Which Book Have You Read/Re-Read All Your Life? - Page 33

Jesslynne · 11-21-2011, 12:13 AM

Not one specific book, but rather one specific author.

Tamora Pierce.

I've been reading and rereading her books for nearly eleven or twelve years now, and I'll never tire of them.

gwhite · 11-21-2011, 06:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apache

If you like the Patrick O'Brian Series try The Richard Bolitho Series by Alexander Kent. Also The Horatio Hornblower Series by C. S. Forester is still a good read.
Apache

I have read the above but in my opinion they don't come close to O'Brian both in terms of historical detail and in the quality of the writing. I believe that the series in question was based on the life of Admiral Cochrane, a real life naval hero and a Scot.

Kevin8or · 11-21-2011, 04:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gwhite

Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey series. Until recently, I read the whole series every year and found something new every time. It's an amalgam of adventure, Naval history, 19th century manners and unchanging human nature and I regard it as a masterpiece.

I read the first three books. Life got in the way, and I never returned to the series. I recall feeling surprised by how much I enjoyed them.

A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion to the Complete Seafaring Tales of Patrick O'Brian was invaluable to me while reading.

jacksonunit · 11-22-2011, 09:09 PM

LotR, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Confederacy of Dunces. The first two I read when I was a kid and have read aloud to my children countless times, alternating with the Wilder books and various "childrens" classics. We just fininished a third reading of The Swiss Family Robinson.

Oh, and the Bible of course. You can't even get a good feel for that one until the third or fourth pass.

gwhite · 11-25-2011, 09:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin8or

I read the first three books. Life got in the way, and I never returned to the series. I recall feeling surprised by how much I enjoyed them.

A Sea of Words: A Lexicon and Companion to the Complete Seafaring Tales of Patrick O'Brian was invaluable to me while reading.

Many thanks Kevin for the recommendation. I'm going to look for that.

estelle58 · 11-25-2011, 01:11 PM

I love the Harry Potter series, I can't wait to have them on my ereaders

ekster · 11-25-2011, 02:58 PM

Three Musketeers (and everything else that follows) by Alexandre Dumas.

It was the first book I ever read, read it in 3 different languages (first in my native language, Russian, then in English and finally in French,) loved it every single time, and planning to re-read it again over the winter!

CRussel · 11-27-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apache

If you like the Patrick O'Brian Series try The Richard Bolitho Series by Alexander Kent. Also The Horatio Hornblower Series by C. S. Forester is still a good read.
Apache

Yes, the Alexander Kent books are good, but sadly the official eBook versions are positively awful, at least the first couple. I actually returned the first one to Amazon and they gave me my money back. I wanted to re-read them, and I actually have them in dead tree versions, but was hoping to read them again on my Kindle. But the quality simply wasn't there.

Apache · 11-27-2011, 07:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CRussel

Yes, the Alexander Kent books are good, but sadly the official eBook versions are positively awful, at least the first couple. I actually returned the first one to Amazon and they gave me my money back. I wanted to re-read them, and I actually have them in dead tree versions, but was hoping to read them again on my Kindle. But the quality simply wasn't there.

Good to know. I have them in Paper too and was considering getting them for my Nook. Hopefully they will improve them and then I will get them.
Apache

JayScore · 03-16-2012, 04:41 PM

1. The once and future king, T.H. White.
2. Hothouse, Brian Aldiss
3. A plague of demons, Keith Laumer.
4. Men, Martians and machines, Eric Frank Russel.
5. Little Fuzzy, H, Beam Piper.
6. The warlord chronicles, Bernard Cornwell.
7. East of Eden, John Steinbeck.
8. Bonfire of the vanities, Tom Wolfe.

1 and 6 are Arthurian stories, but universes apart. The once and future king is the "master" version from which Disney produced The sword in the stone, and others used likewise. Cornwell's trilogy shattered all that went before, and gave us a scheming, freely sexual Guenivere, a vain and thoroughly despicable Lancelot, and a berserker Arthur. Both are superb.

2, 3, 4, and 5 are just SF masterpieces, by SF masters, and each deals with important social situations, as well as being damn good pageturners, too.

7 and 8 you will recognise as US "classics". They are not here to gain me snob points. Growing up in England, we were fed the "classics". Most of my class (social not schoolroom) dismissed them, for good reason; they were written by the upper/middle classes for those same classes. The working classes were universally ignored - except maybe by P.G Wodehouse who clearly valued Jeeves, and certainly thought more of him than he did of Bertie and they had the added bonus of being very funny. They had absolutely nothing at all to do with us working class lads or lasses. Since maturing, I've re-examined them, and most are no better now than they were when I was at school. Some British classics, of course, are good reads, but those are mostly those which have also gained the title - "standards"; Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Gulliver's travels. With no shame, I will say that Shakespeare leaves me cold, and while I can value Dickens, I can't read his stuff. English classics are for the most part old fashioned, wholly irrelevant to me and mine, deeply classist, and just poor reads; or, perhaps, just done to death and too familiar.

