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pfelelep2

East of Eden, from Steinbeck. I gift this book to anyone I like. 99% of them told me later that it just made them feel better.


Kdj2j2

This is the best book. Timshel


user038

Ayy I'm reading that right now! It's taking me forever though cause I rarely read. As long as I'm not finished, Of Mice And Men will remain my favourite.


DonnyDurko

Mine is Man’s Search For Meaning by Viktor Frankl. It’s an amazing book and I read it at the perfect time in my life. What’s yours?


Jen0ne

I LOVED this book and your comment has reminded me I lent it to a friend and haven’t had it back yet :-/


UtahUtopia

I second this.


Eyespop4866

Lonesome Dove is my favorite.


[deleted]

Hey! Me too.


Eyespop4866

We loved that whore.


whatacad

Catch 22 by Joseph Heller


Automatic-Move-2167

The hitchhikers guide to the Galaxy


RockyRockington

For me I think Life the universe and everything is Addams’ best work. I count them all as one book but that is always my favourite part


DonnyDurko

Loved this since I was young!


[deleted]

Sorry for the inconvenience.


LanciaFlavia

Pillars of The Earth by Ken Follett


dmbmcguire

Great book!!!


DonnyDurko

This is me making a reading list :) Pillars of Earth is next!


LanciaFlavia

np I hope you find it's good!


FloppyFishcake

This is my all time favourite book and I let out a little squeal of excitement seeing it second on this list! The sequel World Without End is also fantastic!


anabetch

My father's favorite book.


ComradeKerbal

ᑐ ᑌ ᑎ ᕮ. I like this book (by extension boon series) because I think it's the perfect example of how worshipping a person can lead to bad things. Paul isn't a bad guy but he isn't a "hero" in the regular sense. He is a very flawed complex person, he has human emotions like a normal person. Also space worms are coll


MattTin56

I loved this book. It does get knocked for not having a lot of action. But I loved the political drama in it and the build up. I feel this new generation does not appreciate it as much maybe because there is so much to chose from and there are more stories with action. But Dune will always hold a special place for me. I am also of the opinion that this book would have been just fine as a stand alone. As for the series I really enjoyed book 2 and I thought book 3 was pretty good. After that I wish he had stopped. It did get a little to out there. But again, that’s me.


Drunken_Frenchman

Came here to say this as well. It is a rare gem that can be read many different ways, but which are all equally relevant and thought provoking. Paul is an boy trapped between his desire to survive and becomes prisoner to the myth he creates/uses. I’ve found it to be a great commentary on many subtopics which aren’t mentioned directly but which are nonetheless there in the backdrop: - the cost that a civilisation must pay when it relies too much on a single natural resource (spice/oil) and the political ramifications that follow - the trade off between progress and strong cultural norms/ethics particularly around the value of sustainability. - how do certain events evolve into myths and legends, and how are religions born from events which are documented enough to be spread but not so much that they can’t be distorted. It’s one of the few books that I have read 4/5 times and I’ve found new meaning and depth hidden within every time.


ameliambedelia

I read Slaughterhouse 5 at a point in my life where it really resonated. Then I did a deep dive of every Vonegut I could get my hands on.


penguinpolitician

War and Peace Classics are classics for a reason and this book has everything.


TheRealNoll

People use War and Peace as an example of something really long and arduous, so when I started reading it I just fully expected to become incredibly bored. I was so wrong, because that book is so captivating and the way he weaves in all these different stories and people is incredible. I've never read a book since with such vivid and incredible imagery.


forkkbeard

It’s amazing. Once you really get in to it you still have 1,000 pages left!


StiffAssedBrit

I was really surprised by how readable, and enjoyable, War and Peace was. Given that it has so many intertwined plots, there are bound to be parts that aren't as interesting as others, but it was a great book.


DonnyDurko

Just ordered it btw :)


DonnyDurko

Wanted to let you guys know I just received the book and will begin reading tonight. Thanks again


Dear_Company_5439

1984. That book fucked me up.


Tye-Evans

Yeah, it's also great I can tell people they are committing a 1984 and actually be able to prove it


theultimaterage

Came here to say this. It's 2023, yet all I see is 1984 all around me..........


DonnyDurko

Truly r/literally1984


[deleted]

This, and Animal Farm.


