The best book ever written

[Unknown user]

2 hours 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.

 

It's really enjoyable, a proper adventure story

[Savage Vince]

1 hour ago, XB52 said:

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

 

From The Corner Of His Eye is a great Dean Koontz read. 

 

Enjoyed The Dark Half and Bag of Bones by Stephen King. 

[benny]

47 minutes ago, Smithee said:

 

It's really enjoyable, a proper adventure story

I also enjoyed his other book Banco about his adventures in Venezuela.

Mind you it must have been 40 years ago since i read both.

[been here before]

4 hours ago, EH11_2NL said:

 

 

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....'

 

Paul McGrath- Back From the Brink will change that.

 

If boxing is your thing then Raging Bull by Jake La Motta or A Flame of Pure Fire: Jack Dempsey and the Roaring '20s

Book by Roger Kahn. If you can get your hands on My Fighting Life by George Carpentier then thsts also well worth a read.

Edited October 14, 2021 by been here before

[Unknown user]

5 minutes ago, benny said:

I also enjoyed his other book Banco about his adventures in Venezuela.

Mind you it must have been 40 years ago since i read both.

 

I enjoyed it too, although it's very much the little brother to Papillon. I might have to go and read it again.

 

I really enjoyed James Clavell's Tai-Pan and Noble House too, might have to dig these out again

 

[benny]

8 minutes ago, Savage Vince said:

 

From The Corner Of His Eye is a great Dean Koontz read. 

 

Enjoyed The Dark Half and Bag of Bones by Stephen King. 

Twilight Eyes was another great book by him.

James Herbert was a favourite of mine as well until the mid eighties.

The Survivor being my favourite of his.

The Rats series being great reading for my teenage and early twenties.Fluke another favourite.

Read a lot of horror books back in the day.

[Nookie Bear]

4 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....'

Football books are generally a bit like that unless you get decent tales of “extra curricular” activities. 
But for a good sports book, Andre Agassi’s “Open” is unbelievable. 

[Costanza]

6 hours ago, benny said:

Blood Meridian......Cormac McCarthy.

I'd choose The Road but he's a magnificent writer and that and No Country For Old Men are great.

For The Road, I was blown away by how beautiful the writing was for what effectively was an apocalypse.

 

For a football book, Football Against The Enemy by Simon Kruper is definitely the best I've ever read.

[Costanza]

22 minutes ago, Nookie Bear said:

Football books are generally a bit like that unless you get decent tales of “extra curricular” activities. 
But for a good sports book, Andre Agassi’s “Open” is unbelievable. 

Agree on Agassi's book, best sports autobiography I've read.

For a biography,  Provided You Don't Kiss Me by Duncan Hamilton on Brian Clough I'd definitely recommend.

[Tazio]

6 minutes ago, Costanza said:

Agree on Agassi's book, best sports autobiography I've read.

For a biography,  Provided You Don't Kiss Me by Duncan Hamilton on Brian Clough I'd definitely recommend.

Pat Nevin’s autobiography is meant to be a very good read.Also David Millar the cyclist wrote a very good autobiography. 

Edited October 14, 2021 by Tazio

[Costanza]

6 minutes ago, Tazio said:

Pat Nevin’s autobiography is meant to be a very good read.Also David Millar the cyclist wrote a very good autobiography. 

Ah yes need to get Nevin's book.

A good guy with good music taste to boot as well.

Will check out the Millar one, ta.

[Tazio]

2 minutes ago, Costanza said:

Ah yes need to get Nevin's book.

A good guy with good music taste to boot as well.

Will check out the Millar one, ta.

It’s called Racing Through The Dark. He is very candid about the doping ban and the affect it had on his life and wellbeing. 

[Shanks said no]

Many of my favourites already listed.

 

If its a football book then My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes
by Gary Imlach.

 

Books that really surprised me were the Pillars of the Earth series by Ken Follett.

[Savage Vince]

1 hour ago, benny said:

Twilight Eyes was another great book by him.

James Herbert was a favourite of mine as well until the mid eighties.

The Survivor being my favourite of his.

The Rats series being great reading for my teenage and early twenties.Fluke another favourite.

Read a lot of horror books back in the day.

 

Read a lot of JH in my teens too. He was a ****ed up man. 😁

[Tazio]

3 minutes ago, The Frenchman Returns said:

 

 

If its a football book then My Father and Other Working Class Football Heroes
by Gary Imlach.

 

Excellent book, and insight into football prior to the wage cap being cut. 

[Konrad von Carstein]

14 minutes ago, Savage Vince said:

 

Read a lot of JH in my teens too. He was a ****ed up man. 😁

I read a lot of his books as a teenager, but as I got older I got the feeling I was reading the same story every time but with a wee bit of variance to try and hold the reader.

Gave up on his books eventually.

