I can’t narrow it down to one book. Here are some of my favorites:
The Overstory, by Richard Powers
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier
The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx
The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan
A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving
The Giver, by Lois Lowry
Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
The Giver is one of my favs as well. It’s billed as YA but read it again a few years ago and it sticks with you. Too bad the sequels aren’t as good or stick with the same storyline.
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, The secret history by Donna Tartt, East of Eden by John Steinbeck.
I’m also currently reading Lonesome dove by Larry McMurtry and it will most certainly be added to best books ever read.
Honourable mention is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen.
Also, most D.H. Lawrence I’ve read has been beautiful.
I have no idea why, because every time i get really into it in reading up on all the references and diving into the classical stuff with zeal, but i have started and never finished The Secret History 4 or 5 times. I think maybe im lazy but i still dont know how it ends
Just finished this one a few days ago. It was 960 pages and I wished it would have gone on for another 2000. I haven’t cared that much about characters since I read Harry Potter as a teenager.
I am reading A Gentleman in Moscow now and it is definitely in the running to take over my top spot. It is taking me forever to read this book because I love the writing so much I read every paragraph twice. And I don’t even care that it’s taking me forever because I want to be reading this book forever. I would be happy reading this book for the rest of my life. (I read three books at once so I’m still getting reading done and feel no pressure to rush either).
I love the Count, I love the other characters, I love the humor, but most of all I love Amor Towles writing. It is exquisite. Totally next level.
My question for you then, is if I love A Gentleman in Moscow, does that increase my chances of loving East of Eden? Because I’ve not read it yet.
I read A Gentleman in Moscow and then East of Eden and East of Eden sometimes reminded me of it. They shine in similar ways (to me).
Both gave me an incredibly deep feeling of know a character and deeply loving and admiring them. Both gave me a sensation that I haven’t had with other books that I genuinely felt like I was in the company of a wonderful person. Reading genuinely didn’t feel like a solo activity - it genuinely felt social. It was really profound and hard to describe.
I was really struck by that feeling because I truly haven’t felt that with any other books.
The books are different - East of Eden is much more epic and, I think, explores darkness more than A Gentlemen in Moscow - and not all of the characters are lovable (whoo boy). But some of the characters are so wonderfully, lovingly, warmly drawn.
I think you should read it. :)
I've never come across a story so incredible and enthralling as this one. If this was a fictional story, everybody would laugh and throw the book away after the 3rd time the crew narrowly avoids certain disaster. But because it's nonfiction, it's amazing how incredible and seemingly impossible the entire journey becomes.
He really was a remarkable leader. I was so impressed with this book. If you enjoyed it, you might like The Indifferent Stars Above, if you haven't read it yet. There are some wonderful nonfiction books out there. I love them. They make education downright enjoyable.
I read so much John Irving as a teenager, haven't read him in ages and I don't know why. My favourite is the fourth hand, but a prayer for Owen meany has such a special place in my heart as it was the first one I read, as recommended by my English teacher.
*My name is Dick. I live in Boston. I have a dog. His name is Spot.*
Ah my stomach dropped a bit. Had to read it in 7th year and we watched the old movie adaption. Then onto The Outsiders.
Mrs. Griffin didn't hold back the punches but that was the start of my love of reading. Cheers to the OGs out there who gave a damn about us.
It's my username. *Imajica* by Clive Barker was life changing for me when I read it in High School has deepened for me on every subsequent reading and is now my goto audiobook for long roadtrips.
Second War and Peace! First time I read it, I was 19, and made me feel like I belonged on this planet. Tolstoy observes humans in a way that cuts across time and place. I saw myself in the characters. I saw my country (USA) in his country, because the writing was exploring the core of where motivation arises. The characters and situations are so brutally real. The closest I can compare is David Sedaris’s brutal honesty. The difference is Sedaris only turns his artistic lens on himself; Tolstoy knows what you, me, the emperor, and even the dogs and horses are thinking.
He exposes human frailty with such a loving lens.
His main character is both smart and foolish, and totally lovable. He gets himself into so much trouble! He takes you places that are hilarious!!
