What are the best books you've ever read?

vannie

16 years ago

Our book group was talking about this yest. and it's interesting. What are yours?

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Comments (57)

wanda_va
16 years ago
There are so many, but some of my favorites (in no particular order) are:

Gone With the Wind
Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Vertical Run by Joseph Garber
Windmills of the Gods by Sidney Sheldon
Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon
If Tomorrow Comes by Sidney Sheldon
The Emma Harte series by Barbara Taylor Bradford
The Lucky Santangelo series by Jackie Collins

So many books, so little time.....
socks
16 years ago
I have lots of favorites, but recently I enjoyed Snow Flower and the Secret Fan. Saw author Lisa See speak recently, and she said it's going to be made into a movie. Maybe also her newest book Peony in Love.
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Whats the Best fiction book you ever read?
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Comments (15)
I'm not sure that I can really choose a "best book" ever read either. Because when I start thinking about it, then more and more books enter the competition, and then I start reading the thread, and books discussed by the rest of you (like The Pillars of the Earth ) need to be seriously considered. I think I prefer to answer the question as if it had been worded, "If I were to ask you what is the best fiction book you ever read, which book comes to your mind first?" It is always, for me, The Count of Monte Cristo. The language is elegant. The story captured me and wouldn't let go. And finally, it is exquistely constructed. There are no superfluous details that are there to distract the reader from the story. It all comes around at the end, there are no leftovers, and nothing seems awkwardly stuck in to make it fit.Whenever I think of it, I can remember small details as well as the main themes. And thinking of it still takes my breath away.
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sjarz
16 years ago
Pretty tough to pin that question down to one or two 'best' books ever - I enjoy anything written by -
Jonathon Kellerman, not crazy about the duo books with wife, Faye.
Dorothy Gilman - The Cat Who Series, always fun to read and reread.
Cynthia Freeman
VC Andrews before the family starting writing in her name.
Nora Roberts - still my favorite book to date is Northern Lights.
Just finished By A Spider's Thread by Laura Lippman, it was a gripper.
Pretty much will read anything if I have nothing new around - my favorite category is murder mystery.
Suzan J
rosebudms
16 years ago
The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Watership Down by Richard Adams
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
A Time to Kill by John Grisham

Too hard to choose just one. There are others, too, but these come to mind.

Rose, who reads and re-reads.
socks
16 years ago
Mickey, would that by My Sister's Keeper? I cannot find Other Sister on Amazon.
JoanMN
16 years ago
Dotmom, have you read Jon Sandford's books? You'll LOVE them!
JoanMN/FL
rosebudms
16 years ago
Alisande, I loved Mrs. Mike too.

Susan, I read every Dorothy Gilman I can find... love to see what Mrs. Pollifax is up to.

I'm into the Cat Who series too. (Lilian Braun?)

So many good titles waiting out there!
ronf_gw
16 years ago
I love the way James Michener weaves historical fact into fiction. I've read everything he's ever published. I do think his earlier works were better than some of the later ones. Hawaii, Centennial, The Covenant, Chesapeake, but the best was The Source.
Also, the Jams Herriott series. I've read each of those at least 4 or 5 times.

Ron
casey_nfld
16 years ago
Little Women
Angela's Ashes
To Kill A Mockingbird
The Grapes of Wrath
patti43
16 years ago
Lord of the Flies
Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
Angela's Ashes and the sequel 'Tis by Frank McCourt

Also liked Tom Tryon's books. One was "The Other" but he scared the devil out of me. Like J. D. Salinger, too.

Oh--Erma Bombeck for lots of fun!
tannatonk23_fl_z9a
16 years ago
I've read so many books and can't really put my finger on an all time favorite. I love historical novels that span generations. Ron, I love Michner too - especially Chesapeake. some more of my favorites - old and new:

Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurty
Clan of the Cave Bear series - Jean Auel
Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
A Thousand Splendid Suns -Khaled Hosseini
Gone with the Wind -Margaret Mitchell
Glass Castle - Jeanette Walls

~Betsy
sooey
16 years ago
The Shell Seekers

The Power of One

The Pearl

The Bell Jar

The Great Gatsby

The Old Man and the Sea

Anything by Steinbeck

Anything by Anna Quindlin
summer_tx
16 years ago
Oh gosh, I wouldn't know where to start. I've enjoyed so many. I used to be a huge Sidney Sheldon fan and read all of his books. Loved the Grapes of Wrath by Steinbeck but it made me soooo hungry to read it. I wanted to buy them a hamburger. ackkkk!

