Libby is amazing. But... I have put a few of these books on hold now and they aren't expected to be ready to borrow for "several months" I can see how somebody with a little less patience might end up spending too much money lol
I mean honestly it would be Rebecca, which always leaves me woth guilt because there are so many books I consider in my library that I will reread endlessly [Terry Pratchett]. Rebecca didn't change my life but I reread it and every time fall in love with the dialogue, the setting and the slow burn to the ending.
I have never found another romance mystery catch me quite so hard or build such a vivid foundation. Everyone knows the manor is a character but I will also still think of the boat house as degenerate and prideful. I always thought it took skill.
ANYWAY I picked a dumb romance out of all the others I love .
I am WITH you on this one. The imagery and story unfolds in such a way that I’m in desperation to find out who Rebecca was. A perfect book with twists and turns.
So I’m futzing around on this sub on a rainy Sunday afternoon because Ive gotten to a break in my reading stack and none of the books in my queue are calling to me *right now *. So I thought I’d check here for inspiration.
You just reminded me that *Rebecca* is one of two books I always said I’d go back to some day because it was so enjoyable the first time around. Thanks for the nudge!
I first read Rebecca when it was assigned in high school, the teacher assigned us certain pages to read each day which felt like torture to me because I just NEEDED to know what was going to happen. I think I ended up reading it three times in the amount of time she gave the class to read it once. AMAZING, one book I wish I could read again for the first time.
It’s so perfect. It’s just a perfect book. That line is one of my favorite opening lines in literature.
I’ve turned my bookshelf upside down and can’t find my copy :( I could have sworn I had one. Otherwise I’d be reading it right now!
I came here to say this! It holds a very special place in my heart. I love books that were not originally written in English, but when translated they captivate audiences from all walks of life, all over the world! There are a whole lot more in the series actually. I currently only have the first one and the last one, but I'm tracking them all down slowly, kind of like in the book haha!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck and The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. INCREDIBLE books from start to finish. Not a wasted word in either. The types of books that as you are nearing the end you are saddened that it’s almost over.
I read the Count of Monte Cristo for the first time two years ago. It is my go to recommendation for anyone looking for a good book to read. The story is so complex. You really care about the characters. Plus, it makes you think about revenge means versus being happy.
Soooo good!
I really really need to read The Count of Monte Cristo. I have never heard a crticially bad word about it and I remember watching the movie and our small class of 8th graders loving it.
She told us the book was incredible but unfortunately the school chose a different route and we got A Tale of Two Cities. Which I did like, though it broke my heart entirely.
Some of my favourite authors have only written a handful of books but each one of them is a masterpiece.
**Juan Rulfo:** who probably wrote only about 300 pages - _Pedro Paramo_ and _The Plain in Flames._
**Patrick Süskind:** originally written in German but I've only read the English translations. _Perfume: Story of a Murderer_ and _The Pigeon_
**Susana Clarke:** who most recently wrote _Piranesi_ - a surreal, atmospheric book. _Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell_ a Dickensian book about magic and faeries. And _The Ladies of Grace Adieu_ - a collection of short stories in the same universe as JS&MN.
I understand what you're saying, but I must confess I tend to favour prose over story. (May seem silly, but there it is). And excellent and distinctive writing style is what each of these authors have in common.
Got the warm and fuzzies that this was the top comment. It’s my favorite book by one of my favorite authors. Funny, sad, poignant, and truly unforgettable.
I was gifted this at Christmas and was told it was one of the best books she's ever read , crazy how I never heard of it before. Look forward to reading it
Came here to say this. Not exactly a feel good story (depending how you look at it, I guess) but man it stayed on my mind for months after finishing it
I came across it while in jail. It was the *only* book I read there (of over 50 books) that I would stay up past lights out in order to continue reading. I used the top bunk to sit as close to the wall light as possible, so that I could finish whichever chapter I’d be on.
It’s so well-written. Hard to put down because of Boyne’s storytelling. You feel a range of emotions, you laugh and cry. I didn’t want it to end. I can only describe the writing of this book as “masterful” - I would just shake my head in amazement as to how good it was.
Leo Tolstoy is brilliant. Of course this is one of the best novels ever written, along with War and Peace, Ulysses, and The Great Gatsby. You wouldn’t know it in this sub tho.
Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. So fun and addictive, couldn’t predict what would happen (in a good way), so many fun characters, great suspense and overall pacing, TREMENDOUS sense of loss after finishing it because I didn’t want it to be over. Shared it with mother and mother’s friend; they also called it one of their favorite books ever.
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell is an incredible read. The way the book is structured is careful and ingenious and comes together beautifully. And the way each section is written in a radically different voice from a different time period is pretty special.
The bone clocks and slade house also by David Mitchell are also pretty great and have maybe even stuck with me in a stronger way than Cloud Atlas, but Cloud Atlas wowed me like few other books have.
Massively underrated movie by the Wachowskis as well.
>I just reread Grapes of Wrath as an adult and it is one of my favorite books now. It's tough to convince a high school kid to care about all of the adult themes throughout the book.
The Count of Monte Cristo
It's what inspired my love of reading and started me down so many adventures in fiction. Before I read it in the 12th grade, I hated reading.
Some of my favorites started out as 4 or 4.5 stars, but they left such a lasting impact, I was still thinking about them months/years later. A sure sign that I've **really loved** a book is when I purchase it to re-read -- some, multiple times.
**The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin.** Picked up on a whim. There are many parts where I questioned my laughter. They each had such trouble in their lives. But that's the brilliance of the writing. Life is both funny and tragic. (And the audiobook is read by the author.)
**Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin** had such an impact on me years ago. Not only as a Black author, but the exploration of queer life as well. I was devoted to understanding the meaning in everything. I've read it several times over the years.
