When I saw today's TTT prompt—Top Ten Books With Names/Character Names in the Title—I immediately thought of popular novels I haven't read yet like A Man Called Ove and Finlay Donovan Is Killing It. That was about as far as I got before my mind blanked. Then, I started thinking about all of the real people I'm interested in reading more about. I love a good memoir or biography featuring a fascinating person, so I decided to highlight nine (plus one novel) I've been wanting to read. This list could have been much, much longer, but I managed to exercise some self-restraint. You're welcome!

If you want to join in the TTT fun (and you totally do), click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the details.

Louisa May Alcott (1832-1888)—Little Women is one of my favorite books of all time. Its author lived a unqiue and interesting life. I just got Scibbles, Sorrows, and Russet Leather Boots by Liz Rosenberg from the publisher and I'm eager to read it. It's next up after I finish my current read.

2.  Sarah Breedlove, aka Madam C.J. Walker (1867-1919)—The daughter of slaves, Breedlove became the first female African-American millionaire by creating a hair care formula that cured dandruff and other hygiene problems suffered at the time. The Black Rose by Tananarive Due tells her incredible story.

Elizabeth Cochran, aka Nellie Bly (1864-1922)—As a journalist, Bly broke new ground with her on-the-ground investigative reporting. She's best known for her exposé of the Woman's Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell's Island in New York. While I should probably start with her own book, Ten Days in a Mad-House, as well as the numerous biographies that exist about her life, I'm also very interested in reading Maya Rodale's upcoming novel, The Mad Girls of New York, the first installment in a rollicking new series featuring the intrepid Nellie Bly.

Phil Collins (1951-living)—I'm a longtime fan of this ailing British rocker and have been meaning to read his memoir, Not Dead Yet, ever since it was published a few years ago.

Harper Lee (1926-2016)—To Kill a Mockingbird is my favorite novel, hands down. Its author is another writer who lived a super interesting life. I'd like to know more about her and The Mockingbird Next Door by Lee's friend, Marja Mills, sounds like the perfect place to start.

Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (1807-1882)—Poetry and I really don't get along. I never understand what poets are trying to say, so trying to read their work just makes me feel dumb. One of the very few exceptions is Longfellow. Not only do his poems rhyme, but they (mostly) make sense! Because of that, he's my favorite poet, even though I've only read a fraction of his work. His life also sounds interesting, which is why I want to read Cross of Snow: A Life of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow by Nicholas A. Basbanes.

Russell M. Nelson (1924-living)—This retired heart surgeon is the current prophet and president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Insights From a Prophet's Life by Sheri Dew has been sitting on my coffee table for over a year. I need to read it already!

Fred Rogers (1928-2003)—This kind, gentle soul has gotten a fair amount of attention in books and films since his passing and yet, I'm always willing to hear more about him. I enjoyed The Simple Faith of Mister Rogers by Amy Hollingsworth, but I've yet to read an actual biography about him. The Good Neighbor by Maxwell King has been sitting on my bookshelf unread for too long; I'm hoping to get to it this year finally.

Jimmy Stewart (1908-1997)—I've mentioned my deep love for It's a Wonderful Life before, so it's probably no surprise that Stewart is one of my favorite actors. I'd love to know more about him, so Jimmy Stewart: A Biography by Marc Eliot is on my TBR list.

Laura Ingalls Wilder (1867-1957)—I was a rabid Little House on the Prairie fan as a kid. Although I've seen all the tv episodes and read all her books, I've yet to read any non-fiction about Wilder. Prairie Fires: The American Dreams of Laura Ingalls Wilder by Caroline Fraser sounds excellent.

There you go, ten real people I'd like to read more about. What do you think? Have you read any of these books? Who do you enjoy reading about? What are some good memoirs/biographies you've loved? I'd truly love to know. Leave me a comment on this post and I'll gladly return the favor on your blog.

Happy TTT! 

I'm old.  Let's just start with that.  I know I'm not the most senior book blogger out there—in age or in the length of time I've been blogging—but I'm certainly on the "aged" end of both spectrums.  Don't faint, but I was born back in the Dark Ages: 1975.  Gerald Ford was president of the United States, bell bottoms were all the rage, "Love Will Keep Us Together" by Captain & Tennille was rocking the No. 1 spot on the music charts, and James Michener held that honor on the New York Times bestseller list for his novel Centennial. The big news that year was, of course, my birth in a little tiny town in Washington State.  Just kidding, although it was eventful since I arrived in the middle of a big snowstorm that stranded my mom's ob/gyn at the bottom of the hill to the hospital, leaving an intern in charge of my arrival (which probably explains a lot about me).  Ha ha.  

