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Original poster

What is the best book you have ever read?

140 replies

KatyDidItAgain · 28/08/2013 20:49

What was it, and why was it so good?

Mine is Nevil Shute's Trustee from the toolroom for his wonderful portrayal of the main character, Keith.

OP posts:
UriGeller · 30/08/2013 15:33

The most beautifully written IMO is In the Skin of a Lion by Michael Ondaatje

My absolute favourite is Weaveworld by Clive Barker

AmericasTorturedBrow · 30/08/2013 15:12

I've always loved Auden and also the metaphysical poets but for favorite its a tough call between Thom Gunn, Adrienne Rich and Sylvia Plath

Weegiemum · 30/08/2013 14:44

And for poetry, for me it has always been W.B Yeats.

Though Christmas:1924 by Thomas Hardy is my favourite poem.

Weegiemum · 30/08/2013 14:38

"Love in the Time of Cholera" by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Or

"The Lathe of Heaven" or "The Left Hand Of Darkness" by Ursula K. LeGuin.

MamaMary · 30/08/2013 14:34

As far as 'best' is concerned, The Mayor of Casterbridge is probably one of the best-written novels out there. And very, very moving.

I enjoyed reading A Fine Balance but found it as a novel rather flawed. Far too much misery and not enough redemption or hope.

ButchCassidy · 30/08/2013 09:02

No night is too long - Barbara Vine

Its probably not the greatest book ever written but it has been my favourite book for 15 years and I re read it constantly.

xiaozhu · 30/08/2013 08:54

So tough, I can't pick one so a list (in no particular order):

Rebecca
Midnight's Childen
A Tale of Two Cities
Lolita
The Lovely Bones
The Remains of the Day
Tristram Shandy
Wild Swans

Also really enjoyed Uncle Tom's Cabin (only after I'd read it though - not whilst ploughing through).

Plus I love 'bilge' like Jilly Cooper, Twilight, Hunger Games, Girl Who trilogy... and Harry Potter, of course. Fuck being intellectual, I read for pure enjoyment these days.

OverTheFieldsAndFarAway · 30/08/2013 08:45

Guilty pleasure reads are;

Erra
Erra More & The Sibitti
Shah ( Gods & Thurs)
The Neuri Series
The Pravus Series

All the above by the most brilliant POPPET

WhoKnowsWhereTheTimeGoes · 30/08/2013 08:21

I only read To Kill a Mockingbird a couple of years ago, not at school. I don't recall reading any fiction books at secondary school, I didn't take English Lit O level, but I guess we must have done, they just haven't stuck with me.

KenDoddsDadsDog · 30/08/2013 08:20

We didn't read To Kill A Mockingbird . We read Dickens and Austin .

Wasapea · 30/08/2013 08:07

Ooh Over I LOVE Brave New World. It's ace. Also Wuthering Heights. And Wolf Hall and Bring Up The Bodies by Hilary Mantel. And Red Or Dead, David Peace's new one about Bill Shankly. So many books...

burberryqueen · 30/08/2013 08:00

To Kill a Mocckingbird is not that great because the narrative voice is not believable. IMO.
Probably something by Evelyn Waugh

OverTheFieldsAndFarAway · 30/08/2013 07:54

Wuthering Heights
Brave New World
The Mill On The Floss
All by Austen

Under Milk Wood

CoteDAzur · 30/08/2013 07:39

Hasn't everyone read To Kill A Mockingbird at school?

Haribojoe · 30/08/2013 01:33

The Red Tent by Anita Diamant.

One of the few books I have read more than once.

LadyBeagleEyes · 30/08/2013 01:26

I've read so many books I've loved, but To Kill a Mocking Bird will always be my favourite. I first read it as a teen, and after all the hundreds of books since, I still love it.
To anyone on this thread who hasn't read it, give it a go.

AmericasTorturedBrow · 30/08/2013 01:15

I'm really bad at this but it has made me wander round Adult Fiction and I'm going to belatedly join the 50 books in a year thread....

AmericasTorturedBrow · 30/08/2013 01:14

Have to admit to positively hating pretty much all Austen. Give me a Bronte any day

AmericasTorturedBrow · 30/08/2013 01:13

I'm a theatre director so plays is a really tough one as I read them for pleasure but also for work and rarely read them without working out the embryonic ideas for production at least!

But A Dolls House is definitely one of the top of all time ever. And Hamlet. And Mercury Fur. And Faustus. And Angels in America. And anything by David Greig and Moira Buffini and Caryl Churchill. And Joe Penhall

I'll see you Larkin and raise you Andrienne Rich

NoComet · 30/08/2013 00:42

Shogun
Took me to another world age 14, when every child needs to escape. Took it to school and had my nose in it on the bus, dinner and break. Totally couldn't put it down.

Have never dared re read it, it so much belongs to then.

One day I'll buy a copy and get DD1 to read it.

His dark materials is brilliant, and a real fav. of DHs too.

ggirl · 30/08/2013 00:34

Agree with loads of others TKAM , Fine Balance and Remains of the Day
but also loved Margaret Forsters 'Have the Men had enough'. In fact love most of her books

PixelAteMyFace · 30/08/2013 00:28

I loved Love in the Time of Cholera

If youre doing poetry I vote for the Metaphysical Poets, especially Andrew Marvells "To his Coy Mistress"

Ubud · 30/08/2013 00:19

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 30/08/2013 00:15

Let's do poetry as well. I'll have the collected Larkin please. :)

RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie · 30/08/2013 00:14

Thanks ATB.

Go on...You know you want to do plays too. :)

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