To ask what the best book you've ever read is?

[AtlasShrugged]

As above really. Inspired by the worst book thread running at the moment. What's the best book you've ever read? And why?

The secret history. Love it... I get lost in the characters and the description. It's my go to comfort read

@Highlandmary - absolutely loved secret history, the little friend is fantastic too, but very harrowing.

Going to mark my place - sorry! Ive lost my reading mojo.

I generally read light psychological thrillers but my favourite ever book was crime and punishment. Never managed anything else so highbrow. Johnathan strange and Mr Norrell (i think) comes a close second.

I think Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. Or maybe Possession by AS Byatt. Or maybe The Bone People by Keri Hulme. Or maybe The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro.

One of those anyway.

@LEMtheoriginal - I've basically started this thread cos I'm after inspiration!

The bible
Harry Potter
Lord of the Rings

Pale Fire by Nabokov is up there too.

.

The Yellow Wallpaper

I Robot - or anything by Asimov

Bleak House.

I was an easily distracted teen and remember being completely engrossed.

The books I remember loving reading, and wish I hadn't read so I could read them again (books never have the same impact again because I've got an almost photographic memory)

Rebecca
Jane Eyre
Little Women
Space Cadet
Ann Veronica
A superb crime novel translated from German called Hell Hath No Fury
Children of the Dust

If I could erase my memory I'd choose Space Cadet I think. I love that book.

The Woman Who Walked Into Doors is incredible, but I don’t think I have one favourite. Wuthering Heights maybe.

Jane Eyre maybe.

I'm pretty basic. My favourite book is Catch-22, but it gives most people I know a headache when they try to read it.

Ooh actually my favourite is The Diary of a Provincial Lady.

Alias Grace
The Rainbow
the Amber Spyglass

His Dark Marerials

Lord of the Flies

Game of Thrones

Anything by Sir Terry Pratchett, but Mort is my favourite.

1984, but I hate it as much as I love it.

Pride and Prejudice because I just love it.

The Great Gatsby was always my fave, visually splendid.

Best book written this century is The Goldfinch, amazing characters that stay with you, fabulous story, so intelligently written. (agree Secret History is also wonderful).

The Mandibles by Lionel Shriver so good I had to read it twice back to back (dystopian fiction). Will re-read again at Christmas!
Parade's End - Ford Maddox Ford.
I Capture the Castle - Dodie Smith.

Came on to say The secret History but have been beaten to the post.

Others I have loved
Carter beats the devil
Jane Eyre
Silas Marner
The time travellers wife
The world according to garp

The blind assassin I can read over and over again. Jane Eyre is a favourite classic

I hate posts like these trying to choose my favourite 🙈 I'm going to be a bit different and chose an autobiography cause I loved it so much and found it really interesting

A Life in Parts by Bryan Cranston, it really stayed with me all his experiences!

I haven't found my fave fiction book though but will keep searching 🙈

Pride and Prejudice, there is more to it every time I read it.

Daphne du Maurer's The House on the Strand - sucha clever book and an absolute page turner, with cracking characters and an ending that leaves you wanting more. What a book!!