Just a short post: I've always felt that writers have a moral obligation to teach, but in a way that can reach the most people for the best impact.

True, textbooks teach; the good texts teach well, getting their point across, whether it's teaching basic first grade arithmetic or college level Calculus with Analytic Geometry (and beyond), basic science or medical texts, etc.

But then there are books for the general public, those of us who are looking for something to read for pleasure. I realize that some books are, well, less than great for learning basic truths. I don't know that I could learn much from a romance novel. I won't get into the whys...If that is one's favorite genre for kicking back and relaxing, fine. Everyone needs some down time: that romance novel, a bowl of ice cream or piece of chocolate cake, etc.

But the really good books, those with some meat on its bones (or, for us vegetarians out there, some kick-a##, filling vegetarian fare), here is a list of books that I absolutely have to come back to, year after year. These are books that, were I teaching college lit (or even high school lit), I'd consider required reading. Why? Because (1) they're well written, (2) they teach without necessarily being preachy, and (3) they make the reader think.

And now, the list:
To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee
The Color Purple, by Alice Walker
Alas, Babylon, by Pat Frank
Before Women Had Wings, by Connie May Fowler
Night, by Elie Weisel (autobiographical)
One True Thing, by Anna Quindlen
They Cage the Animals At Night, by Jennings Michael Burch (autobiographical)
Green Eggs And Ham (even Dr. Seuss knew change was possible!)

Need a good read? There you go.

Let me know what your favorites are...