World Book Day

[RCP]

What is your favourite book & why? It does have to be a life-changer, it could have just entertained you or it might be one that you read again & again.

[sft42]

Sorry to have to change it slightly but it's a short story for me. " A sound of thunder" by Ray Bradbury in his collection called golden apples of the sun.....started me to reading for fun and enjoyment something that had been up to that point a chore nd only done as homework. God bless that substitute teacher who only taught me for about 6 weeks but in that time introduced me to Sci-fi and John Steinbeck amongst others.

[Lennon]

Cold Shoulder, Cold Blood and Cold Heart by Linda La Plant. Its a trilogy with the same character - a police woman overcoming being an alcoholic and trying to rebuild her life. I have to say these books are in that category of 'can't put it down' and 'need more eyes to read it quicker'. Definately recommend it - that and the Harry Potter books, classics!

[beenee]

The Godfather by Mario Puzo. There are no words to describe how amazing I thought this book was. As I began reaching the end of it, I started reading about a page a night because I desperately didn't want it to end.

[andy hughes]

Mine is 'The Mind Parasites' by Colin Wilson. It weaves philosophical concepts into an 'H.P. Lovecraft' style gothic horror novel. The notion of people making thesmelves 'invisible' by diverting attention away from their passing - you know when there;s someone there, but you don't get a good look at them - is superb. The finale has such a wonderful feeling of optimism, it gives you hope for the human race, and we need it more now than when this novel was written.

[markh]

I'd recommend anything by Victor Pelevin - 'Babylon' and 'The Clay Machinegun' blew my mind. Kind of a contemporary, Russian version of Philip K Dick.

[comloulou]

Sad to say but I love discworld novels, Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, thought Memoires of a Geisha was beautiful(who wouldve thought such a wonderful cast of female characters would be created by a male auther?) and really enjoyed Man and Boy by Tony Parsons. Im not vey high brow.

[Pickle]

I have to read Frank Herbert's Dune at least every 2 years. It's one of those books that you can read lots of times and still enjoy, it's that rich and layered. Plus the whole 'religon as control' aspect resonates very differently in the current world climate than it did a few years ago.

[ABsolution]

White Light by Rudy Rucker where he proved out of body experience and inner dream control. Not a life changer though. Magic Cottage by James Herbert was kinda cute. Oops can you have two?

[katiesara]

Girlfiend in a coma by Douglas Coupland, i loved everything about it, totally unputdownable, carried it round in my handbag and read it everywhere, lent it to many friends - unfortunately can't remember who's got it now!!

[woodpam]

This is a close run thing between Douglas Coupland's All Families are Psychotic and C.S. Lewis' Till we have Faces. Till WE have Faces wins because it's stood the test of time for me. It's a loose re-telling of a Greek myth set in another world and is about the perception of truth, i.e. different viewpoints of the same subject. It's a wonderful book, beautifully written with a great story and a strong theme. It taught me not to judge other peoples lives from my own experience and I will always love it for these qualities.

[quattro]

Of Mice and Men its got everything in it and as its only a short book you don't get bored if youre not a big reader like me.

[xyzzyplugh]

Brewer's Dictionary of Phrase and Fable. I learned more from that than any other book.
Fiction; Illusions by R.Bach. because it taught me that my perception is my reality.

[RCP]

I just realised that I meant to say "doesn't have to be a life changer" but I don't think it affected the excellent quality of the answers. I think I should probably broaden my horizons as I've slipped into the rut of detective fiction/thrillers (Ian Rankin,Harlan Coben, Robert Goddard etc.). Will now re-read Of Mice & Men. My own favourites include the naval novels of Patrick O'Brian which I know I'll read again, Lauren Bacall's autobiography and from my childhood The Wind in the Willows. Thanks to all.

[FordGranada1]

What's a book?

[xyzzyplugh]

remember 'workshop manual'? that's a book. :-)

[xyzzyplugh]

sorry FordGranada, I was bored. this place so busy. Not!

[FordGranada1]

Don't worry xyzzy, I was being flippant anyway! Workshop manual? Are you suggesting I'm unreliable? Seriously though, my current favourite book is 'Cars In Film' by Martin Buckley.

[littlekitten]

'the day of the triffids' must be the most thought provoking and exciting book i have ever read. half way through reading it i left it in my boyfriends car, and the car got stolen. i went and bought another copy of the book before i had even replaced my other belongings. i often imagine whether the car theif read the book and maybe changed his ways?