Best book you ever read?

[jonny]

as above;

Kane and Abel by Jeffery Archer and Prisoner of Birth also by Jeffery Archer

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Are probably the best books i read of the ones i can remember reading :)

[Cool Hand Luke]

Good question but one i dont think i could answer definitively - just so many good books over the years!

[boddah]

My Early Life by Winston Churchill

[andyjay]

Hmmm, that is a difficult one, will have to have a think!!!

[badger1]

as above;

Kane and Abel by Jeffery Archer and Prisoner of Birth also by Jeffery Archer

To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee

Are probably the best books i read of the ones i can remember reading :)

Kane and Abel is quality, have you read The Prodigal Daughter?

The Blue Nowhere by Jeffrey Deaver is another cracking read, it won't win any prizes for the quality of writing but the story is great, as are most of his books.

[RafflesTGT]

The one that I have read multiple, multiple times and will always happily re-read is 'Piece of Cake' by Derek Robinson. In my opinion the best fictional novel about RAF in the early part of WWII and the Battle of Britain. Well researched, well written, emotive battle scenes and characters that have depth and come alive in your mind. Excellent stuff. It certainly inspired my interest in WWII.

The completely forgotten TV series based on the book shown on ITV in the late '80s/early '90s (can't remember) was a disaster though :roll:

[DMR]

Perhaps not the best but my absolute favourite book has remained so unchanged for 20-odd years. The Hobbit. I must have read it a dozen times and it does the trick every time. It's a kids book sure enough but it is also pure escapism of the very highest order.

D.

[Seabadger]

Probably the Transylvanian trilogy, The Writing on the Wall, by Miklos Banffy.

http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-enter ... 51574.html

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Counted-UNESCO- ... 190085015X

Good review here: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/3643 ... guage.html - agree completely with the comment about Musil.

Not massively well known, but for me it's the outstanding work of its era.

[Geralt]

The one that I have read multiple, multiple times and will always happily re-read is 'Piece of Cake' by Derek Robinson. In my opinion the best fictional novel about RAF in the early part of WWII and the Battle of Britain. Well researched, well written, emotive battle scenes and characters that have depth and come alive in your mind. Excellent stuff.

Got to agree with this. Really unputdownable. Superb novel and an object lesson on how to create living characters and believable dialogue. Robinson's dialogue is worth the price of admission on its own.

Another book that's stayed with me over the years and I've read many times is 'Beware Of Pity' by Stefan Zweig. The man was a genius. Extraordinarily gripping novel about the potential dangers of good intentions.

...and let's not forget Ian Fleming. Never given enough credit for the masterly qualities of his writing, IMO. If you can forget the cardboard, film Bond and read the books as if you've never heard of Bond, you're guaranteed to be drawn into his world like no film could ever do.

[watch-nut]

My Early Life by Winston Churchill

I was going to say that one. :roll:

[Puller]

fermatts last theorem and the big bang theory...simon singh.

[GraniteQuarry]

I know he's not very popluar around here, but Bravo Two Zero by [s:3b6tcijm]Steve Mitchell[/s:3b6tcijm] Andy McNab is my fav, must have read it 20 times :)

[ralphy]

The one that I have read multiple, multiple times and will always happily re-read is 'Piece of Cake' by Derek Robinson. In my opinion the best fictional novel about RAF in the early part of WWII and the Battle of Britain. Well researched, well written, emotive battle scenes and characters that have depth and come alive in your mind. Excellent stuff. It certainly inspired my interest in WWII.

The completely forgotten TV series based on the book shown on ITV in the late '80s/early '90s (can't remember) was a disaster though :roll:

Another vote for Piece of Cake. :thumb:

But to answer the OP's question: 'best' is a hard one to define for me; most enjoyable, most informative, most inspiring, fiction or non-fiction.....?
Certainly the most influential one that comes to mind for me was Seven Habits of Highly Successful People by Stephen Covey, made an enormous impact on my business and personal life when I first read it.

R

[raysablade]

The Pilgrim's Progress

[Glamdring]

LOTR. It leaves me enchanted every time I read it. It's been some years now; time maybe for another go.

[proby24]

Scott Fitzgerald's 'Great Gatsby'. Lost count of how many times I have read it.

[jimmerjammer]

as above;

Kane and Abel by Jeffery Archer and Prisoner of Birth also by Jeffery Archer

i once heard that all of jeffery archers books were written by an unamed authour but used his high profile name to gain sales , a business deal sort of thing i dont know how true this is .

[AlphaOmega]

fermatts last theorem and the big bang theory...simon singh.

If you like those I highly recommend Codebreakers by the same author - it covers everything from early ciphers to Enigma and how codemakers and codebreakers battle it out.

It's an excellent book.

[jd]

Don't know about best, but my favourite in recent years is Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson.

[SIB]

One of the best i've read recently is actually a graphic novel called "Maus" by Art Spiegelman which is based on his grandfathers life as a Polish Jew during the war. It took 13 years to write and is very much a true story i understand

I've read all of the Terry Pratchet Discworld books as well, prefer his earlier stuff to the new ones although they are still good.