One of the very first books I remember that really touched me was Angel Unaware by Dale Evans. Talk about a tear jerker. Waaaa....
jannie
16 years ago
Any book by Elizabeth Berg, Joy School was the first I read. She's the same age as me. If I could write well, I'd be her!
JoanMN
16 years ago
One of the first books to make a big impression on me (and I think the first one that made me cry) was Mother's Cry by Helen Grace Carlisle. It was written in 1930, but it's timeless to me.
It's about a young mother whose husband gets killed and she has to raise the children alone. One morning one of the girls is sick, and when they ask what's wrong, she starts singing "yes sir, that's my baby". (She's pregnant). She has one bad son that she just can't change. I think the story is wonderful.
I see it's on eBay.

and the other book that impressed me a lot "Little Britches" by Ralph Moody. I LOVE his books. Based on his childhood, they are just wonderful stories about how differnt life was around 1900 or so.
JoanMN/FL

Here is a link that might be useful: Mother's Cry
angela_nor_calif
16 years ago
Off the top of my head, I would say anything by Nicholas Sparks. I love his books.
shea
16 years ago
The Hiding Place - Corrie Ten Boom

Little Women - Louisa May Alcott

All Creatures Great and Small - James Herriott (and all his other books, too)

The Master Plan - David Reagan

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

anything by John MacArthur

nearly any book on U.S. Presidents or American history

My Antonia - Willa Cather

the Bible
petaloid
16 years ago
"Best" is too subjective, but some that I've re-read many times are:

To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee

Two short story/novellas "The Body" and "Rita Hayworth And The Shawshank Redemption," by Stephen King.

The Harry Potter series, by J.K. Rowling
judy_jay
16 years ago
So many books, so little time.

I loved "Gone With the Wind" & "The Thorn Birds", also an unknown book called "A Mother's Secret". I also loved Jodi Picoult's "My Sister's Keeper" & "Nineteen Minutes". I just love the way she writes.
jennmonkey
16 years ago
My all time favorite book is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving.
marry
16 years ago
I'm so glad to see so many of my favorites already listed!
Angela's Ashes
Clan of The Cave Bear
Gone With The Wind
Lonesome Dove
Jubilee by Margaret Walker
The Deep by Peter Benchley
The Stand by Stephen King
the entire Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldan
I used to read about all of the time! I loved to read and always had several books going at once....probably read over 150 books a year.
Last year I read two books. I had a fall from a ladder 10 years ago and it is now just so hard to stay focused enough toget through more than a page or two at a time. It makes me sad!I miss really being able to get settled in with good book, the way that I used to!
ronm80
16 years ago
The Good Earth
Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier
Angela's Ashes
Gone with the wind
Portraits by Cynthia Freeman
Eva's Man and It's all over but the Shoutin by Rick Bragg
Angela's Ashes
Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon
The Winds of War by Herman Wouk
Beach Music by Pat Conroy
A Thousand Splendid Suns
The Kite Runner
All Creatures Great and Small by James Herriot
All Things Bright and Beautiful by James Herriot
The Call of the Wild by Jack London
White Fang by Jack London
Truman by David McCullough
Eliza_ann_ca
16 years ago
Since I read at least two books a week,it's hard to choose,but some books that have left a lasting impression on me are..
The Grapes Of Wrath
The Stand
The Good Earth
Angela's Ashes
The Thornbirds
We keep A Light
Gone With The Wind
Wuthering Heights
Clan of The Cave Bear(entire series)
Pillars of The Earth
All James Michener novels
Little women
Anne of Green Gables
I know there are probally many others that I'm not thinking of at the moment,but most of the above mentioned I have actually read more than once.
irishdancersgram
16 years ago
Anything by Nicholas Sparks...And there is one by Fannie Flagg, can't remember the title but it's about a young fellow, whose mother has a radio program out of her house...It goes through his life and it's just wonderful...Wish I could remember the name (another senior moment)
Mickey15
16 years ago
Oops, sorry, I meant "My Sister's Keepr".
Mickey15
16 years ago
Oops, sorry, I meant "My Sister's Keepr".
rosebudms
16 years ago
Love this thread. I keep being reminded of books.

The Winds of War touched me profoundly. The morals of the people were so strong.... very unlike the looseness of today's society. I grew up with people like that. (With strong morals)

Most of my reading these days is of light content... mysteries, series, etc.

