The longest book list I've ever made

And the easiest

Saturday Morning Serial

Saturday Morning Serial is the weekend section of Library Binding. It’s a personal corner where I publish short stories, book reviews, and literary musings.

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In the Library by Štefan Prohászka-Tallós 1930

Ladies and gentlemen,

Today, I present the longest book list I've ever compiled.

It was a cinch to make.

You did all the work for me.

A few weeks back, I invited you to take a survey. (If you didn't respond, you missed out on an amazing experience. What could be better than taking a survey?)

I asked, "What are you reading right now?"

I enjoyed perusing your answers, and I didn't want to keep them to myself.

So, I’m sharing them today, roughly organized by genre.

There were a handful that I couldn't confidently identify and a few that I guessed at. Please feel free to correct me in the comments if I got anything wrong.

Also, please remember, people read for a variety of reasons: for pleasure, as read-alouds or read-aheads for the kiddies, for school, for work, and for countless other reasons. Plus, just because someone is reading something doesn't mean they're loving it. So, keep that in mind as you go through this list.

(I didn't include links to the books because I’d get sent to email jail for that.)

For fun, I put a star ⭐️ next to the books that I've personally read and enjoyed.

I hope you find something to add to your TBR. I sure did!

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But first, a quick reminder: The Novel Envelope

Last week, I introduced a brand-new snail-mail subscription. It’s analog mail. You get a handpicked short story, curated book list, surprise paper goodie, and lots more. No junk. No ads. Get the full scoop here.

The inaugural envelope will roll off the (ink-stained) press on June 1. Every envelope is unique to that month, no digital copies, no reruns. There’s still time to sign up so that you don’t miss out.