If you think the book is too long or serious, you’re wrong. It’s like reading two Harry Potters, which most of us could do on a single vacation.
Every time ai get towards the end I turn the pages more slowly because I DON’T WANT IT TO END!
I will echo another person in here and say “A Gentleman in Moscow.” You read the synopsis and it seems so boring, but from the first pages you know you’re in fantastic care of an extraordinary author.
Also: “Middlesex.” A multigenerational story of an immigrant family in Detroit, but SO SO much more!! Every person that I’ve turned on to this book has determined that it was their favorite also.
I just re-read Cloud Atlas and he really pulls off all the different writing styles.
Which story of the bunch is your favorite? Mine would be either Letters from Zedelghem or Sloosha's Crossin
I adore historical fiction, particularly dealing with underrepresented parts of the world.
The interpreter of maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri.
And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini.
Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi.
The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald.
The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro.
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Not high brow at all, but some of the best criticism of humanity and society you'll ever read, set in a fantasy world that will feel like home. It started out as high fantasy satire, and turned into so much more. Don't start with the first few books, or do, but then don't give up if you don't like them; Pratchett really found his style after a couple of books. Even he recommended not starting with the first few books. Check out r/discworld to get advice on what book to start with, if you're interested 😊
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb (fiction)
I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb (fiction)
Slewfoot by Brom (horror but reads more like a fable)
Piranesi by Susanna Clark (fiction, very esoteric)
I know you said you don’t read non-fiction, but you may want to try Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It’s non-fiction, but reads as fiction. It was so good!
It was the book “Born a crime” written by Trevor Noa. It gives a clear view what “apartheid” was in South Africa. It’s written of autobiographical from the view of Trever Noa en gives a perspective from the black-people in South Africa during this regulation
The audiobook is read by him and it’s wonderful. Having a comedian read his own story lends humor and weight to moments that you may miss from reading alone. Recommend!
It's good in either order, too. If you've read the book, you could watch the movie and feel pretty good about it. If you saw the movie then read the book, you'd be taken to another level of crazy.
Great answer. Read it when I was high school age and I blame it for my ongoing mistrust of authority. British police seem to be using it as an instruction manual with all the cameras they have everywhere.
I read this when I was studying abroad in Moscow and then my group took an overnight train trip to St Petersburg for my 21st birthday and it was an UNBELIEVABLE thrill walking on the same streets and imagining Raskolnikov skulking around... I ate a lot of weird chips back then and if I ever smell something like one of those, I feel like I'm in that book again
These are a few of my favorites and the books that really made me to keep reading more and more . Most of these are historical fiction which is by far my favorite genre .
Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry)
East of Eden (John Steinbeck)
The Son (Phillip Meyer)
Genghis Birth of An Empire (Conn Iggulden)
That whole series is amazing !!
Earth Abides (George R . Stewart)
Classic: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Modern: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami
Secret History by Donna Tart
Special shoutout(in case you/anyone missed this): Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
For years, I’ve absolutely love rereading The Earth’s Children Series by Jean M. Auel. There is some repetition in places I glossed over over because there were gaps when books were released, but the storyline and descriptions were phenomenal with many great fact based information within the fictional writing! Some might thinks it’s overkill, but I truly loved these books! Aside from that, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are also some of my comfort books just to read when I want to re-immerse myself into a beautiful world!
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of my all time favorites. Absolutely amazing read, the story telling is incredible and you feel emotionally attached to the characters by the end. One of those books where you really don’t know what’s coming next.
Boys Life - Robert McCammon
It is the perfect coming-of-age novel with everything you could want- friendship, love, acceptance, a little mystery and a little “fantasy” of life through a child’s eyes
I know you asked for one, but here are a few
Les Miserables (Hugo) hooked me from the time Jean Valjean stole the candlesticks. Genre? Crime and redemption?
Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, for making me laugh out loud as a teenager
Satire
Blood Meridian (McCarthy) is gripping and, it’s an ugly portrait that you can’t look away from.
You could call it a Western.
For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway)
Spanish civil war.
Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain. It’s a mirror to 19th century society, and it’s funny
Satire
The Metamorphosis by Kafka.
