The Turn

"It is the mark of a good fairy-story, of the higher or more complete kind, that however wild its events, however fantastic or terrible the adventures, it can give to child or man that hears it, when the ‘turn’ comes, a catch of the breath, a beat and lifting of the heart, near to (or indeed accompanied by) tears, as keen as that given by any form of literary art, and having a peculiar quality."~ JRR Tolkien

My Turn books:

The Last Battle, The Chronicles of Narnia: "All their life in this world and all their adventures in Narnia had only been the cover and the title page: now at last they were beginning Chapter One of the Great Story which no one on earth has read: which goes on for ever: in which every chapter is better than the one before."

The Hobbit: "I come from under the hill, and under the hills and over the hills my paths led. And through the air. I am he that walks unseen. I am the clue-finder, the web-cutter, the stinging fly. I was chosen for the lucky number. I am he that buries his friends alive and drowns them and draws them alive again from the water. I came from the end of bag, but no bag went over me. I am the friend of bears and the guest of eagles. I am Ring-winner and Luckwearer; and I am Barrel-rider."~ Bilbo Baggins

The Fellowship of the Ring: "This is the hour of the Shire-folk, when they arise from their quiet fields to shake the towers and counsels of the Great. Who of all the Wise could have foreseen it? Or, if they are wise, why should they expect to know it, until the hour has struck?"~ Elrond

Wuthering Heights: "Heaven did not seem to be my home; and I broke my heart with weeping to come back to earth; and the angels were so angry that they flung me out into the middle of the heath on the top of Wuthering Heights; where I woke sobbing for joy."~ Cathy

The Bluest Eye: "It had occurred to Pecola some time ago that if her eyes, those eyes that held the pictures, and knew the sights-if those eyes of hers were different, that is to say, beautiful, she herself would be different."

A Doll's House: "Our home has been nothing but a playroom. I have been your doll-wife, just as at home I was papa's doll-child; and here the children have been my dolls. I thought it great fun when you played with me, just as they thought it great fun when I played with them. "~ Nora
Gone with the Wind: "You're so brutal to those who love you, Scarlett. You take their love and hold it over their heads like a whip."~ Rhett Butler

Anne of Green Gables: "For we pay a price for everything we get or take in this world; and although ambitions are well worth having, they are not to be cheaply won, but exact their dues of work and self-denial, anxiety and discouragement."

Dune: "And take the most special care that you locate Muad'Dib in his place: the planet Arrakis. Do not be deceived by the fact that he was born on Caladan and lived his first fifteen years there. Arrakis, the planet known as Dune, is forever his place."~ Irulan

Little Women: "...and clung more closely to the dear human love, from which our Father never means us to be weaned, but through which He draws us closer to Himself. She could not say, 'I'm glad to go,' for life was very sweet for her. She could only sob out, 'I try to be willing,' while she held fast to Jo, as the first bitter wave of this great sorrow broke over them together."

I have waited years to be able to share those books with my children, and I am so thrilled that it is getting so, so, so, so close... Hopefully the baby will skip right out of the womb and into the classics, and I can share my friends with him or her. I love them, and they give me the greatest thrills and shivers whenever I read them. Some I love for their very fairy-ness, but others because they make me think and explore and understand people and concepts that I would never have encountered otherwise. They've taught me about goodness, ideals, and the importance of aspirations and ambitions and perseverance, and most importantly, they've given me a heart for children and an understanding of the need for an adored and well protected childhood. Every baby deserves that.

And I can't leave off my favorite book, The Good Book. It gives me The Turn everytime I read it, because its the best of all the fairy stories... and the only one that is really true!

The Holy Bible:
"Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world."~John 1:29

Jesus replied, "I tell you, if they kept silent, the stones would cry out!"~Luke 19:40

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away." He who was seated on the throne said, "I am making everything new!" Then he said, "Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true."~Revelation 21:1-5

Do you have any books that you love? That give you The Turn when you read them? Any favorite quotes?