What is your favorite novel?

1. 73

   SweetiePieposted 16 years ago

   What is your favorite, fun, feel good novel?  Right now I feel most fondly about Frangipani by Celestine Vaite.  Her simple prose and heart warming stories about Tahiti just hit the spot. Highly recommend Vaite's books to anyone who loves stories about Tahiti, and I think I will be rereading her stories this week!

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2. 79

   JamaGeneeposted 16 years ago

   Whatever I'm reading at the moment.

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3. 61

   calebdposted 16 years ago

   Corelli's Mandolin by Louis Des Berniers. I'm not sure what you mean by feel-good novel, but that's the first one that came to mind that's got humor and lightness to it. Or Richard Van Camp's Angel Wing Splash Pattern.
   
   If you mean stripped down, try Marguerite Duras' The Lover or Denis Johnson's Jesus' Son.

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4. 73

   SweetiePieposted 16 years ago

   What I mean by feel good novel is something you enjoy reading versus something your feel compelled to finish.  Some books I feel like I have to finish just because I have already started, but others I can read in one sitting.

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5. 61

   calebdposted 16 years ago

   The last novel I read in a single sitting and found myself absorbed completely was Jeanette Winterson's Lighthousekeeping.
   
   I rarely read anything just to finish it anymore. I've a decent sense of what I like and the Strand is always wonderful for discovering great new books. Speaking of Tahiti, I remember liking Mario Vargas Llosa's The Way to Paradise, which dealt with Paul Gauguin mostly.

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6. 73

   SweetiePieposted 16 years ago

   I will check out that book then.  Even though I usually know if I will like a book after the first chapter, I still feel I must give a book a fair shake by finishing it.  A few times books actually got better towards the end.

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7. 61

   abinavisposted 16 years ago

   I would love best the fantasy novels like harry potter series and Dark Elf series. It will bring my imagination fly freely.

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8. 74

   frogdroppingposted 16 years ago

   I was recently highly absorbed in 'The Shack', forget who wrote it. Insightful and unique.
   
   Otherwise, I'm a book whore. Especially since I came to live in Portugal, due to the fact that it's tough to find a good book. Usually, the stores stock Bronte novels, Shakespeare et al. Some of which I've read but they're not the kind of thing I want to read when I want my disbelief suspending.
   
   I think that the store managers, when faced with a corner to fill with english language books, get all historical and patriotic on our behalf. It's cute

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9. 57

   instoneposted 16 years ago

   my favourite book is hatters castle by aj cronin.
   it was cronins first novel and although very dated is an absolute masterpiece with superb plot.

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10. 73

    Eaglekiwiposted 16 years ago

    This Much I Know
                  'Wally Lamb'

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    1. 60

       Jamie Gatesposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Loved it Loved it Loved it

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11. 59

    aniketgoreposted 16 years ago

    Harry Potter

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12. 48

    badcompany99posted 16 years ago

    A Stone for Danny Fisher - Harold Robbins. A true masterpiece.

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13. 78

    cindyvineposted 16 years ago

    I think my favourite classics were Thomas Hardy's far from the Madding crowd.  Just loved the scene in the ferns where the Sergeant was showing off his swordplay.  Also, E. M. Forster's A Room with a View.
    Now, most novels I read are my favourite while I'm reading it.  I do like Jodi Picqualt and recently have wolfed down PJ Tracy.  Currently, I'm struggling through, We need to talk about Kevin.  The story is good, but I'm finding the writing very heavy going.  The author is using a lot of unnecessary imagery, almost overdoing it and big words that really make it heavy going and do nothing for a good story.

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14. 68

    Ivorwenposted 16 years ago

    My all time favorite novel is "The Harvester," by Gene Straton-Porter.  Actually, I have enjoyed every book by her that I have read.  Next, I love to read the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy by J.R.R. Tolkien

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15. 55

    Dame Scribeposted 16 years ago

    Pride and Prejudice and all them sort of stories and movies plus King, Koontz, Whitman, Childs, Dune series, and James Bond sorry to bore you to death, lol

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16. 83

    Zsuzsy Beeposted 16 years ago

    I just finished Clive Cusslers Trojan Odyssey. Wow, really good.
    
    I think I will re-read Koontz's 'Odd Thomas' set now as I'm out of new reading material.

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17. 38

    thinking out loudposted 16 years ago

    Les Miserables.  Truly a classic.  Just re-read atlas shrugged, and with the Fountainhead, two great reads.

