I was a lurker for a bit on the Nest Book Club and I think I saw a thread like this there, but there seem to be a lot of new people here (including me!) so I thought it might be a good way to get to know each other. Bonus points for explaining why it speaks to you.
My favorite is Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings (I count it as one book since that's how he intended it to be written--sure, that may be cheating a bit but I'm OK with it.)
I have read the series (plus The Hobbit ) more than a dozen times in my life starting at age 11, so I think part of the reason I love it is that I have memories throughout so many different life experiences. I also love the grandeur of the old times, the integrity and bravery of so many characters, and the epic nature of the tale. Also, I love the escape from real life that this type of book provides.
Harry Potter, they were the first books that I really got into and started my love of reading. Now a book that I can always pick up would be Twilight. Go ahead and judge!
Post by bookwormjen on May 14, 2012 13:43:28 GMT -5
Right now I'd say Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. With Anne of Green Gables a close second.
But i can always read Harry Potter, Brandon Sanderson's Mistborn trilogy, or Jim Butcher's Harry Dresden series. Hmm, or the Sword of Truth or Wheel of Time series. I re-read books all the time, so picking 1 favorite is hard!
Oh, I also love "Little Women"! My other favorites are "The Princess Bride" and "Perpetua". The stories completely captivated me and made me laugh and cry. "Crazy Love" is a book that totally changed my life and made me see the world and people differently, and I love that book so much.
I'm going to try to read The Lord of the Rings this summer, and I'm really excited about it!
Post by dorothyinAus on May 14, 2012 18:16:36 GMT -5
These are the ones I can re-read over and over and over
Anne of Green Gables series, particularly the later ones -- Anne connects with me and I really enjoy watching her grow and mature as the series progresses. Besides, who can not fall in love with Gilbert?
The View from Saturday -- I see so much of myself in the characters. I found the book so moving that I have given it to nearly everyone I know.
I Remember Mama -- just a series of short stories about growing up in San Francisco, but they are always good for a fun read.
Its a toss up between Plum Island - Nelson DeMille & A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseni
Love it! I read The Kite Runner and thought that no book could ever be better. Then I immediately read A Thousand Splendid Suns and was proven wrong.
I also loved Life Of Pi by Yann Martel and the HP series. The Bell Jar, 1984, and Bless Me Ultima were also important to me in high school and I'd like to read them all again.
Its a toss up between Plum Island - Nelson DeMille & A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseni
Love it! I read The Kite Runner and thought that no book could ever be better. Then I immediately read A Thousand Splendid Suns and was proven wrong.
I still havent read the Kite Runner, i have it on my nook. I promised myself that i would read what i had before i bought more... its kind of working lol hopefully i'll get to it soon
Post by ThirdandLong on May 15, 2012 8:34:23 GMT -5
It's really hard to pick a favorite book. I guess The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. I also really enjoy The Song of Ice and Fire series, Harry Potter, and anything Jane Austen. Clive Cussler writes a character, Dirk Pitt, that's extremely entertaining.
Its a toss up between Plum Island - Nelson DeMille & A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseni
I think ATSS is the book that made me ugly cry the hardest. We're talking sobs. I will likely never read it again, but it was just beautiful.
To Kill a Mockingbird is my all-time favorite, and I re-read it every year or so. My husband and I want to get a bulldog and name him Atticus Pooch. I also love The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, which is overdue for a re-read.
This is difficult. There are books/series I read over and over (and over) again - Harry Potter and Lord of the Rings being two examples. I can't count the number of times I've re-read those. Often enough that I can now narrate Chamber of Secrets to my son by memory.
But for the book I retreat to when I want to immerse myself in a time and place and surround myself with most beloved characters, that would be the Deryni books by Katherine Kurtz. Especially the Legends of Camber of Culdi trilogy. Hardly high, sweeping fiction, that, but it's like picking up the phone and chatting with close friends.
I know it's not exciting to admit, but I do love Pride & Prejudice and re-read it about 2x a year. In terms of fun fluff that I go back and re-read, I have to admit I love the Vampire Academy series...(don't judge! LOL).
Post by secretlyevil on May 15, 2012 11:38:15 GMT -5
I have lots of favorites but whenever I am asked I always say Gone with the Wind. I think it's it takes a lot for me to re-read a book and I will only do it once but with GwtW, I've read it eight or nine times now and it just never fails to totally and completely enthrall me.