10 books you enjoyed and think everyone else should read.

Neph

Ok after Carol posted the 100 books everyone should read thread, I thought it might be interesting to see what you think are the ten books you have read that you think are worth reccommending.

I'll come back with mine when I get back from dropping hubby and daughter off at football.

Carol

I'll go and start my list.

Piper

There's no point me doing mine, it's all childrens books, or young adult books.

Carol

Always worth knowing OOC. Who knows what someone else might like to try reading, or give to their children to read. :)

Piper

OK I'll devise one and put it up later once I have raided my Libary when I get home from nans. By the way Carol, I know you don't mean to offend but I don't like being called a Newbie, even though thats what I am. Instead call me Probie. Or by my name or username.

Carol

So sorry OOC, no offence intended.

Piper

I know, I just feel downgraded when being called a newbie.

Piper

OK I accept your apology. While I'm here I might start naming some of the books I like, Artemis Fowl series is one. Also has anyone heard of the CHERUB series? They're not just for young adult you know, I'm trying to get my dad to read them but he's too busy reading about Afganistan and the military.

Carol

Quite a few of the Talkbackers read young adult fiction, so they will probably enjoy your suggestions. :)

Piper

I do know more but I'm round my nans, not at home.

Jay Mandal

Here’s the list that I sent to Michael Legat when he asked what we'd take to a desert island a year or two ago. They’re in no particular order.

The Loss of Innocence – I wrote it and I haven’t seen the finished version yet although it’s due out soon. *

Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) – There are so many conflicts in it – old money versus new money etc. – and it would improve my Italian which is pretty rusty now.

Wuthering Heights – because of I felt on a high after reading it.

The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy – It makes me laugh.

To Kill a Mockingbird – because I’ve forgotten everything except how good a book I thought it was at the time.

The Lovely Bones – I’m reading it at the moment, and I want to know what happens.

The Grapes of Wrath – because it’s a book I think everyone should read before they leave school and go into the world of work.

(More) Tales of the City – because it gave me the incentive to start writing.


* To read an excerpt, go to

http://www.bewrite.net/authors/jay_mandal.htm

dorothyd

To Kill A Mockingbird, stunning book
Grapes of Wrath, stunning book
Lord of the Rings, how to do serious storytelling over hundreds of pages. When I am following Frodo's adventures I want to know what Sam is doing, when the story reverts to Sam I want to know what Frodo is doing...
The Sojourner by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings (author of The Yearling) stunning book with beautiful observation and characterisation.
A Horseman Riding By trilogy by R F Delderfield.
Fame Is The Spur by Howard Spring
The Old Curiosity Shop by Charles Dickens
Lorna Doone by RD Blackmore
The Blue Lagoon by H De Vere Stacpool (and is that a totally delicious name for a novelist or what...)
The Sunne in Splendour by Sharon Penman, over 1000 pages of Wars of the Roses history in fiction form.
Anything by Ray Bradbury and I haven't even thought about my Nevil Shute collection.
that will do for now ...
apart from the one book I will not part with, no matter what,
Fifty Years On The Streets by Michael Bentine which is absolute and utter surreal nonsense from start to finish. Came out in 1964, I have the 1964 paperback and to me it is priceless.

Piper

The Loverly Bones, who's that by?

Nefertari

Outofcontrol I'd like to see your list as I write for young adults and am always looking for ideas of what to write for this age range.

Jay Mandal

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Lovely-Bones-Alice-Sebold/dp/0330485385/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232204557&sr=1-5

For OutOfControl.

Piper

Thanks Jay and Kateyanne, I would have posted my list with two hours time when I get settled at home from coming back from nans. Also if any of you writers need an idea on what us teenagers read, ask me and I'll ask my friends. The advantage of a teenager on TB I guess. ;)

Oh thats what it is, I think my mum read that, wasn't it in Richard and Judy's book club or something? Mum said it was weird and she found it hard or something, and my mum reads quite a bit, I think thats what got me into reading the way I do. However what with our lifestyles it's finding the time recently.

Jay Mandal

2004:

http://www.richardandjudybookclub.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ChildrensClubGenericContent?storeId=10101&langId=100&catalogId=15201&mpe_id=19834&intv_id=105028&contentName=GreenRoom_Archive

Looks like they're making a film of it, although there appear to have been problems.

Possibly a bit weird, but not difficult to read.

goodsuspect

Okay here goes...

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
On Writing by Stephen King
The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides
Opening Skinner's Box by Lauren Slater
My Antonia by Willa Cather
Anything by Robert Rankin (just because I think he's the funniest writer on the planet!)
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
Tender is the Night by F. Scott Fitzgerald
Great Expectations by Charles Dickens

Piper

I thought it was. I'll compose my list in a minute when I can be bothered to get up off this chair. I'm quite comfortable.

