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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

To ask for the best book you've ever read?

306 replies

chxm19 · 03/02/2019 18:03

Recently got into reading again and want to ask for suggestions!

I've just finished The Couple Next Door by Shari Lapena after it being recommended by a friend.

Needless to say I was so disappointed with the ending Sad

TIA

OP posts:
BrightYellowHat · 06/02/2019 00:22

There is only one book....

One book to rule them all,
One book to find them,
One book to bring them all
and in the darkness bind them.

Toffeeandcoffee · 06/02/2019 00:31

chxm19
I liked the film (love Christian Bale.)
The book is extremely graphic - I remember thinking at the time how can anyone sane have come up with this?
It has lots of very violent parts in it. But also chapters about comparing stereo systems and the music of Genesis and Phil Collins. It all makes sense though!

Tbh the film is like watching In the Night Garden compared to the book.
The book was better but it certainly was disturbing.

Tinty · 06/02/2019 00:37

.

tobee · 06/02/2019 01:40

Sword of Honour Trilogy by Evelyn Waugh
Regeneration Trilogy by Pat Barker
The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters

Katedotness1963 · 06/02/2019 06:29

84 Charing Cross Road
September
A Woman of Substance
Czardas
The Help

BettySundaes · 06/02/2019 14:02

My list is similar to others:

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
We Need to Talk About Kevin - Lionel Shriver
100 Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Love in the Time of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Would add:
Roots - Alex Haley
Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil - John Brendt

Most recent book I've read that had any real impact is A Little Life by Hanya Yanagihara

Must re-read some of these personal classics, as struggling to find an author/genre that speaks to me right now.

Igottastartthinkingbee · 06/02/2019 15:33

Betty I started A Little Life but couldn’t get into it, is it worth starting again and persevering?

MsTSwift · 06/02/2019 15:36

Love Margaret Atwood early stuff. The Robber Bride about a woman who storms through 3 women’s lives destroying them. Book opens with the 3 friends at her funeral “there to make sure she’s really dead”. Also cats eye is unbeaten on the nature of little girls cruelty to each other. Re read both these and unreservedly recommend.

hellsbellsmelons · 06/02/2019 15:42

Angels and Demons
I love reading and will read almost anything.

Florence08 · 06/02/2019 15:55

The Stranger in the Mirror and The Fox in the Cupboard - Jane Shilling: resonated with me about ageing

Any Human Heart, and Restless - William Boyd - both great

The Pedant in the Kitchen and
The Sense of an Ending - Julian Barnes

The Thorn Birds! - loved the story as a teen

Mmmmbrekkie · 06/02/2019 15:58

Angels and Demons
I love reading and will read almost anything.

Clearly!

Sorry

Mmmmbrekkie · 06/02/2019 15:58

@Florence08

Sense of an ending was lovely

Mmmmbrekkie · 06/02/2019 16:07

@Florence08

Sense of an ending was lovely

Florence08 · 06/02/2019 17:41

@Mmmmbrekkie

I agree. Thought-provoking too; have recently re-read and loved it just as much second time

birdiewoof · 06/02/2019 21:50

I’ve been really enjoying the DI Helen Grace books by M.J. Arlidge. Crime thrillers

MissLanesAmericanCousin · 07/02/2019 07:41

If I may, list one more.

The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint- Exupery

Changed my life it did.

melonthehippo · 07/02/2019 08:06

Not sure it’s been mentioned yet, I loved The Shadow of the Wind by CR Zafon. Just a lovely, absorbing read.

SileneOliveira · 07/02/2019 08:10

One Hundred Years of Soluitude by Garcia Marquez

Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

more recently, loved Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman, as a younger reader I loved Little Women and Anne Frank's Diary.

FloofyDoof · 07/02/2019 08:55

Terry Pratchett - all of the Discworld books, particularly the Night watch ones and the witches.

Neil Gaiman - Neverwhere and American Gods are my favourites.

Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman - Good Omens: The Nice And Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch. Might actually be my very favourite book, it always makes me happy to read it and I have read it a million times. I have lent out several copies (and worn out a couple more) and everyone that has borrowed it from me and read it has enjoyed it. (New series coming up on Amazon Prime Video very soon with David Tennent (Crowley) and Michael Sheen (Aziraphale) as the 2 main characters, can't wait!)

Haruki Murakami - Kafka on the Shore.

For proper read it in one go silly fun I have recently really liked John Dies at the End by David Wong. I also really enjoyed Eleanor Oliphant, which is not my usual kind of book at all.

Iain Banks - pretty much all of his books, especially The Wasp Factory. Iain M. Banks (his sci-fi stuff) are also great.

I have been re-reading a lot of my old sci-fi stuff recently too. Hyperion by Dan Simmons, I am Legend by Richard Matheson, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K Dick (The book Blade Runner was based on) also Flow My Tears The Policemen Said, The Day of The Triffids by John Wyndham, Slaughterhouse-five and Player Piano by Kurt Vonnegut.

I'll stop now Blush

Freyanna · 07/02/2019 13:54

Belgravia by Julian Fellowes

queribus · 07/02/2019 14:26

Dark matter by Michelle Paver
The man who ate everything by Jeffrey Steingarten
A walk in the woods by Bill Bryson

I'm fairly low brow!

Thisnamechanger · 07/02/2019 14:32

I'm in love with Oh My God What a Complete Aisling

Snowymint · 08/02/2019 13:18

Iris Murdoch

Aaaahfuck · 08/02/2019 13:19

Cloud atlas

MarshaBradyo · 06/02/2020 09:45

I’ve read two books from this thread and both were superb.

The White Tiger
and
Trustee from the Toolroom

So different, the first rich in language the second straight and clearer, but loads of character. I loved both, but the second was brilliant, I just finished it right now, so good.

I tried to find this thread by googling and a similar one in 2013 said the Trustee book in the op.

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