By the way, The Kite Runner is coming to my house today. I ordered it because so many people here have commented on its worth. Also have the new Sue Grafton "T" and the latest John Grisham. And one by Tony Hillerman, a re-issue, that I must have missed. (Listening Woman)

So interesting to see what the rest of you enjoy reading.
deemarie5500
16 years ago
Jane Eyre
Rebecca
Gone With the Wind
amicus
16 years ago
Many of my favourites are already listed, but I also love:

Marjorie Morningstar by Herman Wouk
The Joy Luck Club, The Kitchen God's Wife and The Bonesetter's Daughter by Amy Tan
The Executioner's Song by Norman Mailer
Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Saliger
Serpentine (forget who wrote it)

and my all time favourite is a book I've read at least a dozen times, whenever I haven't had a good cry in a while. It's called "Alex, the Life of a Child" written by former sportscaster Frank DeFord about his daughter Alex, who died at nine years of age from cystic fybrosis. It's the most heart wrenching book I've ever read.
declansmom
16 years ago
OOOH boy.....I LOVE to read. Here are some of my favs:
The Other Boleyn Girl (Can't wait for the movie)
Kite Runner (FABULOUS movie....very close to the book)
Angela's Ashes (Fabulous movie again)
Marley And Me
My Sister's Keeper
cheryl_ok
16 years ago
Wow...lots of great titles listed, I now have a list in front of me, going to ebay!

I love mysteries the most, but read about anything except romance books.

I enjoy authors Nicholas Sparks, Patricia Cornwell, John Grisham, Sidney Sheldon, Dean Koontz, Ann Rule, etc. Way too many to list.

I love to read and make time to do so.
tobygirl
16 years ago
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry

And all of rosebudms books, except Watership Down which I have not read.

I need a book to read, and I'm getting some good ideas here.
stephanie_in_ga
16 years ago
There are a lot mentioned that I enjoyed, too. My all-time favorites are "Cather in the Rye" and "To Kill a Mockingbird." I also really enjoy Steinbeck, but my favorite of his is "East of Eden." The most *fun* I've ever had with a book would be the Harry Potter series. Some others I haven't seen named yet...

The Bell Jar, Sylvia Plath
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
Their Eyes Were Watching God and Seraph on the Suwanee, Zora Neal Hurston
Wicked, Gergory Maguire
Evidence of Things Unseen, Marianne Wiggins
Secret Life of Bees, Sue Monk Kidd

I am a book snob, so to make my top 10 list I have to be pretty impressed by the author's use of literary techniques.
mtnwomanbc
16 years ago
So many great books!!!

My favorite book is probably "Refuge" by Terry Tempest Williams (nonfiction). It's emotionally wrenching.
For fiction, probably "Sophie's Choice" by William Styron, tied with "Pride and Prejudice".

From childhood:
Oz series by L. Frank Baum
The Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

So many others posted above I also loved.
The Stand
The Thornbirds
GWTW, of course!
I Know This Much Is True / Wally Lamb
Dragonfly in Amber / Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon

Anything by:
Anita Shreve
Elizabeth Berg
Jodi Picoult
Marica Muller
Debbie Macomber
kathy813
16 years ago
Years ago the Little House series. Read many times.
The Kent Family Series by John Jakes
Alas Babylon, a story of nuclear attack on US-Gripping
Clan of the Cave Bear series-wish there were more
James Herriot's vet stories-was so sad when he passed and I knew there would be no more.
Erma Bombecks alway made me smile.
Stephanie Plum series for light reading.
When I was a teenager I love the Grace Livingston Hill books.
These are just the ones off the top of my head.
susanjf_gw
16 years ago
isn't interesting how many of us have listed children's book? i ended up buying the 8 books in the anne of green gables series...with my own money, as a kid...

i can't remember how many time i've read jane eyre...

i guess some books are comfort food for the soul...
wanda_illinois
16 years ago
Anything by
sidney shelton
debbie macomber
Luanne rice
Nora Robers
LaVyrle Spencer
Linda Wayman
16 years ago
Kane and Able by Jeffrey Archer
Rage of Angels by Sidney Sheldon
Master of the Game by Sidney Sheldon
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult
Marley and Me by John Grogan

I liked most VC Andrews books too.

Linda
FlamingO in AR
16 years ago
The Beach House by Mary Alice Monroe

The Outlander series

The Clan of the Cave Bear series

Cats in the Belfry, by Doreen Tovey (any of her books, they're all funny)

That Quail, Robert by Margaret Stanger ( a small little book about a quail that is raised with a family, very sweet, I keep it in my guest room)
Happy_Go_Lucky_Gayle
16 years ago
Great Expectations

I rarely read "fiction".