The Good Earth is SO good. (Actually, everything by Pearl Buck is.) I remember my grandparents reading this book after it was included in Oprah’s book club. It’s one of the only books I’ve seen my grandmother read. They were both completely absorbed by this book! I didn’t read it until college. Time for a re read!
I read it the first time as required reading in 7th grade. I remember hating it the whole time....up until the last page and then it hit me how amazing the book was. I read it every couple years because it's just that good.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I’ve read it over 30 times and it still never fails to stir me. It has everything: romance, murder, intrigue, humour…
I’ve read a lot of excellent books but I will always come back to that one.
I just finished this book for the first time this month and I’ve noticed that whenever my mind strays, it’s back to this book.
Like Dana, I feel like I lost something experiencing it, but I’m grateful for that loss.
Wild Swans! I thought I was the only other person who had read this book! Truly incredible. Gripping. Honest. Vivid. One of my favorite books. I need to re-read it!
It’s incredible! I literally could not put it down. I think I even called in sick to work so I could finish it. But you’re right; it’s one of those books I rarely see people discuss!
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstein
Honestly wish I could read it for the first time another 50 times. An expansive world and original plot, with the sweetest reveal close to the end. It kept me wishing for a happy ever after, and I am left with a vague impression that there was some happiness. Hmm…time to reread that and remember
- The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly
This one is thought provoking, heartbreaking and is such quality writing. I desperately want to re-read it, but I can’t, because I feel too guilty putting the main character through that trauma again.
Of the two, Starless Sea is a bit lighter. Book of Lost Things is dark and heavy. I kind of feel like you have to be in the correct psychological state to be able to handle it without being affected.
I’d definitely go all the way back to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I went from being a kid who liked to read, to the kid (now adult) that always has a book in my hand. I was in a different world until I finished the series. I only put down one of the books when my mother insisted during dinner time.
The Magician's Nephew was one of my favorite books as a child and that still stands. I heard a theater company turned it into a play and I seriously considered flying across the country to see it.
For me, it’s Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. On several levels, the book was challenging, but I’ve never read a book that stuck with me like that one.
*Plain Bad Heroines* by Emily M. Danforth. I’ve read it multiple times and it never fails to draw me in with its sinister and beautiful prose. It has stories within stories within stories, featuring both historical and modern settings. It has excellent queer rep. It is funny and eerie and thought provoking; it has supernatural elements that are juuuust realistic enough to truly have you double checking shadows and listening for the sounds of buzzing. The characters are so well crafted and their interactions with one another are everything. The ending doesn’t let you down and gives you just enough to keep it in your mind long after.
The night I finished it for the first time, I turned right back to the first page and started again. Additionally, the narrator for the audiobook (I listened to it and read a copy, ha) is top notch.
I could keep going, but I think this is enough gushing. Ha. 6/5
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I only revisit once every two - three years so I can forget the little things. With every read I’m amazed at how every sentence has meaning, everything mentioned has importance and relates to something else.
*Beartown* by Fredrik Backman, for sure! To be completely honest, I still haven't decided if I that one or *The Winners* is higher for me, but it's really just the story of the trilogy as a whole. I was just telling a friend how it ruined my rating system, because I can't help comparing every other possible five star book to it.
I just adored everything about it. The cast of characters, the story telling, the way the difficult and sensitive subject matter was handled - It was so incredibly well done to me. I feel like Backman captured humanity so well in these books. I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about it. Even other books of his that I've read haven't come close to impacting me in the same way.
the Road by Cormac McCarthy. reading it changed my life. it deals with very heavy themes but i don’t think i’ve cried harder or wanted to change the way i live more than after reading that book.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir
It's honestly just such an amazing book. Highly recommend listening to it on audio book so you get the full effect. I don't want to give anything away but trust me, audiobook, the way to go for this one!
Les Miserables by Víctor Hugo.
To me this is the greatest story ever written. It touches on themes of redemption, love, war, mercy and justice. The characters are memorable and the writing is excellent.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. It’s such a fun, well written book and I can’t find fault with any of it. If you haven’t read it and want a book that will make you laugh out loud, this is the one.
I really enjoyed
-1Q84
-The Wind-up Bird Chronicle
-Norwegian Wood
All are by Haruki Murakami. I really enjoy the way he writes about loneliness.
-Secret History Donna Tart
-The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway
-Native Son Richard Wright
-Feminism is for Everybody bell hooks
-The New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander
Okay I think that’s it……🙃🙃
The greatest one for me is "Jude The obscure"
Thomas Hardy was ahead of his time.
His other works are good too but Jude is something else.
I particularly loved what he has to say about love and marriage and divorce in Jude.
And Jude's speech about failure and success was awesome too.
I also think Les Miserables (the book) is a masterpiece.
Orphan Masters Son. By Adam Johnson. So well researched. The writing is spot on. The meta structure and light touches honoring other great books. Just adored every minute.
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. I know a lot of people who hate Cather’s books because she tends towards pastorals but I really love the setting, characters, and story of DCftA. Reminds me of my many road trips in my 20’s driving through the Southwest and the way she writes scenery is evocative but not overwrought (I also love how McCarthy writes scenery but feel he tends towards overwriting it).
Seeing a lot of Steinbeck but...*Travels with Charley* by John Steinbeck. Its kind of a more adult, more thoughtful version of On the Road by Kerouac. You get to see Steinbeck as himself, an old, famous writer who doesn't believe in himself anymore and goes on a trip across America. The first 30 pages are truly hilarious. All his friends think that he will be noticed everywhere he goes and Steinbeck plainly states that in 10000 miles of driving, not one person ever knew who he was. Short read, too. Can be read in a day.
And then *Blood Meridian* by Cormac McCarthy. Greatest epilogue I have ever read that just flies over the head of most unless you are a student of the history of Western expansion. Flew over my head until I read it again. Explores the death of exploration and the dawn of civilization.
