EWB's Favourite Book

[METALMAN]

1. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix - J.K. Rowling

2. Around The World In Eighty Days - Jules Verne

3. Empire Of The Sun - J.G. Ballard

4. The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter - Carson McCullers

5. The Way We Live Now - Anthony Trollope

6. Crash - J.G. Ballard

7. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy

8. Doherty - William McIllvanney

9. Le Parc - Phillippe Sollers

10. Si le grain ne meurt - André Gide

My actual list would be Harry Potter from 1-7 then Roald Dahl from 8-10 but it lacked variation.

[Damian WayLNKe]

1. The Stand by Stephen King

2. Prestige by Christopher Priest

3. Catch Me if You Can by Frank Abagnale

4. Slaughter-House Five by Kurt Vonnegut

5. The Extra Man by Jonathan Ames

6. Lullaby by Chuck Palahniuk

7. The Lost City of Z by David Grann

8 Fight Club by Chuck Palahniuk

9. Moneyball by Michael Lewis

10. Darkly Dreaming Dexter by Jeff Lindsay

[nabeel]

10. The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank

I first read this as part of my required summer readings back in Grade Eight. This book opened introduced me to a whole new era in literature that easily became my favorite- the World War II. I read this book again when I took a Holocaust course last year in university and the book provides an incredible insight into the rampant terror and fear that paralyzed a household.

'Anyhow, I've learned one thing now. You only really get to know people when you've had a jolly good row with them. Then and only then can you judge their true characters'

9. Animal Farm by George Orwell

Somehow I made it to university without ever reading George Orwell. I finally started off with 1984 and then read Animal Farm. Animal Farm fascinated me on more than one level. The satire combined with Orwell's views on political supremacy portrayed through the farm animals was a brilliant masterpiece. A must read for anyone who is even remotely interested in politics.

'FOUR LEGS GOOD, TWO LEGS BAD'

8. I am America... and so can you! by Stephen Colbert

I have always been a fan of Colbert and his book just took that love to a whole new level. I could NOT keep a straight face while reading this book and even though it earned me a lot of weird looks (on the bus, during class, in the library) it was all worth it. Every single page makes you laugh.

'So if animals aren't our friends, then what are they? The answer can be summed up between two buns.'

7. Lord of the Rings by JRR Tolkien

The greatest trilogy of all time? More like the greatest story ever told. This book has it all- tiny funny creatures, an old white haired dude, a ring, elves, gigantic fight and a man-lizard mutant. What else could you ask for? Tolkien goes into impeccable detail to paint a vivid narrative that renders the reader speechless with mind numbing praise.

'I don't know half of you half as well as I should like; and I like less than half of you half as well as you deserve.'

6. Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger

A post WWII novel that made generations after generations of teenagers identify with Holden Caulfield- the ever loving rebel. Whether it was girls, school or New York, Caulfield plucks his deepest thoughts and conveys them to the reader in a remarkably casual way.

'Don't ever tell anybody anything. If you do, you start missing everybody'

5. Harry Potter series by JK Rowling

Enough said.

'Can I have a look at Uranus too, Lavender?'

4. Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

Catch 22 made the hair on my neck stand up. The simple igenuity with which Yossarian confronts his dilemmas and ponders solutions is wonderful- morality, bureaucracy, higher powers are all discussed and analyzed in how they affect the many characters in this glorious book.

'English history!" roared the silver-maned senior Senator from his state indignantly. "What's the matter with American history? American history is as good as any history in the world!'

3. Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

A highly underrated tale of post WWII Barcelona where a young man becomes obsessed with a novel within a novel. Shadow of the Wind explores the young man's fascination with the author of the Shadow of the Wind and how, in doing so, he delves deeper into a world that initially seemed lifeless but soon turns into the story of a lifetime.

'Sometimes we think people are like lottery tickets, that they're there to make our most absurd dreams come true'

2. One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

This book is a masterpiece. Marquez traces the history of the Buendia family that settles in Macondo, Latin America. The book plays on fate, symbolism and perceptions- Jose Arcadia Buendia raises his family according to his beliefs but soon realizes the futility of control when his family turns out to be everything but normal.

'Carmelia Montiel, a twenty-year-old virgin, had just bathed in orange-blossom water and was strewing rosemary leaves on Pilar Ternera's bed when the shot rang out. Aureliano José had been destined to find with her the happiness that Amaranta had denied him, to have seven children, and to die in her arms of old age, but the bullet that entered his back and shattered his chest had been directed by a wrong interpretation of the cards.'

1. Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen

What? It's awesome.

'She is tolerable; but not handsome enough to tempt me'

[DFF]

Actually, I'm gonna have to re-do mine as I thought this was fiction only until I re-read Skummy's post. Balls. I'll edit it after work later.

EDIT: Added two of Foley's books. I'd also add some Sherlock Holmes but wouldn't know where the hell to start, other than listing the lot!

[Thatz]

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

4. The Dark Tower (series) by Stephen King (if series aren't eligible, then make it the Drawing of the Three)

5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

6. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

8. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

9. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

10. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Edited August 27, 2010 by Thatz

[Maxx]

1. The Gospel According to Larry by Janet Tashjian

2. The Mysteries of Harris Burdick by Chris Van Allsburg

3. Dark Harvest by Norman Partridge

4. World War Z by Max Brooks

5. Horns by Joe Hill

6. The Traveling Vampire Show by Richard Laymon

7. Sex, Drugs and Coco Puffs by Chuck Klosterman

8. Now I Can Die in Peace, by Bill Simmons

9. The Ruins by Scott Smith

10. 20th Century Ghosts by Joe Hill

[VerbalPuke]

1. The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien

2. The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald

3. The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

4. The Dark Tower (series) by Stephen King (if series aren't eligible, then make it the Drawing of the Three)

5. The Road by Cormac McCarthy

6. The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

7. One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey

8. Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

9. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

10. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

Shit, I completely fucking forgot One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. I ought to have had that on my list, but ah well what's done is done. Good that somebody else enjoyed it anyway.

[Timmoru Suzuki]

1. 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson

2. 'On Writing' by Stephen King

3. 'Have a Nice Day: A tale of Blood and Sweatsocks' by Mick Foley

4. 'The Wrestling' by Simon Garfield

5. 'The Stand' by Stephen King

6. 'The Big Sleep' by Raymond Chandler

7. 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' by Oscar Wilde

8. 'Mort' by Terry Pratchett

9. 'To Be the Man' by Ric Flair

10. 'Farewell my Lovely' by Raymond Chandler

I think if this were done in a month's time, quite a few John Steinbeck works would make my list. I'm about 2/3 through Of Mice and Men and really liking it, already checked out what other works of his my library has and itend to get some more in the next day or two.

[DFF]

Of Mice and Men is awesome. We had to read it at school for the English Literature GCSE - 'twas great stuff.

1. 'I Am Legend' by Richard Matheson

2. 'On Writing' by Stephen King

3. 'Have a Nice Day: A tale of Blood and Sweatsocks' by Mick Foley

4. 'The Wrestling' by Simon Garfield

5. 'The Stand' by Stephen King

6. 'The Big Sleep' by Raymond Chandler

7. 'The Picture of Dorian Grey' by Oscar Wilde

8. 'Mort' by Terry Pratchett

9. 'To Be the Man' by Ric Flair

10. 'Farewell my Lovely' by Raymond Chandler

I think if this were done in a month's time, quite a few John Steinbeck works would make my list. I'm about 2/3 through Of Mice and Men and really liking it, already checked out what other works of his my library has and itend to get some more in the next day or two.

[DMN in the House]

God, I Am Legend is so awesome. I forget the name of my favorite story from it, though. The one about the car, and damn... corpse dancing? I can picture it in my head, but can't describe it.

On a side note, a list of my favorite authors would still be headed by the good doctor, but would definitely include Piers Anthony and Terry Prachett.

[VerbalPuke]

Adding to the Steinbeck love, yeah Of Men Mice and Men is great. We had to read it in my Sophmore year of High School and I loved it from beginning to end. My dad gave me an old copy of Tortilla Flat which isn't exactly his best known work but a favorite of mine (obviously). I love Steinbeck's vivid description in his books, his writing style makes it easy to imagine the imagery he is presenting as if you are actually in the story.

I never realized how much I'd miss my English and Literature classes in Middle and High School because the curriculum had us reading some really great stories. It was High School that turned me into a Arthur Miller fan. I couldn't believe my luck that some dumb ass tossed his copy of Death of a Salesman in a metal barrel in our metal shop class, naturally I plucked it out. There are ton of other good books that I wish I could remember.

Sorry for that little rant in the voting thread, but hell, who doesn't like a good old fashioned discussion about books?

