Time On My Hands

I've been thinking of this scene lately.

I just had a "procedure" and have been forced to lay about for going on three days now.  I have been spending hours each day on the internet trying to learn new things, but mostly rehashing the same subjects and sites. I currently have two books started but not finished. I have a stack of unread books on shelves that I want to read sometime in my life. I now will have the time.

This five day respite I am now in the midst of will be lengthened to six months in the near future. In Billy Crystal's life list, I have skipped from the 50's procedure to the 60's surgery in short order. I will be up and about some in the six months, but mostly will be sedentary. This has led me to go through the unread book list and put them in order to read. But I know there are many wiser than I that have read some good books. I want your suggestions. I'm thinking of those Top Ten on your list of books read. Books you suggest to others.

Now I will suggest a few guidelines. I'm thinking of two or three books in different categories. I have been reading mostly nonfiction for the last few years. I would like to branch out a bit. Below I will suggest some categories and list some books I have read and enjoyed. I will also list some authors that I have read and liked. Thank you for your help and let the eduction begin.

Classic "School" books--Shakespeare, To Kill a Mockingbird, Lord of the Flies, 1984. I haven't read all the Classics a person should read, so what should I not miss?

Suspense/Westerns--I like Bourne and True Grit.

Sci-Fi/Fantasy--I used to read Bradbury, but haven't for years.

History/Politics/Geography--Lincoln Unbound, Undaunted Courage, Citizen Soldier, Napa, Sontag & Evans, Rediscovering America (John Muir). I tend to stay in this area, but would like other subjects.

Sports--Baseball certainly, but I also like sports biographies as they usually have to overcome some adversity.

Farming/Urban Gardening--I like narratives about how other people are doing these things and making it work for them.

Spiritual/Religious/Make You Think--Books in The Bible, Walden, Autobiography of Gandhi. It's good to drink deep sometimes even if you have a tough time swallowing.

Travel--Undaunted Courage, Travels with Charlie, Blue Highways, No My Mercedes is Not for Sale. There are many and I am forgetting some I've read and enjoyed.

Authors I Read--John McPhee and Malcolm Gladwell.

I have given these as suggestions for suggestions only. I am forgetting much and many, and certainly consider myself the most unread English major I know.