What’s the best book you’ve ever read?

[lostinthoughts]

Holidays coming up and I’m fed up of starting books and not finishing them as they just don’t grip me. Give me your best ever books that have had you hooked….

The Exorcist too really surprised me

I have do many favourites but my most reread books are Bonjour Tristesse - François Sagan, Flowers for Algernon - Daniel Keyes and I who have never known me-Jacqueline Harpman

Flowers for Algernon is so sad 😢

I know, even though it was written in the 60s I feel like its still relevant. I read somewhere it was taught in schools in the US. I have a family book club and I chose flowers for Algernon and everyone gave it 5 stars.

I remember the Thomas Covenant books! Wasn’t he moping around half the time about being a leper?

Pride and prejudice.

Posession by AS Byatt is a real page turner, also Arcadia by Iain Pears

Memoirs of a geisha. Brilliant and reread it many times
Kite Runner

As a pp said, some of these choices are perplexing. Even allowing for taste, I am amazed at some of the books people say are the best books they’ve ever read.

If I were forced to choose a couple as ‘the best’, I’d say Middlemarch and The Leopard.

(Special condemnation for The Goldfinch. It’s one of the worst books I’ve ever wasted my time on. Absolutely dreadful.)

That would be a good thread. The worst books you’ve ever wasted your time on. I can think of loads.

My Antonia by Willa Cather, or Riddley Walker by Russell Hoban.
Also Wuthering Heights and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall.

Tomorrow and Tomorrow and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.

I agree wholeheartedl, I love both books and often check to see whether she's writing something else. Patroclus isn't a twat, though, and SOA is just as much about him.

The End Of The World Running Club??? Please tell me you haven’t read many books.

Jana DeLeon, The Miss Fortune mysteries and if you like a bit of smut Caroline Peckham & Susanne Valenti write some brilliant books

@StillNoFuckingEyeDeer what do you mean by that? Do you think it's a rubbish choice?

I Am Pilgrim
Demon Copperhead
Fresh Water For Flowers
Cutting For Stone
Sunset

I loved ‘Where The Crawdads Sing’ - one of those that when I finished it I didn’t think I’d find anything as good to read again.

I just really didn’t think it was very good at all. Definitely not good enough to be a ‘best book’.
Strange Sally Diamond I can understand making your list.

But if we all liked the same books the world would be very dull.

Three Hours - Rosemary Lupton
Hide - Nell Pattison
Seven Sisters - Lucinda Riley

@StillNoFuckingEyeDeer of course, and there's no need to be rude about other people's opinions

Trust Me by Lesley Pearce
The Walsh Sisters series by Marian keyes
We need to talk about Kevin

Fiesta - The Sun also Rises - Hemingway - I think my favourite book.

The Secret History is , I think a very good book.

I'd read anything by Nancy Mitford again - I think they are fabulous , very witty .

Ones that leap to mind or stayed with me over the years:
The Heart's Invisible Furies
The Godfather
The Thornbirds
Pride and Prejudice
11/22/63 - Stephen King
Madame Bovary
One Day - everyone hates this but it was so contemporary to my life.
We Begin at the End.

The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford. The Go Between by LP Hartley
Far from the Madding Crowd, Thomas Hardy