What's your favourite novel of all time?

[Mousse]

The Wasp by Eric Frank Russell.

 

[Funkatronic]

Lord of the Rings Trilogy/The Hobbit - J.R.R Tolkien
The Hunt For Red October - Tom Clancy

And these two, not novels, but fantastic memoirs/bio's
Kitchen Confidential - Anthony Bourdain
Broken Music - Sting

 

[EricNau]

I think The Help by Kathryn Stockett is now one of my favorite books. It's been months since I read it, and I'm still thinking about it daily. The AudioBook version was excellent. Cannot recommend it enough.

​

A few other favorites that I have not yet mentioned:

• The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
• Life of Pi by Yann Martel
• The Deamon-haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark by Carl Sagan
• The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (A Thousand Splendid Suns was also quite good)
• Stones into Schools: Promoting Peace with Books, Not Bombs, in Afghanistan and Pakistan by Greg Mortenson

I also have a soft spot for Hemingway. My favorite is The Old Man and the Sea, followed closely by A Farewell To Arms. For Whom the Bell Tolls and The Sun Also Rises are excellent too. ...Just read them all.

I'm currently reading Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson, and quite enjoying it.

Although, all in all, I think A Tale of Two Cities is still my favorite. Such a good book.

 

[dmr727]

I'm currently reading Quicksilver by Neal Stephenson, and quite enjoying it.

It gets even better as you get further into it. People seem to either love the detail in Stephenson's books, or find it tedious. I'm in the former group. Have you read anything else of his?

 

[EricNau]

It gets even better as you get further into it. People seem to either love the detail in Stephenson's books, or find it tedious. I'm in the former group. Have you read anything else of his?

No, this is my first. I'm about half way through. So far, I'm really enjoying it; although I must admit that I'm not at the most interesting portion currently.

But I've heard it's only a chapter or two, and then it picks back up. I do really enjoy the detail.

 

[dmr727]

No, this is my first. I'm about half way through.

If you're still interested once you're done, read Cryptonomicon next. I absolutely loved it.

 

[Mitthrawnuruodo]

If you're still interested once you're done, read Cryptonomicon next. I absolutely loved it.

So, if you're a Stephenson fan, how is Snow Crash...?

I bought it on impulse and - quite literally - have put it into my jacket pocket to begin reading it on the plane to Hong Kong tomorrow... is the 11 hour flight going to feel longer or shorter?

 

[timerollson]

The Fountainhead

 

[satty]

I mainly read non-fiction, but I really like

Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy Toole
Battle Royal, Koushun Takami

 

[dmr727]

I bought it on impulse and - quite literally - have put it into my jacket pocket to begin reading it on the plane to Hong Kong tomorrow... is the 11 hour flight going to feel longer or shorter?

It'll definitely make the flight seem shorter! It's a great read. The reason I mentioned Cryptonomicon first was that it's similar to what you're used to with Quicksilver with regard to the detail and writing style, and both books exist in the same overall 'universe', although at separate time periods.

Snow Crash is a much shorter read. Not just in physical length, but also the writing doesn't require as much of your brain's attention as his later works, if that makes any sense. But that's not a knock against it - I enjoyed it immensely.

 

[TwoSocEmBoppers]

Hmmm it'd have to say number 1 is Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand and a very close number 2 is Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck.

 

[cdcastillo]

... And the results are in! Here is the definitive list of MR members' favourite novels of all time! ...

What, No Kostova's "The Historian"?