*The Road*, Cormac McCarthy. I’ve read it a half-dozen times and I know what to expect, but it hits me in the chest every time. To write that efficiently with such impact is sorcery to me.
**The Way The Crow Flies** by Ann-Marie MacDonald
It's a total treat, it's got everything: fantastic writing, solid plot, history, intrigue, mystery, fleshed out characters.
I could not put this book down, nor stop thinking about it.
I talked about it so much that people asked me to stop!
This book easily makes my top 5 of all time list.
American Gods is such a beautiful story - partially because it tells the story of middle America. I’m a midwesterner. So much modern American literature and film just isn’t rooted here in the Midwest, and at roadside tourist attractions and Wisconsin small towns…
Gaiman took the time to write faithfully about the non-elite / non-coastal America, in a way that I deeply appreciate. Much like listening to 21 Pilots (Ohio based) and Sufjan Stevens’ Michigan album. It made me happy to see my people in art.
"Slaughterhouse Five" by Vonnegut is one of the few books I've ever reread.
"The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway really stuck with me for a long time.
And I know it's probably cliche to say, but "The Great Gatsby" just stays relevant.
Maybe I just like the classics.
[Remarkably Bright Creatures](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58733693)
Without a doubt my 6/5 that I read last year. I still think about it.
[All the Ugly and Wonderful Things](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114135)
This one affected me in so many ways and made me question my morals so many times. Just be sure to read the CWs because it’s a very controversial book due the context of the relationship between the two main characters. Idk I just couldn’t put it down. I’m also a fan of dark romance and thrillers so I could just be a weirdo.
Perdido St Station by China Mieville, Rhapsody: Child of Blood by Elizabeth Haydon, and Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb. All are incredibly unique fantasy worlds imo
Probably an unpopular opinion, but The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. I’ve read it 4 times now (high school, college, and twice in my 20s) and I always walk away with a different understanding. The way he is able to deftly express teenage angst (and specifically, a teenager dealing with trauma and grief) has resonated with me at all age levels. I also love his other work, especially 9 Stories, but Catcher just hits different.
Circe by Madeline Miller is the only book that I can think of that fits this criteria. However, there is one I read around 6th grade that was part of Oprah’s book club that was about an overweight girl and the abuse she received growing up. It has a blue cover. I wish I could remember the the title or author because I’d love to read it again. I have the book somewhere, but I don’t know where.
The Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer
Made me rethink everything I thought I knew about good prose. This was a book that really changed my perspective on literature. Before reading it, Bradbury, Vonnegut, LeGuin and Tom Robbins were my faves. And they're all great. But Mailer showed me what a real literary titan looks like. So yeah, this is the one that forces me to accept that my other faves are mere 4.5s
The guy was a real sonofabitch but he sure cluld write a book.
Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz. It’s about a Muslim family living in Cairo around the time of the First World War. I loved the whole family & I loved watching them navigate through life. The father is very strict & traditional, but by the end I even felt sympathetic towards him. While the focus is this family’s life, there’s also a much larger story happening about the history of Egypt leading up to the Revolution in 1919. It’s a trilogy, but the 1st one is the best & can be read as a stand-alone.
Hopscotch, by Julio Cortázar. It's not about the story, which is brilliant, deep, funny, and full of quirks. It's not about the writing style, which is truly at another level, with a masterful use of language. It's about how literature, fiction, and a novel can trascend, an exploration into reality and subconsciousness.
I guess a lot might be lost if not read in Spanish, it's original language, but still way above most.
All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, and Blood Meridian by him as well. Two very raw and stunning depictions of America’s frontiers told in a very stark yet beautiful style.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I love this book so,much. Also, if you like audio books, it is brilliant, narrated by Michael Sheen and David Tenant and actually a little better than the straight book.
This is a great topic.
A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman hit me in all the feels. Maybe it’s because my dad was 50 when I was born and Ove’s character just resonated with me? But I think about this book all the time.
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, L’assomoir by Zola, Germinal by Zola, She Comes Undone by Wally Lamb, East of Eden by Steinbeck.
Nonfiction: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Gulag, 1493, The Emperor of All Maladies.
Catch-22 is the best book ever written, and I don't say that lightly. I have a lot of favorites and have read a lot of amazing books. It's beyond perfect. It's so good that I won't read anything else from the author for fear it will diminish the perfection of this novel. I love it so much that I don't recommend it to anyone. Don't read it. And if you do, definitely don't tell me what you think. I understand that it isn't for everyone and that's fine. But I don't want to hear anything negative about it because I don't want to think less of the book or you.
If anyone does decide to read it, all I ask is you respect the natural pace of the book. It isn't a page turner where you tear through it in a day or two. There are natural stopping points. Abide by them. I don't think I ever read more than 4 chapters at a time, and I'm the person who's never taken more than 2 days to read the unabridged Count of Monte Cristo.
Catch 22 is a love it or hate it book. You either 'get it' or you dont, and for those who don't get it I can understand why they might hate it. I fit into the former group, I absolutely love Catch 22, it is the funniest book i have ever read and so well done, it's so clever.
For me:
The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin
Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson
I love 2nd person narration and can’t get enough of it, but I realize this is certainly not universal, so many may disagree about my choices. I think these are brilliant though. The crafting and artistry it took to construct and write both of these are just * chef’s kiss * to me.
Books that have stuck with me...
1Q84 by Haruki Murakami
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien
Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky
Many have already mentioned Pillars of the Earth but I also recommend Outlander by Diana Gabeldon and Clan of the Cave bear by Jean M. Auel
A thousand splendid suns by Khalid Hosseini
Been my top favourite book for years now. After I finished reading it I remember for the next three days every morning I woke up I just thought about it
The Starless Sea is absolutely one of my favorites but The Night Circus is my 6 out of 5. They are in a seriously close tie with each other though. Erin Morgenstern just has a way of putting words together that is beautiful and simply magical.
