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Post by Sir Blimely Windy on May 14, 2007 8:21:54 GMT
A task and a half!
Can you think of one book, tell us what it is and give reasons why?
I will start.
'A Widow for One Year' is a novel that is epic in length. The author, John Irving, takes us on a journey from the 1960s right up until the 1990s.
Ruth Cole is a complex, often self-contradictory figure - a 'difficult' woman. She is by no means conventionally 'nice' , but she will never be forgotten. Her story is told in three parts, each focusing on a critical time in her life. When we first meet her - on Long Island in 1958 - she is only four.
The second time we meet her is in 1990. She is an unmarried woman whose personal life is not as successful as her literary career. She doesn't trust her judgement in men.
The book closes in 1995 when Ruth is forty-one years old. She is also a mother, and a widow. She is about to fall in love for the first time.
It's 600 pages long, I grant you, but it is not overlong. Irving has, in my view and almost Dickensian skill in painting a canvas covering so long a period. It is not really a book for younger readers, as it features bad language and sex, but everything is kept as necessary.
I just love it, and have read it five times. It even supplanted my former favourite, Irving's 'The World According to Garp', as my favourite novel.
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Post by revmichael on May 14, 2007 8:38:43 GMT
A task and a half! Can you think of one book, tell us what it is and give reasons why? I will start. 'A Widow for One Year' is a novel that is epic in length. The author, John Irving, takes us on a journey from the 1960s right up until the 1990s. Ruth Cole is a complex, often self-contradictory figure - a 'difficult' woman. She is by no means conventionally 'nice' , but she will never be forgotten. Her story is told in three parts, each focusing on a critical time in her life. When we first meet her - on Long Island in 1958 - she is only four. The second time we meet her is in 1990. She is an unmarried woman whose personal life is not as successful as her literary career. She doesn't trust her judgement in men. The book closes in 1995 when Ruth is forty-one years old. She is also a mother, and a widow. She is about to fall in love for the first time. It's 600 pages long, I grant you, but it is not overlong. Irving has, in my view and almost Dickensian skill in painting a canvas covering so long a period. It is not really a book for younger readers, as it features bad language and sex, but everything is kept as necessary. I just love it, and have read it five times. It even supplanted my former favourite, Irving's 'The World According to Garp', as my favourite novel. Thanks Blimely, That's very helpful.
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Post by cheesygrin on May 14, 2007 8:44:01 GMT
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
George and Lennie are migrant American workers - the one alert and protective, the other strong, stupid and potentially dangerous. This is the powerful story of their relationship and their dreams of finding a more stable and less lonely way of life.
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Post by michaelesterol on May 14, 2007 16:49:55 GMT
Nice choice SBW but if I could only have one book it would have to be Frankenstein According To Spike Milligan.
Milligan gives another of the classics his own rework - he's done the bible (a bit more begating than the original !) and he's done Lady Chaterly's Lover, and in Frankenstein he has me in tears from first page to last.
Milligans monster spends his time running at 100mph cadging fags off passers by, and his trousers keep falling down exposing his huge do-dah !
His only desires in life are a shag and cigs !
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Post by faeryboots on May 14, 2007 18:24:55 GMT
I love John Irving, but for me it has to be "To Kill a Mockingbird."
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Post by adamzappel on May 14, 2007 19:28:45 GMT
Eagle in the Snow by Wallace Breem. It tells the story of Roman life in Britain and on the Rhein through the eyes a Roman soldier who eventually becomes the Legate of the Twentieth Legion and his victories and eventual defeat in holding back the Germanic tribes over several years until one hard winter when the Rhein freezes over and the mass migration cannot be stopped. It is seen through the eyes of a Pagan in a Roman world that is becoming Christian. It is a tale of love and hate, betrayal, and political intrigue. It is Wallace Breem's masterpiece and none of his other books come close to matching it.
I have a particular fascination with the story because I lived for many years in the areas in Germany where the main story is played out. Partly because of that, the book has a particular resonance for me but mostly it is just in the quality of the writing.
It is also important to me because I did some research on the author and discovered that he worked as the Librarian and Keeper of Manuscripts of the Inner Temple Law Library, just a few hundred yards from where I worked. I have always regretted not doing that research a little earlier, because by the time I found out where he had worked, he had died.
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Post by ivy noidea on May 14, 2007 20:56:04 GMT
You will all think me a real sad git so and so, but my favourite book ever is Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. My grandfather gave me a copy when I was 5 (yes 5!!) and I read it from cover to cover. I have read it several times since though not for about 40 years and that book gave me more pleasure than any I have read since.
I am not sure whether the reason is that it was the first book I read or because it was given to me by a much loved grandad.
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Post by Sir Blimely Windy on May 14, 2007 21:02:42 GMT
It's not sad, Ivy. Book preferences are personal. Your reasons are excellent.
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Post by Sue D Tabloids on May 14, 2007 22:02:58 GMT
I don't have a "favourite" book but the one which had the most influence over me recently was Angels and Demons - Dan Brown. I just had to visit Rome and retrace the story (but I didn't get in the fountain!)
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Lucy Lastic
Young Limb
Another cynical ex hippy now working for the establishment
Posts: 33
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Post by Lucy Lastic on May 14, 2007 23:01:25 GMT
You will all think me a real sad git so and so, but my favourite book ever is Black Beauty by Anna Sewell. My grandfather gave me a copy when I was 5 (yes 5!!) and I read it from cover to cover. I have read it several times since though not for about 40 years and that book gave me more pleasure than any I have read since.
