The Wind in the Willows

"Believe me, my young friend, there is NOTHING—absolute nothing—half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: `messing—about—in—boats; messing—" 

One of the most delightful books I have ever read is the annotated Wind In The Willows by Kenneth Graham. What a story teller! All of the characters are mischievous and heaps of fun, but Rat and Toad are my favorites—Toad because he is a natural bon vivant, and Ratty because he's a die hard epicurean. Just listen to this—Rat description of a typical lunch for a boating excursion on the river ...

The rat fetched a wicker picnic basket... "What's inside?""There's cold chicken inside," said Rat, "cold-tongue-cold-ham-cold-beef-pickled-onions-salad-french-bread-cress-and-widge-spotted-meat-ginger-beer-lemonade — "Oh stop!" cried Mole in ecstasy. "This is too much!""Do you think so?" said Rat, seriously. "It's only what I always take on these little outings."

Is that not fabulous? This book is best enjoyed out of doors, if possible—languishing on the grass or in a hammock on a lazy summer's day—and preferably with and ice cold ginger-beer-lemonade.