Best book you've ever read

[JulieYS]

Sorry, slight diversion from book of the month.
But I'd really be interested in finding out what was one of the best books you've ever read.

Particularly:

• What you loved about it
• What was the hook that kept you reading at every spare moment
• What characters you fell in love with, and why.

If, like me, you find it hard to pick the absolute best, then any book that you really enjoyed.

One of the books that I really enjoyed was The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck - which I read twice. I was amazed that the author's actually American, yet her writing was so beautiful and descriptive that it instantly transported me to another time, another place. She obviously lived in China for a while, which is why she was so familiar with the culture.
I couldn't help greatly admiring the protagonist, O-Lan, who, despite being born into disadvantage (a female slave), worked hard, with great resilience and fortitude, to better her life both for herself and her family. Their struggles through the Great Famine were heart-breaking. The interplay between her, and her husband, gave much food for thought. And the impossible life decisions she had to make were excruciatingly painful to read. And such a bitter-sweet ending.

I'm hoping to read more of Buck's novels, though because this book was so heart-rending, I'm guessing they're going to be emotional rollercoasters...

I loved Flowers in the Attic! Loved it. But that was 35 years ago and I was a child so I'm sure it wouldn't be great all these years later.

Agree with Khalid Hosseini.

Others I've really enjoyed over the years:
Shantaram
Gone With The Wind
The Heart's Invisible Furies
Dead Cert
Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Tender is the Night by F Scott Fitzgerald
Tigers in Red Weather by Liza Klausman
The Tea Planters Wife by Dinah Jefferies
The Pull of the Stars by Emma Donoghue (Reading this during the first lockdown was so moving)

I could choose just one, but my top 5 would be:-

1. The Hearts Invisible Furies - John Boyne
2. The Stand - Stephen King
3. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Housseni
4. All The Lights We Cannot See - Anthony Doerr
5. The Book Thief

Probably in this order too 👍

Hi all,

this is my first post but I had to share how wonderful and eye opening this book is I have read. It is called ‘Tenacity’ and is about two mums who tried to help their sons battle their drug addictions but unfortunately both stories ended in tragedy , it really is an eye opener and I recommend all parents give it a read as who knows when it could help you

The link to the book

One Hundred Years of Solitude: Gabriel Garcia Marquez.

Oh god, I had to read this for my degree and honestly, it felt as though 100 years of solitude would be preferable to having to read the goddamn book!

Yet my daughter adores it too ---

isn't it funny how we have all have such different tastes?

I must read this. I was going to say "A Town Like Alice" by Nevil Shute, as it's one I can reread often. I have read other Nevil Shute books and enjoyed them, but haven't read "On the Beach".

Life of Pi. So original and compelling a story, and so adorable a main character. Finishing it felt like a bereavement. I have never felt so protective towards a fictional character before or since. Was delighted that the play kindled in me the same love for him as the book had.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. I loved everything about it, the characters, the storyline, the writing... just perfect and my all-time favourite read.

Absolutely agree with the above. This book is so absolutely tragic but incredibly beautiful and moving. It totally transports you to a world so different to your own.

Also, Petals on the Wind, the sequel to Flowers in the attic. Virginia Andrews’ books to a teenage me were full of fabulous drama, passion, excitement and intrigue. I couldn’t get enough of them. I recently re-read Petals on the Wind and enjoyed it almost as much as before.

Another more recent one is Little Fires Everywhere. I completely fell for Mia and her story. Such a strong m, stubborn, proud character and role model for her daughter, Pearl who I also fell in love with!

Oh, and The Colour Purple is a great read. Racism, deprivation and hard times but amazing resilience of the human spirit and not letting life grind you down messages galore.

@NellesVilla i love every one of the books you've listed!

War and Peace. I love it. I re-read it constantly. It is such a powerful book, part history, part love story.It really is the best novel ever written. I love Pierre and Natasha’s stories.

Alone in Berlin, Hans Fallada

Fiddle broke gets me everytime.

7 years in Tibet by Heinrich Harrer. I loved the details of Heinrich's journey from India to Tibet and the life and culture of Tibet as described in the book.

A Civil Action by Jonathan Harr
It was written in the 90s about a true story lawsuit some local families in Massachusetts brought on a chemical company for dumping chemicals into the local water.

Sounds depressing but it is the best book I’ve ever read. The author is an attorney who worked on the case and he knows how to bring suspense and interest in what could have been a dry subject.

One hundred years too - just re-read it
Just started on Joan Didion and wondering whether she will be up there.
At the time I loved the crying of lot 49, adored it. Re-read and still good even though nuts.
Agree Anita Brookner enormously underrated.
Sapiens. Non-fiction but fantastic
Loved Snobs, just a good read
Stoner

I have a new favourite every year.

The Silence Of The Girls - Pat Barker. Absolutely stunning writing, I loved the voices of the women and the complexity of being a captive but feeling gratitude and compassion at times.

Hamnet - The beauty of that book swept me away - I adored the main pair, I felt such an incredible sense of place and was totally immersed in the world of the book

Poisonwood Bible - again, the women of the story were interesting, working around the domineering oblivious male and being resourceful survivors.

Miss Pettigrew Lives For A Day - one of the daftest, funniest, reliable literary warm hugs I have. I read it yearly.

Almost everything by Georgette Heyer and PG Wodehouse - they both use language as a plaything, and it's suffused with lightness and fun.

Children Of Time by Adrian Tchaikovsky - who knew thaat future space spiders would be the biggest hearted things imaginable? Wonderful

The Book Thief
Klara and the Sun
Janet Eyre
Throne of Glass series by Sarah J Mass

Jane Eyre - obviously. damn autocorrect.

You asked for just one, rather than a long list.

Any Human Heart - William Boyd. The sense of loss when it suddenly finished was profound, as if I actually knew him.

Not sure if anyone's mentioned it yet but I love A Man called Ove.

It makes me laugh and cry every time I read it. I love that it makes you question your assumptions. Eg you start off not really liking Ove but the more you find out about him the more you understand and love him. And it surprises you because things are not as you expect. So it's about how you don't always know people, and how very different people can love and like each other, and how families are not just about relatives.

We Need To Talk About Kevin - a fantastic read
Some Other Rainbow - humbling

I agree about Right Ho Jeeves and David Copperfield.

Thomasina by Paul Gallico, a very clever and captivating story about a cat. It’s a book with incredible depth. You don’t have to be into cats to love reading it as it’s actually about people.

Csardas by Diane Pearson, such a beautifully written sad and moving book about war.
Rebeccca and To kill a mockingbird as pp have said