OK my list is as follows:

1)Girls Aloud: Dreams That Glitter (Autobiography)
2)The CHERUB series by Robert Muchamore, I love all of them so it's hard to pick a favourite. Yet to read the latest, The General
3)Artemis Fowl Series By Eoin Colfer, again I love the series, yet to read the new one.
4)The Supernaturalist By Eoin Colfer
5)Princess Diaries by Meg Cobot read halfway through the first, after every line I couldn't stop laughing. Yet to read the rest of the series
6)The Secret Agent series By Sam Hutton? Yet to read all of them
7)Holes by Louis Sachar
8)Harry Potter Series By J.K.Rowling
9)Matilda by Roal Dahl
10)The BFG by Roald Dahl

That is probably all the books I have read, except The Secret Seven and The Amelia Jane series by Enid Blyton

Neph

Ok my top ten (in no particular order).

Stardust - Neil Gaiman, a simple story, well told.
Heart-Shaped Box - Joe Hill, a little predictable in parts but on the whole an awesome ghost story.
The Wraeththu trilogy - Storm Constantine, unique and brilliant and probably worth another read very soon.
Dracula - Bram Stoker, the best vampire book out there.
The Vampire Lestat - Anne Rice (I didn't really feel anything for Louis in Interview, this one was far better).
The Sandman - Neil Gaiman (can't beet a bit of a graphic novel now and again).
The Picture of Dorian Grey - Oscar Wilde, brilliant on so many levels.
The Rats in the Walls - H P Lovecraft (ok technically a short story but far too creepy for its own good).
The Yellow Wallpaper - Charlotte Perkins Gilman, a wonderful tale of a womans decline into madness.

SusieM

Any of the books (except the last) in the Camulod Chronicles by Jack Whyte
All the Narnia books
Something Wicked this way comes - Ray Bradbury
A Bag of Marbles - Joseph Joffo
This Perfect Day - Ira Levin (not the best book in the world but stuck in my mind from my teenage years and is still very readable)
Lady of Hay - Barbara Erskine
Delta of Venus - Anais Nin
The Crystal Cave - Mary Stewart
Child 44 - Tom Rob Smith
Writing down the bones - Natalie Goldberg

Warchild

Nephilims_child I was wondering what you thought of Twilight. No reason really it just seems the area of which your interests point to. I haven't read it myself not really sure i will either, but i could be convinced.

Piper

I haven't read it yet but it's on my mental list to read.

Neph

I voiced my opinion rather strongly on the vampire thread.

http://www.writersnews.co.uk/writers_talkback/comments.php?DiscussionID=104782&page=1#Item_47

Warchild

I regret I asked ;-)

Neph

I did warn you :D

Warchild

OutofControl, The Cherub series is an interesting choice. When I was considering my hero(es) for my novel I found myself in a sticky situation; I wanted to write to a broad range of readers i.e. age and sex etc, and although my stories are set amongst historical battles, I wanted a female to play an important role. I found this a bit difficult, so by luck I picked up a Robert Muchamore book, Man Vs Beast I think, and was impressed at how he had intergrated not one but more than two females into the storyline. Now, okay they were not main characters as such, but they played an important role and it was this that abled me to have a female hero and an opportunity to expand my range of readers.
(Useless to this thread I know, but interesting if anything!)

Piper

Well all of the CHERUB books are good. I have yet to read the latest one The General.

Carol

Well here's my ten.


Lorna Doone by R D Blackmoore

The Great Gatsby by F Scott Fitzgerald

Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

The Millstone by Margaret Drabble

Faro’s Daughter by Georgette Heyer

A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute

Skulduggery Pleasant by Derek Landry

Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee

Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck

Sweet Liar by Jude Devereaux (yes, a romance, but it is written with the story covering the present time, and the 1920's, ending with those two time periods being blended together.)

Liz

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint - Brady Udall

The Road Cormac McCarthy

The Kite Runner Khaled Husseini

The Chrysalids John Wyndham

Lucia Rising E F Benson

I'll do the rest when I'm not waiting for guests...

Nutmeg

wow, not gonna read thru all of these lists at the moment...but:

The Bourne Series is excellent!
Lord of the Rings
The Inheritance Cycle
I definately agree with OOC on Artemis Fowl... finished reading the Time Paradox a week or so ago...brilliant!
then the Sharon Penman histories and Justin De Quincy novels of course
Harry Potters
Enid Blyton Wishing Chair, Magic Faraway Tree and Naughty Amelia Jane series'
I remember some of Dick King Smith's books that were really fun:

a mouse called wolfe
schoolmouse
(yike i can't remember the other ones!)

Hornblower series is worth reading if you want some good old 1700-1800 nautical stuff
I found Stardust to also be a very good read and enjoyed the movie too!

