What is the best book you have ever read?

[Toni2011]

I'd love to know which books really stick in people's minds. Any genre, any author.

Cold Comfort Farm

The Magus by John Fowles. I read it years ago. It was so good I daren't read it again.

Great to hear of some like minds :)and some good suggestions too...

For me -
A Prayer for Owen Meany
The Fourth Hand
A widow for one year

• all by John Irving

Purple Hibiscus
Half of a Yellow Sun

• by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie

All Kate Atkinson

Five Quarters of the Orange - Joanne Harris

Max and Molly in the Garden

Another vote for TC Boyle - but my favourite was Budding Prospects - laugh out loud funny about growing (or trying to) a marijuana crop in California.

Also The Kite Runner.

Favourite Sarah Waters is Affinity - creepy and painfully poignant.

Louis de Bernieres' South American Trilogy, the one with titles like The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts etc etc...

BendyBob - interesting you say that. The Collector (John Fowles) is a book that absolutely shattered me and is also one I would never read again - I just don't want to dilute the impact with a second reading.

The L Shaped Room - Lynn Reid Banks

Ceasnake - Ah yes I have also read the Collector. Quite a disturbing book iirc.

I rarely do re-read books. Even if I've loved them, the inital impact as you rightly say, would never be the same. I worry I'll not enjoy it as much or see flaws in it I hadn't noticed the first time and that would spoil it.

Harry Potters - sad i know, but i just loved the story

Innocent Traitor

The Grapes of Wrath, read when I was 16 had a huge impact on me, also at about the same age, Rape of the Fair Country by Alexander Cordell. Never been able to read them again though.

One I love and have read over and over again is Asta's Book by Barbara Vine.

Flowers in the attic

ninah - that book about the tailors is A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry, I loved it too

I bawled my eyes out (I consider that a sign of a great book!) at The Book Thief, The Times Travellers Wife, The Kite Runner and Tuesdays With Morrie

I recently read Stephen King's new book Under The Dome which I couldn't out down

For non-fiction Climb by Anatoli Boukreev is really good

Has anyone read Eat Pray Love? I've just finished the India bit which I have to admit having skim read at times. I loved the Rome bit though

I've loved so many of the books mentioned already but my No1 spot goes to Shogun by James Clavell.

I also was completely and utterly hooked by the Diana Gabaldon books/series and read all 7 (?) back to back.

I also rate any books written by Susan Howatch particulary the series about Starbridge and the church of England.

I liked Tuesdays With Morrie a lot.

Marabou Stork Nightmares
Pride and Prejudice
The Traveller/Fourth Realm Trilogy
Holes
Her Fearful Symmetry
Pandaemonium
Spirit Level
The Buccaneers
A Series of Unfortunate Events
To Kill a Mockingbird
His Dark Materials

Too many! Sorry!

ninah - was it 'A Fine Balance' by Robinton Mistry....

Woman in White - Wilkie Collins

oh dang, sorry - Ruthie answered already [slips away unnoticed....]

at swim two birds, home and moby dick

also have exceedingly fond memories of the greengage summer, and love everything i've read by michael chabon

I think I am out of step here but I have started Cloud Atlas 3 times and have never managed to finish it.

Difficult question

Doris Lessing, children of violence series & the fifth child

Oscar Wilde, picture of Dorian Gray

Donna Tartt, the secret history

Rose Tremaine, the road home

Dya now toni i've bin thining about this since i saw your thread an i've struggled cos i've read lots of wonderful books but the first book i read that really stuck in my mind waas IT by Stephen King. I was just so mesmerized by it the fear and the thriller if you get the chance open your mind and read it much much better than the film in my opinion it should never have been turned into a film!!!