what books....

bunny_hops

Violet is shrinking
what are your top 5 books?
 
My top 5 books........do i have to limit it to 5? lol

Number 1
Eureka Street by Robert Mcliam Wilson
This has to be the funniest, most moving, shocking and heart warming book i have ever read. The characters are so real, the humour will have you with tears of laughter running down your face and the shocking reality of living in Belfast during 'the troubles' will never leave you.

Number 2
Really, quite honestly anything written by Roddy Doyle, but im gonna cheat here and say The Barrytown Trilogy. Really its 3 books which includes The Commitments, although all 3 were turned into films i believe. But you cant read one without the others and its now published as a trilogy. Hugely funny

Number 3
Another Roddy Doyle, but in a totally different vein to anything he wrote before this. The Woman Who Walked Into Doors.
I found it hard to believe that a man wrote this book. Paula is the central character, an abused wife and an alchoholic. I also got the audio version of this book, read by Ger Ryan. Her voice was hypnotic, and i must have listened to this book 20 times? 30 times? Her voice is obsessive and the story is just amazing.

Number 4
A town like Alice by Nevil Shute
Just the most moving story of a group of women marched across Asia during the 2nd world war and how they survived. A love story that crosses every boundary. Again a book that i have reread countless times.

Number 5
As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning by Laurie Lee.
Now published as Red Sky at Sunrise, which is the autobiographical trilogy consisting of Cider with Rosie, As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning, and A Moment of War.
Cider with Rosie, covers Laurie Lees early years, and is a wonderful book in itself, but for me, As I Walked Out is the book that has had the biggest impact on my life. The story starts with an 18 year old Laurie Lee leaving home in the West Country and walking to London. He lives in London for a year then gets on a boat to Spain, landing in Vigo. He then proceeds to walk across Spain throughout a year ending up on what is now the Costa Del Sol. For a long time I had a map of Spain on my wall and I mapped out his journey, and it has been my ambition to do that journey, not by foot i hasten to add. I have actually travelled some of it. The book is just pure emotion and feelings and experiences, and again this is a book I have reread many times.

Ok Im gonna cheat and add a few more favourites.
The Girl with the Dragon tattoo by Stieg Larrson. I read all 3 books in a week and loved them all.
The Help by Kathryn Stockett, currently reading this one and i will be devasted to finish it.
Time Travellers Wife by Audrey Niffenegger.
The Complete Short Stories by Evelyn Waugh
Small Island by Andrea Peavey

ok ill stop now.......
 
Top 5 hmmmmm

Id have to say top (and its cheating cos its a series but I cant pick one) would be The Outlander Series by Diana Gabaldon, absolutely love it
2nd: Kane & Abel by Jeffrey Archer - havent read it in years but really must

After that..... too many to choose x

I loved the Outlander Series too, when i read them they were not published in the Uk so i had to order them from USA. I loved the whole idea of time travelling from one time period to another, although sometimes it did stretch the imagination a little too far. Ahhh Jamie, the perfect man....

Jeffrey Archer gets a lot of stick for his writing ability, but I love his books, ive read everything he has written now. even the lies lol.
 
Im still working through Outlander, on book 6 of 7 Ive never got so engrossed in books before. So much so Im actually replacing all the paperback copies of the series with hard back. I think for the first time in years Ill go back and re read. Im sure Ive missed things first time through. Jamie and Claire just the ultimate love story I just adore their scenes :) Everyone should have a Jamie ;)
 
Ohh i just thought of another one, how could i leave this out!! Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy - again a series, billed as a trilogy in 5 parts i believe :) Never leave home without a towel....
 