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CLASSIC & VINTAGE FICTION

1. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

2. Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë ⭐️

3. O Pioneers by Willa Cather

4. The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins ⭐️

5. Daniel Deronda by George Eliot

6. In This House of Brede by Rumer Godden

7. The Iliad by Homer ⭐️

8. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee ⭐️

9. A Strong Poison by Dorothy Sayers

10. Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare ⭐️

11. Shakespeare's Tragedies

12. Ivanhoe by Sir Walter Scott

13. Miss Buncle's Book by D. E. Stevenson

14. Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson

15. The Headmistress by Angela Thirkell

16. Daughter of Time by Josephine Tey

17. The Silmarillion by J. R. R. Tolkien

18. War and Peace by Leo Tolstoy

LITERARY FICTION

1. Animal Dreams by Barbara Kingsolver

2. The Bee Sting by Paul Murray

3. Breathing Lessons by Anne Tyler

4. A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

GENRE FICTION

1. The Midwife of Berlin by Amanda Barratt

2. The Familiar Stranger by Christina Berry

3. Beachside Kisses with My Enemy by Kristin Canary

4. Elizabeth Camden's back titles

5. Finding Lady Enderly by Joanna Davidson Politano

6. Outlander by Diana Gabaldon (en Español para practicar)

7. The Murder of Mr. Wickham by Claudia Gray

8. Blackhearted by D.B. Green

9. Albert Smith's Culinary Capers by Steve Higgs

10. Take Four by Karen Kingsbury

11. Seashells and Other Souvenirs by Rachel Lawerence (ARC)

12. Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts

13. Wicked Autumn by G. M. Malliet

14. The Last Days of Night by Graham Moore

15. The Great Reckoning by Louise Penny

16. New Augsburg, Book 2 by Christa Petzold

17. Seeking Ayita by Lin Stepp

18. The Hazelbourne Ladies Motorcycle and Flying Club by Helen Simonson

19. A Darker Shade of Magic by V.E. Schwab

YOUNG ADULT

1. Reapers by Bryan Davis

2. Fighter in the Woods by M. E. Jensen

3. Enna Burning by Shannon Hale

4. The Book of Boy by Katherine Gilbert Murdock

5. When the Mapou Sings by Nadine Pinede

6. Restless by Candice Pedraza Yamnitz

7. The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

MIDDLE GRADE

1. Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi ⭐️

2. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins

3. My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

4. The Mythmakers: The Remarkable Fellowship of C.S. Lewis & J.R.R. Tolkien (A Graphic Novel) by John Hendrix

5. The Bookwanderers by Anna James

6. The Dead Sea Squirrels by Mike Nawrocki

7. The Wingfeather Books by Andrew Petersen ⭐️

8. Withering-by-the-Sea by Judith Rossell

9. The Green Ember Series by S.D. Smith ⭐️

10. Ashtown Burials by N.D. Wilson

MISCELLANEOUS

1. Eriata Oribhabor Poetry Prize by Authorpedia

2. Fighting Words Devotional: 100 Days of Speaking Truth into the Darkness by Ellie Holcomb

3. 100 Words of Affirmation for Your Husband by Lisa Jacobson

4. Bitter & Sweet: A Journey into Easter by Tsh Oxenreider

5. The Man Born to Be King (radio play) by Dorothy L. Sayers

6. The Art of Living in Season: A Year of Reflections for Everyday Saints by Sylvie Vanhoozer

GENERAL NONFICTION

1. Quiet by Susan Cain

2. Girl’s Club: Cultivating Lasting Friendship in a Lonely World by Sally, Joy, and Sarah Clarkson

3. Atomic Habits by James Clear ⭐️

4. Thinking Fast and Slow by Daniel Kahneman

5. The Mind of the Maker by Dorothy Sayers

6. The Future Is Analog by David Sax

7. The Well-Read Mom by Marcie Stokman

8. Make Sense of Your Story: Discover the Healing Power of Your Life Narrative by Adam Young

HISTORICAL NONFICTION

1. Troublemakers in Trousers: Women and What They Wore to Get Things Done by Sarah Albee

2. The Residence: Inside the Private World of the White House by Kate Andersen Brower

3. Careless People: Murder, Mayhem, and the Invention of The Great Gatsby by Sarah Churchwell

4. Caesar and Christ by Will Durant

5. The Original Black Elite: Daniel Murray and the Story of a Forgotten Era by Elizabeth Dowling Taylor

6. Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space by Adam Higginbotham

7. The Ghost Map: The Story of London's Most Terrifying Epidemic--and How It Changed Science, Cities, and the Modern World by Steven Johnson

8. From Mao til Now by Roderick MacFarquhar

9. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents by Isabel Wilkerson

CHRISTIANITY

1. Blessed Are the Wholly Broken by Melinda Clayton

2. Practicing the Way by John Mark Comer

3. Being Fully Known by Dr. Saundra Dalton-Smith

4. Building Spiritual Habits in the Home by Valerie Ellis

5. Gentle and Lowly by Dane Ortlund ⭐️

6. Guide to Contentment by Fulton Sheen

7. Home With God by Neale Donald Walsch

8. Simply Christian: Why Christianity Makes Sense by N. T. Wright

PARENTING & FAMILY

1. The Social Benefits of Homeschooling by Patrick Basham & Jennifer S. Little

2. Habits of the Household: Practicing the Story of God in Everyday Family Rhythms by Justin Whitmel Earley

3. Faith that Sticks: 5 Real-Life Ways to Disciple Your Preteen by Tricia Goyer and Leslie Nunnery

4. The Whole-Brain Child: 12 Revolutionary Strategies to Nurture Your Child's Developing Mind by Daniel J. Siegel and Tina Payne Bryson

5. Shepherding a Child’s Heart by Ted Tripp ⭐️

MEMOIR

• The Confessions of St. Augustine

• My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell

• I’m Glad My Mom Died by Jennette McCurdy

• Why I Dyed My Hair Purple and Other Unorthodox Stories by Kori Morgan

• Dorothy L. Sayers' Letters

• Things I Should Have Said by Jamie Lynn Spears

• Making It So by Patrick Stewart

HEALTH

• Full: Food, Jesus, and the Battle for Satisfaction by Asheritah Ciuciu

• Playing Sick: Untangling the Web of Fact, Fantasy, and Fraud in Chronic Illness by Marc D. Feldman

• Dreamland: The True Tale of America's Opiate Epidemic by Sam Quinones

• Nutrivore by Dr. Kellyann Petrucci

• Born to Walk by Dr. James A. Taylor

Now, tell me…

Which of these books have you read and heartily recommend? Which are going on your to-be-read list?

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My son nominating our next memory verse

For thou, Lord, art good, and ready to forgive; and plenteous in mercy unto all them that call upon thee. –Psalm 86:5

I’ll leave you with one irresistible indulgence—for the kids and grandkids.

Your devoted,

Michelle

The Novel Envelope

Slow mail for lovers of classic tales

The Novel Envelope is a monthly snail-mail subscription that delivers a classic short story, curated book list, surprise paper goodie, and more to your (real) mailbox.

No digital copy. No reruns. One opportunity to get that month’s envelope.

For $5 per month, you get to retreat into a soft, still analog space. I'll bring a classic author with me, and we'll share words and ideas across the miles.

Slow down. Savor a story. Write something by hand.