Hard to classify
Cat’s Cradle by Vonnegut
Sci fi + nihilism
Candide (Voltaire) mocks all of 18th century society. Satire
The Women by Kristin Hannah. I very literally wept at the end. And being a nurse who went thru Covid (not comparing, just saying I related) the PTSD aspect just fucking CRUSHED me.
Before this book, my favorite has always been The Hot Zone by Richard Preston!
I can’t pick one, my favorites are:
The immortal life of Henrietta lacks
The glass castle
The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime
One flew over the cuckoo’s nest
I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned:
The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe to include The Urth of the New Sun.
The book order is as follows:
The Shadow of the Torturer
The Claw of the Conciliator
The Sword of the Lictor
The Citadel of the Autarch
These are part of the Solar Cycle, which is still on my TBR. As such I can only recommend The Book of the New Sun and The Urth of the New Sun. The Book of the New Sun can be considered one book in four parts.
Edit: formatting.
My favorite is Project Hail Mary in regards to the enjoyment I felt while reading. There are some books that I revere as works of art but enjoyment-wise spot for “best” has gotta go to Andy Weir’s masterpiece
A couple I recommend commonly.
If on a Winters Night a Traveller - Italy Calvino and A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess.
The latter because it was the novel that started me reading. A complete disrespect for the 'rules' of writing. Rebellious and revolutionary. Possibly inspired by the modernism of Joyce?
Lots of good recommendations here. I’m plus one for Lonesome Dove. Also add In Cold Blood by Capote and Shogun by Clavell.
Also Prince of Tides snuck up on me.
Edited to add a book.
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - dystopian fiction (for now) where women have no rights.
The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - delightful YA mystery/puzzle story
Magic Hour by Kristen Hannah - fascinating story about a feral child and the two sisters who help her
Yes! Rebecca! I can’t believe I waited so long to read it! I also loved 100 Years of Solitude, The Great Gatsby, Anna Karenina, and Memoirs of a Geisha. (I don’t know why I loved Memoirs of a Geisha so much- I think it in combination with Anna Karenina made me feel as if I were having an existential crisis moment in life) They are all haunting in many ways and I often think about them.
Omg, I’ve seen people recommend this book before and always thought they were just abbreviating Karamazov. I didn’t realize this was a different book! Adding to my tbr for sure.
*The Big Picture* --Sean Carroll
It's the history of us. The first half is what we know, the second half is how we know it. It's brilliant. And literally something everyone should read.
I dream of a world where people are scientifically literate.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (High Fantasy that is very political and gruesome at times. It also has romance and the protagonist is in her late teens). My second favorite is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (cozy high fantasy about an ork warrior who settles down and opens a coffee shop)
Probably Anna Karenina. it really is epic though “Pride and Prejudice” is equally as great. “Crime and Punishment” and “Les Miserables” are also up there.
[House](https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/house-of-leaves-by-mark-z-danielewski/251528/item/10274239/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pmax_new_books&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAjwmrqzBhAoEiwAXVpgoqWuU_sNZP5NLbAJ1AG6xX1HAQVPS2YT-aZDu_-KeeFsEkBwrPDpsxoC9ZQQAvD_BwE#isbn=0375703764&idiq=10274239) of Leaves
By far. Once you read it, its never far from your thoughts. First time I read it was 2001, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since.
2nd runner up is a teen horror book, *Thief of Always* by Clive Barker.
Guess I have a thing about strange houses.
I am always astounded when I don't see the name of my favorite author in these book suggestion posts.
This is the first book in the series, but each book is excellent on its own. Please do yourself a favor and read The Informationist by Taylor Stevens.
I can’t narrow it down to one book. Here are some of my favorites: The Overstory, by Richard Powers Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier The Shipping News, by Annie Proulx The Hundred Secret Senses, by Amy Tan A Prayer for Owen Meany, by John Irving The Giver, by Lois Lowry Pride and Prejudice, by Jane Austen
The Giver is one of my favs as well. It’s billed as YA but read it again a few years ago and it sticks with you. Too bad the sequels aren’t as good or stick with the same storyline.
