The best book you ever read was...
Discussion
I actually find it pretty hard to choose a single favourite book, or one that I'd call the best I've ever read, however, some notables from me -
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Ayrton Senna (As time goes by) - Christopher Hilton
All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Early One Morning - Robert Ryan
Dracula - Bram Stoker
Ayrton Senna (As time goes by) - Christopher Hilton
All Quiet On The Western Front - Erich Maria Remarque
Early One Morning - Robert Ryan
Peter F. Hamilton - Night's Dawn Trilogy. It's such a huge and diverse story, I go back and re-read every year or so.
Tom Clancy - The Hunt for Red October. Read it first when I was about 10, and god only knows how many times I've read it since, and introduced me to the Jack Ryan character.
Ian M Banks - Look to Windward (plus all his other culture novels), amazingly detailed stories from a brilliantly realised future society.
Non-fiction - The Dam Busters, by Paul Brickhill, such ingenuity to create the bouncing bomb, and such bravery from the men who used it.
Tom Clancy - The Hunt for Red October. Read it first when I was about 10, and god only knows how many times I've read it since, and introduced me to the Jack Ryan character.
Ian M Banks - Look to Windward (plus all his other culture novels), amazingly detailed stories from a brilliantly realised future society.
Non-fiction - The Dam Busters, by Paul Brickhill, such ingenuity to create the bouncing bomb, and such bravery from the men who used it.
Schmeeky said:
Peter F. Hamilton - Night's Dawn Trilogy. It's such a huge and diverse story, I go back and re-read every year or so.
Tom Clancy - The Hunt for Red October. Read it first when I was about 10, and god only knows how many times I've read it since, and introduced me to the Jack Ryan character.
Ian M Banks - Look to Windward (plus all his other culture novels), amazingly detailed stories from a brilliantly realised future society.
Non-fiction - The Dam Busters, by Paul Brickhill, such ingenuity to create the bouncing bomb, and such bravery from the men who used it.
I'd agree with those, plus LOTR, and I'd put Vulcan 607 in the non-fiction top spot.Tom Clancy - The Hunt for Red October. Read it first when I was about 10, and god only knows how many times I've read it since, and introduced me to the Jack Ryan character.
Ian M Banks - Look to Windward (plus all his other culture novels), amazingly detailed stories from a brilliantly realised future society.
Non-fiction - The Dam Busters, by Paul Brickhill, such ingenuity to create the bouncing bomb, and such bravery from the men who used it.
Particularly love Peter F. Hamilton, Night's Dawn is truly staggering in plot and scale, it feels 'real'.
His near future stuff set around Conistan Water is pretty good too.
hesnotthemessiah said:
Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee - Dee Brown.
(For those of you who don't know). It's the story of the North American Indians told from their perspective. Not the most uplifting story as you might well imagine but it made quite an impression on me when I first read it years ago. I have read it several times since. Remarkable book. IMHO obviously.
Yes. Read it some years ago, and have re-read it several times since. One of those books that makes you sad and angry at the same time.(For those of you who don't know). It's the story of the North American Indians told from their perspective. Not the most uplifting story as you might well imagine but it made quite an impression on me when I first read it years ago. I have read it several times since. Remarkable book. IMHO obviously.
Ones that spring to mind;
Rebecca- Just something about it, i guess "haunting" is the best i can do.
Great Expectations- Favourite Dickens, amazingly easy to read (Bleak House however...)
The Fauntainhead- Currently reading it; really made me think about life, not an easy or "nice" book to read but worth the effort.
Gulag Archipelago (only Vol I so far)- We really do take a lot for granted
Rebecca- Just something about it, i guess "haunting" is the best i can do.
Great Expectations- Favourite Dickens, amazingly easy to read (Bleak House however...)
The Fauntainhead- Currently reading it; really made me think about life, not an easy or "nice" book to read but worth the effort.
