What is the best book you have ever read by a male author and a female author?

[chaptazbru]

Mine is The Pursuit of Happiness by Douglas Kennedy

and

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton.

[pdust]

*come on pdust, what about "Here comes Noddy again!" *

noddy scared me lol

[sincnoel]

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
Wuthering Heights by Emily Bronte

[Shin Yodama]

Falls The Shadow by Sharon Penman (F) - excellent tale of Medieval England with the charismatic Simon DeMontfort as the main protagonist.

Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (M) - a hard hitting rendition of the Greek defense of Thermopylae led by Leonidas' 300 Spartans.

[Shin Yodama]

Falls The Shadow by Sharon Penman (F) - excellent tale of Medieval England with the charismatic Simon DeMontfort as the main protagonist.

Gates of Fire by Steven Pressfield (M) - a hard hitting rendition of the Greek defense of Thermopylae led by Leonidas' 300 Spartans.

[naomi24]

pdust, Noddy taught me to read - and then the Famous Five took over.

Wuthering Heights: I've heard it said in literary circles that in order to understand it, this book must be read seven times. Why seven I don't know, but it certainly needs to be read more than once. It's a masterpiece like no other - and personally I think Emily Bronte was not only a troubled soul, but also slightly mad.

[excelsior-1]

'my family and other animals' by gerald durrell and also shakespear's 'the tempest'

[Mamyalynne]

Sorry to interrupt but Excelsior, could I have the closing date for the quiz for the girl guides please.

[pdust]

i loved the famous five naomi...could never get into the secret seven though..... my all time faves were wishing chair and faraway tree lol

[naomi24]

I read the Secret Seven, but their adventures were lightweight compared to the Famous Five. I always found Ann a bit of a wuss though. George was my favourite. I can't remember the names of the Secret Seven.

[pdust]

yeah i always wanted to give ann a kick up the backside...george was cool though :)

[naomi24]

Me too. What a pain she was. Haaa!

[emmie]

i don't remember books that i read as a child, it's a long time ago now. Noddy and Big Ears, but can't for the life of me recall what else.
comics, now that was a different story... Dandy and Beano have a lot to answer for...

[fiftyplusfive]

What a brilliant post.Where do you start? Noddy obviously and loved famous five [yes a George fan..especially when she was held hostage and alerted ther others by signing a note Georgina}Moved on Black Beauty,Little Women,Rebecca,right through to modern authors.Hated Thomas Hardy had to read Far from the Madding Crowd,thank goodness Julie Christie and Terece Stamp did a good film version.Didnt like Captain Corellis Mandolin and cant get into Steig Larsson.
My daughter was known to finish with one boyfriend cos he never read any books.She was appalled!!!

[Sir Alec]

The Stand - Stephen King

Treasury of Poetry - Hilda Boswell

[glucose48]

The Angel's Game by Carlos Ruiz Zafon (and Shadow of the Wind). Future Nobel Prize winner for sure!!

[naomi24]

Glucose: The Angel's Game. Did you reach a firm conclusion at the end?

[bensmum]

I read anything and everything as a child, loved Enid Blyton's books (think I still have my copy of Shadow the Sheepdog somewhere). I also liked the Mallory Towers books.
Funny about how having to read certain books at school can put you off an author - I don't like Thomas Hardy (the Master of Misery) for that reason and for ages had a problem with Jane Austen's work.
I did get to love DH Lawrence's work through school though so it wasn't all bad
I agree about Zafon's books glucose48, he's a brilliant storyteller isn't he?

[salopian]

Colour of Magic by Terry Pratchett

[emmie]

i can't stand Hardy as well, can't abide all that angst

[tamborine]

Far Pavillions by MM Kaye. You can smell the exotic East and feel the culture.