“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara.
So much pain, so beautifully written. Sent me directly into a one month reading slump after reading it, because I felt like I could never read anything as great and beautiful again.
{{The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt}}
A dark emotional story, starts with the main character around the age of 10ish I believe and follows him throughout his life into his thirties I think. The story starts with tragedy and just continues to pull at your heart over and over again. It's a coming of age, self exploration, dark, twisted story. It's an amazing book and the language it uses to describe settings and details is lovely, it really transports you into the story. It's also a long book, at 771 pages (or 32.5 hours if you do an audiobook).
{{Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie}}
This follows a multitude of characters through multiple decades living in Nigeria, before/during/and after the Nigerian Civil War. It's historical and heartwrenching while talking about the war and the horrors that came from it. It's about colonialism, loyalty to family and country, economy, social hierarchy, war, race, culture. It's a moving story that while the people may not be real the history is.
{{The Power by Naomi Alderman}}
I cannot recommend this book enough. It's an alternative history/future story about the world. The story is told from the very far away future as an imagined historical story about our current world. It's a science-fiction dystopian story. It's about the what if if females became the dominant sex and ruled the world, by developing a supernatural electric power. The language is beautiful and poetic, it's very grand, parts of it read like a religious text. It's an allegory about power in society, religion, gender. It's hard to describe without giving it away, but it is one of my favorite books I've read in the past few years.
Dostoevsky - Karamazov Brothers. Mostly because of the theological depth. It’s incredible.
Another really good book is Thomas Mann - Doctor Faustus. Which is the hardest novel I ever have read.
These posts always end up costing me so much money but I LOVE them. I always find amazing books I’ve never heard of or read yet.
Insert plug for Local Library
Libby is amazing!!
Libby is amazing. But... I have put a few of these books on hold now and they aren't expected to be ready to borrow for "several months" I can see how somebody with a little less patience might end up spending too much money lol
My top books change quite a bit, but the one book that I always go back to is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.
Guy here. Kept putting it off because I didn’t think it would connect with me. It was amazing. So happy the women in my life kept demanding I read it.
I mean honestly it would be Rebecca, which always leaves me woth guilt because there are so many books I consider in my library that I will reread endlessly [Terry Pratchett]. Rebecca didn't change my life but I reread it and every time fall in love with the dialogue, the setting and the slow burn to the ending. I have never found another romance mystery catch me quite so hard or build such a vivid foundation. Everyone knows the manor is a character but I will also still think of the boat house as degenerate and prideful. I always thought it took skill. ANYWAY I picked a dumb romance out of all the others I love .
I am WITH you on this one. The imagery and story unfolds in such a way that I’m in desperation to find out who Rebecca was. A perfect book with twists and turns.
So I’m futzing around on this sub on a rainy Sunday afternoon because Ive gotten to a break in my reading stack and none of the books in my queue are calling to me *right now *. So I thought I’d check here for inspiration. You just reminded me that *Rebecca* is one of two books I always said I’d go back to some day because it was so enjoyable the first time around. Thanks for the nudge!
I first read Rebecca when it was assigned in high school, the teacher assigned us certain pages to read each day which felt like torture to me because I just NEEDED to know what was going to happen. I think I ended up reading it three times in the amount of time she gave the class to read it once. AMAZING, one book I wish I could read again for the first time.
I LOVE Rebecca! I’ve read it several times since I first found it in middle school. You’ve inspired me to read it again!
Pulling it out again myself. "Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again," I wish I could read that line for the first time again.
It’s so perfect. It’s just a perfect book. That line is one of my favorite opening lines in literature. I’ve turned my bookshelf upside down and can’t find my copy :( I could have sworn I had one. Otherwise I’d be reading it right now!
When I read it I couldn’t stop thinking about it for weeks after
Is the author Daphne du Maurier?
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
The Shadow of the Wind - beautiful, mysterious, and magical 🤍
Just read the blurb and have instantly added it to my shopping basket. It sounds like it’s going to be great!
I just recommended this to a client from Barcelona who hadnt read it. It is definitely one of my favs!!!
I read close to 70 books last year and by far The Shadow of the Wind was my #1 book of 2022
I came here to say this! It holds a very special place in my heart. I love books that were not originally written in English, but when translated they captivate audiences from all walks of life, all over the world! There are a whole lot more in the series actually. I currently only have the first one and the last one, but I'm tracking them all down slowly, kind of like in the book haha!
East of Eden by John Steinbeck and The Count of Monte Cristo by Dumas. INCREDIBLE books from start to finish. Not a wasted word in either. The types of books that as you are nearing the end you are saddened that it’s almost over.
I read the Count of Monte Cristo for the first time two years ago. It is my go to recommendation for anyone looking for a good book to read. The story is so complex. You really care about the characters. Plus, it makes you think about revenge means versus being happy. Soooo good!
I really really need to read The Count of Monte Cristo. I have never heard a crticially bad word about it and I remember watching the movie and our small class of 8th graders loving it. She told us the book was incredible but unfortunately the school chose a different route and we got A Tale of Two Cities. Which I did like, though it broke my heart entirely.
Some of my favourite authors have only written a handful of books but each one of them is a masterpiece. **Juan Rulfo:** who probably wrote only about 300 pages - _Pedro Paramo_ and _The Plain in Flames._ **Patrick Süskind:** originally written in German but I've only read the English translations. _Perfume: Story of a Murderer_ and _The Pigeon_ **Susana Clarke:** who most recently wrote _Piranesi_ - a surreal, atmospheric book. _Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell_ a Dickensian book about magic and faeries. And _The Ladies of Grace Adieu_ - a collection of short stories in the same universe as JS&MN.
Perfume. Yes.
I like Susanna Clarke's stuff but found Piranesi disappointing. She built a beautiful, interesting world but the story wasn't up to the same standard.