The two US classics named I obtained while living in Spain, and were chosen as the best of a bad lot - I must always have something to read or I get panicky, and of those available, at that time, in 2nd hand bookshops, these seemed the lesser rubbish (shelves of "bodice- rippers"). Both turned out to having nothing in common with English "classics". They are both superb reads, excellent yarns depicting their periods perfectly, and again, excellent pageturners. Following my discovery of these, about 12 years ago, I have relaxed my overall dislike of everything bearing the superlative, "classic", and give all such things a try. Mostly still disappointed by English stuff, but I no longer view the term, "classic" as derogatory; which is nice.

1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 go back about 40 years since I have been re-reading them every few years, and number 6 since the publication of the final part.

Others since have, or will, become regulars - those I keep and will re-read and re-read. Cornwell, obviously, Scarrow, Iggulden, Sidebottom and others I have read more than once, and will continue to read the lot again at the publication of the next in the series. I now truly fear that life may well be too short. (Interestingly - to me, at least, when younger, I read almost exclusively Science Fiction, and as I approach my closing years, historical fiction is my main sustenance.)

I'm just on the final part of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove series, and that, too, is marked for future re-reads. Very similar to East of Eden. As far as English working class novels go, there aren't that many. We tend to laud the Eton\Oxford\Cambridge\left bank\celebrity authors, and apart from The ragged trousered philanthropist, I find it difficult to name suitable authors that fit. But, if you want everyday tales of poverty and working class life in Britain, and quality penmanship, Catherine Cookson's hard to beat. Yep, I said that, and stand by it. I don't wish to be seen as a rabid communist here. I have read and enjoyed Goodbye, Mr Chips, and To serve them all our days, and was a huge fan of the Jennings books - all set in public schools, but these few, to me, stand apart from the other pedestrian and separatist "classics" that formed almost all of English A level texts. Or, maybe it's just me.

Good question, apologies for the wandering.

Asawi · 03-16-2012, 06:30 PM

Ed McBain, the whole 87th series was my "comfort reading" for many, many years (between the ages 15-45 or something like that). I haven't read any of them in quite few years now, but I probably will now that they are available as ebooks.

VaporPunk · 03-17-2012, 04:27 AM

The Hobbit, hands down my most oft-read book. First read it when I was 12-13, and I think the most years I've gone between readings is 5. Always brings me back to a special place from my childhood.

b0rsuk · 03-17-2012, 12:53 PM

I've read The Broken Sword (Poul Anderson) two times and I'm glad I have. The first time I thought it was good. The second, a few months ago, I thought it was brilliant.

I've read The Stars My Destination (Alfred Bester) only once, but I want to read it in the future. Robert Sheckley's books, particularly short story collections and Journey Beyond Tommorow are on my todo list as well.

AndrewH · 03-17-2012, 01:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by b0rsuk

I've read The Stars My Destination (Alfred Bester) only once, but I want to read it in the future.

I finished reading that yesterday; I was not impressed. In fact, I rather wish I hadn't even picked it up.

The only books I've read multiple times are Frank Herbert's, in particular the Dune series and Soul Catcher (his only??? non science fiction novel).

Andyp133 · 03-17-2012, 04:23 PM

I keep returning to a book I have about deja vu.

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11-21-2011, 12:13 AM	#481
Jesslynne Zealot Posts: 141 Karma: 126 Join Date: Nov 2011 Location: Manitoba, Canada Device: Kobo Vox, Kobo Mini	Not one specific book, but rather one specific author. Tamora Pierce. I've been reading and rereading her books for nearly eleven or twelve years now, and I'll never tire of them.

11-22-2011, 09:09 PM	#484
jacksonunit Sand Bender Posts: 107 Karma: 35218 Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: San Antonio, Tx Device: Kindle1/iPhone/iPad/Droid/KindleDX/Kindle 3G/Kindle Touch/Kindle Fire	LotR, The Chronicles of Narnia, and Confederacy of Dunces. The first two I read when I was a kid and have read aloud to my children countless times, alternating with the Wilder books and various "childrens" classics. We just fininished a third reading of The Swiss Family Robinson. Oh, and the Bible of course. You can't even get a good feel for that one until the third or fourth pass.

11-25-2011, 01:11 PM	#486
estelle58 Cat lover Posts: 487 Karma: 1149782 Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Montreal, Canada Device: iPhone, Kobo Vox, Kobo Glo, iPad mini, Kindle Paperwhite, Kobo Aura	I love the Harry Potter series, I can't wait to have them on my ereaders

11-25-2011, 02:58 PM	#487
ekster Currently without a title Posts: 203 Karma: 3209914 Join Date: Sep 2011 Location: Canada, Qc Device: Kobo Touch	Three Musketeers (and everything else that follows) by Alexandre Dumas. It was the first book I ever read, read it in 3 different languages (first in my native language, Russian, then in English and finally in French,) loved it every single time, and planning to re-read it again over the winter!

