It is through the reading of books that people are able to lose themselves in the literary constructs of others. Of all the pleasures life can provide, nothing compares to holding a book and being taken on a journey or adventure, the cares and stress of life melting away as the individual becomes absorbed in the story. Travelling to anywhere in the world at any time through history. From Dickens to Twain and beyond, books endear themselves to the reader so much that the novels become as children to them, the parting of which causes a unique pain in the individual not easily endured. With his larger than life characters and well spun tales, Charles Dickens takes the reader back to nineteenth century England and France, to times that were rife with poverty and other difficulties. Tragedy and inspiration have equal shares in these lively books, the protagonist always rising above the seemingly impossible odds to live happily ever after. Dickens has definitely earned his eminent place in literature and he will continue to please and dismay readers as long as his books are in print. The “Wheel of Time” series penned by Robert Jordan and Brandon Anderson stands supreme in this reader's opinion. Set in a world rich in detail and irresistable plots, this series keeps the reader hooked from the first word to the last. Despite the efforts to identify unresolved issues in the books, it appeared that the story was brought to a spectacular conclusion where all the plots were integrated. A prequel to this series was written as a graphic novel and it also was a fun and engaging read. Bernard Cornwell's ability to mix fiction with historical events and persons is remarkable. His stories, told from the perspective of a fictional character who is not intimately attached to the facts and major events, enables the reader to taste and appreciate what living through those events would have been like. The author's unique humour is peppered throughout all his books, the result of which is much more relatable characters. It is light and entertaining reading, even though the events mentioned would have been hell to live through. Sara Douglass is an Australian author with immense talent. Through the genre of fantasy she weaves tales strong in characterisation and developments of plots. The books have a tendency to be somewhat disturbing, though this adds to the quality of the work rather than detracting from it. A great set of reads that will leave the reader wanting more. Life on the Mississippi is delightfully brought to life by Mark Twain. The different characters paint what it must have been like to live in the Confederate south of the America, the interactions and relationships of the characters endear themselves to the reader, unfolding a time of simpler needs and wants, and a fascinating history of that great river and its plains. Books that are hard to put down once picked up. This reader hopes these brief descriptions encourages others to find and read these authors. It will be worth your time. Books are the vehicles we use to learn and the willingness to constantly learn and grow should be the foremost desire of all humanity.