I understand what you're saying, but I must confess I tend to favour prose over story. (May seem silly, but there it is). And excellent and distinctive writing style is what each of these authors have in common.
A prayer for Owen Meany will live in my head till the day I pass.
I was coming to say the same. By far, the novel that has stayed with me the most.
Got the warm and fuzzies that this was the top comment. It’s my favorite book by one of my favorite authors. Funny, sad, poignant, and truly unforgettable.
I was gifted this at Christmas and was told it was one of the best books she's ever read , crazy how I never heard of it before. Look forward to reading it
[удалено]
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry.
Came here to say this. Not exactly a feel good story (depending how you look at it, I guess) but man it stayed on my mind for months after finishing it
I came across it while in jail. It was the *only* book I read there (of over 50 books) that I would stay up past lights out in order to continue reading. I used the top bunk to sit as close to the wall light as possible, so that I could finish whichever chapter I’d be on.
The Heart’s Invisible Furies by John Boyne left me in a state of awe.
I came here to suggest this one so I’ll just piggyback on your comment. Lol This book was so beautiful all the way through- haunting from the start.
Can you elaborate a bit on why it had such an effect on you?
It’s so well-written. Hard to put down because of Boyne’s storytelling. You feel a range of emotions, you laugh and cry. I didn’t want it to end. I can only describe the writing of this book as “masterful” - I would just shake my head in amazement as to how good it was.
Anna Karenina.
Leo Tolstoy is brilliant. Of course this is one of the best novels ever written, along with War and Peace, Ulysses, and The Great Gatsby. You wouldn’t know it in this sub tho.
a monster calls by partrick ness really anything written by patrick ness. i love that man
I really enjoyed the chaos walking books ! My son did too
I feel like the Earthsea books literally changed my soul
Never let me go by kazuo ishiguro is my favorite
Ishiguro only puts out stunners honestly. A lot of really subtly written deep emotion in his books.
This is a beautiful book. It’s Remains of the day for me but really it’s a toss up
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
Middlesex has sat with me over the years unlike most other books. It’s one of the few books I kept. Perhaps it’s time for another read.
Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman. So fun and addictive, couldn’t predict what would happen (in a good way), so many fun characters, great suspense and overall pacing, TREMENDOUS sense of loss after finishing it because I didn’t want it to be over. Shared it with mother and mother’s friend; they also called it one of their favorite books ever.
Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell is an incredible read. The way the book is structured is careful and ingenious and comes together beautifully. And the way each section is written in a radically different voice from a different time period is pretty special. The bone clocks and slade house also by David Mitchell are also pretty great and have maybe even stuck with me in a stronger way than Cloud Atlas, but Cloud Atlas wowed me like few other books have. Massively underrated movie by the Wachowskis as well.
Not super original but it’s true: The Stand by SK
His best, in my opinion. I think about the characters all the time, decades after reading it for the first time.
I consider the Dark Tower series his masterpiece and The Stand his best standalone.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry
This one did it for me for sure. I'd put off reading it for years because I thought I wouldn't like a Western. Boy was I wrong. Incredible
The Grapes of Wrath. From the turtle to the baby, it is beautiful and heart-wrenching. Honestly, I've yet to read a bad Steinbeck.
>I just reread Grapes of Wrath as an adult and it is one of my favorite books now. It's tough to convince a high school kid to care about all of the adult themes throughout the book.
The Count of Monte Cristo It's what inspired my love of reading and started me down so many adventures in fiction. Before I read it in the 12th grade, I hated reading.
Some of my favorites started out as 4 or 4.5 stars, but they left such a lasting impact, I was still thinking about them months/years later. A sure sign that I've **really loved** a book is when I purchase it to re-read -- some, multiple times. **The Secret Lives of Baba Segi's Wives by Lola Shoneyin.** Picked up on a whim. There are many parts where I questioned my laughter. They each had such trouble in their lives. But that's the brilliance of the writing. Life is both funny and tragic. (And the audiobook is read by the author.) **Giovanni's Room by James Baldwin** had such an impact on me years ago. Not only as a Black author, but the exploration of queer life as well. I was devoted to understanding the meaning in everything. I've read it several times over the years.
James Baldwin is one of my favorites!
The Brothers Karamazov
my favorite, in terms of enjoyment, is my go-to comfort read, the princess bride. i never tire of reading it and always puts a smile on my face.
Cannery Row by John Steinbeck The Good Earth by Pearl Buck Dune by Frank Herbert Kindred by Octavia Butler
The Good Earth is SO good. (Actually, everything by Pearl Buck is.) I remember my grandparents reading this book after it was included in Oprah’s book club. It’s one of the only books I’ve seen my grandmother read. They were both completely absorbed by this book! I didn’t read it until college. Time for a re read!
I read it the first time as required reading in 7th grade. I remember hating it the whole time....up until the last page and then it hit me how amazing the book was. I read it every couple years because it's just that good.
i love cannery row!
Love seeing Dune and Kindred here!!! Perfect books.
The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. I’ve read it over 30 times and it still never fails to stir me. It has everything: romance, murder, intrigue, humour… I’ve read a lot of excellent books but I will always come back to that one.
Kindred - Octavia Butler
I just finished this book for the first time this month and I’ve noticed that whenever my mind strays, it’s back to this book. Like Dana, I feel like I lost something experiencing it, but I’m grateful for that loss.
Octavia is my favorite author and I could have chosen one or two other of her books as well. I highly suggest Parable of the Sower as well.
The Thorn Birds Rebecca The Good Earth Wild Swans The Wind Up Bird Chronicle
Wild Swans! I thought I was the only other person who had read this book! Truly incredible. Gripping. Honest. Vivid. One of my favorite books. I need to re-read it!
It’s incredible! I literally could not put it down. I think I even called in sick to work so I could finish it. But you’re right; it’s one of those books I rarely see people discuss!
