Whats your favouite..

Justask

I've just read the "whatcha reading" thread for some ideas, Im going through books like they are going out of fashion and not finding something that I dont what to end....

SO question is..."whats your favourite book of all time?" or the one that springs to mind first???

Amazon open on another tab...this could be dangerous

Mine is Jodi Picoult 'Salem falls LOVED IT

Kya1976

One of my favorite books would be a book I read in college, years back.:)

Nisa: The Life and Words of a !Kung Woman by Marjorie Shostak

Ickle Magoo

Reaper Man... :cool:

Contessa Raven

I can never pick one book so I'll pick a series.

My favourite series is The Tales of the Otori by Lian Hearn.

Book 1: Across the Nightingale Floor

Book 2: Grass for His Pillow

Book 3: Brilliance of the Moon

Book 4: Harsh Cry of the Heron

Book 5: Heaven's Net is Wide (It's a Prequel to the series)

Fluorescence

I'm a big fantasy nerd. The vast vast majority of stuff I read is fantasy. Anyway, in the last few months I discovered my absolute favourite fantasy author ever: Patrick Rothfuss. He's relatively new (just published his 2nd book there in March) but he's easily the best I've read (and I've read 1000s of books over the years). Amazing stuff. He's currently 2/3rds of the way through his Kingkiller Chronicle trilogy:

The Name of the Wind
The Wise Man's Fear

If you like fantasy at all, I promise you won't be disappointed. Pinky swear :P

MagicMarker

A few off the top of my head...

Infidel - Ayaan Hirsi Ali
Up From Slavery - Booker T. Washington
A Brief History of Time - Stephen Hawking
End of Faith - Sam Harris
Beyond the Limits - Ranulph Fiennes

I prefer non-fiction.

Bloody Nipples

The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Graham
The Three Musketeers - Alexander Dumas
The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruis Zafon
Boy and Going Solo - Roald Dahl
Touching the Void - Joe Simpson

Absolutely top notch the lot of them!

xoxyx

The World According to Garp. I could (and have) read it cover to cover and start right over again. I just love how it's written.

liliq

Hmm...

Science fantasy wise- Magician by Raymond E. Feist. First book in the Riftwar Series. One of the first proper science fantasy books I read, and spent a couple of years with my nose stuck firmly in that genre! :rolleyes:

Biography/ Autobiography wise- I really enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom... it was nearly like a little words of wisdom book, but with a story and a moral to the tale!

Autobiography- Wonderland Avenue by Danny Sugarman... one long drug binge of a book

Also love I Heard the Owl Call my Name by Margaret Craven.

That's the shortlist off the top of my head

Fluorescence

^ Magician is wonderfully rich alright. The original trilogy was the best in his entire range IMO. After that the books kept getting shorter and shorter and less interesting. Not to mention less epic on scope

That said, as my introduction to adult fantasy at the age of 14 (my only other experience before that was the Hobbit :P) it was and still is a wonderful read.

Clare Bear

The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton I still pick it up these days if I'm feeling blue. It's my forever love book

LenaClaire

So many favorites....

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood (Also, Alias Grace by her)
Einstein's Dreams - Alan Lightman
Kafka on the Shore - Haruki Murakami
Neverwhere - Neil Gaimon
Dragonsong trilogy - Anne McCaffrey
On Basilisk Station - David Weber

And just about anything by Terry Pratchett

Justask

World according to garp ...ordered

The tales of Otori, the trilogy.... ordered

Faith

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneggar. I just adore it.

Clare Bear wrote: »

The Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton I still pick it up these days if I'm feeling blue. It's my forever love book

I love that trilogy! I found a hardback copy of the 3 in work last year and bought it . I was just thinking today how I'll keep it and read to it to my children (if I have any).

LenaClaire

Faith wrote: »

The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffeneggar. I just adore it.

ohh good book! Have you read - Her Fearful Symmetry by Niffeneggar?

Ickle Magoo

liliq wrote: »

Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom...

That's a cracking book...

As well as Discworld, I'm a sucker for the classics - I love Rebecca, Pride and Prejudice...and I don't think I've gone more than a couple of years without re-reading the LotR - I love Insomnia by Stephen King as well...oh, so many good books, I keep remembering more!

I really, really wouldn't know where to start. There are so many.


...
Yeah I tried to compile a list but it'll just end up being half the books I've read :pac:

Maple

jujibee wrote: »

ohh good book! Have you read - Her Fearful Symmetry by Niffeneggar?

Yes, and I didn't like it half as much.

Faith

jujibee wrote: »

ohh good book! Have you read - Her Fearful Symmetry by Niffeneggar?

No. I gave it to my ex's mum for her birthday because we'd both adored The Time Traveler's Wife, and she wasn't mad about it, so I never actually bothered to read it. Did you enjoy it?

