5 ONLY books that MUST be read.

[Hullygully]

Any era, any genre.

No crap.

Go.

[LESuffolk]

To Kill A Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Sleeping At The Starlite Motel or Mama Makes Up Her Mind by Bailey White

Swamplandia by Karen Russell

American Ghost by Janice Owens

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn by Betty Smith

[Hullygully]

Why must they be read? I really liked Swamplandia, and the Bailey White ones, but I'm not sure they MUST be read.

[ShriekingGnawer]

My Dear, I wanted to tell you

To Kill a Mockingbird

Wild Swans

The Snow Child

Restoration

[Hullygully]

I know I'm changing the rules, but now I would like a small justification appendaged to each choice

[AHardDaysWrite]

Hamlet. Cos I'm with Harold Bloom on this one - first human in literature etc.

Gulliver's Travels. Arguably the first novel, so important for that reason.

Sherlock Holmes stories. Because everyone should know Holmes.

Mockingbird. 'Nuff said.

The Handmaid's Tale. My favourite dystopian fiction.

[Kveta]

Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson - because it is still the funniest book I have ever read, and the only one that still makes me snort with laughter on re-reading it.

The complete Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - because it is just bloody marvellous.

The Crow Road by Ian Banks because it is clever and funny and sad and I loved Prentice when I was a teenager.

All Quiet on the Western Front - war is bleak and shit and pointless on either side.

Black Beauty - because Ginger , just because Ginger :(

(I accept that these may not be everyone's cup of tea, but they would be my Desert Island books)

[Kveta]

AHard I was going to put Holmes in too, but we are only allowed 6 choices

[Kveta]

5 choices.

FFS.

[Hullygully]

5 choices sorts out the wheat and the sheep, innit.

[AHardDaysWrite]

Kveta I've got a SH anthology so therefore they are one book so there Hully

[Hullygully]

Yy, anything between just two covers is fair game.

[ShriekingGnawer]

I've changed my mind about all of my choices. This is too hard

[AHardDaysWrite]

Forgot about All Quiet on the Western Front. Dammit. And Black Beauty. And A Tale of Two Cities. Don't like this game...

[Hullygully]

No cheating Shrieking, no posting a further five under the old changed-my-mind guise.

This is hardcore.

[Kveta]

what are your choices Hully?

[Hullygully]

ok

Everyone gets ONE second chance only.

So hone with care

[Hullygully]

I'm honing, Kveta, still honing.

[Hullygully]

[Dededum]

A fine balance - Robinton Mistry - beautiful complicated powerful
The Leopard - G. de lampard (sp) - if you want to understand power & politics
Barbara Kingsolver - The poisonwod bible - if you've ever been to Africa, evocative, sad, beautifully written
George Orwell - Animal Farm or 1984 - classics with depth
A day in the life of Ivan Devensoich (sp) - early 'misery' literature. So powerful

These jump out, I am sure I can do another 5!

[Hullygully]

I am going to have to have your justifications, Skully

[LESuffolk]

I can only speak from my perspective. My life would be infinitely the more impoverished without their lyrical, rich and magical language.

Swamplandia- to encourage the development of a major talent and learn about Florida Crackers-a largely unknown culture over here. Same applies to Janice Owens who wrote 'The Cracker Kitchen' too. A favourite cookbook/food memoir.

A Tree Grows In Brooklyn- one of the clearest and most honest child characters. And I have read excerpts at two funerals so far and both bought the houses down so to speak. I have reread this countless times and can emote great chunks of it by heart.

[Orangesarenottheonlyfruit]

Emma, Austen because it is fabulous to have a heroine that isn't perfect but is likeable.
Mockingbird for all the reasons before.
Greenbanks by Dorothy Whipple, it's a simple seeming story but has much to say on the nature of human nature and the place of women.
The Blue Flower Penelope Fitzgerald's masterpiece. A book doesn't have to long to be almost perfect.
Little Dorrit / Martin Chuzzlewit Dickens's because they're a cracking read.
How to be a woman Caitlin Moran because it made me think.
Kingfisher's Catch Fire Rumer Godden because it speaks wise words about cultural relations and not condescending on another culture simply because they aren't as sophisticated.

Actually not sure about the last one, also considering The Pearl - Steinbeck amongst others.