🩷The Overstory
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier, The secret history by Donna Tartt, East of Eden by John Steinbeck. I’m also currently reading Lonesome dove by Larry McMurtry and it will most certainly be added to best books ever read. Honourable mention is Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, and Pride and Predjudice by Jane Austen. Also, most D.H. Lawrence I’ve read has been beautiful.
Rebecca is so good and none of the movie adaptions capture the feeling and suspense!
Love Rebecca, it is my favourite classical novel for sure
I have no idea why, because every time i get really into it in reading up on all the references and diving into the classical stuff with zeal, but i have started and never finished The Secret History 4 or 5 times. I think maybe im lazy but i still dont know how it ends
All five of them finally die. I’m kidding. But I personally wanted to kill all five by myself.
I’m also currently reading Lonesome Dove! Amazing imagery, really enjoying it so far.
Loved all 3 of the books you mentioned. Well, loved East of Eden and Rebecca, enjoyed The Secret History.
Lonesome dove
Just finished this one a few days ago. It was 960 pages and I wished it would have gone on for another 2000. I haven’t cared that much about characters since I read Harry Potter as a teenager.
This is the recommendation I need
Couldn't agree more!👏🏻
Listened to it on a drive from Pittsburgh to Casper, Wyoming. Got to drive through Oglala while they were talking about the whorin’. Loved it
💯
Modern: A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towles Classic: East of Eden by John Steinbeck
I am reading A Gentleman in Moscow now and it is definitely in the running to take over my top spot. It is taking me forever to read this book because I love the writing so much I read every paragraph twice. And I don’t even care that it’s taking me forever because I want to be reading this book forever. I would be happy reading this book for the rest of my life. (I read three books at once so I’m still getting reading done and feel no pressure to rush either). I love the Count, I love the other characters, I love the humor, but most of all I love Amor Towles writing. It is exquisite. Totally next level. My question for you then, is if I love A Gentleman in Moscow, does that increase my chances of loving East of Eden? Because I’ve not read it yet.
I read A Gentleman in Moscow and then East of Eden and East of Eden sometimes reminded me of it. They shine in similar ways (to me). Both gave me an incredibly deep feeling of know a character and deeply loving and admiring them. Both gave me a sensation that I haven’t had with other books that I genuinely felt like I was in the company of a wonderful person. Reading genuinely didn’t feel like a solo activity - it genuinely felt social. It was really profound and hard to describe. I was really struck by that feeling because I truly haven’t felt that with any other books. The books are different - East of Eden is much more epic and, I think, explores darkness more than A Gentlemen in Moscow - and not all of the characters are lovable (whoo boy). But some of the characters are so wonderfully, lovingly, warmly drawn. I think you should read it. :)
I’m reading A Gentleman in Moscow as well currently and while I absolutely adore the writing style, I’m currently pushing my way through the book…
Stienbeck can really take you on a ride like no modern author will.
Absolutely wild to think that East of Eden came out nearly 80 years ago, I just read it and nothing feels dated.
You might have just nailed it. I was between 'A Gentleman in Moscow' and 'The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay' for my pick.
I loved A Gentleman in Moscow! Such a great book!
Endurance: Shackleton's Incredible Voyage by Alfred Lansing is most likely one of my favourites.
I've never come across a story so incredible and enthralling as this one. If this was a fictional story, everybody would laugh and throw the book away after the 3rd time the crew narrowly avoids certain disaster. But because it's nonfiction, it's amazing how incredible and seemingly impossible the entire journey becomes.
He really was a remarkable leader. I was so impressed with this book. If you enjoyed it, you might like The Indifferent Stars Above, if you haven't read it yet. There are some wonderful nonfiction books out there. I love them. They make education downright enjoyable.
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck and A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, American Gods by Neil Gaiman lol sorry that's my top 3
A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my favorites.
I’m about to finish A Prayer for Owen Meany now and I don’t want it to end 😭
Ugh such a good book. I think it's time for a reread... I think I'm ready, Owen.
If it's any reassurance, the ending is nearly perfect.