LenaClaire

Maple wrote: »

Yes, and I didn't like it half as much.

Faith wrote: »

No. I gave it to my ex's mum for her birthday because we'd both adored The Time Traveler's Wife, and she wasn't mad about it, so I never actually bothered to read it. Did you enjoy it?

I think Time Traveler's Wife is better but I liked the concepts in Symmetry. I got a bit annoyed with the characters but I really liked the ideas of life and death. There were some sub-plots that did not fit very well.

Maple

A Prayer for Owen Meany is my favourite John Irving book. Love it.

I don't know if I could pick a favourite book out of all my best books tho. They are all my favourite in some way. I have different favourite books according to my mood.

MissFlitworth

I can't pick a favourite, I don't think my books would forgive me.

I guess it would be something along the lines of everything terry pratchett ever waved a finger near. I've also worn out 2 copies of pride & prejudice

micayla

I have a few favourites:

Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
I have yet to read a Neil Gaiman book that has disappointed me. Everything I read completely blows my mind.
Any Discworld book that has Carrot or Vimes or Death - my three favourite characters ever created by Pratchett.
A Song of Ice and Fire Series by George R R Martin - The TV series A Game of Thrones is also pretty awesome:D
Anything by Edgar Allan Poe - if I could go back in time I'd find that man and just sit and chat for a few hours!
Eat Pray Love and Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert arrived on my book shelf at pretty good times and have certainly made a difference for me and my life.
I loved The Book Thief by Markus Zusak is brilliant, but I must admit I have been unable to finish reading it as the closer I got to the end the harder it was for me to accept what was going to happen - this by the way has never happened to me before with any book - I will finish it but when I'm ready and have a giant tub of Ben & Jerry's on hand.

Fluorescence

micayla wrote: »

I
Any Discworld book that has Carrot or Vimes or Death - my three favourite characters ever created by Pratchett.

Isn't that all of them? :P

Birdie086

Pappilon by Henri Charrier(sp? you think i would know by now)

read this about once a year for the last 7/8 years, an amazing true story and you pick up something new each time you read. The front cover is nearly falling off my copy and it has NEVER left my house(I love swapping and loaning books). The movie leaves out sooooo much and is still a great movie.

that reminds me its long overdue another read.....................I put it away so safely I dont know where it is.................

cdaly_

The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant by Stephen Donaldson. I got the first books back in 1983 in college and have the last (of 9) in my reading queue.

Excellent dark fantasy stuff...

Dudess

jujibee wrote: »

The Handmaid's Tale - Margaret Atwood

Me too. Adore it. Shame about the woeful film adaptation. I'm not a "Books shouldn't be made into movies" person at all, but that one is just disastrous!

micayla

fluorescence wrote: »

Isn't that all of them? :P

Sadly no:( but a fair chunk of them:D

Fluorescence

I could have sworn Death popped up in every book. *shrug* Will use this as an excuse to read them all again :P

MissElle

This is a great thread, given me loads of new book ideas I should be studying but instead I just ordered three Discworld books and the Magic Faraway Tree (loved it when I was younger, can't wait to re read!)

Acoshla

Hi my name is Spadina and I am a chicklit-aholic, specialising in Marian Keyes, Cathy Kelly, Sophie Kinsella, etc. I don't even particularly like many chick lit books with their rehashed versions of the same old story, but I eat books when I read so the crappier the better because I will just fly through it in a few days anyway.

Also, I like my books how I like my movies, funny, no depth, because life can be sad/shite/deep enough so I like my entertainment to be a break from it

Edit: I do however love the Green Mile.

Orim

Lord of the Rings. Best book ever.

On the other hand I'll recommend anything by Yann Martel. Beatrice and Virgil is a particularly fantastic book.

Fluorescence

Orim wrote: »

Lord of the Rings. Best book ever.

Which one? :P

While LoTR did a lot for fantasy as a genre, I would hesitate to call it a well-written trilogy. Tolkien was a master world builder but pretty woeful at the aul' plot and pacing aspects, which are pretty important :P. The best thing for them was to be made into movies :pac:

Ickle Magoo

Oh no! I much prefer the books to the films...The Hobbit is one of my all time favourites!

Orim

fluorescence wrote: »

Which one? :P

While LoTR did a lot for fantasy as a genre, I would hesitate to call it a well-written trilogy. Tolkien was a master world builder but pretty woeful at the aul' plot and pacing aspects, which are pretty important :P. The best thing for them was to be made into movies :pac:

I've always prescribed to Tolkiens view that it was a single book. And if you really have to divide it then it was six books not three. But to not be too pedantic then I would have say that Two Towers was the best for the great mix of plot and world building while keeping a steady pace to the whole proceedings.