1 - The Little Prince (Saint-Exupéry). I read during childhood and I loved it so much, it's like my prized possession even today as an adult:)

2 - Sophie's World (Jostein Gaarder) - I read it when it came out 10 years ago (I was 13) and it was my first experience with phylosophy; since then I became a lover of phylosophy/sociology/psychology. So, yes, it was also a book that determinated the journey my interests and studies followed;)

3- The Diary of a Young Girl (Anne Frank) - I read at 11 yo and it touched me intensilly; I cried several times while I was reading it and since then I discovered my passion for nonfiction litterature (e.g. diaries, biographies, historical novels, etc), history and I remember that by that time I was questioning a lot politicsa nd so; so it also was a must to develop my sense of constructive criticism.

4 - Animal Liberation (Peter Singer). Thanks to this book I went vegetarian sooner than I would otherwise. Since I'm 7 years-old I wanted to be vegetarian because I'm a very compassionate person and I always questioned why the hell people eat other sensitive creatures who feel pain, but my parents didn't let me. When I became an adult I started my journey into vegetarianism, but the day I started readind this book (20yo) I read half of it and since then neither a single piece of meat/fish toutched my lips again (and it never will, hopefully).

5 - Afghanistan, Where God Only Comes to Weep (Siba Shakib) - I read it when I was 15 and, as well as Anne Frank's Diary, this book also had the power of touch me deeply. It made me get involved in everything human rights related. It made me aware of many things and I sign every single petition about woman and human basic rights thanks to that.

Now that I look, my favourite books were read when I was a child/teenager and they helped me so much to be the person I am today.

It's beautiful how powerful books can be :)
 
Oh if this isn't a difficult question!!

1 - The Stand by Stephen King, first read the long version as a teenager and it consumed me.

2 - The Day After Tomorrow by Alan Folsom, a real twist in the tale this one!!

3 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, I have stalled reading this series I can't get into The Fiery Cross at all :(

4 - False Memory by Dean Koontz, the only book to scare the hell out of me......It was spinechilling!!

5 - Lost for Words by Deric Longden, touching, sad but hilariously funny tale of looking after an elderly parent.

Then there's dozens more lol :))
 
im hearing this outlander series a lot on here....think i should go and see what all the fuss is about :D

xoxo
 
3 - Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, I have stalled reading this series I can't get into The Fiery Cross at all :(

Perseve with it, its worth it. I found it hardest going but Im onto the next one now :)

im hearing this outlander series a lot on here....think i should go and see what all the fuss is about :D

xoxo

Defintely!!!!
 
You ladies have given me a few ideas from this thread. I've not heard of most of your favourites so I'm off to have a look at the synopsis and see what I think.

This Outlander series sounds fascinating - I'm off to find out what thats about right now.....
 
Right I'm going to get the Outlander series but you girls are going to have to help me please if you don't mind.
How many books are in the series and what order do they go in? I'm a bit confused as where ever I search its not coming up in order of what comes first.

Thank you in advance :)
 
Cant think of five but The Time Travellers Wife was really enjoyable. I'm reading the Left Behind series at the moment & I'm thoroughly enjoying them there are 13 in total so I've a long way to go;)
I love the Left Behind series, they're really fascinating. I read the kids ones when I was younger and I would still re-read them now, they're just as good as the adult books.

I'm a Christian so the books have an extra special meaning for me too.
 
Right I'm going to get the Outlander series but you girls are going to have to help me please if you don't mind.
How many books are in the series and what order do they go in? I'm a bit confused as where ever I search its not coming up in order of what comes first.

Thank you in advance :)

There are 7 in the series

Outlander/Cross Stitch
Dragonfly in Amber
Voyager
Drums of Autumn
The Fiery Cross
A Breath of Snow & Ashes
Exile in the Bone :)
 
Thank you Starlight, thats another set of books I will be investing in :)
 
You ladies have given me a few ideas from this thread. I've not heard of most of your favourites so I'm off to have a look at the synopsis and see what I think.

This Outlander series sounds fascinating - I'm off to find out what thats about right now.....

Thats kinda what i was hoping for when i started the thread, to have a little review with our favs...helps when choosing new titles :D

and my TBR pile is getting bigger by the day. im currently making my list for this weeks buys :D
 
Thanks Starlight, thats brilliant, now I know which order to start them in :D
 
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