emelee Posted February 6, 2014 Share Posted February 6, 2014 (edited) Some favorites, so far Jane Austen - Pride and prejudice Karin Boye - Kallocain Albert Camus - The stranger Agatha Christie - And then there were noneAgatha Christie - The murder of Roger Ackroyd Roald Dahl - Matilda Hans-Ulrich Horster - Child 312 Franz Kafka - The trial Stieg Larsson - The girl with the dragon tattoo Camilla Läckberg - The angel maker's wife Michelle Magorian - Good night Mr Tom William Shakespeare - HamletTom Sharpe - Riotous assemblyMaj Sjöwall & Per Wahlöö - The locked room August Strindberg - The father Hjalmar Söderberg - Dr Glass Gellert Tamas - The laser man Voltaire - Candide Edited February 6, 2014 by emelee Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anna Begins Posted February 7, 2014 Share Posted February 7, 2014 (edited) I also have to mention The Illustrated Man. Edited February 7, 2014 by Anna Begins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 8, 2014 Share Posted February 8, 2014 Green Nice to see Peace Like a River mentioned.It was a beautiful book, wasn't it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lucybird Posted February 11, 2014 Share Posted February 11, 2014 Fiction- Adult Birdsong- Sebastian Faulks The Thursday Next series- Jasper Fforde The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts- Luis de Bereniéres Life After Life- Kate Atkinson Brooklyn Bites short story collections- Scott Stabile Shades of Grey- Jasper Fforde Middlesex- Jeffrey Eugenides The Elegance of the Hedgehog- Murial Bradbury Fiction- Children's/Teen Harry Potter- J.K. Rowling His Dark Materials- Phillip Pullman Remembrance- Theresa Breslin Eva- Peter Dickinson None-Fiction The Lucifer Effect- Phillip Zimbardo Living Dolls- Natasha Walker Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted February 13, 2014 Share Posted February 13, 2014 Green Nice to see Peace Like a River mentioned.It was a beautiful book, wasn't it ? Hi Julie. Yes,it was,and my favourite read in 2009. I'm surprised Leif Enger hasn't written more. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Green He did write another ,which I haven't read : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green Posted February 14, 2014 Share Posted February 14, 2014 Green He did write another ,which I haven't read : I did read this Julie,and it's o.k but was very slow and not really a patch on Peace Like A River. Don't mean to put you off! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
julie Posted February 15, 2014 Share Posted February 15, 2014 Thanks for telling me , Green ! I guess it'd be hard to beat Peace Like a River .... I can't think of much in that , that he could have improved on . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kylie Posted February 16, 2014 Share Posted February 16, 2014 Here is my list from a couple of years ago. Top 40 FictionJane Austen EmmaJane Austen Pride and PrejudiceJohn Banville The Book of EvidenceRay Bradbury Fahrenheit 451Charlotte Brontë Jane EyreAnthony Burgess A Clockwork OrangeItalo Calvino If on a Winter's Night a TravellerJohn Connolly The Book of Lost ThingsCharles Dickens A Christmas CarolCharles Dickens Great ExpectationsCharles Dickens A Tale of Two CitiesAlexandre Dumas Count of Monte ChristoMark Dunn Ella Minnow PeaJeffrey Eugenides MiddlesexMichel Faber The Crimson Petal and WhiteF. Scott Fitzgerald The Great Gatsby Jonathan Safran Foer Everything is IlluminatedGeorge Grossmith Diary of a NobodyJoseph Heller Catch-22Susan Hill The Woman in BlackJack Kerouac On the RoadJack Kerouac The Town and the CityKen Kesey One Flew Over the Cuckoo's NestDaniel Keyes Flowers for AlgernonStieg Larsson The Girl with the Dragon TattooHarper Lee To Kill a MockingbirdErich Maria Marquez All Quiet on the Western FrontMargaret Mitchell Gone with the WindVladimir Nabokov LolitaGeorge Orwell Animal FarmAyn Rand Atlas ShruggedMary Shelley FrankensteinJohn Steinbeck Grapes of WrathJohn Steinbeck Of Mice and MenBram Stoker DraculaHunter S. Thompson Fear and Loathing in Las VegasJohn Kennedy Toole A Confederacy of DuncesOscar Wilde The Picture of Dorian GrayTim Winton CloudstreetMarkus Zusak The Book ThiefTop 10 Young AdultFrances Hodgson Burnett The Secret GardenStephen Chbosky The Perks of Being a WallflowerSuzanne Collins Hunger Games (trilogy)Norton Juster The Phantom TollboothJohn Marsden Tomorrow, When the War Began (series)A. A. Milne Winnie the PoohWalter Moers The 13 ½ Lives of Captain BluebearLucy M. Montgomery Anne of Green GablesJ. K. Rowling Harry Potter (series)Mark Twain Adventures of Huckleberry FinnTop 13 Non-FictionBill Bryson Down UnderBill Bryson A Walk in the WoodsByll Bryson A Short History of Nearly EverythingTruman Capote In Cold BloodAB Facey A Fortunate LifeTim Flannery The ExplorersTim Flannery The Birth of SydneyAnne Frank The Diary of Anne FrankHelene Hanff 84 Charing Cross RoadSteven D. Levitt FreaconomicsSylvia Plath The Unabridged Journals of Sylvia PlathAndrew Solomon The Noonday DemonMartin Toseland A Steroid Hit the Earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray89 Posted February 21, 2014 Share Posted February 21, 2014 I'd like to add: "The happiness advantage" by shawn achor Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ray89 Posted February 24, 2014 Share Posted February 24, 2014 look at this list I've found:D The All-time world's bestselling books! the bible by far the most sold! http://www.statista.com/statistics/248141/most-read-books-in-the-world/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted May 16, 2015 Share Posted May 16, 2015 (edited) Commemorating a decade of membership and discussion in online book forums: my best-of-the-best books I have enjoyed. A Decade of Reading Lolita - Vladimir NabokovPnin - Vladimir NabokovLook at the Harlequins - Vladimir NabokovMrs. Dalloway - Virginia WoolfThe Waves - Virginia WoolfThe Sea - John BanvilleStoner - John WilliamsAbsalom, Absalom! - William FaulknerDaniel Deronda - George EliotThe Lover - Marguerite DurasThe Golden Notebook - Doris LessingCatcher in the Rye - J.D. SalingerFranny and Zooey - J.D. SalingerThe Stream of Life - Clarice LispectorLight Years - James SalterThe Hunters - James SalterGilead - Marilynne RobinsonPortrait of the Artist as a Young Man - James JoyceDreams of my Russian Summers - Andrei MakineBlood Meridian - Cormac McCarthyCasanova in Bolzano by Sandor MaraiAmerican Pastoral by Philip RothThe Universal Baseball Association - Robert CooverYour Face Tomorrow (3 v) - Javier Marias Spy, Detective, TerrorismThe Untouchable - John BanvilleHarlot's Ghost - Norman MailerThe Smiley Series - John LeCarréI Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes Sci FiMalevil - Robert MerleOn the Beach - Nevil ShuteContact - Carl SaganCanticle for Leibowitz - Walter M. Miller, Jr.Flowers for Algernon - Daniel KeyesThe Martian - Andy Weir IslamOrientalism - Edward SaidFrom Beirut to Jerusalem - Thomas L. FriedmanMohammed, a Prophet for Our Time - Karen ArmstrongThe Truth About Mohammed - Robert SpencerAmerican Islam - Paul M. BarrettOnward Muslim Soldiers - Robert Spencer Lit CritPost-Modernist Fiction - Brian McHale Short StoryThe Lost Decade - F. Scott Fitzgerald DramaWaiting for Godot - Samuel BeckettWho's Afraid of Virginia Woolf - Edward Albee PoetryThe Classic 100 Poems - William Harmon, ed. BiographySalinger - David Shields InspirationalDevotions Upon Emergent Occasions - John Donne Thank you, everyone, for your friendship and an enjoyable experience. Sincerely Paul Edited May 18, 2015 by Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Thank you You are most welcome, iceypik. I hope you enjoy your time here as I have mine. There are nice people on this forum and a whole world of books to enjoy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Harry Potter! :D Jurassic Park- Michael Crichton (and also The Lost World) The Secret of Crickley Hall- James Herbert (much better than the TV adaptation!) Eragon- Christopher Paolini (again, much better than the film) What Has Nature Ever Done For Us? Tony Juniper Any book by Roald Dahl Last Chance to See- Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine The Chronicles of Ancient Darkness series- Michelle Paver Innocent Traitor- Alison Weir Murder Most Royal- Jean Plaidy Six Wives: The Queens of Henry VIII- David Starkey Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 Without a doubt, Red Sparrow by Jason Matthews is sidling onto my list of best books in a decade of reading. A spy thriller with a highly trained cat secretly tracking a very educated mouse, the suspense carries from page to page in a way that I can't recall from other espionage books I have read. Matthews is a master of the craft, having had a career with the CIA, and the detail on every page into both personal psychology and espionage tradecraft is absolutely remarkable and new to this reader. He ranks with the masters and is very highly recommended to anyone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobblybear Posted May 31, 2015 Share Posted May 31, 2015 I like a good spy thriller, so I've added it to my wishlist. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I'm not sure I've ever seen this thread before, where have I been? Okay, disclaimer: I read a lot of trash, so even my best picks are not without flaws! My 'Best of 2015' are really great reads, but as they're selected from a narrower range, they may or may not be quite as amazing as my Always picks. I'll come back and update this with more! Best of 2015: Off To Be The Wizard - Scott Meyer (Gaming fantasy/humour) The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes - Anna McPartlin (Drama/Fiction) To Rise Again At A Decent Hour - Joshua Ferris (Weird semi-philosophical fiction, definitely also an all-time favourite.) The Martian - Andy Wier (sci-fi) Best of Always: Adult: The Book Thief - Markus Zusak Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - Susanna Clarke The Magicians - Lev Grossman Vlad - C. C. Humphreys Flowers For Algernon - Daniel Keyes Salem's Lot - Stephen King Perfume - Patrick Suskind The Painted Man - Peter Brett Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion Young Adult: A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness Unwind - Neal Shusterman The Shell House - Linda Newbury Paper Towns - John Green Childrens: The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted June 1, 2015 Share Posted June 1, 2015 I like a good spy thriller, so I've added it to my wishlist. Hi Bobblybear, I hope you enjoy the story as much as I did. It definitely is a thriller to the very last page, even if I think a few parts are rather too theatrical for me to imagine happening. Happy reading Paul. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 I'm not sure I've ever seen this thread before, where have I been? Okay, disclaimer: I read a lot of trash, so even my best picks are not without flaws! My 'Best of 2015' are really great reads, but as they're selected from a narrower range, they may or may not be quite as amazing as my Always picks. I'll come back and update this with more! Best of 2015: Off To Be The Wizard - Scott Meyer (Gaming fantasy/humour) The Last Days of Rabbit Hayes - Anna McPartlin (Drama/Fiction) To Rise Again At A Decent Hour - Joshua Ferris (Weird semi-philosophical fiction, definitely also an all-time favourite.) The Martian - Andy Wier (sci-fi) Best of Always: Adult: The Book Thief - Markus Zusak Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell - Susanna Clarke The Magicians - Lev Grossman Vlad - C. C. Humphreys Flowers For Algernon - Daniel Keyes Salem's Lot - Stephen King Perfume - Patrick Suskind The Painted Man - Peter Brett Warm Bodies - Isaac Marion Young Adult: A Monster Calls - Patrick Ness Unwind - Neal Shusterman The Shell House - Linda Newbury Paper Towns - John Green Childrens: The Velveteen Rabbit - Margery Williams Nollaig, Glad to see your list, especially with its inclusion of The Martian and Flowers for Algernon as points of contact with my own list. They should be on everyone's lists. Book Thief continues to puzzle me however. It appears at the head of almost every list I see for best book of year etc, and seems to be enormously popular. But it eludes me and leaves me flat, if not actually annoyed. I guess I just don't see in it what so many other people do. But opinions will differ, so no big deal I suppose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted June 2, 2015 Share Posted June 2, 2015 Book Thief continues to puzzle me however. It appears at the head of almost every list I see for best book of year etc, and seems to be enormously popular. But it eludes me and leaves me flat, if not actually annoyed. I guess I just don't see in it what so many other people do. But opinions will differ, so no big deal I suppose. Its been many years now since I read it so I don't remember it too well, but I know I loved Death's narrative style, and I became very invested in the characters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted June 3, 2015 Share Posted June 3, 2015 Its been many years now since I read it so I don't remember it too well, but I know I loved Death's narrative style, and I became very invested in the characters. Thanks for the reply, nollaig. I'll look at it with a new eye. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bookmonkey Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Paul - I didn't like The Book Thief either. So you're not alone. As for my favourites, I've read so many books I don't think I could list the best. Before I go to Sleep by S J Watson is definitely up there. The best book I've read recently was A Walk Across the Sun by Corban Addison. I read this last year, and I still think about it a lot. A very moving story. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted June 6, 2015 Share Posted June 6, 2015 Book Thief continues to puzzle me however. It appears at the head of almost every list I see for best book of year etc, and seems to be enormously popular. But it eludes me and leaves me flat, if not actually annoyed. I guess I just don't see in it what so many other people do. But opinions will differ, so no big deal I suppose. You're definitely not alone there - I'm another one who would put it nearer the bottom than the top of my ratings. But then, I'd many apparently popular books there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 You're definitely not alone there - I'm another one who would put it nearer the bottom than the top of my ratings. But then, I'd many apparently popular books there! Good to hear from you willoyd. We are a verrry small minority as far as I can tell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pontalba Posted June 7, 2015 Share Posted June 7, 2015 Paul, willoyd, bookmonkey....y'all can add me to the list of extreme dislike(rs) of The Book Thief. I suspect there are more that are not fond of the book, but given the overwhelming praise for it are somewhat cowed by the tsunami and feel a bit shy of mentioning their dislike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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