One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez - 1967
By far my favourite book of all time, I was completely swept away into Marquez's beautiful world through reading this masterpiece. This epic tale spans over five generations of the character-rich Buendia family, beginning with their settlement in the swamps of South America and ending a century later. A true exploration of every human condition under the sun, no stone of our worldly struggles is left unturned. The magic, mystery, and miracles that wrap the events in this book make it a gift given like no other.

Another Roadside Attraction - Tom Robbins - 1971
Tom Robbins is one of my favourite authors, his wacky and improbable/impossible characters and plots consistently keep me either laughing or guessing. Another Roadside attraction was his first book published, was my first Robbins experience and has stuck with me ever since. This book, as all of his, will take you on an unlikely journey through religion, love, politics and the greater mysteries of life. In short, I am always eternally thankful for Amanda, the uninhibited nature goddess, who taught me how to walk slowly through the rain, tasting drops the whole way.

Cannery Row - John Steinbeck -1945
Of any Steinbeck that I have read, I would be hard put to decide on a favourite. Cannery Row is a book where the very mention of the title instantly transports me onto the porch drinking a beer with Doc, standing in Lee Chong's store, or sitting shooting the breeze with Mack and the boys. The vivid characters have always held strong in my mind, as well as images and events of California in difficult times. A moving and brilliant portrayal of the commitment between true friends in a time when life is full of hard knocks