Fallback Fiction – The books we never, ever tire of reading

Housekeeping by Marilynne Robinson

I don’t often re-read books. In fact, I can count on one hand the number of books I’ve re-read in my lifetime: four, three of them being the Lord of the Rings trilogy, the other being Marilynne Robinson’s Housekeeping.

I first read Housekeeping during a college English class, and I loved it immediately. The mood and even the plot are somber and more than a little sad, but the writing is outright gorgeous. It’s the kind of writing that carries you away, that makes you feel each and every heartache, perfect for curling up under a warm blanket with a mug of coffee — and a dictionary. Robinson’s words and sentences are lyrical and complex and beguiling, making Housekeeping a must-read for lovers of word craft. Sometimes even a must re-read.

~Elisha Dew