Best novel you have ever read

[Anonymous]

I loved
The Mote in God's Eye (sci fi)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a mystery fiend so I tend to love series

Anne Perry WWI series that starts with No Graves Yet. I came out during the beginning of the invasion of Iraq and raised many issues about individual and state morality, role of the press and how to dissent.

I read one that I enjoyed, and mentioned it to my mother, who then filled me in on her background. My mom loves mysteries but wouldn't buy Perry's novels because she didn't want to give money to a murderer. Kind of sucked the fun out of her books for me after that.

Wow, did not know that about Perry. What awful kids. They might have gotten the death penalty if this happened today in the US.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Less Than Zero. Aw c'mon, no Rielle Hunter fans?

I remember that book! There was another one about her, although I don't recall the title, the one where she was studying to be an actress..

[Anonymous]

The Engines of the Gods was a good sci fi

[Anonymous]

Catch-22

[Anonymous]

Oh, LOVE Pillars of the Earth

[Anonymous]

High school curriculum developers should take note that many of the classics remain life long favorites -- and be sure to continue teaching those! I wonder if any posters were men, and if the same question were asked to a group of DC area dads, whether the answers would be very different. I am curious about this because my husband seems to have a deaf ear for fiction, and besides the obvious choices (To Kill a Mockingbird, Separate Peace, Lord of the Flies, Old Man and the Sea), I am finding it hard to recommend books that will get me teenaged sons as excited about literature as I became at their age. Any dads want to chime in? Ah, maybe I will start a spin off.


Go for great non-fiction their is a ton of it out there now. Think Erik Larson, John McPhee even David McCullough.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am a mystery fiend so I tend to love series

Anne Perry WWI series that starts with No Graves Yet. I came out during the beginning of the invasion of Iraq and raised many issues about individual and state morality, role of the press and how to dissent.

I read one that I enjoyed, and mentioned it to my mother, who then filled me in on her background. My mom loves mysteries but wouldn't buy Perry's novels because she didn't want to give money to a murderer. Kind of sucked the fun out of her books for me after that.

I have heard that the movie was far more definitive than the true facts, do believe that it may have been more complex of a situation myself. I discovered that fact halfway through the series and I think made it even better. It explained why she is rarely has an ending with a clear bad guy, instead the reader is left to mull how much one's point of view determines if one is wrong.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:High school curriculum developers should take note that many of the classics remain life long favorites -- and be sure to continue teaching those! I wonder if any posters were men, and if the same question were asked to a group of DC area dads, whether the answers would be very different. I am curious about this because my husband seems to have a deaf ear for fiction, and besides the obvious choices (To Kill a Mockingbird, Separate Peace, Lord of the Flies, Old Man and the Sea), I am finding it hard to recommend books that will get me teenaged sons as excited about literature as I became at their age. Any dads want to chime in? Ah, maybe I will start a spin off.

All the men I know love the Patrick O'Brien series (Master and Commander, etc). As do I.

[Anonymous]

One of my recent favorites that I haven't seen mentioned yet: A Painted House by John Grisham

[Anonymous]

Sushi For Beginner's- Marian Keyes.
Amazing writing, brilliant storyline. Some parts were masked in irony and like a much loved but battered puzzle, requires you to unveil it. Probably one of the most beautiful pieces of prose I've read.

[Anonymous]

The Red Tent

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I'm going to have to get to the library this weekend to check out Owen Meany after all the praise on here. (although I got through maybe a third of Hotel New Hampshire and put it down and have never had the desire to pick it back up. It's in the house somewhere)

It's hard to choose a favorite, but I'm going with All the King's Men by Robert Penn Warren. Some of the most beautiful sentences you'll ever read and a gripping tale (it helps, especially, if you've any experience living in the South)

+1

Also:
Light in August (Faulkner - can't believe there isn't more Faulkner on here!)
Atonement (liked it so much that I refused to see themovie)
The Known World (Edward P. Jones - D.C. native, and Pulitzer Prize winner... as his second career)
The Brothers Karamazov
The Bone People (Keri Hulme) (talk about books that make you cry...)

"Owen Meany" didn't do anything for me - too didactic. Many more... Wish I had more time to read.

[Anonymous]

Ulysses.

[Anonymous]

The Blind Assassin - Atwood - and almost anything else by her. I have loved all of her books.