If you were starting to wonder what all this rambling has to do with the price of gas (it was 53 cents/gallon in 1975), it's because of today's nostalgic Top Ten Tuesday topic:  Top Ten Books That Were Written Before I Was Born.  Since I'm so ancient, there are a lot of books that were penned long before I showed up on this earth.  I'm not a huge classics reader, so I haven't actually read most of them.  Ten favorites did come to mind, though.  

If you want to join in the TTT fun and share your own list, click on over to That Artsy Reader Girl for all the info.

Top Ten Books That Were Written Before I Was Born     

1.  To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee (published 1960)—This timeless classic is my favorite book of all time.  I re-read it every few years because I love it so much.

2.  Little Women by Louisa May Alcott (1868)—I adore this book as well.  I've read it numerous times and am actually listening to it on audio right now.  Although it's definitely outdated in some ways, it still delights me with its warmth and charm.  

3.  Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell (1936)—This sweeping one-hit wonder has always captivated me.

4.  Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery (1908)—There's just no other character quite like Anne Shirley!  You have to love her fiery personality and all the many scrapes and adventures it gets her into.

5.  A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens (1843)—This holiday classic is the only Dickens book I've actually read (it's short), but I adore it so much that I re-read it every year to help get me in the Christmas spirit.

6.  Nancy Drew series by Carolyn Keene (1930-1985)—Although some of the installments were published after my birth, most of these beloved mysteries came out before I did.  They were huge favorites of mine when I was young.

7.  And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie (1939)—I love mysteries, but I haven't read very many genre classics.  This famous locked-room whodunit is the exception as I've read and enjoyed it several times.  

8.  Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë (1847)—It's actually only been a few years since I first read this classic.  I adored it and need to re-read it soon.

9.  Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder (1932-1971)—I was a huge Little House fan (both of the books and the t.v. show) when I was a kid.

10.  Poems by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (about 1839-1892)—I've never been a big poetry fan.  Most poems are too abstract for me and just make me feel dumb.  Longfellow's poetry is different.  It rhymes!  It makes sense!  Admittedly, I haven't read all of his verse (not even close), but I've always liked what I have read by him.

There you go, ten of my favorite books that were published before my birth.  Do we have any in common?  Which of your most beloved reads preceded you into the world?  I'd truly love to know.  Leave me a comment on this post and I will gladly return the favor on your blog.

(Image from Barnes & Noble)

One of my favorite things about Christmas is the music.  I like a jolly "Frosty the Snowman" or "Up on the Housetop" as much as the next person, but it's the tender, inspiring hymns about the Savior's birth and His influence on the world that really touch my soul.  "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day" is one such hymn.  Since Henry Wadsworth Longfellow is my favorite poet (he's also the only one whose poems I can actually make sense of), I knew a little bit about the story behind his famous Yuletide poem, but when I heard that Jennifer Chiaverini had written a whole novel about it, I knew I wanted to read it.  Naturally, I intended to enjoy the book before Christmas, but that didn't happen so I made Christmas Bells my first priority in the new year.

The novel actually tells two stories concurrently—one (Longfellow's) which takes place in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1860-1864, the other which is set in present-day Boston.  The former is based on the true events which led to Longfellow's creation of the Christmas Bells poem, while the latter is a completely fictional tale that concerns several members of a church congregation who come together because of a Christmas concert performed by its children's choir.  The characters highlighted in both tales are in need of some holiday cheer, comfort, or courage.  All could use the kind of miracles that seem to happen only at Christmastime.  Will they get them?

I was most excited to read about Longfellow, so I was a little disappointed to find that his sections of the book got a little long and a little dull.  They included some interesting information, but Longfellow's chapters felt more like a history textbook than a novel.  The modern story was compelling enough to keep me reading, but it didn't turn out to be anything really mind-blowing either.  While Christmas Bells isn't as dazzling as I wanted it to be, it does make for heartwarming holiday reading.  I liked it, I just didn't love it.

(Readalikes:  Reminds me of In the Dark Streets Shineth by David McCullough)

Grade:

If this were a movie, it would be rated:

for war-related violence and blood/gore

To the FTC, with love:  I bought a copy of Christmas Bells from Changing Hands Bookstore with a portion of the millions I make from my lucrative career as a book blogger.  Ha ha.