Ben Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 Noughts and Crosses - Malorie Blackman - I'm going purely on my own personal experience with this book as I don't actually know anyone who has read this. It had such a huge impact on me and it's a firm favourite. It's not easy to read as it deals with difficult issues but the story between the two main characters is beautiful so it almost 'balances' out. This book inspired me to write and I really can't recommened it enough. You've just reminded me about that book, might purchase it on Saturday. Heard good things about it, and have been looking to read it for a while, but it slipped my mind! Thanks.
Guest Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 Here's my list........ 1. The Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follett 2. An Instance of the Fingerpost - Iain Pears 3. The Eyre Affair - Jasper FForde 4. Consider Phlebus - Iain M. Banks 5. When the lion Feeds - Wilbur Smith (the book that got me into reading) I could go on....................
Ernie Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 Great thread , I've subscribed so I can give it some thought and come back to it.
BrainFreeze Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 My contribution would be; The Surgeon - Tess Gerritsen The Color Purple - Alice Walker The Damage Done - Warren Fellows 19 Minutes - Jodi Picoult Watership Down - Richard Adams
Paul Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 Limiting it to five is almost impossible, but the first five books to leap out at me from my reading are: The Gilgamesh Epic The oldest written story that exists, predating even the Bible by about 1000 years. Do people wonder about the meaning of life or their place in the scheme of things? Read about those questions here in their first edition, in what I would call the first existential novel ever written. Camus? A newcomer to the genre. The questions have always existed. Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell A contemporary novel in meta-fictional style that contains the most staggering view of the apocalyptic future that I have ever read, whether in sci-fi or anywhere. The book affected my thinking and emotions for weeks afterward. Truly stunning. The Catcher in the Rye - John D. Salinger Very well known, but still a book that can be read at any age for new insights and reactions. It probably should be read about every 10-15 years throughout one's life, as one's literary and life experiences mature and the story of Holden refracts in different colors each time. Light Years - James Salter A contemporary novel, in beautifully written prose, about the people who sleekly swim in the modern fast lanes and appear to have it all in their sparkling chrome and glass worlds. Mrs. Dalloway - Virginia Woolf Another elegantly written book, in beautiful stream-of-consciousness style, about a magnificent self-actualized woman. It also contains the best story-within-a-story of a devoted loving couple that I have ever read. Admiration and tears might be among your justifiable reactions. Truly a ground-breaking masterpiece. --- Some of these five books might present certain challenges in reading, but all will extend one's understanding and appreciation of the joys to be found in the realm of literature. The next five, or ten, or fifty recommendations would certainly include the great works of Faulkner, Nabokov, McCarthy, Joyce, Banville, Proust, Dostoevsky, Tolstoy, Makine and others. But the five given above are highly enjoyable and approachable enough for a start. And if any wonder what my real first choice was, it was The Bible -- one of the foundations of Western culture and morality that everyone ought to read and be familiar with. In addition, one really must also experience some of the joys of poetry. Elizabeth Barret Browning's Sonnets From the Portugese would be a "must read." They would have to reach anyone's heart. So, that's seven. Pick your own five. Happy reading!
Ben Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 The Catcher in the Rye - John D. SalingerVery well known, but still a book that can be read at any age for new insights and reactions. It probably should be read about every 10-15 years throughout one's life, as one's literary and life experiences mature and the story of Holden refracts in different colors each time. I completely agree. It was the first classic I ever read, just under 3 months ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Paul Posted January 16, 2009 Posted January 16, 2009 I completely agree. It was the first classic I ever read, just under 3 months ago, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Yes, me too. I think it is a fascinating book. My children are by now all grown up, so I know I had a different reaction to the book than the many young people the same age as Holden who read it for the first time in school and cheer it on. I cheer for it too, but for a message of love and hope that I see in it toward the end. And for Salinger's skill in writing Holden's character.
Nollaig Posted January 24, 2009 Author Posted January 24, 2009 Finally got a chance to update this thread. Both the 2008 and 2009 top 20s are up in the first post, side by side for comparion.
crotalus_p Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 Finally got a chance to update this thread. Both the 2008 and 2009 top 20s are up in the first post, side by side for comparion. OMG Roxi I can not express my disappointment :tong: Have you got a run down of the top 50 ???
Nollaig Posted January 24, 2009 Author Posted January 24, 2009 everything else got one vote, and they're listed in order of what was said. so its not really a 'top 50' it'd just be the whole list in order.
Iagegu Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 Mine are as follows, in no particular order: 1) Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte 2) Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier 3) Keeping Faith, Jodi Picoult 4) The Day of the Jackal, Frederick Forsyth 5) Outlander/Crosstitch, Diana Gabladon
Loopyloo100 Posted January 24, 2009 Posted January 24, 2009 Touching the Void by Joe Simpson Black Beauty by Anna Sewell Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon The Enchanted Wood series by Enid Blyton
poppy Posted January 25, 2009 Posted January 25, 2009 I've chosen these books as they can have a profound effect on the way you think and view things. Black Like Me - John Howard Griffin To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee Mister God This Is Anna - Fynn One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - Ken Kesey Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
generalkala Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 Morning all! I'm new here, but this seemed a pretty good place to start posting, so here we go. I chose these because they've all changed the way I think or the way I see things. 1) A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens 2) The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde 3) Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen 4) Twilight - Stephanie Meyer 5) My Sister's Keeper - Jodi Picoult
Andaira Posted January 27, 2009 Posted January 27, 2009 In no particular order... 1. The Picture of Dorian Gray, by Oscar Wilde 2. The Odyssey, by Homer 3. One Thousand and One Nights (Arabian Nights), by Various Authors 4. Inferno, by Dante Alighieri 5. Dracula, by Bram Stoker
~Andrea~ Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 At last I've chosen book 5 - otherwise I'd have posted sooner. Watership Down - Richard Adams Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte Animal Farm - George Orwell The chronicles of Narnia - C S Lewis The Lord of the flies - William Golding PS - almost making my list were Catch 22 and Dracula. This was sooo hard.
Lucybird Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 Ok here goes....in sort of order... 1) His Dark Materials- Phillip Pulman 2) Harry Potter series- JK Rowling 3) Captain Correli's Mandolin- Louis de Burnieres 4) The Time Traveller's Wife- Audrey Niffenegger 5) (oh no only one space for 2 books...err) Chocolat- Joanne Harris 6) would be Birdsong by Sebastian Fawkes, in case you were wondering
Ben Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 I thought the list was finished and compiled somewhere..?
Lucybird Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 Maybe, I don't know, I only joined yesterday. There's a 2008 and 2009 list at the front of the thread though. I kind of presumed 2009 wasn't complete yet
Ben Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3338/3222264239_3f00e68aa9_o.jpg 2009 list is on there.
Michelle Posted February 5, 2009 Posted February 5, 2009 See first post: - Once enough posts have accumulated, I will list the top 20 here and update it on at least a weekly basis.
BookBee8 Posted February 6, 2009 Posted February 6, 2009 I think this thread is a great idea. Great to look for recommendations as it's all on the post at the beginning. I'm going to read To Kill A Mockingbird soon.
Nollaig Posted February 6, 2009 Author Posted February 6, 2009 I think this thread needs updating. *sigh*
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