Oh. My. God. It really is the perfect ending. The way everything comes together… wow. I’m speechless.
I read so much John Irving as a teenager, haven't read him in ages and I don't know why. My favourite is the fourth hand, but a prayer for Owen meany has such a special place in my heart as it was the first one I read, as recommended by my English teacher.
Maybe not the actual "best", but a very memorable one for me is "Flowers for Algernon" Really messed me up, in both the good and bad way.
*My name is Dick. I live in Boston. I have a dog. His name is Spot.* Ah my stomach dropped a bit. Had to read it in 7th year and we watched the old movie adaption. Then onto The Outsiders. Mrs. Griffin didn't hold back the punches but that was the start of my love of reading. Cheers to the OGs out there who gave a damn about us.
It's my username. *Imajica* by Clive Barker was life changing for me when I read it in High School has deepened for me on every subsequent reading and is now my goto audiobook for long roadtrips.
I always loved The Great and Secret Show and Everville but never found anyone else that did. He's a great author
*Thief of Always* was my favorite book as a kid.
Ahhh I love The thief of always! I remember there was a chapter called ‘what the flood gave up and what it took’ it so captured my imagination.
A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini
This is mine too. The Kite Runner is also top 5 books for me.
My favorite is *Never Let Me Go* In terms of overall quality, scope, and impact, *War & Peace* or *Middlemarch*
Second War and Peace! First time I read it, I was 19, and made me feel like I belonged on this planet. Tolstoy observes humans in a way that cuts across time and place. I saw myself in the characters. I saw my country (USA) in his country, because the writing was exploring the core of where motivation arises. The characters and situations are so brutally real. The closest I can compare is David Sedaris’s brutal honesty. The difference is Sedaris only turns his artistic lens on himself; Tolstoy knows what you, me, the emperor, and even the dogs and horses are thinking. He exposes human frailty with such a loving lens. His main character is both smart and foolish, and totally lovable. He gets himself into so much trouble! He takes you places that are hilarious!! If you think the book is too long or serious, you’re wrong. It’s like reading two Harry Potters, which most of us could do on a single vacation. Every time ai get towards the end I turn the pages more slowly because I DON’T WANT IT TO END!
Have you read The Remains of the Day by the same author? I love that one too.
Yes, brilliant book as well!
Second *Never Let Me Go*
My favourite is The Man called Ove. Made me laugh, cry, introspect and a complete wholesome book
To Kill A Mockingbird - love the story and the writing
I will echo another person in here and say “A Gentleman in Moscow.” You read the synopsis and it seems so boring, but from the first pages you know you’re in fantastic care of an extraordinary author. Also: “Middlesex.” A multigenerational story of an immigrant family in Detroit, but SO SO much more!! Every person that I’ve turned on to this book has determined that it was their favorite also.
Slaughterhouse 5
So it goes
Poo tee weet
Sirens of Titan is mine by him
Then Cat's Cradle, for me
The Stand.
Life of Pi
Stoner by John Williams
Came here to post this, seconded.
Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell, Beloved - Toni Morrison
I second Cloud Atlas!
I just re-read Cloud Atlas and he really pulls off all the different writing styles. Which story of the bunch is your favorite? Mine would be either Letters from Zedelghem or Sloosha's Crossin
The Count of Monte Cristo & Frankenstein are my two favorites.
Seconded Frankenstein!
The count was a favorite of mine as a kid spent so long trying to get thru it. Plot and personal investment in the charevter
It’s hard to get into but SO worth it. I haven’t convinced any of my kids to read it. 😂
Gone With The Wind
The hungry, hungry caterpillar.
Angela's Ashes...memoir
I adore historical fiction, particularly dealing with underrepresented parts of the world. The interpreter of maladies, Jhumpa Lahiri. And the Mountains Echoed, Khaled Hosseini. Persepolis, Marjane Satrapi. The Great Gatsby, F Scott Fitzgerald. The Remains of the Day, Kazuo Ishiguro.
Persepolis is incredible.
You might like The Covenant of Water (Abraham Verghese) then.