Narnia books as well!!

Piper

When was Jack Kerouac's On The Road written?

Grimmy

Falling Leaves- Adeline Yen Mah

Mao's Last Dancer- Li Cunxin

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy- Douglas Adams

Looking for Alibrandi- Melina Marchetta

Saving Francesca- Melina Marchetta

Roald Dahl's Short stories...or all his books in general; I love them!

The Secret Life of Bees- ...I can't remember who it's by now...

Ice Station- Matthew Reilly

Hover Car Racer- Matthew Reilly

The Reader- Bernhard Schlink

Also, I agree Jemma about the Bourne books, although I've only read half of the first one so far. But it's amazing!

Liz

Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte

Titus series, Mervyn Peake

After Many a summer - Aldous Huxley (in fact he's my favourite author, anything by him)

Pride and Prejudice and Emma - Jan eAusen

Anything by Raymond Chandler, Armistead Maupin, Philip Pullman, Iain Banks, Michael Ondaatje, Dickens, Tim Winton, Anne Tyler, John Irving, Rose Tremain, oh no now I've started I can't stop...

Nutmeg

Grimmy, wait till you get to the second book! I have read reviews about it being a typical middle, boring book... not so!! gets a bit confusing...but i'm almost half way through it...

dorothyd

Probie, answer to question - 1957. Google is my resource for everything these days, typed in keroac on the road and Wikipedia is right there. Magic.

Piper

Yeah I was being lazy last night. *Sigh* too late. I need popular books from 1955, for my story as I'm fasinated by the 1950's. Were there any murder or crime books out then? I can't research at the moment because of Biology h/w, then I have to copy out a case study in Geography for a friend for a test and make a start on my English essay...

Thanks Dorothy for answering my question.

dorothyd

so go do! I know how time consuming TB can be, among other things ... like life and books and eating and being ... but work has to be done! I work to deadlines and you have deadlines too. So, let's make sure we stick to them!

Piper

I know I'm doing it, it's just really boring though. Oh well...

Jay Mandal

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ellery_Queen#Novels

any good?

(I may add to this post.)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agatha_Christie#Novels

Piper

YES! Thank You Jay! ;)

Jay Mandal

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/3671363/50-crime-writers-to-read-before-you-die.html

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/global/article3773630.ece

Piper

Thank you so much Jay. It's just that my main character is a muderer so and she has a thing for reading crime books.

heather

Sherlock Holmes?

Liz

Popular novels in the 1950s... I know my dad read a chap called Dornford Yates, a pseudonym for a man called Cecil William Mercer. He wrote thrillers in a world of wealth and idleness, and his stores were immensely popular between and after the wars. They were droll and witty at that time, slightly like Jeeves and Worcester.

Also Neville Shute, who wrote brilliant novels, incredibly popular, quite a few mysteries, thrillers and bordering on science fiction. My dad gave me his to read. They were all popular in the 1950s.

Piper

Thanks for that Liz and I didn't think of Sherlock Holmes, heather. I think I'm beginning to build up a good libary now, shame I'm doing h/w.

Liz

OMG forgot Agatha Christie... and also I think Alfred Hitchcock will have been making murder movies at this time, from books... Rebecca for instance by Daphne Du Maurier, so her too...

Tessadragon

1) Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
2) Goodnight Mister Tom, Michelle Magorian
3) Twilight, Stephenie Meyer
4) Solutions for Writers, Sol Stein
5) Through the Glass Darkly, Jostein Gaarder
6) Christine Rossetti (Poetry), Christina Rossetti
7) The Lovely Bones, Alice Sebold
8) 101 Dalmatians, Dodie Smith
9) Alanna the First Adventure, Tamora Pierce
10) Kingdom of Carbonel, Barbara Sleigh

paulh

hmm

1. Far from the Madding Crowd - Hardy
2. The Clergyman's daughter - Orwell
3. 20,000 streets beneath the stars - Hamilton
4. The Count of Monte Cristo - Dumas
5. The Life of Pi - author forgotten
6. The Little Prince - Saint-Exupery
7. The confessions of a justified sinner - Hogg
8. Moby Dick - Melville
9. Brave New World - Huxley
10. The Washing of the Spears - a book about the Zulu wars. I forget the author's name (again)

Mutley

1. Under Milkwood - Dylan Thomas
2. Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
3 The ROad - Cormac McCarthy
4. Wind in the WIllows - Kenneth Graham
5. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
6. White Boots - can't think of her name for the minute
7. Little Women - Louisa M Alcott
8. Winnie the Pooh - A A Milne
9. Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
10. Animal Farm - George Orwell

Liz

Has anyone else read The Road, by Cormac McCarthy? We just did it for book group and it was brill.