Hey gang. I do so much yakking about the books I love, but I rarely get a chance to hear from you. I’ll start the conversation real quick. Here are my four favorite books of all time. They are actually beyond my powers to review–that’s whey they’re my favorites–but I’ll put links to the Amazon reviews in case you wonder what anyone else has to say.
My favorite books
Please tell us your desert island, if-I-only-had-a-couple-of-books-for-the-rest-of- my-life-books in the comments sections.
I can’t wait to see what you all come up with.
Josh
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Confederacy of Dunces, Kennedy
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, Thompson
Travels With Charley, Steinbeck
Lonesome Dove, McMurtry
Sandy, I’m about to start reading Lonesome Dove again for about the zillionth time.
The Secret History- Donna Tartt
Catch 22- Joseph Heller
The Time Traveler’s Wife- Audrey Niffenegger
Mere Christianity- C.S. Lewis
Boris, have you ever read A Grief Observed? that’s my favorite Lewis, but maybe I’m just a sad sack.
Hey Josh, love the site! I just stumbled on it and have been going through the archieves. I’m a little north of you up here in Ogden! I’m putting the finishing touches on my own site which is similar to yours, haha I may be coming to you for some advice!
Anywho my picks in no particular order:
Riding Rockets – John Mulane
Enders Game – Orson Scott Card
Cardinal of the Kermlin – Tom Clancy
Dauntless – Jack Campbell
The Witching Hour. YAY! Josh you left one off your list…..babydolly? Come on. Fess up
Ok, Megan. I give. Now everyone knows that I love Baby Dolly (And Baby the dinosaur movie). What’s not to love about those “glistening,chubby cheeks?”
Oh and the Stand
Hmm this is sorta a tricky question since some of my all time fav books I never want to be stuck on a deserted island with alone. Ok then, Stranded favs:
The Count of Monte Cristo
Song of Solomon
Memoirs of a Geisha
Love in the Time of Cholera
The Tale of Genji
Pablo Neurda’s love sonnets
Vanessa, I fixed the spelling. Think no more of it. Did you read Toni’s latest? I haven’t met anyone yet who’s read it and want someone to recommend it to me because I’m lazy. Bravo on that Neruda. did you read The Book of Questions?
A Confederacy Of Dunces – Toole
Filth – Welsh
Trainspotting – Welsh
The Beach – Garland
Marc, did you read Welsh’s latest? I haven’t picked it up yet. Never heard anyone rave about it.
If I liked a book once, that doesn’t mean I want to take it to a desert island and re-read it forever…I suppose I’d have to start with a guide to edible desert flora and fauna.
Fair enough. Ignore the island. Pretend you’re stranded on the moon but you have enough oxygen and edible moon berries to last you forever. What would you be reading?
To Kill a Mockingbird- Harper Lee
Charms for the Easy Life-Kaye Gibbons
Special Topics in Calamity Physics-Marisha Pessl
Straight Man- Richard Russo
Bloodthirsty- Marshall Karp
Hey Leah! I was hoping that Richard Russo would make it onto someone’s list. Bravo! As an English major and sort-of-anti-academic, I applaud you for Straight man.
Any Joe Lansdale but if I had to pick one it would probably be Sunset & Sawdust because I haven’t got around to reading it yet.
Dark Descent – Edited by Hartwell
The Illuminatus – Shea/Wilson
The Mind’s Eye – Hofstadter/Dennet
The Ashley Book of Knots – Ashley
I can’t say anything about Toni Morrison’s newest, I was actually referring to The original song of Solomon. I guess I should just put my number one book as the Bible, but it has to be the direct translation from the Peshitta, not the King James or anything else.
And I’ll add The Inner life by Thomas Kempis.
I might get really depressed and lonely up there so I should have Warrior or the Light and 11 minuets both by Paulo Coelho. Nothing lifts the spirits like a hooker with a heart of gold.
And in case I get sick on moon-berries ill need Scientific Healing Affirmations by Paramahansa Yogananda.
I really want my own copy of The Book of Questions. I want the edition with the pony on the cover. (Jordan: hint hint)
I’ve read A Grief Observed, and others of his. I enjoy most of his writing.
I must say, I found your list to be kind of eclectic. I’ve read Don Quixote twice (in Spanish), and half of Confederacy of Dunces. As to both, I’ve got to say, I don’t get it.
