Favourite book

[Darren Jeffrey]

I'm a massive book geek and always have one on the go. I'm always looking for other people's recommendations for good books to read

Best book I've ever read was probably James Patersons along came a spider. Currently reading Max Brooks world war z

So what's your favourite book and why?

 

[Minotier]

Papillon by Henri Charriere.
Although it as since been said to be more a narrative collection of different prisoners tales from the period in Devil's Island penal colony. I still find it a rip roaring story that shows never to give up hope. The film although only loosely based on the book is excellent in it's own right.
Equal first is;
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley.
Because everyday I see a little less humanity in the real world.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

The Cruel Sea - Nicholas Monsarrat. A very well written book that is set on the convoys during WW2. A very good study of human behavior. The film was good too.

 

[Cyclist33]

the one that really floats my boat is The Glass Bead Game.

 

[Andy in Sig]

It's so hard to pick one particular book. I agree about The Cruel Sea being very good. I would add to that the Now God Be Thanked trilogy by John Masters about how WWI effected the lives of people in a Kent village. I'm currently reading and thoroughly enjoying Baudolino by Umberto Eco, possible one of the funniest (but not in a laugh out loud way) books I've ever come across. I'd recommend Narziss and Goldmund by Herman Hesse, Any Old Iron and The Pianoplayers by Anthony Burgess and the one which I repeatedly come back to: Lord of the Rings. And there has to be an honourable mention for Hereward by James Wilde and its follow up The Devil's Army. Not necessarily great literature but interesting character development and a brilliant story. Just a shame we all know the end in advance.

 

[RoyPSB]

Papillon by Henri Charriere.
Although it as since been said to be more a narrative collection of different prisoners tales from the period in Devil's Island penal colony. I still find it a rip roaring story that shows never to give up hope. The film although only loosely based on the book is excellent in it's own right.
.

Agree 100%. Papillon is a fantastic read.

 

[Marshmallow_Fluff]

I couldn't possibly pick just one, but depending your taste and time I would suggest the following:
Jitterbug Perfume - Tom Robbins
2666 - Roberto Bolaño
The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts - Louis Des Bernieres
One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Crow Road - Iain Banks (just finished it)
The End of Mr Y - Scarlett Thomas (for serious escapists)

I'd better stop here as I can go on forever..

In case you're fond of graphic novels as well, give me a shout as my collection is limitless..

 

[mrandmrspoves]

......and for those of us that may recognise where the author is coming from: Obsessive Compulsive Cycling Disorder by Dave Barter is a good and humorous read (available cheap on Kindle).

 

[Night Train]

Favorite books:
Diana - R.F. Delderfield
The Rama series - Arthur C. Clarke

Currently reading Sheet Metal Work vol 1-3 (Caxton), a book that is probably 70 years old.

 

[mrandmrspoves]

One of my favourite authors is JB Priestley, and I had to smile when I read English Journey which is his account of traveling around England in 1933 - at the beginning he writes that he doesn't like driving - not because he feels too important to drive himself.....but because he doesn't consider himself a good enough driver to drive on such busy roads! What would he think of the M25 today I wonder?

 

[SimonJKH]

Stand On Zanzibar by John Brunner. I discovered during my first year of university. I was deep in what was to me a new world, full of new people and new ideas. This book, written in a jarring 'cut up' style, with crazy ideas being thrown at you in a variety of formats resonated with me so deeply that I finished it and turned back to the first page to re-read it three times in a row.

 

[LarryDuff]

If you want to understand what's going on in the Middle East try reading Robert Fisk's The Great War for Civilisation. It's quite heavy in parts but generally very eye-opening.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

1 book - hard one. I used to return time and time again to The Gulag Archipelago by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn until it fell apart. I had similar reading issues (repeat returns to) both They Called it Passchendaele by Lyn MacDonald and Clouds from Both Sides by Julie Tullis (who was the 1st women to climb K2 and was also asthmatic (as I am)) until it was borrowed and never returned. I found Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang fascinating as well and Barbara Savage's Miles from Nowhere: A Round the World Bicycle Adventure helped make my mind up that I really should just get out there and enjoy myself. But if I had to name a single book - Terry Pratchet's First Discworld book - The Colour of Magic is one I can read time and time again and still find something new in each time.

 

[Ron-da-Valli]

The Three Musketeers is a favourite of mine. A good old fashioned adventure story.

 

[Stu Smith]

Can't Swim, Can't Ride, Can't Run follows Andy Holgate's epic journey from being an overweight librarian to an Ironman triathlete. Fantastic read...