Gulag Archipelago (only Vol I so far)- We really do take a lot for granted
Hardest read but worth every page - Life and fate by Vasily Grossman. This made me cry in a nightshift canteen full of blokes, read in private.
Best laughs - Spike Milligans "Adolf Hitler my part n his down fall"
History - Empire by Niall Ferguson
And classic - Dracula again what a book.
Best laughs - Spike Milligans "Adolf Hitler my part n his down fall"
History - Empire by Niall Ferguson
And classic - Dracula again what a book.
Schmeeky said:
Peter F. Hamilton - Night's Dawn Trilogy. It's such a huge and diverse story, I go back and re-read every year or so.
Tom Clancy - The Hunt for Red October. Read it first when I was about 10, and god only knows how many times I've read it since, and introduced me to the Jack Ryan character.
Ian M Banks - Look to Windward (plus all his other culture novels), amazingly detailed stories from a brilliantly realised future society.
Non-fiction - The Dam Busters, by Paul Brickhill, such ingenuity to create the bouncing bomb, and such bravery from the men who used it.
Great call, I'm a scifi lover too!Tom Clancy - The Hunt for Red October. Read it first when I was about 10, and god only knows how many times I've read it since, and introduced me to the Jack Ryan character.
Ian M Banks - Look to Windward (plus all his other culture novels), amazingly detailed stories from a brilliantly realised future society.
Non-fiction - The Dam Busters, by Paul Brickhill, such ingenuity to create the bouncing bomb, and such bravery from the men who used it.
If you liked Iain M Banks give China Mieville a go - much more grimy and steampunk but a fantastically realised universe - I'm referring to His Bas Lag novels in the main though, I didn't think his others were as good.
shalmaneser said:
The Forever War by Joe Haldeman. Utterly brilliant.
For those saying Catch 22 - read The Slaughterhouse 5. I love them both.
For those saying The Slaughterhouse 5 - I thought The Sirens of Titan was better, and made more sense.
I like a bit of Ballard me. Doesn't matter which in particular, they're all the same really.
Micra Bore said:
Damn you're right, that's a great read. There are sequels I haven't read - any idea if they're any good?
For those saying Catch 22 - read The Slaughterhouse 5. I love them both.
For those saying The Slaughterhouse 5 - I thought The Sirens of Titan was better, and made more sense.
I like a bit of Ballard me. Doesn't matter which in particular, they're all the same really.
I've heard of the sequels but never read them - I don't want to destroy the magic of the original by reading some lacklustre sequels!For those saying Catch 22 - read The Slaughterhouse 5. I love them both.
For those saying The Slaughterhouse 5 - I thought The Sirens of Titan was better, and made more sense.
I like a bit of Ballard me. Doesn't matter which in particular, they're all the same really.
tenohfive said:
db said:
it arrived today, will get stuck in tomorrow.
I liked it but it turns a bit self indulgent at the end IMO. It did point me in the direction of a few others though:Low Level Hell: A Scout Pilot in the Big Red One - Hugh Mills
Xin Loi, Viet Nam - Thirty-one months of War - Al Severs
The second being the better of the two. I preferred Xin Loi to Chickenhawk, but both the above equal it.
Digger said:
Haven't read too many books recently but one to leave a favourable impression was Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts.
Outstanding book. It's on my list. Watch him on YouTube. Fascinating character.Also:
1984 by Orwell
The Alexander Trilogy by Valerio Massimo Manfredi
In Search of Robert Millar - Richard Moore
Oh, and ETA, Born on a Blue Day: A Memoir of Aspergers and an Extraordinary Mind, by Daniel Tammet
Edited by Rocksteadyeddie on Saturday 27th August 21:13
I am in no way a book reader, but in the spirit of the thread, I, when 12, was reading Tove Jansson's Tales from Moomin Valley. Half way through reading the book, my school burnt down, a 12 year olds school boys dream!!! Whilst sifting through the ashes the next day, I found undamaged, my book, Tales from Moomin Valley. It is still with me to this day, 41 years later!
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