The best book you ever read was...

The best book you ever read was...

Author
Discussion

NathanJones

713 posts

214 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
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Vulcan 607 - Rowland White
The Last Templar - Raymond Khoury
and I did enjoy Angels and Demons - Dan Brown

cazzer

8,883 posts

249 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
quotequote all
I read through this whole thread just so I could slag off the person who put "Catcher in the Rye", but no one did.....
Yet.
Be warned, I'm watching.


I was going to say "Three Men in a Boat" but then someone reminded me of Spike Millagan's war memoirs and would heartily recommend them.
The start of the first one is a bit too much made up milligan, but he settles down into a proper retelling of his war. It's brilliant.

JohnnyJones

1,711 posts

179 months

Saturday 27th August 2011
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Catch 22.

That's a book.

Digger

14,705 posts

192 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Most perfick book evaar?

Catcher in the Rye.

cazzer

8,883 posts

249 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Digger said:
Most perfick book evaar?

Catcher in the Rye.
Go and sit in a corner and think about what you just did.

maxxy5

771 posts

165 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Ulysses. It's often talked about as one of the best books of the 20th century but I think it really is the best by a mile. Possibly a century either side as well. Very funny and a mindfk and very touching. TBH I was forced to read it at university but now nothing else comes close.

Couple of the others mentioned: American Psycho - I think this book was a big clever joke, honestly couldn't finish it and I think that was the idea. Slaughterhouse 5-loved it. But although I tried I don't like much else of Vonnegut.


Tango13

8,459 posts

177 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
cazzer said:
Digger said:
Most perfick book evaar?

Catcher in the Rye.
Go and sit in a corner and think about what you just did.
Catcher In the Rye is waste of paper if ever there was one.

Tom Clancy = look at me, I think I'm clever and i've just written a really patronising book to prove it.

The Crow Road, Espedair Street (sp?) Day of the Jackal for the twist at the end, anything by James Herriot and The History of Radar from war to Peace, all a good investment of time and paper.

Waspy1

2,985 posts

177 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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I have read a lot of books but if I could own only one book it would be:

The Life of Samuel Johnson by James Boswell.

Considered by many to be the best biography in the English language.

Everbody's Boswell is an easier read than the full edition and also includes their (Johnson and Boswell's) tour of Scotland and it's illustrated by E.H. Shepard.

Also, as a companion to this there is Boswell's Presumptuous Task by Adam Sisman (2001)

....and if you liked that you would like Everbody's Peyps and as a companion, Samuel Pepys: The Unequalled Self by Claire Tomalin (2003)

Dakkon

7,826 posts

254 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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Dixie68 said:
Chickenhawk by Robert Mason. Biography about his time as a helicopter pilot in Vietnam. Easily the best war era book I've ever read.
Fantastic book yes

g3org3y

20,644 posts

192 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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maxxy5 said:
Slaughterhouse 5-loved it. But although I tried I don't like much else of Vonnegut.
Mother Night is very decent and well worth a read. God Bless you Mr Rosewater is probably not worth the effort.

MrMagoo

3,208 posts

163 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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Tuesdays with Morrie. Can't recomend it enough.

PlayersNo6

1,102 posts

157 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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Lots of favourites but it would have to be 'Bomber' by Len Deighton for me.

Digger

14,705 posts

192 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
cazzer said:
Digger said:
Most perfick book evaar?

Catcher in the Rye.
Go and sit in a corner and think about what you just did.
Can I get up now? smile

ClaphamGT3

11,314 posts

244 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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Riddle of the Sands - Erskine Childers

Gene Vincent

4,002 posts

159 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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The Prince by Machiavelli, read it first aged 12 and read it every couple of years ever since, it has dominated my life in Business ever since.

After that, The Spire by William Burroughs and 'Under the Eye of the Clock' by Christopher Nolan.

eskidavies

5,378 posts

160 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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Six Seconds -Rick Moffina

The Dan SPYDER Shepard novels by Stephen Leather

Fact:-Gaz Hunter -The Shooting Gallery,good book sas guy who goes on his own delivering stingers to the afgans when the russkies were fighting them,amounst other things,also involved in the seige at Waco,he done a fair bit of stuff,recomended if you like war ,special forces and espionage.

stevemiller

536 posts

166 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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eskidavies said:
Six Seconds -Rick Moffina

The Dan SPYDER Shepard novels by Stephen Leather

Fact:-Gaz Hunter -The Shooting Gallery,good book sas guy who goes on his own delivering stingers to the afgans when the russkies were fighting them,amounst other things,also involved in the seige at Waco,he done a fair bit of stuff,recomended if you like war ,special forces and espionage.
Read The Shooting Gallery good book. On the war subject War of the rats is pretty good also.

aclivity

4,072 posts

189 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
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Many of my favourites have already been mentioned, I will add a few:

Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes books, particularly Hound of the Baskervilles. I have read that Holmes is the most filmed literary character of all time.

Zen and the art of motorcycle maintenance. A book that really made me think, and the central discussion about the meaning of "quality" is one I still ponder on a daily basis.

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists. Probably a bit socialist for PH but its a great book ... my desert island read.

Ilikebeaver

2,972 posts

182 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Mine has to be:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time

Well worth a read, it gives you a nice warm fuzzy feeling, whilst laughing out loud at the same time.

Ilikebeaver

2,972 posts

182 months

Sunday 28th August 2011
quotequote all
Highrisedrifter said:
Mazdarese said:
American Psycho.
This is either at the top or in second place, depending on how my mood takes me.

The other book in that equation is 'Brave New World' by Aldous Huxley.
I loved the film, so bought the book, but can't quite get through it.
I have heard it is an amazing book by so many, so I don't know whats wrong with me!