[Ace]

1. The Redemption of Athalus by David Eddings

2. The Godfather by Mario Puzo

3. Have a Nice Day by Mick Foley

4. Mort by Terry Pratchett

5. Night Watch by Terry Pratchett

6. Mallorean Series by David Eddings (each book by itself is good, but as a whole its great)

7. Battle Royale by Koushon Takami

8. To Be The Man by Ric Flair

9. Roses are Red by James Patterson

10. MASH by Richard Hooker

[the machine]

1. "The Count of Monte Cristo," by Alexandre Dumas. I love all of Dumas' work, but Count of Monte Cristo is my favorite and the one I can read over and over.

2. "Foucault's Pendulum," by Umberto Eco. Again, I like all of Eco's work, especially the Name of the Rose, but Foucault's Pendulum was probably his most accessible and rewarding.

3. "1984," George Orwell. 1984 is still the definitive work of sci-fi government control, in some ways a (sadly) visionary work of fiction.

4. "Catch 22," Joseph Heller. Hilarious, sad and true commentary on the military and bureaucracy in general.

5. "Catcher in the Rye," J.D. Salinger. The most accurate look into the teenage mind ever.

6. "Dracula," Bram Stoker. Everybody knows the story, but the book is a great read.

7. "Top Ten," by Alan Moore. I love pretty much everything Alan Moore has ever done, but Top Ten is the thing I could read a million times and can safely recommend to absolutely anyone. It's a police drama set in a city where everyone has super powers. It's funny, it's moving, it's got great characters. It's just an incredible story. I know Watchmen and LXG are more acclaimed, but Top 10 is my favorite.

8. "Nextwave, Agents of H.A.T.E.," by Warren Ellis. I also love Warren Ellis, and Nextwave is my favorite book he's done. It's crazy, satirical, funny stuff.

9. "Persepolis," by Marjane Satrapi. This illustrated memoir of an Iranian girl is thoughtful, funny, and moving.

10. "Winnie The Pooh," by A.A. Milne. My favorite book as a child, it's still worth reading. Don't let the never-ending merchandising throw you: it's an amazing book.

Honorable Mentions: The Lord of the Rings, A Wrinkle in Time, Candide, the Odyssey, Don Quixote, Ishmael, Alice in Wonderland.

[Skummy]

I'm bumping this in the hope that more people will vote. Then I'll start totalling it up, eventually.

[Liam]

See, most of what I read is non-fiction or crime thrillers, so it's hard for me to really nail down a top ten. I'm sure when I start teaching English, I'll at least get a more wider knowledge of at least some more of the literary classic fiction, if nothing else.

1.) Sons and Lovers by D.H. Lawrence

2.) Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams

3.) The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4 by Sue Townsend

4.) Flashman by George Macdonald Fraser

5.) Rainbow Six by Tom Clancy

6.) Catch 22 by Joseph Heller

7.) The BFG by Roald Dahl

I might add more, but I'm scraping the barrel already. I mean, there are a fair few other fiction books I can throw in, but to be honest, it'd get to the point where I'm putting stuff in for the sake of it, rather than a legitimate sense of enjoyment. I also don't really fancy putting in non-fiction books, but might have to to pad it out.

Edited September 3, 2010 by Liam

[METALMAN]

OH FUCK I FORGOT ADRIAN MOLE

[Skummy]

Eh, one of mine is a non-fiction book that doesn't have a hope in hell of making the list, so don't hold back

[Walker]

1. "1984," George Orwell

2. "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?" by Philip K. Dick

3. "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller

4. "The Importance Of Being Earnest" by Oscar Wilde

5. "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" by Douglas Adams

6. "A Clockwork Orange" by Anthony Burgess

7. "Animal Farm" by George Orwell

8. "Rant" by Chuck Palahniuk

9. "Fight Club" by Chuck Palahniuk

10. "All Quiet on the Western Front" by Erich Maria Remarque

Chopped and rearranged this list a few times before getting my final top ten. Some I would love to put in there. If only we could post a top 20 instead.

[Guest Mr. Potato Head]

1) The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams

2) The Accidental Time Machine by Joe Haldeman

3) Animal Farm by George Orwell

4) The Restaurant at the End of the Universe by Douglas Adams

5) The Giver by Lois Lowry

6) Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes

7) The Last Patriot by Brad Thor

8) The Chrysalids by John Wyndham

9) Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury

10) The Game by Ken Dryden

...odd list as I read far more non-fiction than I do fiction.