The K-PAX trilogy is a good set of books as well, a 4th has been released based on someone other than PROT but i've not read it yet and heard it's not as good.

[AlphaOmega]

Yes, meant to say 'best' book is difficult. :?

But for me, and IMHO, these are the most:

Helpful (in life) - Daniel Defoe's Robinson Crusoe.

Thought provoking - Kierkegaard's Fear and Trembling.

Impressive - Dante Alighieri's The Divine Comedy.

Enjoyable - Conan Doyle's Holmes mysteries.

Among recent novels, the writing of Yann Martel in The Life of Pi stands out, for me at least.

Candidate for worst book ever - David Coulthard's autobiography 'It is what it is'. :D :shock: :D

[Griff]

A Sense of Freedom - Jimmy Boyle

also.................The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists by Robert Tressell

[Velvetsnow]

Smokescreen by Robert Sabaag, almost depressed when I'd finished it.

[miked10270]

... the writing of Yann Martel in The Life of Pi stands out...

Yes. Absolutely.

My own favourite is "Dynamite for Hire"; http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss?url ... &x=11&y=23 which is especially useful if I start to feel charitable toward Americans.

Closely followed by "You're Stepping on My Cloak and Dagger": http://www.amazon.co.uk/Youre-Stepping- ... 502&sr=1-1 which is especially useful if I ever start to admire American Competence.

Then there's "My Uncle Napoleon"; http://www.amazon.co.uk/My-Uncle-Napole ... 660&sr=1-1 just for the giggles.

Finally, ANYTHING by "Giovanni Guareschi"; http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_2_9 ... =giovanni+ always brings a smile to my face.

Mike.

Edited to add: Also, ANYTHING by "John Wyndham"; http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_ss_0_6 ... fix=john+w who, once you get past the "Golden-Age" setting of his "Science-Romance" stories, is surely one of the most prescient writers of his time.

Mike.

[brigant]

I read 2 -3 novels a week, most rubbish that helps put me to sleep. Not many stick out in my mind.

I enjoyed H V Mortons travel books written from around 1936 through to th efifties. They cover UK, Spain and Italy and remember a world long gone with many intersting historical footnotes and meetings with real people (like us).

Funny no one ever mentions the Bible or Koran in these topics.

[CamCG]

Another vote for The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald.

I really liked that book. Entertaining and intellectually stimulating at the same time – as all great books are.

Quite a few “literati” folk seem to consider it the finest novel ever written (not a reason for liking it, though).

Regarding non-fiction, I’d include the trilogy of Alan Clark diaries. I’ve read each volume three times!

My Early Life by Winston Churchill

Reminds me of one of my favourite quotes by Churchill: “History shall be kind to me… for I intend to write it”!

Funny no one ever mentions the Bible or Koran in these topics.

Quite a fan of the Bible myself - I would guess that most of the people inclined to religious texts think of them separately and, to them, of greater importance than other books; hence why they perhaps don’t include them in lists like this.

[Griff]

Surprised no one has mentioned Charles Dickens.
The Pickwick Papers was masterly

Mind you, someone asked me did I like Dickens, and I said..............dunno, never been to one :D

[Parabola]

Surprised no one has mentioned Charles Dickens.
The Pickwick Papers was masterly

Mind you, someone asked me did I like Dickens, and I said..............dunno, never been to one :D

Good point, I've been racking my brains and Great Expectations is a class book. Also liked Flowers for Algernon, Without Remorse and Snowball is a very good biography

[Griff]

I recently read the newly released version of Stranger in a Strange Land by Robert A. Heinlein, which was the 1991 version, which reproduces the original manuscript and restores all cuts. Heinlein's widow retrieved the manuscript from Heinlein's archives in the University of California, Santa Cruz special collections department, and published it after his death.

Fascinating read and very strange indeed in some parts

[Stuart D]

I know he's not very popluar around here, but Bravo Two Zero by [s:12o10y6w]Steve Mitchell[/s:12o10y6w] Andy McNab is my fav, must have read it 20 times :)

There was a bit in his first book (Immediate Action) which is one of the very few times when have burst out laughing whilst reading a book! - it was the bit where they were in the jungle and they had laid plastic explosives around the base of a palm tree but they used too much so when they set the explosive off the tree shot up like a rocket! (guess you have to read the extract to find it funny though!)

Best book that I’ve ever read is ‘Running with the Moon’ http://www.amazon.co.uk/Running-Moon-Ad ... 338&sr=8-1

[wildheart]

Too many to list, but Lord of the Rings probably wins. I am reading 'World without end' - Ken Follet at the moment. Its a sequel to his master piece 'Pillars of the Earth' a must read before you die! IMOH

Paul :D

[gunslinger]

Yeah tough to name one. LOTR definitely, no it's His Dark Materials. No LOTR, I think. I'm finishing off the Flashman series at the moment, they're fantastic,

[clockwatcher]

Non fiction is Longitude by Dana Sorbel - the one about Harrison's epic to build the perfect timekeeper in order to calculate longitude at sea.

