You know that heart-achingly wonderful, bittersweet feeling you get when you finish an incredible book? I want more of that in my life.

[SpaghettiBologneighs]

That feeling you're left with when you've been utterly immersed in another life or another universe. I've just finished a wonderful series. Not high literature by any stretch, but beautifully written with characters who lived and breathed and moved me. I finished with my eyes full of tears and I feel bereft, but in a good way :).

I want more of that in my life. What books have left others feeling this way?

[SorrelForbes]

His style is quite 'British, stiff upper lip' I suppose but I just love his books. My BiL has a full set of NS hardbacks which he's never read but won't give to me [mean]

[maybeyoushoulddrive]

Really really enjoying this thread! It is making me appreciate that we should just enjoy books and try not to be too swayed by the opinions of others.

I was reading through the list, nodding away to myself at so many of the books mentioned, but then I came to a few I absolutely hated. But that's alright, we are all different!

yy to Nevil Shute. I read his books voraciously as a teenager and have just been coming back to them now and enjoying them all over again.

Greenshootsandleeves I read Summer of my German Soldier as a teenager - loved it Also greengage Summer, When Hitler stole Pink rabbit, and Joan Lingard's Kevin and Sadie stories. Aaaah happy days!

Rose Tremain is a great author - I always find myself totally immersed in her characters and the setting she creates for them. I haven't read Restoration though - am off to the library later so will see if they have it.

[champagnesupernovum]

I felt like this when I read a Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry

And I havejust seen refs to Summer of My German Soldier - I always think of it whenever I hear the word FORMIDABLE


Need that feeling more too (also need another 3 hours in the day. )

[BookFairy]

I had that feeling late last night as I stayed up to finish Wally Lamb's "I Know This Much Is True". Fantastic :)

[maybeyoushoulddrive]

Oh yes, I ached after A Fine Balance! So many emotions - I have Shantaram and A Suitable Boy to try as a follow up...

Entirely different, and much more light weight, I always enjoy books by Adriana Trigliani. She tells such a good story

[SpaghettiBologneighs]

Arf at Dick Lit - the next publishing phenomenon?

Champagne, I know what you mean about needing extra hours in the day. I'm at home on mat leave with three week old DS2 atm and shamelessly taking advantage of the fact that we have inlaws staying to focus on reading as much as possible establishing breastfeeding before they go home and the full chaos of looking after a newborn and a boisterous toddler becomes real.

I miss my commute!

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Yes to the ending of 'His Dark Materials' although those bloody horse things left me cold.
Yes to This Thing Of Darkness and its desperately sad ending.
Yes to The Book Thief.

Owen Meany and A Fine Balance both left me really angry and cheated though - they annoyed the hell out of me.

King's Dark Tower series - the ending is just so, so awful but so, so right.

A Handful Of Dust.

The end of the Harry Potter series.

Persuasion - beautiful, tender and just so, so satisfying.

[MandyAJ7]

Eagle in the Sky by Wilbur Smith
Shabby Tiger by Howard Spring
Venetia by Georgette Heyer
More recently - One Day by David Nicholls

[HumphreyCobbler]

Oh Goodness, is the ending of the Dark Tower awful? Book four just arrived in the post.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

HC - awful and perfect and lovely and heartbreaking, and just right - all at the same time! In fact, I now want to re-read them all again and I've already read them all at least six times!

[HumphreyCobbler]

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

You'll love it!

[HumphreyCobbler]

I have loved it so far. It is so vivid in my mind, exactly what this thread is about

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Exunctly.

And I think you'll really love number 4. It's my least favourite but there are reasons for that which I will explain later to you, once you've read it - actually it is v good. But how on earth can you be on here, when you know it's waiting for you? :)

[HumphreyCobbler]

The dc are wailing around my feet and I am waiting till they are in bed

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Sounds like it's going to be bad mother time this evening - DVD and pizza then an early bath and bedtime then!

Enjoy...

[HumphreyCobbler]

I owe it all to you

I would never have got round to it otherwise

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

:)

Sorry for the hijack Spaghetti but it should now be clear that you should read The Dark Tower series. :)

[SpaghettiBologneighs]

Ooh, yes (hijack away!). Awful and perfect and lovely and heartbreaking is exactly what I'm after.

[WormCanner]

Can I just say that Wizard and Glass (Dark Tower 4) can stand by itself as a fabulous read.

And the same goes for The Wind Through The Keyhole, an enchanting story. You don't need to have read any Dark Tower to enjoy it, although your enjoyment will be fuller if you have.

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

I was horribly disappointed with, 'The Wind Through The Keyhole.'

[montage]

Antonia Forest described Nicola as being "in the afterglow of a good read" in one of her books. I loved that term and I think of it whenever it happens now.

[HumphreyCobbler]

Wasn't she referring to a Mary Renault book there? The Mask of Apollo I think it was.

I love it when that happens. Someone in one of my favourite books talking about another of my favourite books.

[FriedSprout]

You might like to give Patrick Rothfuss's book Name of the Wind a try.
Dh and I rarely both fall for the same book, but this one just blew us away.

[hairyqueenofscots]

have just started 'the long song' andrea levy, and i can't put it down, anybody else read it?