5 ONLY books that MUST be read.

My v. quick and unscientific count of this thread says that mumsnetters top 5 to read are: 1. To Kill a Mockingbird 2. Pride and Prejudice 3. Jane Eyre 4. Lord of the Ring 5. The Grapes of Wrath.

And for the 'South' and 'Nansen' lovers, don't forget, 'The Worst Journey In The World' which is the main reason why I want a non-fiction list too.

Agh - how did I forget King Wilkie? I'd go with 'Man and Wife' or 'No Name' I think - because he loves women and anybody who thinks that Dickens could write, should read Wilkie to realise that Dickens is a boring and misogynistic knob in comparison.

juneau South is an incredible book. If you enjoyed it then I would recommend Nansens Farthest North . I listed it as one of my top five books earlier in this thread.

I think its as spellbinding and South .
If you read it make sure you get a copy which includes the maps and photos.

His Dark Materials Trilogy

Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy trilogy

Notes from a small Island (can substitute almost any Bill Bryson book here)

TKAMB

LOTF

oooo oooo one more

The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins - A fab psychological Thriller which had me hanging on to the edge of my seat.

I think I may be done now

Five schmive.

No way could I choose. Though I see neither can you!

Ive been lurking for a while and decided to join you

The Voyage of the Beagle - Charles Darwin - I could so see myself doing that journey but maybe not being able to see the world through his colourful eyes though.

Pride and Predjudice - Jane Austen - Thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was also the first classic I had read since school.

The Old Man and the Sea - Ernest Hemingway - He captured the mans pride and stubborness so well that I cried

Scarpetta Series - Patricia Cornwell - I loved these and couldnt put them down.

The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown - These gave me a taste of conspiracy theories which led to me reading............

smeakily adding one more to the list......

The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail - Michael Baigent et al - Fascinating!

It's excellent, Giraffe's.

Just thought, Hully - we should have a separate non-fiction list.

I've been pondering Fahrenheit 451 for a while. The number of lists it's on I think I'll go ahead and buy it...

Oh and I forgot:

South: Ernest Shackleton

Bugger!

Wild Swans
A Fine Balance
I Capture the Castle
The Grapes of Wrath
Goodbye to All That (or maybe Testament of Youth)

Gah! Only five (or six?)

Is there a clever spreadsheet person who could do a count up and find out which five are the most chosen so far? Eg P&P would be there, I think - and possibly Mockingbird.

If This Is A Man
Tender Is the Night
The Corrections
The Grass Is Singing
Oryx and Crake

Some of the worst most tawdry and illconceived books I've ever read are on this list - namely Time Traveller's Wife, Cloud Atlas, and The Book Thief.

our not out, obviously

pointyfangs you are right. A lot of us seemingly spend out time reading good literature instead of messing about on the internet.

This thread has added far too many books to my to-read list. And to my re-read list.

And it strikes me that we may be a nest of vipers but by gum we are well-read and literate vipers!

Now I want Peter Hoeg's 'Smilla's Sense of Snow' (that translation, not the one called 'Miss Smilla's Feeling for Snow' which is quite different. But I don't know which one of the others to swap it for.

I found Pullman so boring, I skipped through them. They are so not a classic.

Every John Irving novel is fab, each for different reasons. I like Hotel New Hampshire too for its pure eccentricity. You are not weird!

If we're going to have a John Irving, why can't it be The Hotel New Hampshire? It's my favourite one of his, am I weird?

Philip Pullman "Northern Lights" because it has everything. It's commentary on religion is second to none and it examines the torment of being a young adolescent beautifully.

Ninni Holmqvist "The Unit" because it makes you really think about the future of the world and what it means to be "needed", and about human worth.

Wild Swans - Jung Chang - an extraordinary life story and defining an era told in such an engaging way- amazed me and made me and cry in equal measure.

The Stand - King - A deeply moving horror story about the depravity man will sink to and the winning over of evil by good - well told and engaging, you can't put it down.

Fahrenheit 451 - Bradbury a scary vision of the future... no more books as they cause angst.... and the struggle against this...

Little Women - Alcottt shows the strength of women and family, both made me cry and lifted my heart ...

Clan of the Cave Bear - Auel Such an epic tale - unique telling of a time long past with a strong women - such rich detail, well written and with a huge depth of research of the time...

Charlotte Delbo "Auschwitz and After" - because it is the most hauntingly beautiful holocaust memoir, written in poetry and prose, and I defy you to read it and not be changed by doing so.

Shakespeare's "Othello" because it is his best work ever, is still relevant and I gain something new every time I read it.

I'm still honing my other choices