When I am attacked by gloomy thoughts, nothing helps me so much as running to my books. They quickly absorb me and banish the clouds from my mind. - Michel de Montaigne

I love books. I have loved to read since I was six years old and still reading the American Girl series over and over again. I revel in the feeling of being taken away to somewhere new and exciting, removed from all of the trouble and stupidity of my own life. It's a marvelous feeling, one that has been lacking in my life since the academic year began. Every year when school comes around my reading gets shoved on the back burner. Whenever I stumble upon a good book I want read I say "I'll read it this summer" and I never do. It's so sad and finally, I'm sick of it. I will not stand for this injustice any longer! Thus, I will be attempting to limit my online chatting time in favor of my new "love interest" my book fetish. I'll still be around to chat frequently, but I won't stay on for as long or as late as I have been. The books are calling to me, and I must answer them.

But I didn't just tell all of you this to let you know my AIM hours will be limited from here on out. I have a far superior task in mind for you. My request is that you guys would all give me recommendations on what I should read. I'm calling on all of you book gurus out there to help me out and tell me what all of the must-reads out there are. Try to keep in mind what I might like, but don't let it limit your choices too much. I'm open to just about anything at this point. If I'm going to teach English I figure I should probably be widely and diversely read. So Nathan, Andy, Brad, and all you other book fiends, tell me what to read!