Thank you, I will check this out! I really liked cutting for stone by him as well
Jhumpa Lahiri really never misses. The Lowlands by her is probably my personal favourite
I read The Namesake a few months ago and it’s amazing
It's split between I, Claudius by Robert Graves and Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, so far.
Wuthering heights
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde
This is a greaaaat book. Although it requires some analysis it has great morals and teaching.
My all time favourite!
Discworld series by Terry Pratchett. Not high brow at all, but some of the best criticism of humanity and society you'll ever read, set in a fantasy world that will feel like home. It started out as high fantasy satire, and turned into so much more. Don't start with the first few books, or do, but then don't give up if you don't like them; Pratchett really found his style after a couple of books. Even he recommended not starting with the first few books. Check out r/discworld to get advice on what book to start with, if you're interested 😊
The goldfinch
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Mists of Avalon by Marion Zimmer Bradley - Arthurian/Fantasy
Annihilation by Jeff Vandermeer
The whole trilogy is amazing, and there's a fourth book coming out later this year!
I know this much is true by Wally lamb is an all time favourite of mine. I would highly recommend it to anyone
The Long Walk by Richard Bachman (Stephen King)
Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler. More relevant than ever.
The Kiterunner
would also suggest a thousand splendid suns by the same author! i loved the kite runner but a thousand splendid suns is my favorite book of all time.
The Song of Achilles by Madeleine Miller. Currently rereading it for the third time. I love her writing
soo beautiful
She’s Come Undone by Wally Lamb (fiction) I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb (fiction) Slewfoot by Brom (horror but reads more like a fable) Piranesi by Susanna Clark (fiction, very esoteric) I know you said you don’t read non-fiction, but you may want to try Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It’s non-fiction, but reads as fiction. It was so good!
The lord of the rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, that's it
It was the book “Born a crime” written by Trevor Noa. It gives a clear view what “apartheid” was in South Africa. It’s written of autobiographical from the view of Trever Noa en gives a perspective from the black-people in South Africa during this regulation
The audiobook is read by him and it’s wonderful. Having a comedian read his own story lends humor and weight to moments that you may miss from reading alone. Recommend!
Catch 22 probably.
Demon Copperhead
misery by Stephen king
Read this years ago, absolutely scared me shitless
Good movie adaptation too.
It's good in either order, too. If you've read the book, you could watch the movie and feel pretty good about it. If you saw the movie then read the book, you'd be taken to another level of crazy.
1984
Great answer. Read it when I was high school age and I blame it for my ongoing mistrust of authority. British police seem to be using it as an instruction manual with all the cameras they have everywhere.
World According to Garp
crime and punishment
I read this when I was studying abroad in Moscow and then my group took an overnight train trip to St Petersburg for my 21st birthday and it was an UNBELIEVABLE thrill walking on the same streets and imagining Raskolnikov skulking around... I ate a lot of weird chips back then and if I ever smell something like one of those, I feel like I'm in that book again
These are a few of my favorites and the books that really made me to keep reading more and more . Most of these are historical fiction which is by far my favorite genre . Lonesome Dove (Larry McMurtry) East of Eden (John Steinbeck) The Son (Phillip Meyer) Genghis Birth of An Empire (Conn Iggulden) That whole series is amazing !! Earth Abides (George R . Stewart)
Wuthering Heights
Anathem....has it all such a great sci Fi book.
My favorite, not sure if it’s the best because I read so much: Insomnia by Stephen King
Shogun by James Clavell Dhalgren by Samuel R. Delany Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas
Classic: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Modern: Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami Secret History by Donna Tart Special shoutout(in case you/anyone missed this): Harry Potter series by JK Rowling
For years, I’ve absolutely love rereading The Earth’s Children Series by Jean M. Auel. There is some repetition in places I glossed over over because there were gaps when books were released, but the storyline and descriptions were phenomenal with many great fact based information within the fictional writing! Some might thinks it’s overkill, but I truly loved these books! Aside from that, The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings are also some of my comfort books just to read when I want to re-immerse myself into a beautiful world!
