The best book ever written

[rudi must stay]

For me Roy Keane's The Second Half 

[Konrad von Carstein]

The bib...🙈

 

For unputdownableness, for me it was IT by Stephen King.

The best book series is Under the Eagles by Simon Scarrow.

 

Very subjective and I now have loads more books popping into my head...

[ri Alban]

The Bible by a country mile.

[JudyJudyJudy]

“ in cold blood “ by Truman Capote . It was revolutionary for its time as it was basically a documentary but in book form. Its about two killers who murdered a family in Kansas and the repercussions from that . Capote Interviewed both killers in prison and probably over identified with this . A fantastic book . However there are so many others I also like . Particularly Patricia Highsmith , Ruth Rendell ( when she writes as Barbara Vine , Dorothy L Sayers , Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Harris 

Edited October 14, 2021 by JamesM48

[JWL]

5 minutes ago, ri Alban said:

The Bible by a country mile.

Best work of fantasy and fiction certainly

[Fitzroy Pointon]

Meg and Mog 

[Tazio]

The Haynes manual for the 1981 W124 series Mercedes.

[crunchy frog]

No contest.

[scott herbertson]

1 hour ago, JamesM48 said:

“ in cold blood “ by Truman Capote . It was revolutionary for its time as it was basically a documentary but in book form. Its about two killers who murdered a family in Kansas and the repercussions from that . Capote Interviewed both killers in prison and probably over identified with this . A fantastic book . However there are so many others I also like . Particularly Patricia Highsmith , Ruth Rendell ( when she writes as Barbara Vine , Dorothy L Sayers , Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and Thomas Harris 

 

 

You need to get on my website and start buying books there James - 1000s of mysteries 

 

 

i like the Barbara Vines too - particularly A Dark Adapted Eye and Fatal Inversion

 

www.hadwebutknown.com

[stevie]

David Niven’s “the moon’s a balloon” or “send on the empty horses”.

[Ray Gin]

The God Delusion

[redjambo]

Robert Cawdrey's A Table Alphabeticall.

[Maple Leaf]

Cosmos, by Carl Sagan.

[McGlynn The Money]

3 hours ago, rudi must stay said:

For me Roy Keane's The Second Half 

 

Watership Down or The Hobbit. Not at the same time, that would be ridiculous.

[The Gorgie]

Robbos new book, obviously!

[benny]

Blood Meridian......Cormac McCarthy.

[CostaJambo]

Mr. Nice - Howard Marks

[The Real Maroonblood]

3 hours ago, JWL said:

Best work of fantasy and fiction certainly

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 hours ago, stevie said:

David Niven’s “the moon’s a balloon” or “send on the empty horses”.

Never read it but I’ve heard it’s a great read.

[Spitonastranger]

1 hour ago, McGlynn The Money said:

 

Watership Down or The Hobbit. Not at the same time, that would be ridiculous.

Currently re reading Plague Dogs by Douglas Adams  great book

[Spitonastranger]

Last exit to Brooklyn, still gives me the fear 

[ƒιѕнρℓαρѕ]

Papillon by Henri Charriere

 

It's exaggerated, and in places completely fabricated, but it's still a great read

 

[Ulysses]

2 hours ago, jonesy said:

“Como jugar futebol” by Del Usional and Ian Hibern

 

Not too bad.  Faded a lot in the second half, though.

[EH11_2NL]

2 hours ago, Ray Gin said:

The God Delusion

Was hard going for me. Dawkins is superb but Christ (see what I did there?) he's hard to follow at times.

 

5 hours ago, rudi must stay said:

For me Roy Keane's The Second Half 

I have NEVER read a decent sportsmans biography or autobiography. They are so samey.....'There was a game away to West Ham when I .....bollox....bollox...bollox....'

[inspector]

3 hours ago, stevie said:

David Niven’s “the moon’s a balloon” or “send on the empty horses”.

Just started reading TMAB again. Really funny

[stevie]

1 minute ago, inspector said:

Just started reading TMAB again. Really funny

love his books,have you read “bring on the empty horses”?

[Cruyff]

Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain. 

[Ked]

I wont say best books ever written but the 5 books I have enjoyed the most.

Stalin by Simon Sebag Montifiore

A mind boggling insight into the murder and chaos of his reign.

Most of which it seems was fuelled by vodka.

It just blows your mind the numbers involved.

 

One flew over the cuckoo's nest by Ken Kesey .

Not sure I'd have got it in quite the same way without having watched the film

The Godfather by Mario Puzo 

The book goes into much more detail and is as good as the film

 

Acid House Stories and Maribou Stork.

I know he is a Hibs so and so but his early stuff was great to read .

 

[benny]

45 minutes ago, EH11_2NL said:

Was hard going for me. Dawkins is superb but Christ (see what I did there?) he's hard to follow at times.