[The Natural Order]

Foundation by Isaac Asimov.

 

P.S. Don't bother with the current TV series based on the Foundation Series. It utter shit.

Edited October 14, 2021 by The Natural Order

[EH11_2NL]

3 hours ago, The Real Maroonblood said:

👍

 

3 hours ago, Savage Vince said:

 

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

So he isn't sculpting then?

[Norm]

I mean, I don't know if they're the best as such, but I was genuinely upset when Sir Terry Pratchett died and no more Discworld books would be written. 

 

I'll say Small Gods would be his best work. 

[Jamstomorrow]

As a youngster, it was 'The Observers Book of Adhesives.'   I just couldn't put it down.  

[XB52]

10 hours ago, Savage Vince said:

 

From The Corner Of His Eye is a great Dean Koontz read. 

 

Enjoyed The Dark Half and Bag of Bones by Stephen King. 

Agree on both. Also really liked the Dark Tower series but the film was crap. Think they are meant to be making a TV series on the dark tower now 

[JudyJudyJudy]

18 hours ago, scott herbertson said:

 

 

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

I’ll check it out . Yes I love her books. In particular the Barbara Vine books where they have multi layered plots which Eventually merge together , usually with tragic results . “ Astas book “ “ The house of stairs “ and “ No night is too Long “ Are brilliant . I also like her Rendell books too . 

[inspector]

15 hours ago, stevie said:

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

Long time ago

[Ray Gin]

16 hours ago, EH11_2NL said:

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....'

 

Provided You Don't Kiss Me on Brian Clough was good.

 

[Sirudi]

I am a avid reader of almost exclusively non-fiction, mainly climbing related.
 

The book I keep going back to is “The White Spider” by Heinrich Harrer (of seven years in Tibet fame). It is a history of the attempts to climb the monster that is The Eiger, and his part in the first successful attempt.

They really were a different breed back then. Gripping and heart breaking.

 

I also read anything to do with climbing in the Himalayas, of which there are many famous and excellent books. But the one that has really captured the pain and misery of climbing Everest is “Ascent into hell” by Fergus White.  As someone who still has the totally unrealistic ambition for climbing Everest one day, I keep reading this great little book and ask why.

Touching the Void, is remarkable and truly a page turner.

Endurance : Shackletons incredible voyage, is excellent and makes you realise that some men are indeed superhuman.

Both books more remarkable than most things you will read in fiction.

 

 

[William H. Bonney]

4 minutes ago, Sirudi said:

I am a avid reader of almost exclusively non-fiction, mainly climbing related.
 

The book I keep going back to is “The White Spider” by Heinrich Harrer (of seven years in Tibet fame). It is a history of the attempts to climb the monster that is The Eiger, and his part in the first successful attempt.

They really were a different breed back then. Gripping and heart breaking.

 

I also read anything to do with climbing in the Himalayas, of which there are many famous and excellent books. But the one that has really captured the pain and misery of climbing Everest is “Ascent into hell” by Fergus White.  As someone who still has the totally unrealistic ambition for climbing Everest one day, I keep reading this great little book and ask why.

Touching the Void, is remarkable and truly a page turner.

Endurance : Shackletons incredible voyage, is excellent and makes you realise that some men are indeed superhuman.

Both books more remarkable than most things you will read in fiction.

 

 

I really enjoyed into thin air by Jon krakauer. 

[SE16 3LN]

Kelman's How late it was, how late is an astonishing book

[JudyJudyJudy]

This is a great warts and all biography of the great man himself . Very interesting read and quite salacious too ! 😎

[JudyJudyJudy]

Another great film biography . This really is one of the best film biographies ive ever read as it’s written by Dietrichs daughter . It pull ls no punches about her life with her mother but it’s also very affectionate and loving about this complex woman who spent the last years of her life in her bedroom in a posh area of Paris . Usually making Long calls to various leaders of the world telling them how to run their countries ! She was a real eccentric . 

Edited October 15, 2021 by JamesM48

[jambos are go!]

First book I read as a young boy was Wind in the Willows which I really enjoyed . Read  a good few since which I also enjoyed. Sadly or gladly none have changed my life!

 

 

[Sirudi]

51 minutes ago, Furious Styles said:

I really enjoyed into thin air by Jon krakauer. 

 

30 minutes ago, jonesy said:

Just finished it yesterday. Well-written and moving at times.

A good book, but he was critisised by Anatoli Boukreev, who Krakauer paints as a bit of a villain. Boukereev gives his account in his book, The Climb, which is worth a read.

 

I think the hardest thing on Everest is knowing when to turn around and admit defeat. These books highlight how high altitude distorts rational thinking. As the maxim goes, getting to the top is optional, but getting down is mandatory.

 

[been here before]

1 hour ago, SE16 3LN said:

Kelman's How late it was, how late is an astonishing book

 

One of the worst, if not the worst book I've ever read.