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18. 84

    kerrygposted 16 years ago

    Depending on how mature I'm feeling at the moment, either Pride and Prejudice or the Enchanted Forest Chronicles, by Patricia Wrede.

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19. 61

    ChrisSnilposted 16 years ago

    anything from the Kelley Armstrong collection at the moment, although my all time favourite book is 1984 by George Orwell.
    
    For comedy value I enjoy the works of Dave Gorman, particularly his America: Unchained travelogue

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20. 88

    Everyday Miraclesposted 16 years ago

    Oooooh. Just thinking "feel good" makes me want to curl up with "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield!

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21. 73

    SweetiePieposted 16 years ago

    I fell in love with Pride and Prejudice when I first read it, and none of the screenplays can ever touch the beauty of that book.  Pomegranate Soup is also another new favorite.

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22. 0

    3cardmonteposted 16 years ago

    My favourite is Senor Vivo and the Coca lord by Louis de Bernieres, it's powerful, moving and verges on the disturbing.

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23. 60

    Teresa McGurkposted 16 years ago

    el viejo que leia novelas de amor is a gem -- stunningly beautiful, and that's not overstatement.  Also Cronica de un muerte anunciada is great narrative style revealed.  Winnie the Pooh is good, too.

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24. 62

    sassychicposted 16 years ago

    KITE RUNNER! My ultimate favorite book I have ever read! I really enjoy that book and will love it forever!

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    1. 68

       K.D. Clementposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       An excellent book.  I remember reading it while in at the Drs. office in Germany and crying.  All the people in the waiting room were wondering what was wrong with the crazy Ami with the book in her hand!

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25. 70

    brad4lposted 16 years ago

    It is hard for me to say what my favorite novel is, because I have so many that I enjoy. Right now, I am rereading the series "A Song of Ice and Fire" by George R. R. Martin. This is in anticipation of the newest addition, which has had its release pushed back
    
    It is an excellent and truly epic fantasy series...

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26. 75

    Uninvited Writerposted 16 years ago

    I love The Great Gatsby, Pride and Prejudice, To Kill a Mockingbird, etc.

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    1. 61

       wittywriterposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, The Great Gatsby... true classic.

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27. 0

    Janettaposted 16 years ago

    "She's Come Undone" by Wally Lamb or "Ordinary People" by Judith Guest and I love the images I get in my mind when I read "The Great Gatsby" by F. Scott Fitzgerald

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28. 0

    C. C. Riterposted 16 years ago

    Don Quixote

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29. 62

    Karen Ellisposted 16 years ago

    The Good Earth by Pearl S. Buck.  I've read a lot of great books and have a handful of favorites.  However, this will always be my favorite.  After being introduced to this book by my 6th grade teacher, I went to the library and read everything I could find that Buck wrote - it was a lot more than I'd anticipated.

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30. 60

    GeneriqueMediaposted 16 years ago

    The one I've read time and time again is "Neuromancer" by William Gibson. Such a visionary. Came out in 1984 and he predicted what 2004 would be like to some degree...the book only becomes more relevant with time.
    
    It caught my eye on the first lines...
    
    "The sky above the seaport was the color of television, tuned to a dead channel."
    
    My favorite that I'm writing is "The Greatest Con."

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31. 59

    Elynjoposted 16 years ago

    Tuesdays with Morrie by Mitch Albom.

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32. 60

    packerpackposted 16 years ago

    Angles and Demons by Dan Brown

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33. 49

    FunFacterposted 16 years ago

    To be honest with you, I deeply love The Hobbit and all the other work done by JRR Tolkien. He was really a GURU.

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    1. 60

       GeneriqueMediaposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Fo'shizzle. I can kinda get into his stuff from time to time, but I'm not a big fantasy person.
       
       But the guy made a language for, used it in his books that were originally bed time stories he made up for his children.

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34. 0

    C. C. Riterposted 16 years ago

    I was thinking this morning about a novel I read back in hi school. I really loved it. Maybe some of you can recall, Flowers for Algernon?

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    1. 68

       K.D. Clementposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Really loved that book too.  So sad.

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          C. C. Riterposted 16 years agoin reply to this

          It was controversial and many library's were forced to pull it by school officials and parents. I loved it myself.

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    2. 80

       glassvisageposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       I just read it this week, finished it yesterday, and cried and cried at the end! I couldn't believe that I hadn't heard of it until this year, and I'm so glad that I read it

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    3. 60

       Ron Montgomeryposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Yes, it was made into a TV movie, I believe titled "Charlie".