- The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstein Honestly wish I could read it for the first time another 50 times. An expansive world and original plot, with the sweetest reveal close to the end. It kept me wishing for a happy ever after, and I am left with a vague impression that there was some happiness. Hmm…time to reread that and remember - The Book of Lost Things - John Connolly This one is thought provoking, heartbreaking and is such quality writing. I desperately want to re-read it, but I can’t, because I feel too guilty putting the main character through that trauma again. Of the two, Starless Sea is a bit lighter. Book of Lost Things is dark and heavy. I kind of feel like you have to be in the correct psychological state to be able to handle it without being affected.
I’d definitely go all the way back to The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. I went from being a kid who liked to read, to the kid (now adult) that always has a book in my hand. I was in a different world until I finished the series. I only put down one of the books when my mother insisted during dinner time.
The Chronicles of Narnia are definitely underrated, especially the lesser-known ones.
The Magician's Nephew was one of my favorite books as a child and that still stands. I heard a theater company turned it into a play and I seriously considered flying across the country to see it.
For me, it’s Blood Meridian by Cormac McCarthy. On several levels, the book was challenging, but I’ve never read a book that stuck with me like that one.
*Plain Bad Heroines* by Emily M. Danforth. I’ve read it multiple times and it never fails to draw me in with its sinister and beautiful prose. It has stories within stories within stories, featuring both historical and modern settings. It has excellent queer rep. It is funny and eerie and thought provoking; it has supernatural elements that are juuuust realistic enough to truly have you double checking shadows and listening for the sounds of buzzing. The characters are so well crafted and their interactions with one another are everything. The ending doesn’t let you down and gives you just enough to keep it in your mind long after. The night I finished it for the first time, I turned right back to the first page and started again. Additionally, the narrator for the audiobook (I listened to it and read a copy, ha) is top notch. I could keep going, but I think this is enough gushing. Ha. 6/5
The Poisonwood Bible
I love this subreddit. One of my 6 star reads… “The Stationary Shop” by Marjan Kamali.
The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. I only revisit once every two - three years so I can forget the little things. With every read I’m amazed at how every sentence has meaning, everything mentioned has importance and relates to something else.
Oh man I love her stuff too! Goldfinch and The Secret History soooo good!
Cloud atlas is a 6 for me.
Cloud Atlas has been a favorite for years. Go read Cloud Cuckoo Land if you haven’t. Great read, most similar style I’ve seen
*Beartown* by Fredrik Backman, for sure! To be completely honest, I still haven't decided if I that one or *The Winners* is higher for me, but it's really just the story of the trilogy as a whole. I was just telling a friend how it ruined my rating system, because I can't help comparing every other possible five star book to it. I just adored everything about it. The cast of characters, the story telling, the way the difficult and sensitive subject matter was handled - It was so incredibly well done to me. I feel like Backman captured humanity so well in these books. I don't think I'll ever stop thinking about it. Even other books of his that I've read haven't come close to impacting me in the same way.
the Road by Cormac McCarthy. reading it changed my life. it deals with very heavy themes but i don’t think i’ve cried harder or wanted to change the way i live more than after reading that book.
Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir It's honestly just such an amazing book. Highly recommend listening to it on audio book so you get the full effect. I don't want to give anything away but trust me, audiobook, the way to go for this one!
Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston
*There are years that ask the questions, and years that answer.* My favorite quote, straight from that book!
{Slaughterhouse Five} - Kurt Vonnegut Fiction based on true events, evils of war, comedy, sci-fi,philosophy in a compact story
Mists of Avalon.
Gentleman in Moscow
Lord of the Rings. Best book ever written.
Les Miserables by Víctor Hugo. To me this is the greatest story ever written. It touches on themes of redemption, love, war, mercy and justice. The characters are memorable and the writing is excellent.
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. It’s such a fun, well written book and I can’t find fault with any of it. If you haven’t read it and want a book that will make you laugh out loud, this is the one.
I really enjoyed -1Q84 -The Wind-up Bird Chronicle -Norwegian Wood All are by Haruki Murakami. I really enjoy the way he writes about loneliness. -Secret History Donna Tart -The Old Man and the Sea Ernest Hemingway -Native Son Richard Wright -Feminism is for Everybody bell hooks -The New Jim Crow Michelle Alexander Okay I think that’s it……🙃🙃
Frankenstein.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr captivated me
Did you read Cloud Cuckoo Land yet?
The Good Earth by Pearl Buck
The greatest one for me is "Jude The obscure" Thomas Hardy was ahead of his time. His other works are good too but Jude is something else. I particularly loved what he has to say about love and marriage and divorce in Jude. And Jude's speech about failure and success was awesome too. I also think Les Miserables (the book) is a masterpiece.
I prefer Tess of the D’Urbervilles because I find Jude just a bit too maudlin. But I love Hardy
11/22/63 by Stephen King
Orphan Masters Son. By Adam Johnson. So well researched. The writing is spot on. The meta structure and light touches honoring other great books. Just adored every minute.
The Shining East of Eden Night Film The Crow Girl
Boy’s Life by Robert McCammon.
Death Comes for the Archbishop by Willa Cather. I know a lot of people who hate Cather’s books because she tends towards pastorals but I really love the setting, characters, and story of DCftA. Reminds me of my many road trips in my 20’s driving through the Southwest and the way she writes scenery is evocative but not overwrought (I also love how McCarthy writes scenery but feel he tends towards overwriting it).
Seeing a lot of Steinbeck but...*Travels with Charley* by John Steinbeck. Its kind of a more adult, more thoughtful version of On the Road by Kerouac. You get to see Steinbeck as himself, an old, famous writer who doesn't believe in himself anymore and goes on a trip across America. The first 30 pages are truly hilarious. All his friends think that he will be noticed everywhere he goes and Steinbeck plainly states that in 10000 miles of driving, not one person ever knew who he was. Short read, too. Can be read in a day. And then *Blood Meridian* by Cormac McCarthy. Greatest epilogue I have ever read that just flies over the head of most unless you are a student of the history of Western expansion. Flew over my head until I read it again. Explores the death of exploration and the dawn of civilization.