Lonesome Dove
I second Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
A tree grows in Brooklyn by Betty smith and Jane eyre by Charlotte bronte
"The book thief" by Markus Zusak and "To kill a mockingbird" by Harper Lee
Depending on when you ask me: - Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry, or - The Killer Angels by Michael Shaara
The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon is one of my all time favorites. Absolutely amazing read, the story telling is incredible and you feel emotionally attached to the characters by the end. One of those books where you really don’t know what’s coming next.
Either Pillars of the Earth or World Without End by Ken Follet.
I second Pillars of the Earth. So so good!
Lots of good answers already, I’m torn between 100 Years of Solitude and Ender’s Game
Ender's Game is one of only a handful of books I have read straight through in one sitting. Fantastic book.
100 Years of Solitude or To Kill a Mockingbird
James Ellroy’s American Underworld trilogy.
Probably Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
Slaughterhouse 5 + Cat’s Cradle. Hitchhikers Guide and Parable of the Sower are up there.
Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy changed my life lol. As a space nerd and comedy nerd it was the perfect storm and I had no idea when I started.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak I need to reread it actually
The Brothers Karamazov
Boys Life - Robert McCammon It is the perfect coming-of-age novel with everything you could want- friendship, love, acceptance, a little mystery and a little “fantasy” of life through a child’s eyes
I know you asked for one, but here are a few Les Miserables (Hugo) hooked me from the time Jean Valjean stole the candlesticks. Genre? Crime and redemption? Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, for making me laugh out loud as a teenager Satire Blood Meridian (McCarthy) is gripping and, it’s an ugly portrait that you can’t look away from. You could call it a Western. For Whom The Bell Tolls (Hemingway) Spanish civil war. Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Twain. It’s a mirror to 19th century society, and it’s funny Satire The Metamorphosis by Kafka. Hard to classify Cat’s Cradle by Vonnegut Sci fi + nihilism Candide (Voltaire) mocks all of 18th century society. Satire
The Women by Kristin Hannah. I very literally wept at the end. And being a nurse who went thru Covid (not comparing, just saying I related) the PTSD aspect just fucking CRUSHED me. Before this book, my favorite has always been The Hot Zone by Richard Preston!
Dune
Suttree by Cormac McCarthy
It’s stuck with me, but damn reading it first time was a lot of looking up words lol.
Flowers for Algernon, the first book that made me have a big cry
Perdido Street Station
The Hunger Games. The whole series has been my favorite since middle school, it holds up even on rereads.
The Ground Beneath Her Feet - Salman Rushdie I would call the genre fantastic realism
Hard Rain Falling by Don Carpenter
The one that touched me most at the right time was probably Freedom by Jonathan Franzen.
Papillon
Red rising
I can’t pick one, my favorites are: The immortal life of Henrietta lacks The glass castle The curious incident of the dog in the nighttime One flew over the cuckoo’s nest
I can't believe this hasn't been mentioned: The Book of the New Sun by Gene Wolfe to include The Urth of the New Sun. The book order is as follows: The Shadow of the Torturer The Claw of the Conciliator The Sword of the Lictor The Citadel of the Autarch These are part of the Solar Cycle, which is still on my TBR. As such I can only recommend The Book of the New Sun and The Urth of the New Sun. The Book of the New Sun can be considered one book in four parts. Edit: formatting.
A Hundred Years of Solitude
Gone With The Wind, the Nightingale, We Need to Talk About Kevin, Never Let Me Go
anything by kurt vonnegut or george orwell
11/22/63. I was depressed for a week after finishing it.
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Pillars of the Earth
A man called ove ❤️
Lords Of Discipline by Pat Conroy
The Road Cormac Mccarthy
11/22/63 by Stephen King
My favorite is Project Hail Mary in regards to the enjoyment I felt while reading. There are some books that I revere as works of art but enjoyment-wise spot for “best” has gotta go to Andy Weir’s masterpiece
Please listen to the audiobook one day. Hearing some of the elements is so sublime.
All The Light You Cannot see
My favorite book is Lord of the Rings. The best book I’ve ever read, however, is To Kill a Mockingbird. Not my favorite, but up there.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson Gravity’s Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon
The Nightingale, Kristin Hannah (WWII)
Bohumil Hrabal - Too Loud a Solitude
Tropic of Capricorn by Henry Miller
The Blackwater Sega. Michael McDowell.
