Favorite book of all time?

[pthermal]

A Thousand Splendid Suns is at the top and I think it's followed by Pride & Prejudice. I love so many books it's really hard to narrow it down.

[Deleted]

May 15, 2012 22:12:38 GMT -5 SallyJ said:

You cannot ask an avid book reader and lover of nearly all genres to pick only one!

I love (in no particular order) and have re-read several times:
A Tree Grows In Brooklyn
Pride and Prejudice
East of Eden
Jane Eyre
Angela's Ashes
all of Octavia Butler's books
Life of Pi
To Kill a Mockingbird
A Thousand Splendid Suns
Chronicles of Narnia
Lord of the Rings books
1984
Fahrenheit 451
and probably several more I'm forgetting!

SallyJ, because you hit several of my faves, I'm taking it as a sign to read the rest on your list. We have similar taste! Love, love Steinbeck. My embarrassing confession is that I read Grapes of Wrath on my honeymoon. Odd choice!

[ChillyMcFreeze]

Welcome to the World, Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg -- FF's whole collection is fantastic, but none of her stories are as gripping as this one.
Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas by James Patterson -- I ugly cried all over this one. It's such a rich love story.
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver -- This one is due for another read soon. Enthralling story and unforgettable characters.

[Pippin]

May 22, 2012 0:57:46 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

May 21, 2012 12:18:38 GMT -5 Pippin said:

Hi I've been long time lurker on TN/TB and I'm really liking pro boards here ;D

My go to favorite book right now is Peony in Love by Lisa See. I've read this book a number of times and I find something knew about it each time. Through a Glass Darkly along with Now Face to Face are also probably two of the best historical fiction novels I've come across. Harry Potter is also a winner of course. As for fluff I can not put down the Sookie Stackhouse series even if the writing for those isn't the greatest.

Love those 2 books. She's planning a fourth, btw.

Harry Potter series
Chronicles of Narnia
The Luxe series
The Virgin Suicides
The Hunger Games
Pride and Prejudice
The Uglies series
(jeez, I like a lot of series)
Sloppy Firsts and the rest of the Jessica Darling series
The Banned and the Banished books
Before I Fall
The Circle Trilogy
Tomorrow When The War Began (and the rest of the series)
Threads: The Reincarnation of Anne Boleyn
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland
and finally A Dog's Purpose (oh God, don't read this book if you love animals and are prone to crying.)

Oh, I should also say, these are only my favorites on my Kindle. If anyone likes, I can provide summaries/authors.

Thanks for the tip i had thought she was done with the series, I'll have to go look up info on the 4th one. I'm glad to see Before I Fall on someones list of favorites it's been on my to read list for awhile but I wasn't sure if it was going to be worth buying or not.

[ESF]

Confederacy of Dunces.

Too many John Irving books to list.

And even though I've only recently read it, I know that Jennifer Egan's A Visit from the Goon Squad is going to become a long term favorite.

[gwynnetx]

"Watership Down" by Richard Adams

[trigal]

The Old Man and the Sea

[lin]

So many kindred spirits on here! Anne of Green Gables, Tree Grows in Brooklyn, Princess Bride, GWTW - all awesome.
But haven't seen anyone mention Bridge to Terabithia yet so I need to make a huge plug for it. If you haven't read it, go out and get it right now! You'll finish it within about three hours, be sobbing, and will never forget it!

[lintscreen]

May 15, 2012 9:07:06 GMT -5 mrshandy said:

Catch-22

Pride and Prejudice

Catch 22!! My favorite of all time as well.
Also, the #3 Harry Potter was my favorite of the series.

[Deleted]

I don't have one favorite, but love a lot of different books.

Angela's Ashes
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Gone with the Wind
White Oleander
The End of the Affair
The Good Journey

I could go on...

[copzgirl1171]

The Executioners Song
All The Pretty Horses
The Sun Also Rises

[flatlan]

The Thornbirds! I have read it so many times.

[downbythebay]

May 27, 2012 18:29:07 GMT -5 gwynnetx said:

"Watership Down" by Richard Adams

Definitely one of my favorites! I wish more people would read it.

[Dusky]

Summon the Keeper by Tanya Huff. It is pretty much an exact match for my sense of humor.

[kate4924]

May 16, 2012 8:47:55 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

May 14, 2012 9:05:13 GMT -5 heightsyankee said:

I'm right there with you. I have read the 4 book series 4-5 times. Love it.

However, my favorite book of all time is A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. A must read for every.single.human.period.

And this. And I ugly cry every time.

Oh man I love this book so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[aprilsails]

May 27, 2012 18:29:07 GMT -5 gwynnetx said:

"Watership Down" by Richard Adams

This is one of my favourites of all time and I don't think it gets enough recognition.  Due for a re-read for sure.

Otherwise I am a huge Pride & Prejudice and Jane Eyre fan. 

My definitive favourite novel is Lorna Doone by RD Blackmore.  My grandma gave me her copy from school and I re-read it annually.  Not the finest classic fiction but I love it for what it is. 

[madisen]

Where the Red Fern Grows, hands down.

[apelila]

Jan 27, 2013 1:21:33 GMT -5 kate4924 said:

May 16, 2012 8:47:55 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

And this. And I ugly cry every time.

Oh man I love this book so so so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Oh geez... I started the last chapter of Owen Meany last night. I'll keep the Kleenex nearby for when I (hopefully) finish it today. 

My favorite list includes:
- To Kill a Mockingbird
- The Talisman by SK/Peter Straub
- The Lion the Witch and the Wardobe
- the Outlander series

Man, I love so many of the books y'all have listed, but if I were to re-read a book, it would be from this list.