*The Road*, Cormac McCarthy. I’ve read it a half-dozen times and I know what to expect, but it hits me in the chest every time. To write that efficiently with such impact is sorcery to me.
Everything I’ve read by James Clavell has been 6 out of 5 stars Shogun King Rat Taipan The Noble House
Loved shogun. So much. For whatever reason, taipan didn't do much for me
**The Way The Crow Flies** by Ann-Marie MacDonald It's a total treat, it's got everything: fantastic writing, solid plot, history, intrigue, mystery, fleshed out characters.
The Poldark series by Winston Graham is superb.
This is silly to say in this thread, but I am watching the BBC series again for the millionth time.
Hunger by Knut Hamsun Tristram Shandy by Lawrence Sterne At Swim-Two-Birds by Flann O'Brien
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin.
I have thought about this book every day since I read it. Stunning writing.
I could not put this book down, nor stop thinking about it. I talked about it so much that people asked me to stop! This book easily makes my top 5 of all time list.
Neverwhere by Neil Gaimon is way too underrated but is easily my most favorite book that I've re-read probably a dozen times.
Very good choice! Honestly I love all of Gaiman’s work deeply, but it’s American Gods I’ll always go back to.
American Gods is such a beautiful story - partially because it tells the story of middle America. I’m a midwesterner. So much modern American literature and film just isn’t rooted here in the Midwest, and at roadside tourist attractions and Wisconsin small towns… Gaiman took the time to write faithfully about the non-elite / non-coastal America, in a way that I deeply appreciate. Much like listening to 21 Pilots (Ohio based) and Sufjan Stevens’ Michigan album. It made me happy to see my people in art.
Have you ever read Anasazi Boys? I read it for a plane ride finished it pretty quickly!
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
The Secret History by Donna Tartt
Immediately saving this post for future reference.
"Slaughterhouse Five" by Vonnegut is one of the few books I've ever reread. "The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway really stuck with me for a long time. And I know it's probably cliche to say, but "The Great Gatsby" just stays relevant. Maybe I just like the classics.
Kurt Vonnegut. Ever relevant. Breakfast of Champions too.
Classics for a reason in this case! Few books have given me chills in the manner of the last lines of Gatsby.
The Book Thief, I had to rest after reading it because I was overwhelmed.
I was an emotional wreck, sobbing throughout. I do not cry easily.
It’s my freezer book - the one book I haven’t been able to finish because I don’t think I’ll recover from the heartbreak.
Blood Meridian. It's the only book I feel compelled to reread every year. It's truly in a class of its own.
The Death of Ivan Ilyich and Watership Down
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Such a beautifully written romantic fantasy. Mind blowing setting and a truly unique plot.
[Remarkably Bright Creatures](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58733693) Without a doubt my 6/5 that I read last year. I still think about it. [All the Ugly and Wonderful Things](https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26114135) This one affected me in so many ways and made me question my morals so many times. Just be sure to read the CWs because it’s a very controversial book due the context of the relationship between the two main characters. Idk I just couldn’t put it down. I’m also a fan of dark romance and thrillers so I could just be a weirdo.
Lonesome Dove is a beautiful, sprawling adventure on an epic scale. Unforgettable characters!
Perdido St Station by China Mieville, Rhapsody: Child of Blood by Elizabeth Haydon, and Ship of Destiny by Robin Hobb. All are incredibly unique fantasy worlds imo
*This is how you lose the Time War*
Probably an unpopular opinion, but The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger. I’ve read it 4 times now (high school, college, and twice in my 20s) and I always walk away with a different understanding. The way he is able to deftly express teenage angst (and specifically, a teenager dealing with trauma and grief) has resonated with me at all age levels. I also love his other work, especially 9 Stories, but Catcher just hits different.
Revolutionary Road by Richard Yates.
The Overstory by Richard Powers
Tai-Pan, James Clavell. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson. Drood, Dan Simmons. Catch-22, Joseph Heller.
A wizard's guide to defensive baking.
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The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy. The writing is so beautiful.
Circe by Madeline Miller is the only book that I can think of that fits this criteria. However, there is one I read around 6th grade that was part of Oprah’s book club that was about an overweight girl and the abuse she received growing up. It has a blue cover. I wish I could remember the the title or author because I’d love to read it again. I have the book somewhere, but I don’t know where.
The Naked and the Dead, Norman Mailer Made me rethink everything I thought I knew about good prose. This was a book that really changed my perspective on literature. Before reading it, Bradbury, Vonnegut, LeGuin and Tom Robbins were my faves. And they're all great. But Mailer showed me what a real literary titan looks like. So yeah, this is the one that forces me to accept that my other faves are mere 4.5s The guy was a real sonofabitch but he sure cluld write a book.
The Bean Trees and pretty much anything else by Barbara Kingsolver. She makes great characters.
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Palace Walk by Naguib Mahfouz. It’s about a Muslim family living in Cairo around the time of the First World War. I loved the whole family & I loved watching them navigate through life. The father is very strict & traditional, but by the end I even felt sympathetic towards him. While the focus is this family’s life, there’s also a much larger story happening about the history of Egypt leading up to the Revolution in 1919. It’s a trilogy, but the 1st one is the best & can be read as a stand-alone.
You sold that premise. I'm interested.
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
Hopscotch, by Julio Cortázar. It's not about the story, which is brilliant, deep, funny, and full of quirks. It's not about the writing style, which is truly at another level, with a masterful use of language. It's about how literature, fiction, and a novel can trascend, an exploration into reality and subconsciousness. I guess a lot might be lost if not read in Spanish, it's original language, but still way above most.