I’ve not read Blood Meridian, but I did read The Road and watched No Country for Old Men (which I know is not the same as reading the book, but there you have it). I thought the story of The Road was much more interesting than the writing of it, and I felt he could have done more. A bit stark, I thought. I will give Blood Meridian a try.
Do you like any Vonnegut? Have you read anything but Fight Club by Palahniuk?
Catch 22 I love (obviously). Have you read Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man? You should.
Boris, I’ve read everything by Palahniuk. The only piece of fan mail I’ve ever written was to Chuck. He sent me a panda bear and a switchblade comb. Survivor is my favorite, then Lullaby.
I love just about everything by Vonnegut. He and Twain are my favorite authors. I took the day off work when Vonnegut died and read Breakfast of Champions again.
Potrait Of An Artist is the only Joyce I’ve enjoyed, and I’ve been through them all, even Finnegan’s Wake. The Road is stark, you bet–BM is stark and then some. I can’t wait to hear what you think.
My list is certainly eclectic. For Don Quixote, it’s funny to me. Every paragraph on all 1100 pages and 500 years old. That’s all I need.
Generation Kill (Evan Wright). Shamless plug but you can read my thoughts on my blog (http://blog.weflyspitfires.com/2009/02/03/generation-kill/). It’s a truly fantastic and scary book.
The Drawing of the Three (Stephen King)
The Eye of the World (Robert Jordan)
Enemy of God (Bernard Cornwell)
I loved Generation Kill. Sad, depressing, felt very real to me as a non-soldier. Have you seen the show?
The Stand (King)
Preacher (Ennis)
That’s all I would need to be happy.
Hey Daryle. I’ve read some of the Punisher books for some kids at work, but they turned me off to Ennis. How would you compare Preacher to the Punisher graphic novels?
My favorite book is called The Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester. It’s narrated by a British Expat who lives in France because he abhors the crude Engslish ‘cuisine’ and all it stands for, with its “rude gravies and aggressive pickles.”
He’s brilliant and extremely cynical, and as the story goes on you can see a disturbing and dangerous narcissism reveal itself in him. Great read.
Lanchester is such a fantastic writer, I should track this one down and read it for a third time.
You actually read Finnegan’s Wake? Wow. What did you think?
David, as to what I thought of F’s Wake. I wish it was on audio. I believe all of Joyce is written for the ear and is brutal to look at with eyeballs for too long. Just my opinion. FW is musical goofy nonsense that’s fun for a while and is a killer test of “can you spot the reference?”
Joyce’s Portrait of an Artist as a Young Man is excellent, no doubt, but I was actually referring to Joseph Heller’s Portrait of an Artist as an Old Man, a play on Joyce’s original title, to be sure. It is good, though, and I would recommend it.
Just about everything by Sedaris is hilarious, so I wanted to endorse those recommendations as well.
Oh! You know what, I have read that Heller. It’s the book about all the false starts, right?
Have you heard the Sedaris box set? I’d never listened to him on audio before last year and was just blown away. It seems to me like he writes with performance in mind.
Greetings Josh, The Preacher series has a lot more depth to it than anything Garth did with The Punisher. Stronger characters and it really grapples with some of life’s questions involving God and religion. With a good mix of dark humor throughout. Pick up the first book and see if it pulls you in.
On a side note The Punisher will not be great until Marvel lets me write them.
And on another side note you can guest write on my blog anytime.
@Daryl
I’ll give Preacher a try, thank you. I’ll find a way to force Marvel to let you write the remaining Punishers. And yeah, I’d love to guest post for you. I’ll take a look at what you have going on tonight and see if anything comes to mind. Awesome awesome awesome.
Bleak House – Dickens
The Iliad – Homer and Robert Fagles
Moby Dick – Melville
Bel Canto – Patchett
Alexandria Quartet – Durrell
War and Peace – Tolstoy
Anna Karenina – Tolstoy
the desert island is my favorite fantasy. i’m always thinking of my desert island foods, desert island books, etc.
@llaria/Swimturtle
Now that is an impressive list. We got fewer of the classic than I’d expected, but you’re classing the joint up now. I love the Iliad. It is the most macho book of all time.
Illaria/Swimturtle. I would rather be stuck on a desert island than read your list. No offense.
Is anyone here a fan of the Dune series? I think Frank Herbert is a genius of a writer, especially with his integration of philosophy into his works.
There’s definitely a reason why that series is considered “the greatest work of science fiction ever created”
Aside from that, anybody here a fan of William Gibson?
@Travis
I’ve never read Dune and think I’ll finally give it a try. I do like Gibson. Spook City!