missybct Posted January 30, 2010 Share Posted January 30, 2010 1) Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte 2) Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck 3) The Post-Birthday World - Lionel Shriver (update this later, I need to have a good think!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 1. The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien2. Les Miserables - Victor Hugo 3. The Brothers Karamazov - Fyodor Dostoevsky 4. The Story Of My Experiments With The Truth - Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi 5. Histories - Herodotus A really fascinating list. I've only read LOTR and dipped into Herodotus, but this has really made me thing about tackling them. Thanks Vinay. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Willoyd - glad to see Vinay's list has inspired you may I urge you towards Les Miserabl�s, as it's also my favourite book? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted February 4, 2010 Share Posted February 4, 2010 A really fascinating list. I've only read LOTR and dipped into Herodotus, but this has really made me thing about tackling them. Thanks Vinay. haha no problem. Like Giulia said. Read Les Mis!!! That has the essence of all the others put in. JRR Tolkien's war scenes, Dostoevsky's philosophy, Herodotus's historical depictions and a Gandhian figure in Jean Valjean. haha I never realised this!!! Les Mis has every element I love in my other favourite books?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
willoyd Posted February 5, 2010 Share Posted February 5, 2010 Like Giulia said. Read Les Mis!!! I fully intend to, have it on my TBR shelf, and am waiting for a school holiday in which toget started - I can't ever get any half challenging reading (and certainly no nineteenth century classics, which I love) done during termtime. Perhaps Easter? My 18-year old son has just finished it, having been recommended it by his history teacher, and thinks it was brilliant too - and he's not usually into that type of reading at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anika Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Whuthering Heights ~ by Emily Bronte The Heart is a Lonely Hunter ~ by Carson McCullers Les Miserables ~ by Victor Hugo Madame Bovary ~ by Gustave Flaubert The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling ~ by Henry Fielding Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmaline Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 (edited) I feel that a must read book has a quality, character, phrase, or event that is referenced on a regular basis by many different people and in many different situations. Catch-22 I have heard the phrase catch 22 all my life, but had no idea what it meant. I just figured it had something to do with the phrase "d@mmed if you do, d@mmed if you don't. 1984 We learn all about "Big Brother is watching you" Oedipus Rex A whole psychological complex was named after this Greek work. Romeo and Juliet Yes, I realize it is a play but all romance stories are compared against these "star crossed lovers" The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde Edited February 7, 2010 by Emmaline Fixed book title Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vinay87 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 It's been so long since I've even seen a copy of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde. I'm so going to hunt for it the next time I go to a bookshop! On that note, does anyone know a good movie based on that book? I've never seen a movie of it and I'd sure love to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest velocipede2288 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 The life of Mr Jonathan Wild. The King of the Mountains. Lamb's Essays. Boswell's Johnson. The Golden Book of Verse. The Big Read. (book of books) LonesomeDove (with thwo prequels and one sequel.) Tinker,Tailer, Soldier Spy. (andn all related John LeCarre books( The Lord of the Rings. The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Tom Sawyer. Terry Pratchett (any or all) Jack London(any or all) The Autobiogtaphy of a Super Tramp. The Arabian Nights. It is difficult to say what anyone else should read. But these are books I would not be without with the Complete works of Shakespear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Five books Velocipede, five adding up the votes for each of which we'll come up with the list of '20 Books Everyone Should Read'. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nollaig Posted February 7, 2010 Author Share Posted February 7, 2010 When Noll stops being a lazy sod and tots up the totals. Still, this is a slow moving thread (thank <insert deity of your choice>) so I'm just taking down the lists and I'll tot them up in time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmaline Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 It's been so long since I've even seen a copy of The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll And Mr Hyde. I'm so going to hunt for it the next time I go to a bookshop! On that note, does anyone know a good movie based on that book? I've never seen a movie of it and I'd sure love to. Barnes and Noble has a version that has it in a book with other short stories by Robert Louis Stevenson for 4.95. I like those versions because they also include a bio on the author, what was happening in history at that point, timeline, a bunch of footnotes, plus more in depth end notes, comments and questions, plus inspired by that lists notable movies, plays or other novels based on a theme or idea of the work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest velocipede2288 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 (edited) Right, new year, new thread. The guidelines for picking and posting your list are as follows: 1. You are only to choose your top 5 books. No more, preferably no less. 2. Your choices can be from any genre you like, and for any reason you like. 3. This is not necessarily a 'favourites' thread - while you are more than welcome to list your 5 favourites as your choices, the KEY idea here is to name the books you think EVERYBODY should read once. 4. Please note you are welcome to use your list from 2008 if you so choose. 