What is the BEST book ever?

"Betty Blue" by Philippe Djian is definitely one of the
better books too.

Best book?
I choose Don Quijote. I can't believe it hasn't been mentioned yet!

I also just finished Russka by Edward Rutherford. It was AMAZING.

I too really liked Anna Karenina.

top 3

1. watership down

2. land of laughs

3. good omens

Where to begin...hmm...

Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Night - Eli Weisel
A Farewell to Arms - Hemmingway

Short stories and essay's are always good, too, for when I want to be reading something, but don't have the time for a novel.

Spoon River Anthology - Edgar Lee Masters
As I Lay Here Dying - William Faulkner
The Meaning of Life (this was an academic book from a philosophy class I took. I don't know the author).
Harrison Bergeron - Kurt Vonnegut
The Lottery - Shirley Johnson
Young Goodman Brown - Nathaniel Hawthorne

That's all I can think of for now.

Some nice books mentioned here. I loved "Watership Down" too. I think it would be a great book to read to your kids.

I went through a Tolstoy phase earlier in my life. "War and Peace" is excellent and very readable and not nearly difficult as people make it out to be.

I just read "Moll Flanders" by Daniel Defoe. It's in autobiographical form and takes place in the late 17th century in England. Moll Flanders was born in Newgate Prison to a mother condemmed to death for a petty crime. In her lifetime she was a servent, married 5 times—once unwittingly to her own brother—becomes a prostitute, and finally—after menopause—a thief. Eventually she is arrested and condemned to death for an attempted petty theft. Thus she exhausted all the oppurtunities available for a woman of that time period: marriage, service, prostitution, and thievery.

Penalties were draconian in thoses days with death by hanging the punishment for virtually all crimes, though many reprieves were granted with transport to the American colonies as an indentured servent—sort of a 17th century Australia.

I first saw "Moll Flanders" as a "Masterpiece Theatre" presentation, which spiced up the strory a bit with a lot of topless nudity, though the book is a lot more modest and subdued.

Breakfast of Champions by Kurt Vonegut was a great book...

Hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy (Douglas Adams) was hilrious.

I really enjoy Douglas Coupland too...

I like so many books, I can't have one great.

I have to say that I don't believe that there really is such thing as a "best book ever," but certainly there are best books within genres, or favorite books for different circumstances. I personally am still amazed by the fabulous creativity of JRR Tolkien with The Lord of the Rings (which has become cliche now with the movies). I also really love The Master and Margarita by Mikhail Bulgakov, The God of Small Things by Arhundati Roy, The Lovers of Algeria by Anouar Benmalek, and 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. But that only scratches the surface of my recent reads: Lately I've been interested in world literature in translation. However, there is a lot out there that is comparable in quality to these choise that just isn't in the forefront of my mind right now.

Wuthering Heights.

I read the book and couldn't find any redeeming qualities in Heathcliff. Women and girls, for some odd reason, seem to love this boorish protagonist. Could you please explain why?

I read it a few years agp so my thoughts on it arnt quite fresh but its the one book that has stuck in my mind.

Its not necessarily the characters, but the situation.
The fact that the main female character dies half way through so we know the couple cant get together is heartbreaking, but the story still carries on through her daughter.
I saw her as the daughter that Cathy and Heathcliff would never have.
From then on it seemed like a platonic love story(like a father and daughter)between Heathcliff and Cathys daughter.

Re: What is the BEST book ever?


I probably don't have to say my favorite author is Nietzsche. As for "the best book ever," this history of the written word is much too vast to make an objective selection. I could only tell you my personal favorite, which is probably Walter Kauffman's Critique of Religion and Philosophy, but I'm quite aware this is not one of the best books "ever."

The Great Gatsby, by F. Scott Ftizgerald is an awsome book, however, i do have to give Friedrich Nietzsche his props..

The best novel I've read is, by far, Don Quixote by Miguel de Cervantes

I found a copy of the Gret Gatsby in my room at the weekend.Have no idea how it got there but I may start to read it.

Another book I love is TraumeNovelle/Dream story or more commonly known as Eyes Wide Shut.
It was only 98 pages long and i read it in a weekend.I was hooked, didnt want to put it down.It was so real and emotional i would completely recomend it.

is eyes wide shut a remake of deam story or just a different name?

Its a differnt name and the film didnt add up to the book but took a few bits from it and had the general same idea.
I HATEDthe film and LOOOVED the book.

The Little Friend by Donna Tartt.
Within a few pages, I was thinking "get out of my head"!
It was scary how much I identified with the main character.

One thing though, I never led any other small children in the neighborhood in Jesus skits.

Actually - I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb is right up there too.

I can only find two books that each of these authors have written. Does anyone know if they are working on anything else?

I'm pleased to see Ayn Rand's novels listed multiple times. I liked The Fountainhead also but Atlas Shrugged is her masterwork. How many novels launch a philosophical movement?
Also liked:
Anubis Gates by Tim Powers
On Stranger Tides by Tim Powers
(check 'em out if you can find 'em)

George R.R. Martin's a Song of Fire and Ice novels
(still waiting for the next volume..like Powers, Martin isn't prolific..but then the best authors take time with their craft..unlike Steven King for instance)

"Best" book would be tough, I've read so many books. But, life-changing would be any by Ayn Rand and Taylor Caldwell ages ago. Mid-age ago would be Jonathon Seagull and Way of the Peaceful Warrior (Dan Millman), today would be Da Vinci Code. So many others, though - Anna Karanina (all young women could read).

Coluber10 (think that is correct name) women think they can mother guys like Heathcliff.

Jonathan Seagull was excellent. I loved it. Have you read Illusions yet?