As of February 2021, I will have achieved the milestone of being a professional proofreader and copy editor for 11 years. That means I read LOTS of books. In a quick count, I did 66 books in 2020 alone. This list of my 10 favorite books includes ONLY books I have personally worked on.
What’s fun about proofreading books is that I don’t get to choose which manuscripts I work on. So I’m forced to read books I would never normally hear about because they’re not in my preferred genres or on other people’s lists of favorites.
Criteria I used to determine my 10 all-time favorite books were the manuscript’s memorability, emotion, and writing quality.
Starting from the bottom of my top 10 list is:
Number 10
Mountain Majesty: The History of CODEP Haiti Where Sustainable Agricultural Development Works by John V. Winings
Mountain Majesty made my top 10 list because of its unique telling of a story you won’t hear anywhere else. Did you know that only a few decades ago, the nation of Haiti had virtually no agricultural system? A retired couple stumbled upon the need and and delved in, soon realizing that the problem was far larger and more complex than they originally imagined. And this text is not simply a manual on how to grow crops; rather, it examines the personalities of the people involved and the intermingling of needs and desires in this mysterious country.
Mountain Majesty: A History of CODEP Haiti Where Sustainable Agriculture Works Volume II (Volume 2)
John Winings followed up with volumes 2 and 3 that continue and expand on the story, revealing frustrating personality conflicts and church and government corruption that threatened to disband years of progress.
Number 9
Eluding Darkness by Raguel S. Charles
Number 9 on my list of favorite books I’ve proofread is Eluding Darkness. Interestingly, this book also has a Haitian theme, as the author grew up in rural Haiti. This book sticks in my mind because the author witnessed some of the most bizarre voodoo-related experiences you could ever imagine. This book has a distinct Christian slant.
Number 8
Powerhouse: 13 Teamwork Tactics that Build Excellence and Unrivaled Success by Kristine Lilly
I’m not usually excited to get a book in the business/leadership category, but this book was full of examples from the women’s Olympic soccer team that are applicable to life and leadership. Our family watched our four daughters play soccer for 17 years (which equals thousands of games; I should have been counting along the way!), so I learned to love soccer. I was impressed by Kristine’s stories of the Olympic soccer coach who brought together competitive women of many different ages and taught them to work together to become one of the best teams in the world today. And the same teamwork principles apply off the field as well.
Number 7
Fables of Fortune: What Rich People Have That You Don’t Want by Richard Watts
Who doesn’t love stories of the super rich? This book is chock full of them. Some people know how to spend and waste money in ways the rest of us could barely conceive.
Number 6
The Art of Regret: A Novel by Mary Fleming
Number 6 on my list of favorite books is a fictional account of a disjointed family living in Paris. The author captures the Parisian setting so vividly as you live through the decisions, both wise and not, of the main character. Strikes, protests, political discussions, immigration, and familial relationships are just some of the subtopics in this complex novel.
Number 5
Magic Show by Lawrence Michaelis
My number 5 favorite book is also a fiction–this time a well-written page turner reminiscent of Dan Brown’s Da Vinci Code. A man wins large sums of money from several different casinos simultaneously and donates it to the Catholic Church to help victims who have been abused by church clergy. And this complex situation is only the first mystery in this text involving illusions, neuroscience, and the Catholic Church. Its twists and turns keep you guessing right to the end.
Number 4
The Unlikely Gift of Breast Cancer by Diane Simard
I’m including Diane Simard’s creation on my top 10 list because she captured her journey through breast cancer in such vivid detail. Although this book may make you cry because of her superb use of words, it’s not a downer. In fact, one of the scenes that stands out most in my mind is of Diane speeding down a lonely freeway in her sports car, throwing her head back in joy as she relishes the freedom of life.
Number 3
Texas Patriarch: A Legacy Lost by Douglas D. Box
Texas Patriarch makes number 3 on my list. First, the true story of a family that goes from rags to riches and back again due to infighting is an emotional ride. Second, the author’s use of sensory language to describe the settings and sentiments is outstanding. The author’s father is the source of the family’s earnings as well as angst.
Number 2
Flying the Line, An Air Force Pilot’s Journey: Pilot Training, Vietnam, SAC, 1970-1979 by Lt. Col. Jay Lacklen – Volume 1.
Fitting the stereotype of a daredevil air force pilot, Jay Lacklen has some incredible stories to tell. From midair fueling to fierce storms to myriad near-death experiences, Lacklen reveals all. He’s a straightforward writer who doesn’t hold back on his opinions. I for sure don’t agree with many of his values, but with that said, the stories he has to tell make for a riveting read!
Vol 2 – Flying the Line, An Air Force Pilot’s Journey, Military Airlift Command, 1981-1993
Jay Lacklen wrote a volume 2 with more incredible tales of flying. And volume 3 will make you angry in a different way: he tells of a forced anthrax vaccination program at his military base that resulted in dire health consequences for many enlisted men and a near-court martial for Lacklen when he spoke out about it.
Flying the Line, an Air Force Pilot’s Journey: Air Mobility Command, 1993-2004
Number 1
Infinite Progress: How the Internet and Technology Will End Ignorance, Disease, Poverty, Hunger, and War by Byron Reese
And number 1 on my list of favorite books I have proofread over the last 11 years is Byron Reese’s Infinite Progress. The reason this book gets my top billing is because what I read way back in 2013 has stuck with me! Even with the hundreds of books I’ve read since that year, I still remember Byron’s explanations for how technology can help us. His writing is vivid, realistic, and–something we sorely need today–positive.
I remember him writing about an irrigation system that is specific to individual plants, crops that are modified in healthy ways (unlike how they are now) to provide food for the masses, and most importantly, a database of human information that can be used in aggregate to determine causes and solutions of diseases and health conditions. I’ve thought of this concept often recently in the event of COVID. What is it about certain people that makes them respond so poorly to the virus whereas others barely exhibit symptoms? A large human data pool would help find the answer.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this list of books that’s different from any other list you’re going to find! I’ll follow up soon with my favorite books of 2020, some of which have yet to be published.
Now go grab yourself a healthy cup of ginger tea and then take a walk in a pair of do-your-body-good Xero shoes.
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