Hart, Greensboro

"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz"

By L. Frank Baum

The best parts are Munchkinland, the Quadling Country and when Dorothy returns home to Kansas. I was inspired to read this book because I was in the Wizard of Oz play.

Harrison McClintock, Greensboro

"LeBron James: The Rise of a Star"

By David Lee Morgan Jr.

I liked this book because it is an in-depth and accurate account of LeBron's upbringing. I recommend this book to basketball fans.

Fred McClintock Jr, Greensboro

"Of Mice and Men"

By John Steinbeck

Not to be read for pleasure. Here life is rough and raw and sparse with no rules, no justice, no allowance for compassion and understanding. Mice are equal to men. If there is an open door to your soul, this will forever heighten your awareness of the human condition.

Sherry A. Kelly, Greensboro

"Amusing Ourselves To Death"

By Neil Postman

While we're obsessed these days with what we put in our stomachs, we're less concerned with what we put in our minds. This book sounds the alarm over the harmful effects of assault by visual media. Read it and weep, then unplug your TV.

Anna Fesmire, Greensboro

"The Shepherd of the Hills"

By Harold Bell Wright

This book is a fascinating glimpse of bygone days with an interesting web of tangled circumstances. The author weaves profound perceptions and descriptions in a cultural setting with mystery, love, humor, family values and difficult situations. The reader constantly wonders what will happen next.

Marna Marshall, Greensboro

"The Diary of Anne Frank"

By Anne Frank

This book impressed me as no other. I felt I was beside Anne as her freedom was quickly, unexpectedly taken away and unbelievable suffering began. A lifetime lesson was learned. What happened then could happen to any group under power of an evil leader.

Susan Griffith, High Point

"The Carpet Makers"

By Andreas Eschbach

Written by an international prize-winning author and translated by Greensboro's retired UNCG professor Doryl Jensen, it is great tragedy, great romance, science fiction adventure, character studies, a look at political nonsense and religions gone astray. And it is so much more -- a mystery, a story of dysfunctional families and the obsceneness of unrestrained power.

Ellen W. Day, Greensboro

"Les Miserables"

By Victor Hugo

This one inspired me a long time ago, as a teenager, and still moves me to tears as an old woman. Why? Because it contains all the hope and despair related to the human condition, written in unforgettable prose.

Anne-Marie Kennett, Pleasant Garden

"London: The Novel"

By Edward Rutherfurd

The assignment to choose the best book ever was an extremely difficult one. Candidates in my final selection came to Boris Pasternak's "Doctor Zhivago," James Mitchner's "Centennial" and three by Rutherfurd -- "London," "Sarum: The Novel of England" and "Russka: The Novel of Russia."

Ken Layton, Carthage

"The Shack"

By William P. Young

A murder-mystery with significant religious details was so captivating from the first chapter I couldn't put it down and completed it the first day. All of it was so real to me, I was saddened to later learn it was fiction. Regardless, I still feel a heightened strength with my faith.

Anne C. Marshall, Greensboro

"Out With Three"

By Elaine Buff

Davina Buff Jones, a police officer on Bald Head Island, called to a "break-in" Oct. 20, 1999. Ruled a "suicide" (setup). Due to a wedding, a cleanup was done overnight; she was shot in the back of the head.

Kay Cayton, Stokesdale

The Mitford series

By Jan Karon

It has everything you could want in a good book: humor, love, tears and happiness. The people all become your friends, and you can't wait until the next book is out.

Phyllis Roberts, Greensboro

"The Yellow Fairy Book"

By Andrew Lang

The book that changed my life was the first book that I borrowed from the public library. It started a serious addiction to reading, libraries and bookstores.

Jeanne S. Burton, Greensboro

"The Bonus Army: An American Epic"

By Paul Dickson and Thomas B. Allen

My father, Steve Murray, was with the original group commanded by Walter Waters as they traveled from Oregon to Washington, D.C. While there, Steve met the Linebarrier family, who formed the Bonus Expeditionary Force Band. Twenty years later I met their son Bill, who is now my husband.

Madeline Murray Linebarrier, Asheboro

"They Loved To Laugh"

By Kathryn Worth

It took place in the 1830s. Martitia is an orphan taken in by a Quaker family. The mother, daughter and grandfather are solemn, while the father and five sons are jovial. Martitia is solemn but learns to laugh.

Phyllis Rollins, Greensboro

"Among the Hidden"

By Margaret Peterson Haddix

This book teaches everybody that no one should be treated unfairly. In this book, third-born children are forced into hiding because the government believes there isn't enough food for everybody.

Bridgette Mitchell, Greensboro

"War Is a Racket"

By Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler

In the most important book ever written, the general explains that our troops don't kill and die for our freedom, but to keep cheap labor and the world's resources in the hands of the ruling class.

Larry Surber, Stoneville

"The Sleeping Beauty"

By Charles Perrault

This beautifully illustrated copy introduced me to French fairy tales, period furniture, costumes and castles -- my life interest, pleasure and work.

Dee Price Hodgin, Greensboro

"Twilight "

By Stephanie Meyer
The book is about Bella Swan, a 17-year-old girl who falls in love with the vampire, Edward Cullen. As the relationship gets closer, they finally realize they can’t live without each other. This book is intense, romantic and a must read.
Jennifer Ha, 7th-grader at Lincoln Academy, Greensboro

"The Lightning Thief "

By Rick Riordan
It combines Greek mythology and little snatches of normal life. Percy Jackson, the character, is heroic, even though he encounters a lot of trouble on his way to Camp Half-Blood, a place for half-god humans.
Eliza Hammond, 7th-grader at Lincoln Academy, Oak Ridge

"Eragon"

By Christopher Paolini
It is about how a boy, Eragon, raises a dragon from an egg and then becomes a legendary dragon rider. The evil empire is trying to caputure him, so he goes into with the bard, who teaches him the tongue of magic. Eragon becomes a hero.
Patrick Lawe, 7th-grader at Lincoln Academy, Greensboro