As I've grown older I've come to accept that it's not the perfect book regarding pacing but I think the plot is amazing. I still read and relish that world and that story. You only have to read Silmarillion to see how bad he can be in the more typical story writing aspects while creating an absolutely amazing world, heritage and history.

For more recommendations Neil Gaiman is one of the best authors I have ever read. I recently read Neverwhere and it blew me away in the theory of writing books.

EDIT : To echo Ickle, the LOTR films were terrible. Damn you Jackson, you destroyed so many characters for no reason.

Rubberlegs

Much too hard to pick one:D. Anything by Stephen King, been reading his books for over 20years now. Weaveworld by Clive Barker is just amazing, as are all of his books. Loved The Time Traveller's Wife and Her Fearful Symmetry by Audrey Niffenegger. Her Fearful Symmetry gave me a weird feeling in my belly reading it, love books that do that to me, Room by Emma Donahue was another. A book I have read several times over the years is Forever Amber, to my shame can't remember the name of the author. It's an old book, set in the 1600s in England. Loved The Five People you Meet in Heaven, Tuesdays with Morrie and One More Day by Mitch Albom, real tearjerkers. Absolutely loved Rebecca and Jamaica Inn by Daphne du Maurier. When I want a real lighthearted read that will make me laugh, I love Marian Keyes:). Just thinking I'd hate not to be into reading!!

michelledoh

Justask wrote: »

Mine is Jodi Picoult 'Salem falls LOVED IT

I LOVE that book! I'd say I've read nearly all of her books! My favourite was My sister's keeper but then they made the film version... wasn't as good!

Angela's Ashes is amazing as well! Paints a really vivid image of growing up in limerick but all from an innocent perspective!

perri winkles

Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe by Fannie Flagg
My all time FAVOURITE book. Adore the characters, the film version ruined it! Always go back to it, theres just something about it ..:)

Also loved The Book Thief.

liliq

Orim wrote: »

For more recommendations Neil Gaiman is one of the best authors I have ever read. I recently read Neverwhere and it blew me away in the theory of writing books.

Need to read some Neil Gaiman... he's one of those authors I keep meaning to read and somehow have never got around to it!
*Opens Amazon tab- time to fix this!!*

73Cat wrote: »

Anything by Stephen King, been reading his books for over 20years now. Weaveworld by Clive Barker is just amazing, as are all of his books.

Ah... love Stephen King! Been a long time since I've read any of his as well, and I've loads of them here I mean to re- read!
Clive Barker too!! Midian... was that the name of it? That was my first Clive Barker book... loved it
Read Coldheart Canyon and it's one of those books I'm not sure is a good one, but I quite enjoyed it anyway! :rolleyes:

Justask

Thanks folks for all the replies

Im going to be broke :eek:

Enjoying reading everyones different tastes

Fluorescence

Library? You can always buy the books you really enjoyed at a later date. Or try a 2nd hand bookshop.

Justask

I know I should join one but im one of those people who gets a silly thrill to see a house full of books

Second hand book shops though yea I must have a wonder around a few next time im in the city:)

Fluorescence

Yeah I love owning books too, but I'd soon be broke if I did that all the time.

lilmissprincess

Definitely Gabrielle Zevin's "Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac".
Her book "Elsewhere" is pretty damn awesome too.
And I can't resist me a Jodi Picoult, loved "19 Minutes".

The Silmarillion
It was a book that took a lot of effort to read on the first go, since it was so dense, but I was immensely glad that I stuck with it, because it contains some of the most touching stories I've ever read.

tomissex

lilmissprincess wrote: »

Her book "Elsewhere" is pretty damn awesome too.

I love that book! Such a cool way of looking at the afterlife!

micayla

fluorescence wrote: »

I could have sworn Death popped up in every book. *shrug* Will use this as an excuse to read them all again :P

Oh I meant as primary characters, I know they do pop up in other books but I absolutely adore the books that focus on them, those are the ones where I'll actually laugh out loud while reading them on the bus:D

allyJay

I have many favourites, depending on mood, but only get giddy about a new terry pratchett..... snuff is out in October, can't wait!

sunflower27

I read Water for Elephants last year and adored it. I was really upset when I finished it.

I also really enjoyed We need to talk about Kevin.

I read Watermelon by Marian Keyes when I was in my early 20s following my first break-up back in Australia. I loved the description of Ireland and yet never thought in a million years that 10 years later I'd be living over here

sunflower27

Justask wrote: »

I know I should join one but im one of those people who gets a silly thrill to see a house full of books

Second hand book shops though yea I must have a wonder around a few next time im in the city:)

Definitely check out second-hand bookstores. It's amazing the fantastic books I have got in them over the last few years since I started having a look.

snooleen

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