03-16-2012, 04:41 PM	#490
JayScore Member Posts: 11 Karma: 262 Join Date: Jan 2011 Device: Kindle2	1. The once and future king, T.H. White. 2. Hothouse, Brian Aldiss 3. A plague of demons, Keith Laumer. 4. Men, Martians and machines, Eric Frank Russel. 5. Little Fuzzy, H, Beam Piper. 6. The warlord chronicles, Bernard Cornwell. 7. East of Eden, John Steinbeck. 8. Bonfire of the vanities, Tom Wolfe. 1 and 6 are Arthurian stories, but universes apart. The once and future king is the "master" version from which Disney produced The sword in the stone, and others used likewise. Cornwell's trilogy shattered all that went before, and gave us a scheming, freely sexual Guenivere, a vain and thoroughly despicable Lancelot, and a berserker Arthur. Both are superb. 2, 3, 4, and 5 are just SF masterpieces, by SF masters, and each deals with important social situations, as well as being damn good pageturners, too. 7 and 8 you will recognise as US "classics". They are not here to gain me snob points. Growing up in England, we were fed the "classics". Most of my class (social not schoolroom) dismissed them, for good reason; they were written by the upper/middle classes for those same classes. The working classes were universally ignored - except maybe by P.G Wodehouse who clearly valued Jeeves, and certainly thought more of him than he did of Bertie and they had the added bonus of being very funny. They had absolutely nothing at all to do with us working class lads or lasses. Since maturing, I've re-examined them, and most are no better now than they were when I was at school. Some British classics, of course, are good reads, but those are mostly those which have also gained the title - "standards"; Robinson Crusoe, Treasure Island, Gulliver's travels. With no shame, I will say that Shakespeare leaves me cold, and while I can value Dickens, I can't read his stuff. English classics are for the most part old fashioned, wholly irrelevant to me and mine, deeply classist, and just poor reads; or, perhaps, just done to death and too familiar. The two US classics named I obtained while living in Spain, and were chosen as the best of a bad lot - I must always have something to read or I get panicky, and of those available, at that time, in 2nd hand bookshops, these seemed the lesser rubbish (shelves of "bodice- rippers"). Both turned out to having nothing in common with English "classics". They are both superb reads, excellent yarns depicting their periods perfectly, and again, excellent pageturners. Following my discovery of these, about 12 years ago, I have relaxed my overall dislike of everything bearing the superlative, "classic", and give all such things a try. Mostly still disappointed by English stuff, but I no longer view the term, "classic" as derogatory; which is nice. 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 go back about 40 years since I have been re-reading them every few years, and number 6 since the publication of the final part. Others since have, or will, become regulars - those I keep and will re-read and re-read. Cornwell, obviously, Scarrow, Iggulden, Sidebottom and others I have read more than once, and will continue to read the lot again at the publication of the next in the series. I now truly fear that life may well be too short. (Interestingly - to me, at least, when younger, I read almost exclusively Science Fiction, and as I approach my closing years, historical fiction is my main sustenance.) I'm just on the final part of Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove series, and that, too, is marked for future re-reads. Very similar to East of Eden. As far as English working class novels go, there aren't that many. We tend to laud the Eton\Oxford\Cambridge\left bank\celebrity authors, and apart from The ragged trousered philanthropist, I find it difficult to name suitable authors that fit. But, if you want everyday tales of poverty and working class life in Britain, and quality penmanship, Catherine Cookson's hard to beat. Yep, I said that, and stand by it. I don't wish to be seen as a rabid communist here. I have read and enjoyed Goodbye, Mr Chips, and To serve them all our days, and was a huge fan of the Jennings books - all set in public schools, but these few, to me, stand apart from the other pedestrian and separatist "classics" that formed almost all of English A level texts. Or, maybe it's just me. Good question, apologies for the wandering.

03-16-2012, 06:30 PM	#491
Asawi Gadgetoholic Posts: 1,462 Karma: 2731820 Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Sweden Device: Kobo Libra2, Tolino Vision 6	Ed McBain, the whole 87th series was my "comfort reading" for many, many years (between the ages 15-45 or something like that). I haven't read any of them in quite few years now, but I probably will now that they are available as ebooks.

03-17-2012, 04:27 AM	#492
VaporPunk Evangelist Posts: 409 Karma: 49204386 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: Belgium Device: Kindle 4 + Asus Transformer	The Hobbit, hands down my most oft-read book. First read it when I was 12-13, and I think the most years I've gone between readings is 5. Always brings me back to a special place from my childhood.

03-17-2012, 12:53 PM	#493
b0rsuk meles meles Posts: 109 Karma: 163588 Join Date: May 2008 Location: Persepolis Device: Pocketbook InkPad 3	I've read The Broken Sword (Poul Anderson) two times and I'm glad I have. The first time I thought it was good. The second, a few months ago, I thought it was brilliant. I've read The Stars My Destination (Alfred Bester) only once, but I want to read it in the future. Robert Sheckley's books, particularly short story collections and Journey Beyond Tommorow are on my todo list as well.

03-17-2012, 04:23 PM	#495
Andyp133 Member Posts: 20 Karma: 103636 Join Date: Aug 2010 Device: Sony PRS 505, PRS 350, Kobo Aura HD	I keep returning to a book I have about deja vu.

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