Favorite Texts and Why

I couldn't decide on just one, so here are three of my favorite texts and why I enjoyed them.

1- The First Circle, by Alexander Solzhenitsyn.
This book is an incredibly complex, vivid portrayal of the politics and inner workings of the upper echelons in a Soviet prison camp. Based on others' experiences in such a camp (another one of his novels is more directly based off his experiences), it is a fascinating but intensely human recreation. It was the first text of its kind that I had read, and it remains my favorite example of Russian literature to date.
2- A Farewell To Arms, by Ernest Hemingway.
I read this book fairly recently, after reading several other novels written by Hemingway, and this novel really hit home. Hemingway's writing is beautiful in its simplicity, and the combination of romantic dreams grounded in realism really works. While many people might not consider it his finest work, I thouroughly enjoyed reading it.
3- The Lord of the Rings, by J. R. R. Tolkien.
I'll admit it, I'm a sucker for sci-fi/fantasy. But what I loved the most about this series was the depth to the world around it. I don't think any author has ever put so much time anf effort into creating such an elaborate world. It is astonishingly well written (Tolkien majored in language) and is fun to read.
On a side note, the languages of his world were what I found to be the most fascinating singular aspect. He actually developed several full languages just for this series, and since I really enjoy learning languages, it definately tuned me in to the series.