5. A book series is counted as one choice. Name the series, rather than an individual book. Well I saw at thetop of the page 20 books you should read so I naturally thought...20 ...sorry. What can I say. Edited February 7, 2010 by BookJumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest velocipede2288 Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 Five books Velocipede, five adding up the votes for each of which we'll come up with the list of '20 Books Everyone Should Read'. Hey! I think I'll just stay off this forum, the rules are too complicated for a simple soul like mine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookJumper Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 If I said anything that made you feel unwelcome, I'm sorry, it wasn't my intention at all - that's why the wink was there, to avoid you thinking I was waggling my finger at you, because I wasn't. Regular members, including myself may I stress, do this kind of thing all the time so I wouldn't worry about it if you enjoy being here I see no reason why you shouldn't continue to be here, mkay? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cosychair Posted February 7, 2010 Share Posted February 7, 2010 5 Books that I currently think everyone should read are 1. The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson 2. The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova 3. The Girl with the dragon tattoo by Steig Larsson 4. The secret history by Donna Tartt 5. Mitfords: Letters between six sisters by Charlotte Molsey. Each of these books have made a lasting impression on me, most of them will stand up very well to re-reads whilst still reveling something new to the reader. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emma_jane2 Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 1. A thousand Splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini 2. The picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde 3. Nineteen minutes by Jodi Piccoult 4. Shadows of the workhouse by Jennifer worth 5. The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted February 11, 2010 Share Posted February 11, 2010 1. A thousand Splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini Ooh, we're reading this one for the Reading Circle in March. I hope you'll join us in discussing it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Okay here's my 5 books: Black Like Me. John Howard Griffin The Blue World . Jack Vance Pride and Prejudice. Jane Austen A Suitable Boy. Vikram Seth Fingersmith . Sarah Waters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BookGeek20 Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Wow i am amazed at the amount of people that put His Dark Materials on their lists, its one of my favorite trilogies i read when i was younger, i bought it with money from my nan. Im thinking i might have to read it again, however it is all the way in Guernsey... Btw you guys who are fans of good old Victor Hugo? did you know he was exiled to Guernsey? Ive been round his house and everything! *smug grin* *sigh* i do miss Guernsey (my home) at times whilst at uni but anyway on with the topic here are my top 5: 1. His Dark Materials, Philip Pullman 2. The Old Kingdom Trilogy- Garth Nix 3. Romeo and Juliet- Shakespeare (By far my fave play ever and i enjoyed studying it at school!) 4. The Lovely Bones- Alice Sebold 5. The Memory Keeper's Daughter- Kim Edwards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Emmaline Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Okay here's my 5 books: Black Like Me. John Howard Griffin I read Black Like Me in Honors English in high school, and it really stuck out to me, but I had forgotten about it until now. I need to go back and reread to see if it is what I remember it to be. Thanks for the reminder. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poppy Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Black Like Me. John Howard Griffin I read Black Like Me in Honors English in high school, and it really stuck out to me, but I had forgotten about it until now. I need to go back and reread to see if it is what I remember it to be. Thanks for the reminder. This is the first time I have seen Black Like Me mentioned here. I put it on my Top 5 books for 2009 as it's one of those books that can make a huge impact on how you view things. I read it at school and it has always stayed with me ... like you Emmaline, I need to go back and reread it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Somebody else bought up Black Like Me on here only last week, I can't remember who. But yes it was a very important book to me when I read it. It sort of made me think about the sort of person I wanted to be when I grew up. The man was very courageous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
frankie Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Somebody else bought up Black Like Me on here only last week, I can't remember who. But yes it was a very important book to me when I read it. It sort of made me think about the sort of person I wanted to be when I grew up. The man was very courageous. I believe it was Ruth in her reading blog This book is now definitely something I want to read, I've already added it to my wishlist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vodkafan Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I believe it was Ruth in her reading blog This book is now definitely something I want to read, I've already added it to my wishlist Frankie, I honestly feel this book is more than just a book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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