[JudyJudyJudy]

9 minutes ago, been here before said:

 

One of the worst, if not the worst book I've ever read.

Worse books I’ve read are “ the wasp factory “ by Ian Banks 

 

and “ the girl on the train “ ( so bloody overrated ) 

[JWL]

15 hours 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. 

 

Just finished 'Squeeze Me' by Carl Hiassen. Bizarrely brilliant and his take on Trump is laugh out loud funny.

[JudyJudyJudy]

“ Testaments “ by Margaret Atwood . Brilliant follow up to “ The Handmaids Tale “ 

[William H. Bonney]

1 hour ago, jonesy said:

Just finished it yesterday. Well-written and moving at times.

If you haven’t already you should read his other book, into the wild. It’s tremendous. 

[dougal]

18 hours ago, Spitonastranger said:

Currently re reading Plague Dogs by Douglas Adams  great book

Isn't it Richard Adams??

[Spitonastranger]

Just now, dougal said:

Isn't it Richard Adams??

Yeah, need to read it more carefully 😄

[William H. Bonney]

32 minutes ago, Sirudi said:

 

A good book, but he was critisised by Anatoli Boukreev, who Krakauer paints as a bit of a villain. Boukereev gives his account in his book, The Climb, which is worth a read.

 

I think the hardest thing on Everest is knowing when to turn around and admit defeat. These books highlight how high altitude distorts rational thinking. As the maxim goes, getting to the top is optional, but getting down is mandatory.

 

Yes, i remember reading that. 
Another climbing related book I enjoyed was Dead Mountain: The Untold True Story of the Dyatlov Pass Incident. 

[SE16 3LN]

2 hours ago, been here before said:

 

One of the worst, if not the worst book I've ever read.

Won the booker prize mate, although there was a lot of opposition from the God Squad and feminists. I didn't have you in either camp 😂. There's no accounting for taste, but for me its an existential masterpiece, as is a Disaffection.

[Maple Leaf]

4 hours ago, Sirudi said:

I am a avid reader of almost exclusively non-fiction, mainly climbing related.
 

The book I keep going back to is “The White Spider” by Heinrich Harrer (of seven years in Tibet fame). It is a history of the attempts to climb the monster that is The Eiger, and his part in the first successful attempt.

They really were a different breed back then. Gripping and heart breaking.

 

I also read anything to do with climbing in the Himalayas, of which there are many famous and excellent books. But the one that has really captured the pain and misery of climbing Everest is “Ascent into hell” by Fergus White.  As someone who still has the totally unrealistic ambition for climbing Everest one day, I keep reading this great little book and ask why.

Touching the Void, is remarkable and truly a page turner.

Endurance : Shackletons incredible voyage, is excellent and makes you realise that some men are indeed superhuman.

Both books more remarkable than most things you will read in fiction.

 

 

 

Shackleton was one of the 20th century's most incredible leaders.  "Endurance" is a fascinating story.

 

And I'm sure that you've read books on the Mallory and Irvine drama on Everest.  Also a fascinating, and tragic, story.

[RobboM]

One I've read and re-read many times. Laurie Lee "As I Walked Out One Midsummer Morning"

[Konrad von Carstein]

22 hours ago, Ominous said:

The Twelve Caesars by Suetonious.

Bought this on Amazon thanks to your post, and it arrived today, its in a queue with SPQR and Augustus...if I ever stop buying Kindle books  

[AlphonseCapone]

On 14/10/2021 at 13:10, Konrad von Carstein said:

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...

 

Seconded. 

[Ominous]

1 hour ago, Konrad von Carstein said:

Bought this on Amazon thanks to your post, and it arrived today, its in a queue with SPQR and Augustus...if I ever stop buying Kindle books  

Funny you say that, I'm in the middle of SPQR just now. I have the same problem with kindle books I have bought too many to read.

[Konrad von Carstein]

12 minutes ago, Ominous said:

Funny you say that, I'm in the middle of SPQR just now. I have the same problem with kindle books I have bought too many to read.

That sounds familiar

[RobNox]

Don Quixote by Miguel De Cervantes.  It's credited as being the first modern novel and was basically a parody of the prevailing fad for chivalric romances, tales of the knight errant going off to do daring deeds in order to win the hand of some fair maiden.

 

It's a fantastic book, and so humorous and also handed down some terms into our language that are still used today.  Quixotic is commonly used to describe something that is impractical, idealistic or unrealistic.  The term tilting at windmills is also derived from this novel.

 

To put the age of this novel into context, Miguel De Cervantes died in 1616, the day before Shakespeare died.

[J.T.F.Robertson]

On 14/10/2021 at 06:13, ri Alban said:

The Bible by a country mile.

 

Agree, "greatest story ever told".

May well be complete fiction but it's a cracker.