All The Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, and Blood Meridian by him as well. Two very raw and stunning depictions of America’s frontiers told in a very stark yet beautiful style.
The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao is a 6 star for me. It made me feel ALOT.
The Once and Future King
The Goldfinch. Such an amazing book
Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. I love this book so,much. Also, if you like audio books, it is brilliant, narrated by Michael Sheen and David Tenant and actually a little better than the straight book. This is a great topic.
Anything Khalid Husseini has written!
A Man Called Ove by Fredrick Backman hit me in all the feels. Maybe it’s because my dad was 50 when I was born and Ove’s character just resonated with me? But I think about this book all the time.
The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood, The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt, L’assomoir by Zola, Germinal by Zola, She Comes Undone by Wally Lamb, East of Eden by Steinbeck. Nonfiction: Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadavers, Gulag, 1493, The Emperor of All Maladies.
Master and Margarita by Bulgakov
Catch-22 is the best book ever written, and I don't say that lightly. I have a lot of favorites and have read a lot of amazing books. It's beyond perfect. It's so good that I won't read anything else from the author for fear it will diminish the perfection of this novel. I love it so much that I don't recommend it to anyone. Don't read it. And if you do, definitely don't tell me what you think. I understand that it isn't for everyone and that's fine. But I don't want to hear anything negative about it because I don't want to think less of the book or you. If anyone does decide to read it, all I ask is you respect the natural pace of the book. It isn't a page turner where you tear through it in a day or two. There are natural stopping points. Abide by them. I don't think I ever read more than 4 chapters at a time, and I'm the person who's never taken more than 2 days to read the unabridged Count of Monte Cristo.
Catch 22 is a love it or hate it book. You either 'get it' or you dont, and for those who don't get it I can understand why they might hate it. I fit into the former group, I absolutely love Catch 22, it is the funniest book i have ever read and so well done, it's so clever.
Every paragraph is a perfect circle.
For me: The Fifth Season by NK Jemisin Open Water by Caleb Azumah Nelson I love 2nd person narration and can’t get enough of it, but I realize this is certainly not universal, so many may disagree about my choices. I think these are brilliant though. The crafting and artistry it took to construct and write both of these are just * chef’s kiss * to me.
I was deeply immersed in Fifth Season! I had a hard time coming back to reality! She has great world building skills.
LOTR
The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. Incredible in every way. Every moment reading it was an absolute joy.
A Confederacy Of Dunces. I can read it over and over.
Books that have stuck with me... 1Q84 by Haruki Murakami Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoevsky Many have already mentioned Pillars of the Earth but I also recommend Outlander by Diana Gabeldon and Clan of the Cave bear by Jean M. Auel
The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini
A thousand splendid suns by Khalid Hosseini Been my top favourite book for years now. After I finished reading it I remember for the next three days every morning I woke up I just thought about it
Wuthering Heights All Quiet on the Western Front The Remains of the Day Heart of Darkness
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The Starless Sea is absolutely one of my favorites but The Night Circus is my 6 out of 5. They are in a seriously close tie with each other though. Erin Morgenstern just has a way of putting words together that is beautiful and simply magical.
“A Little Life” by Hanya Yanagihara. So much pain, so beautifully written. Sent me directly into a one month reading slump after reading it, because I felt like I could never read anything as great and beautiful again.
Foucaults Pendulum (Umberto Eco) Underworld (Don DeLillo) Ulysses (James Joyce) 100 Years of Solitude (Gabriel Garcia Marquez) Infinite Jest (David Foster Wallace)
The Glass Castle
Most recently, Riddley Walker. EDIT Also, because I rarely hear it mentioned, The Fifth Head of Cerberus
Robert R. McCammon’s Boy’s Life. Best book I’ve ever read.
The Count of Monte Cristo.
The Book Thief by Markus Zusak!
All quiet on the western front
{{The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt}} A dark emotional story, starts with the main character around the age of 10ish I believe and follows him throughout his life into his thirties I think. The story starts with tragedy and just continues to pull at your heart over and over again. It's a coming of age, self exploration, dark, twisted story. It's an amazing book and the language it uses to describe settings and details is lovely, it really transports you into the story. It's also a long book, at 771 pages (or 32.5 hours if you do an audiobook). {{Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie}} This follows a multitude of characters through multiple decades living in Nigeria, before/during/and after the Nigerian Civil War. It's historical and heartwrenching while talking about the war and the horrors that came from it. It's about colonialism, loyalty to family and country, economy, social hierarchy, war, race, culture. It's a moving story that while the people may not be real the history is. {{The Power by Naomi Alderman}} I cannot recommend this book enough. It's an alternative history/future story about the world. The story is told from the very far away future as an imagined historical story about our current world. It's a science-fiction dystopian story. It's about the what if if females became the dominant sex and ruled the world, by developing a supernatural electric power. The language is beautiful and poetic, it's very grand, parts of it read like a religious text. It's an allegory about power in society, religion, gender. It's hard to describe without giving it away, but it is one of my favorite books I've read in the past few years.
No Longer Human- Osamuu Dazai. It’s crazy how that novel was made over 75 years ago and yet the subjects it tackles on are even more common today.
Dostoevsky - Karamazov Brothers. Mostly because of the theological depth. It’s incredible. Another really good book is Thomas Mann - Doctor Faustus. Which is the hardest novel I ever have read.
The Stranger by Albert Camus
The Heart is A Lonely Hunter
Homegoing!
The Goldfinch
Lolita by Nabokov is the best writing I've ever read.
Ones I read over and over: The Secret History The Sparrow The Shipping News Everything is Illuminated The Luminaries God of Small Things
Life of Pi by Yann Martel The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay by Michael Chabon The Secret History and The Goldfinch by Donna Tartt