I rarely read fiction, but it has to be 2001 Space Odyssey by Arthur C Clarke

[mickylall]

Too many to list, but Lord of the Rings probably wins. I am reading 'World without end' - Ken Follet at the moment. Its a sequel to his master piece 'Pillars of the Earth' a must read before you die! IMOH

Paul :D

big thumbs up from me for 'pillars of the earth'.a truly brilliant book,when i finished it i was almost depressed that the story was over and nothing i read afterwards came anywhere close to matching follet's masterfull storytelling.i have since bought 'world without end' but i don't want to rush into reading it as i can't face the depression that will kick in when i finish it .sounds stoopid but that's just me :lol:

cheers, mick

[crazyp]

For Classics Alexandre Dumas' The Count of Monte Cristo is quite simply superb. Dumas had great skill at creating drama, tension and action.

I like a lot Sci-Fi and Fantasy. Love Robin Hobb, superb storyteller as well as Ian Banks who is a pure genius!

[Stanford]

The Canterbury Tales by Chaucer probably left the deepest impression on me as teenager.
A contemporary read that I enjoyed a great deal (despite it being a girlie book) was Labyrinth by Kate Mosse (currently reading her follow-up, Sepulchre).

[nosher]

I read mostly bio's ,my favorite is the moons a balloon by David Niven . He had some life.

[GraniteQuarry]

I know he's not very popluar around here, but Bravo Two Zero by [s:szpz9hid]Steve Mitchell[/s:szpz9hid] Andy McNab is my fav, must have read it 20 times :)

There was a bit in his first book (Immediate Action) which is one of the very few times when have burst out laughing whilst reading a book! - it was the bit where they were in the jungle and they had laid plastic explosives around the base of a palm tree but they used too much so when they set the explosive off the tree shot up like a rocket! (guess you have to read the extract to find it funny though!)

Indeed Stuart !! I think the excuse given was "P for Plenty" !! :lol:

[ChronoCop]

Funny nobody mentioned this man yet:



I'm a big fan and keep reaching for his "tri"logy all the time.

Here's a slovene translation of the famed Vogon verses:

O fredlene grumblajde
poscajne zame bele
kot plurdne glob?nike iz grumaste ?rebele.
Grompe? brotim te tu, na moje bruntke pogrevone -
už da željabno me zajdaš z grubastimi drobulki
al da vte skrehnem truhno vu?, kar bo! s š?emulki!

To stay on the British Isle, Aldous Huxley's Antic Hay is even dearer to me than his Point Counter Point.

Brane

[supermd]

A short story I liked as a youngster was Jonathon Livingston Seagull. A sort of inspiring tale about a seagull who strived to be more than a run of the mill seagull. Dont know how it would re-read as an adult but I remember it being a good little book.
Great Gatsby also a classic.
Currently im reading Conn Igguldens Conqueror trilogy about the life and times of Genghis Khan in a Bernard Cromwell style mish-mash of fact and fiction. Im half way through and have to say its a great read. Already looking forward to starting his Ceasar series when i'm done with this one.

[Stanford]

A short story I liked as a youngster was Jonathon Livingston Seagull. A sort of inspiring tale about a seagull who strived to be more than a run of the mill seagull. Dont know how it would re-read as an adult but I remember it being a good little book.

I re-read JLS a few months back - great little story :)

[Zephod]

One read thats stuck in my memory for years is Rendevous with Rama a scifi classic from Arthur C Clarke

[Glamdring]

It was haunting but I wasn't so keen on the fact it was a joint authorship and the breaks between who wrote what part were clear. The sequel was interesting too.

[Dapper]

'The Hide' by Barry Unsworth :thumbright:

[andyjay]

as above;

Kane and Abel by Jeffery Archer and Prisoner of Birth also by Jeffery Archer

i once heard that all of jeffery archers books were written by an unamed authour but used his high profile name to gain sales , a business deal sort of thing i dont know how true this is .

Having read quite a few Jeffery Archer books, I don't believe this - he has a distinctive style of writting that I don't think can be copied - when you read his early stuff and then the latest prison diaries his 'style' runs right through.

Whilst I don't like him very much, he writes a very good story - but the best ever, the jury is still out!

[andyjay]

Still a very difficult question...

Whilst they may not be the best I have ever read on an individual basis, I think for the complete series of Harry Potter books have to have a vote. They are read by one and all, children and adults. Each time I read any of them, I can't put them down and know that this is the same for most people I have talked to.

I can't wait to read them to my boy!

[davek]

I think for me this changes by the year.
Today - "Revolutionary Road" by Richard Yates.
Will be interested to see the movie idc.
cheers,
David

[genesos]

A couple of good ones :-

Bury my heart at wounded knee - Dee Brown

Goodbye Micky Mouse - Len Deighton

[Revolvingjones]

Any of the Spike Milligan War Memoirs, I have laughed and cried through every book, absolutely fantastic and highly recommended.

[numberjack]

For some reason I go back once a year and read A prayer for Owen Meany, not saying its the best but must have some appeal to me