Gayle
momcat2000
16 years ago
The books I can read over and over:
Gone With The Wind
The Good Earth
Nicholas and Alexanda
Victoria's Daughters
Bungalow Kitchens
Bungalow Bathrooms
Elena
Jodi_SoCal
16 years ago
Very, very difficult question to a reader who appreciates just about every book she read simply because someone made the effort to write it. That's not to say I haven't read some real stinkers but I still probably learned something new in each and every book. But, with that said, these stand out in the crowd (in no particular order):

Life of Pi ... by Yann Martel
Atlas Shrugged ... by Ayn Rand
Rebecca ... by Daphne du Maurier
Tales of the City ... the entire series by Armistead Maupin

Jodi-
beach_del
16 years ago
Gone With the Wind; Clan of the Cave Bear series; loved Jayne Eyre........there's one childrens book that made me cry ...Love You Forever.
dances_in_garden
16 years ago
A tie between Steven King's Insomnia and The Stand. Needful things pulls up in a very close second. Although, I have to admit that the complete works of Ray Bradbury saved my life once, one collection at a time.
Cherryfizz
16 years ago
So many books I have loved and lost myself into.

I still love the classics like Jane Eyre, Pride and Prejudice, Great Expections, Wuthering Heights, Little Women and can reread them over and over again. Jane Eyre is probably my favourite of those books and I read my Mom's hardcover from her childhood once a year.

A Tree Grow in Brooklyn is another favourite.

Terry Brook's Sword of Shannara Books and other series of his as well. Same for David Eddings. I like Fantasy books about wizards, dwarves, etc.

I read the Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy when I was young and loved those books so much that I couldn't bring myself to watch the Lord of the Rings movies. I didn't want the movie to take away what my imagination saw in those books. My brother bought me the boxed set when we were kids and even to this day no gift he has ever given me (well the Kitchen Aid Stand Mixer comes pretty darn close) will mean as much to me. I wouldn't lend them to anyone else to read.

Another book I read when I was a teenager was called Tregaryn's Daughter. I can't even remember now what it was about but I remember really enjoying it and when reading it this picture of where they lived really stuck in my mind. My friend's Mom had a picture hanging in her living room and that picture is almost identical to what I imagined in my mind. I have never looked on line but I have never been able to find that book again to reread and I really want to. Maybe it won't be as good as I remember.

Another favourite book of mine was The Outsiders. I must have read that book over 100 times. I knew exactly where it was in the library. Years later that book was on my niece's schools requirerd reading list. I told her I had read that book many times and could recite every word of it to her. I wouldn't watch the movie made from that book either because it couldn't be as good as the book was.

Another book was called the Pig Man that I read and reread many times. Years later it went by another name but I read it when it was called the Pig Man. I can't remember who the author was.

I don't read as much as I would like because of the lighting in my house. I need to get a better lamp to read by. I miss reading and getting lost in a good book.

Anne
mcmann
16 years ago
Great topic. I keep jotting down titles.

Jane Austen - all of them!
Edith Wharton - The Age of Innocence, The House of Mirth
Sigrid Undset- Kristin Lavransdatter
Dickens - Bleak House, A Tale of Two Cities
John Galsworthy - The Forsyte Saga (trilogy)
Nathaniel Hawthorne - The Scarlet Letter
Victor Hugo - Les Miserables
Charlotte Bronte - Jane Eyre
Emily Bronte - Wuthering Heights
Thomas Malory - Le Morte d'Arthur
Nevil Shute - On The Beach
Sophie's Choice
Anne of Green Gables
To Kill a Mockingbird
The Mists of Avalon
Gone With the Wind
carol_in_california
16 years ago
My favorite non fiction was "A Team of Rivals" by Doris Kearns Goodwin.....about President Lincoln, his presidential campaign and his Presidency during the Civil War.
I really loved Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry and I love anything by Barbara Kingsolver.
I also loved "The Proud Breed" bt Celeste DeBlasis....about early California history.
joann23456
16 years ago
People seem to be talking fiction, so ...

The "Outlander" series by Diana Gabaldon - I see there are other fans here, too. "Outlander" is the only book I ever finished and immediately started again.
"Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy
"Pride & Prejudice" and "Persuasion" (though I love them all) by Jane Austen
"The Stand" by Stephen King
"Far From the Madding Crowd" and "Jude the Obscure" by Thomas Hardy
joyfulguy
16 years ago
The Bible - a library of books
The Last Spike - Pierre Berton (Story of the building of the Canadian Pacific Railroad)
The Good Earth - Pearl Buck
Gathering Storm - Winston hurchill
Kim - Kipling
Tale of Two Cities
Les Miserables

ole joyful
olgaflowers
16 years ago
Book's by, Sue Patton Thoele
and The Quite Mind sayings of White Eagle
Olga,

What are the best books you've ever read?

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