Here is my 3-day installment for Sandman Jazz’s 30-day book challenge.

Day 7:  Best audiobook to listen to on a road trip:  I suppose it depends on the road trip. The only audiobook we’ve listened to on a road trip was one of Tony Hillerman’s Leaphorn & Chee mysteries (see Day 1) – I don’t remember which one. I have listened to audiobooks on my commute to work (which in Chicago’s traffic may take as long as a road trip!). The Life of Pi is one, but afterwards, I read the book because I missed things in the audiobook when I got distracted. The other audiobook I listened to on my commute wasn’t really a book – it was a Great Courses series of lectures on Chinese history. I got really engrossed in it – it was fascinating! I think I was dreaming of going to China soon at the time. I still haven’t been to China, but when I get ready to go, I’ll review this course!

Day 8:  Series everyone should read:  People have so many different tastes so I am going to name two that have become classics. Harry Potter series and Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series – although these are books for young readers, I think they have become part of our cultural lexicon – the Little House books more so for at least girls of my generation; Harry Potter for my son’s generation and beyond, but everyone old and young really.

There are many classics I wish kids were still reading in high school English, such as novels of Mark Twain and Charles Dickens (not series, though). These authors’ works definitely enrich one’s understanding of history.

Day 9:  Favorite book to give as a gift: I don’t give books as gifts, generally – again, people have different tastes and if I give someone a book as a gift, they may feel compelled to read it even if they are not interested in it. If I do give a book as a gift, I choose something the person has either asked for or has expressed interest in the topic. I have received cute little books as gifts – like the ones you see while standing in line at Barnes & Noble that are full of little poems or sayings, or maybe cute pictures of animals.