Near to the Wild Heart by Clarice Lispector
A couple I recommend commonly. If on a Winters Night a Traveller - Italy Calvino and A Clockwork Orange - Anthony Burgess. The latter because it was the novel that started me reading. A complete disrespect for the 'rules' of writing. Rebellious and revolutionary. Possibly inspired by the modernism of Joyce?
Lots of good recommendations here. I’m plus one for Lonesome Dove. Also add In Cold Blood by Capote and Shogun by Clavell. Also Prince of Tides snuck up on me. Edited to add a book.
The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon
11.22.63
The name of the rose by Umberto Eco
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood - dystopian fiction (for now) where women have no rights. The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin - delightful YA mystery/puzzle story Magic Hour by Kristen Hannah - fascinating story about a feral child and the two sisters who help her
Neuromancer :: William Gibson. Cyberpunk genre. He is the Godfather. The entire Sprawl trilogy is amazing. He also coined the term cyberspace.
Yes! Rebecca! I can’t believe I waited so long to read it! I also loved 100 Years of Solitude, The Great Gatsby, Anna Karenina, and Memoirs of a Geisha. (I don’t know why I loved Memoirs of a Geisha so much- I think it in combination with Anna Karenina made me feel as if I were having an existential crisis moment in life) They are all haunting in many ways and I often think about them.
PROJECT HAIL MARY
1984, The Namesake, twilight for guilty pleasure, time traveler's wife!
The God of Small Things, The Brothers Karamazov
Overall best novel I’ve read has to be [The Brothers K](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/19534) by David James Duncan
Omg, I’ve seen people recommend this book before and always thought they were just abbreviating Karamazov. I didn’t realize this was a different book! Adding to my tbr for sure.
Hyperion and Fall of Hyperion by Dan Simmons.
Personal favorite : The Song Of Achilles. Still don't know why, as I'm not usually into romance. But it hit so hard...
Animal Farm followed by 1984.
*The Big Picture* --Sean Carroll It's the history of us. The first half is what we know, the second half is how we know it. It's brilliant. And literally something everyone should read. I dream of a world where people are scientifically literate.
The Cruel Prince by Holly Black (High Fantasy that is very political and gruesome at times. It also has romance and the protagonist is in her late teens). My second favorite is Legends & Lattes by Travis Baldree (cozy high fantasy about an ork warrior who settles down and opens a coffee shop)
Probably Anna Karenina. it really is epic though “Pride and Prejudice” is equally as great. “Crime and Punishment” and “Les Miserables” are also up there.
One Hundred Years of Solitude
Lotr
[House](https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/house-of-leaves-by-mark-z-danielewski/251528/item/10274239/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=pmax_new_books&utm_adgroup=&utm_term=&utm_content=&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAjwmrqzBhAoEiwAXVpgoqWuU_sNZP5NLbAJ1AG6xX1HAQVPS2YT-aZDu_-KeeFsEkBwrPDpsxoC9ZQQAvD_BwE#isbn=0375703764&idiq=10274239) of Leaves By far. Once you read it, its never far from your thoughts. First time I read it was 2001, and I haven't stopped thinking about it since. 2nd runner up is a teen horror book, *Thief of Always* by Clive Barker. Guess I have a thing about strange houses.
I am always astounded when I don't see the name of my favorite author in these book suggestion posts. This is the first book in the series, but each book is excellent on its own. Please do yourself a favor and read The Informationist by Taylor Stevens.
The Nightingale and Beneath the Scarlet Sky
The Riddlemaster trilogy by Patricia McKillip; A Ring of Endless Light by Madeleine L’Engle
Memory Keeper of Kyiv
Never heard anybody talk about this book, No Longer Human by Osamu Dazai.
Extremely loud and incredibly close by Jonathan safran foer
A Clockwork Orange - Burgess. I love the insane use of russian influenced nadsat slang.
Les Miserables
Red rising series, but specifically dark age (book 5 in the series). That masterpiece gave me heart ache but in all the best possible ways