[Deleted]

Stephen Donaldson - the gap series (books 1-5).

[amy726]

My favorite is the entire Harry Potter series. I have read the whole series multiple times. I made myself not read them at all in 2012 and now I'm due for a re-read soon.

I also love the Phryne Fischer series.

[dragonfly08]

Definitely Gone With the Wind. I've read my way through multiple copies...when one falls apart, I buy a new one.

[kacy]

May 14, 2012 12:20:53 GMT -5 mrsbro said:

I could reread Salinger's Franny and Zooey forever.
Then Anna Karenina
Then Oryx and Crake

I haven't read Franny and Zooey in forever, but I love that one! I'm not sure if I still love Salinger in the same way that I did in high school, but..I do love his characters and need to revisit and ask questions about all of the details in his books and short stories and what they might mean.

[kacy]

My girls (7 and 9) love Anne of Green Gables! It was so much fun to re-live the first book as Anne talked and talked so endearingly. I went to Prince Edward Island with one of my best friends on a road trip with her mother and step-father when we were 13. I felt as though Anne were real.

I also love Little Women, The Hobbit, Pride and Prejudice, and The Stand. I love The Stand. Though some details are changed, the movie of it with Molly Ringwald is great-especially the music.

I just read The Velveteen Rabbit (thought of it as a short story before-but it has chapters) and bawled. It's so beautiful. I had known the quotation about what it means to become Real, and that is tied to my memory of my ailing grandfather. While I've only been drawn to snippets of it at once, I find The Little Prince to be fascinating.

A Wrinkle in Time (and others of L'Engle's books) and The Chronicles of Narnia will always seem magical.

So many good books!

[booknerd]

Harry Potter series - I can't pick just one as a fav, but I fell in love with the series while reading Prisoner of Azkaban so I'm partial to that one. But Deathly Hallows made me cry for most of the book. Just over and over ugly tears. AND the beginning of Sorcerer's Stone gets me all excited and giddy every.single.time. I reread the series every year. 

Little Women - I reread this book a lot too. This is my comfort read.

I've added several books thanks to this thread!

[dorothyinAus]

Apr 6, 2016 23:26:56 GMT -5 kacy said:

My girls (7 and 9) love Anne of Green Gables! It was so much fun to re-live the first book as Anne talked and talked so endearingly. I went to Prince Edward Island with one of my best friends on a road trip with her mother and step-father when we were 13. I felt as though Anne were real.

I also love Little Women, The Hobbit, Pride and Prejudice, and The Stand. I love The Stand. Though some details are changed, the movie of it with Molly Ringwald is great-especially the music.

I just read The Velveteen Rabbit (thought of it as a short story before-but it has chapters) and bawled. It's so beautiful. I had known the quotation about what it means to become Real, and that is tied to my memory of my ailing grandfather. While I've only been drawn to snippets of it at once, I find The Little Prince to be fascinating.

A Wrinkle in Time (and others of L'Engle's books) and The Chronicles of Narnia will always seem magical.

So many good books!

I took my first cruise to be able to go to PEI.  That was when PEI was limiting cruise ship calls, so as it turns out the ship didn't actually stop in PEI that cruise, but when I finally made it there it was such a great experience.  I've been back every 2-3 years since.  And I just booked my tour for this October.  My copy of Anne of the Island (my favorite of the series) is really in need of being replaced.  I may buy a new one at Green Gables when I'm there.

[revjen]

I don't think I can name one absolute favorite book of all time. I have a deep, abiding love for all things Harry Potter but I didn't find them until I was an adult. Some favorites from when I was a kid include The Trumpet of the Swan, The Velveteen Rabbit (I have it downloaded on my kindle and the app on my phone so it's with me wherever I am), The Cricket in Times Square, and The Fur Person. And then there were the Ramona books. And Judy Blume's.

And now I'm thoroughly enjoying Nora Roberts and Robert Galbraith/JK Rowling. Michelle Moran too. Oh and ...

[suzannesugarbaker]

I'm with RevJen. Besides the Bible, it is hard for me to name just one. TKAM is probably at the top, as well as Little Women & The Chronicles of Narnia, and all of the HP books. I used to adore The Babysitter's Club books and I still read my Calvin & Hobbes books.

[aurora]

Apr 9, 2016 8:59:17 GMT -5 suzannesugarbaker said:

I'm with RevJen. Besides the Bible, it is hard for me to name just one. TKAM is probably at the top, as well as Little Women & The Chronicles of Narnia, and all of the HP books. I used to adore The Babysitter's Club books and I still read my Calvin & Hobbes books.

That's a reread I haven't done in a while! Thanks for the reminder.

[aurora]

Apr 9, 2016 7:24:45 GMT -5 revjen said:

... I have a deep, abiding love for all things Harry Potter but I didn't find them until I was an adult. ...

I'm chucking at your word choice. I also didn't find HP (which I love) until I was an adult, but that's because they weren't published until then!

[revjen]

Apr 9, 2016 9:34:22 GMT -5 aurora said:

Apr 9, 2016 7:24:45 GMT -5 revjen said:

... I have a deep, abiding love for all things Harry Potter but I didn't find them until I was an adult. ...

I'm chucking at your word choice. I also didn't find HP (which I love) until I was an adult, but that's because they weren't published until then!

Me either.  I think I was 29 when I read the first one.  It was 2001 or 2002.  In fact, I saw the first movie on HBO before I ever read them.  It was the movie that led me to the books.  After that, it was on like Donkey Kong.