I am not sure whether the reason is that it was the first book I read or because it was given to me by a much loved grandad. I don't think you're sad Ives - my favourite of all time is Heidi which, coincidentally, I also got when I was about 5 and also from my Grandad. I have read is over and over and still have it. I loved it because I thought the Grandfather was just like my beloved Grandad
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Ann Tique
TOG
The real Mrs. Bickerdyke
Am I there yet?
Posts: 800
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Post by Ann Tique on May 14, 2007 23:46:37 GMT
Not sure I could name a 'favourite' however one which stands out in my mind because of how it moved me to tears from the very first page of the preface is Chronicle of Youth by Vera Brittain.
It is excerpts from her diary written during the first world war and gives an insight into the life, the thoughts and the terrible tragedies they experienced. She was just 17 in 1913 and looking forward to going to university, but that all changed and by 1917 a whole generation had been decimated and she had lost many loved ones including her brother and fiance.
The experience naturally had a major impact on her, and she spent her entire life working to promote peace and ensure that the lessons of the first wold war should never be forgotten ....
this book should be mandatory reading - if Blair had read it, we may not be in the mess we're in now with Iraq.
Ann
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Post by bones2112 on May 15, 2007 6:06:32 GMT
Jodi Picoult ' My Sisters Keeper '
A major decision about me is being made, and no one's bothered to ask the one person who most deserves it to speak her opinion. The only reason Anna was born was to donate her cord blood cells to her older sister. And though Anna is not sick, she might as well be. By age thirteen, she has undergone countless surgeries, transfusions, and shots so that her sister, Kate, can somehow fight the leukemia that has plagued her since she was a child. Anna was born for this purpose, her parents tell her, which is why they love her even more. But now that she has reached an age of physical awareness, she can't help but long for control over her own body and respite from the constant flow of her own blood seeping into her sister's veins. And so she makes a decision that for most would be too difficult to bear, at any time and at any age. She decides to sue her parents for the rights to her own body.
at the moment she is becoming my fav female author. My fav male author is Ian Rankin ;D
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Post by Eema Braazkumov on May 15, 2007 17:30:24 GMT
'Reaper Man' Terry Pratchett.
It makes me laugh like a drain reading it, and the interplay between Death and a small girl who calls him Mr Skelington is priceless.
I do also love James and the Giant Peach.
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Post by Conrad Grills on May 15, 2007 17:37:08 GMT
My favourite book is Great Expectations by some Dickens chap. I don't know how many times I have read it but I relish the experience every time.
What larks Pip!
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Post by michaelesterol on May 15, 2007 17:46:45 GMT
My favourite book is Great Expectations by some Dickens chap. I don't know how many times I have read it but I relish the experience every time. What larks Pip! Great Expectorations and The Old Curiosity Sheep are two of mine as well.
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Post by revmichael on May 15, 2007 18:04:15 GMT
My favourite book is Great Expectations by some Dickens chap. I don't know how many times I have read it but I relish the experience every time. What larks Pip! Great Expectorations and The Old Curiosity Sheep are two of mine as well. Strangely, maybe, my favourite Dickens is Hard Times - perhaps because we did it College when I got my Teaching Certificate (when I was in my 40s). I was just fascinated with the name of his characters - e.g. the frightening headmaster, 'Mr Gradgrind' and his insistance on 'facts'.
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Post by Mo Termouth on May 15, 2007 18:27:34 GMT
I love John Irving, but for me it has to be "To Kill a Mockingbird." I have not long ago read this book and I must say it ranks No1 in my book list. It was one of those books that you wanted to go on forever.
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Lucy Lastic
Young Limb
Another cynical ex hippy now working for the establishment
Posts: 33
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Post by Lucy Lastic on May 15, 2007 19:14:02 GMT
'Reaper Man' Terry Pratchett. It makes me laugh like a drain reading it, and the interplay between Death and a small girl who calls him Mr Skelington is priceless. I do also love James and the Giant Peach. I like all Terry Pratchett's books - there's something about them that reminds me of how the chatroom was many years ago!
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Post by ivy noidea on May 15, 2007 19:26:57 GMT
'Reaper Man' Terry Pratchett. It makes me laugh like a drain reading it, and the interplay between Death and a small girl who calls him Mr Skelington is priceless. I do also love James and the Giant Peach. Reaper Man was one of the first TP books I read, having been broken in gently with The Wee Free Men (proof that despite not having been seduced by the HP hype, I am not averse to reading books designed to be read by 'ahem' younger readers).
My son (now 25) was a great Roald Dahl fan from before he could read and devoured the books when he was younger - another writer whose books for children had much adult appeal, imho.
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Post by Sir Blimely Windy on May 15, 2007 19:32:35 GMT
I hope that someone will maybe suggest literature that wasn't originally written in the English language.
I can heartily recommend the following:
Marcel Pagnol - My Father's Glory (La Gloire de mon Père)
Albert Camus - The Plague (La Peste)
Franz Kafka - Metamorphosis (Die Verwandlung)
Theodor Storm - THe Dyke Master (Der Schimmelreiter)
I am currently re-reading the last, as it is the basis of a film screenplay I am currently working on
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