 

I have NEVER read a decent sportsmans biography or autobiography. They are so samey.....'There was a game away to West Ham when I .....bollox....bollox...bollox....'

Andre Agassi was a great read.

[Zico]

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. The madness of war was never funnier. 

[Tommy Brown]

1 hour ago, Smithee said:

Papillon by Henri Charriere

 

It's exaggerated, and in places completely fabricated, but it's still a great read

 

I bought it last year and still not opened it.

(I'm a shit reader)

Was recommended this book 40 years ago, one day I will start it.

[The Real Maroonblood]

2 minutes ago, Tommy Brown said:

I bought it last year and still not opened it.

(I'm a shit reader)

Was recommended this book 40 years ago, one day I will start it.

I’m similar.

There are lots of books I would love to read but I don’t have the patience for reading.

[EH11_2NL]

A Sense Of Freedom by Jimmy Boyle is a belter. Read it a few times. How he never died with all the beatings is a mystery. 

[Kalamazoo Jambo]

1 hour ago, Spitonastranger said:

Last exit to Brooklyn, still gives me the fear 

Read it a long time ago, it was brilliant and brutal. You can tell the influence it had on Trainspotting too.

[The Real Maroonblood]

5 minutes ago, EH11_2NL said:

A Sense Of Freedom by Jimmy Boyle is a belter. Read it a few times. How he never died with all the beatings is a mystery. 

He was an absolute scumbag.

[been here before]

The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists or The Gaffer: The Trials and Tribulations of a Football Manager by Neil Warnock.

 

I can never quite decide.

[Savage Vince]

1 hour ago, Zico said:

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. The madness of war was never funnier. 

 

It's a work of genius. You'd run out of your own burning house with it in your hand and Sick Puppy by Carl Hiassen in the other. 

[EH11_2NL]

38 minutes ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

He was an absolute scumbag.

No denying he was a wrong 'un. 

[Spitonastranger]

59 minutes ago, Kalamazoo Jambo said:

Read it a long time ago, it was brilliant and brutal. You can tell the influence it had on Trainspotting too.

Film matched it which was some going. 

[Tazio]

No such thing as the best book ever of course. 
But if there was there’s a fair chance it’s The Grapes Of Wrath. 
Or if you want to mess with your head The Tin Drum by Gunther Grass is decent nomination. 

[Tazio]

1 hour ago, Zico said:

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller. The madness of war was never funnier. 

I met him once, lovely man, and incredible to hear him read bits of the book in his own voice. 

[Seymour M Hersh]

Unable to offer up a best ever book but these are still some of my very favourite reads.

[Savage Vince]

1 hour ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

He was an absolute scumbag.

 

Still is. He didn't move to Marrakesh for the beaches. 

[The Real Maroonblood]

13 minutes ago, Savage Vince said:

 

Still is. He didn't move to Marrakesh for the beaches. 

👍

[Zico]

42 minutes ago, Savage Vince said:

 

It's a work of genius. You'd run out of your own burning house with it in your hand and Sick Puppy by Carl Hiassen in the other. 

Funny, grim, deep, it’s so perfectly balanced. Slaughterhouse 5 a good companion but more horrifying and out there due to Vonnegut’s experience. I can’t imagine how to articulate what they experienced but they did it in the most incredible way. Apocalypse Now the filmed version of them both I think. All genuine art. 

[Zico]

18 minutes ago, Tazio said:

I met him once, lovely man, and incredible to hear him read bits of the book in his own voice. 

Wow. That is something I’d have loved to experience. I genuinely wouldn’t know what to say to him that wouldn’t sound asinine - it’s my favourite book etc. 

[Ominous]

The Twelve Caesars by Suetonious.

[XB52]

I'm a huge Stephen King fan so love most of his books but my favourite is Swan Song by Dean Koontz 

[Tazio]

13 minutes ago, Zico said:

Wow. That is something I’d have loved to experience. I genuinely wouldn’t know what to say to him that wouldn’t sound asinine - it’s my favourite book etc. 

it wasn’t exactly a long conversation.  I was fitting with a radio mic for an event, very few people engage with you but he insisted on asking me my name and introducing himself and making a bit of small talk. He was quite an old man by then. 
“nice to meet you young man, my names Joe” er, obviously. 

[Carl Fredrickson]

3 hours ago, EH11_2NL said:

Was hard going for me. Dawkins is superb but Christ (see what I did there?) he's hard to follow at times.

 

I have NEVER read a decent sportsmans biography or autobiography. They are so samey.....'There was a game away to West Ham when I .....bollox....bollox...bollox....'

 

Try The Way It Was, the Stanley Matthews autobiography. Magnificent read.