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35. 68

    K.D. Clementposted 16 years ago

    When I want a feel good book I get out my Jane Austen collected works.  I have read those novels over and over since I was a young teen and I still enjoy the travails and romance of Persuasion, Pride and Prejudice and all the rest.  I also like my collection of Grimm's Fairytales.

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36. 0

    Nelle Hoxieposted 16 years ago

    I agree I love whatever book I'm reading at the moment, which happens to be an advanced reader coppy of Secret of the Seventh Son. Glenn Cooper's first novel. I think we're combining a serial killer with Area 51. I might just have to right a hub about it.

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37. 64

    Chris Teldenposted 16 years ago

    "To Say Nothing of the Dog" by Connie Willis.  Witty, laugh-out-loud, charming science fiction time travel with a hundred twists and very likeable characters.  You don't need to be a fan of science fiction to like it.  Hours and hours of pure feel-good entertainment...and very re-readable.

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38. 48

    lawrettaposted 16 years ago

    "The gods are not to blame" by Ola Rotimi. my favorite book in the world!!!

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39. 60

    Jamie Gatesposted 16 years ago

    'A Prayer for Owen Meany' by John Irving is my favorite book. Someone mentioned Wally Lamb and I'd forgotten how much Iove his writing.
    
    Lorrie Moore wrote a book of short stories called, 'Self Help'. I was house sitting for a friend in New Orleans the summer of Chernobyl - I remember because he was riding a bicycle - to get back to the point. People are so wonderfully strange in New Orleans that no one stands out. I was reading Moore's book in a laundromat and was crying with laughter. I couldn't control myself. People were actually staring at me.

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40. 0

    \Brenda Scullyposted 16 years ago

    My all time favourite book is Jan Eyre by Charlotte Bronte.
       I have read it lots of times and visited her home in Yorkshire

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       frogdroppingposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       Ahhhhh - Gods County - and my home

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41. 69

    waynetposted 16 years ago

    Strangely I am drawn to the visual appeal of the book cover and if it looks good then I can follow through and read the whole book from there.
    
    I don't however read many novels but I am fond of The Hobbit as I can imagine all the creatures and scenes.

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42. 60

    Raven Kingposted 16 years ago

    Tommy Knockers by Stephen King. His sense of humor is so wicked, so cool.

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43. 70

    Research Analystposted 16 years ago

    Any thing by JOhn Grisham I absolutly love.

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44. 60

    Capable Womanposted 16 years ago

    The Mayor of Casterbridge.  Thomas Hardy

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45. 69

    LennyPposted 16 years ago

    My favorite novel, ok novels, are the Lord of the Rings.

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46. 60

    Ron Montgomeryposted 16 years ago

    "Cold Mountain" by Charles Frazier.  His writing is so engaging that I forgive him for only writing one novel per decade.

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47. 0

    Greta Lieskeposted 16 years ago

    "Mrs. Dalloway" by Virginia Woolf...not the lightest read, but I always feel renewed at the end. But I also love Christopher Moore's "Lamb." It, and all of his other books, are just hilarious.

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48. 59

    Pete Maidaposted 16 years ago

    I have to go back to a science fiction classic.  Ringworld by Larry Niven was a wonderfully imaginative story.  Ringworld Engineers was and excellent sequel.  The characters were well done.  The story included Niven's class Kizin.  These were catlike aliens that Star Trek's Klingons were based on.  When Star Trek was in development Niven was asked if they could use the Kizins but Niven refused; a big mistake on his part.

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49. 61

    wittywriterposted 16 years ago

    My fav book? You mean besides mine? Well, I love the classics. I actually have three. 1. The hounds of Baskerville, by Sir Arthur Con Doyle, 2. Ten Little Indians (aka And Then There Were None), Agatha Christie, 3. The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald.

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    Teresa McGurkposted 16 years ago

    Annie Proulx's short stories -- Heartsongs -- are gorgeous. I know -- not a novel -- but it's the only time I've ever read a volume of short stories all the way through, then gone right back to the beginning and read them all again.

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       Leta Sposted 16 years agoin reply to this

       =
       
       Teresa!  Her Shipping News is a beautiful, beautiful thing.  Made me want to actually write to her and beg to be her apprentice or something....just everything is there.  But! I do hear she's kind of private and mean-ish, lol...
       
       Thanks for posting a note about her short stories--I could use some...I don't read novels like I used to because of schedules and the inability to allow myself to get lost in them.  That's why short stories are so good--mini immersions. 

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