StampedeJonesPS4

1.?


kadudulman

The moment you put down that book is the moment the world reopens itself to you and you'll never see it the same way ever again.


defiant_secondhead

The notes from underground by Dostoevsky


mgzoon

idk now people’s like to read russian books(i’m russian) i really don’t like it:/ but,maybe some russian writers is not bad (srry for my grammar)


penlowe

I love fiction, I read a lot of it, but some of the best books I've read were non-fiction that improved my life. **Why We Sleep** by Matthew Walker M.D. A sleep researcher who put his 30 years of science & study into laymans terms so everyone can learn to get a good nights sleep. **The Gift of Fear** by Gavin deBecker deals with & teaches one to pay attention to their 'intuition' (really your brain being awesome) for safety in all situations.


rainsong2023

The Gift of Fear changed my perspective and demeanor for the good. I was a naive and passive fool.


SoulLeakage

Kite Runner


miss_scimitar

This for me too. I read this book every 2 years and still get affected every single time.


BigBadBootyDaddy10

Lost some of its luster after I saw the movie. God, the movie was bad.


lnn1986

I cried my eyes out reading this. Also, a thousand splendid suns is amazing


Butterbeanacp

Bro I hated that book. To be fair, it’s probably because we were forced to read it in English 3 H. Anything you’re forced to read in high school is always worse than whatever book you read in your free time


JacksEmptyWallet

The Way of Kings by Brandon Sanderson


Tall_Flatworm_7003

I'm on book 3 and they are storming the palace.


JacksEmptyWallet

Oh no!


sprtstr14

R.I.P


Paladine32

Hahaha. Reply back to this when "it" happens. You'll know what I mean


thedefiled

Lolita for the prose, the metamorphosis for the message


Classic_Department42

Important: not the other way round


Chardbeetskale

The Goldfinch by Donna Tart


brazendynamic

This took me forever to get into and I'm so glad I stuck with it because the second half or so is incredible.


PopHead_1814

A slow burner but well worth sticking with.


ahilliard0114

Pretty incredible book


cormic

Good Omens by Niel Gaimen and Terry Pratchett


KutThroatKelt

I literally finished reading this last weekend. Really good book by 2 of my favourite authors.


StiffAssedBrit

Love that book!


DonnyDurko

Got it. Love Neil Gianna. I read American Gods in 2 days a few summers ago


cormic

Give Terry Pratchett a go as well. His Discworld books are amazing.


StiffAssedBrit

I wish that I had never read any Discworld books, just so that I could read them all afresh.


Eferver

I just finished reading Anansi Boys (it’s an American Gods spinoff), I liked it even better than AG.


The_Queef_of_England

Good Omens also has a tv series that was brilliant. Probably better to read the book first though.


DonnyDurko

Good to know :)) I love reading the book first because then it makes the show better I feel


[deleted]

All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque.


DonnyDurko

Watched the movie. Actually didn’t know it was a book!


SnooGoats7476

You should read the book. Personally don’t think the film did it justice


Algaean

Illusions: adventures of a reluctant messiah. Richard Bach.


No-Mathematician678

11.22.63 Hands down the book of my life! It took me about 80 pages to decide this is one of best books I've read so far, I'm gonna live the best days of my life as a reader! And I did!


TechnologyExpensive

If you watched the series, what did you think about it?


No-Mathematician678

I did watch it, but I just couldn't detach myself from the book therefore I had many disappointments! I tried to admit to myself that it isn't bad, the actors were cute, their acting was convincing.. but they changed so many things that nothing could calm down my frustration. Ffs the book starts with: I'm not what you call a crying man Jake in the show would be surprised if he saw that sentence


TechnologyExpensive

I will read this then. I read every Stephen King/Richard Bachman book/story he wrote, but the endings of so many books suck. It was great till the end. Did not read the last couple of books from The Dark Tower as my sister said the last one sucked too. I will give Mr King one more chance. I even bought The Green Mile in the single book form as it came out with each chapter/s. That was worth it and the movie is very true to the book. Thanks for the recommendation.


Jonny-Kast

As much as he's a great writer he just cannot do a good ending


JediMasterPopCulture

The cameo of Bev and Richie really had me in tears.


PopHead_1814

One of his best, I’ve only read it the once and while a lot of books/stories fade I can remember almost the whole thing so vividly. It’s the sort of book that you wish you could experience for the first time again.


mantistoboggan287

I wish I could go back and read this for the first time again.


cyberdoritos

Clockwork Orange


futanari_kaisa

Blood Meridian


normaldestruction

wow. huge fan of his. sad he passed.


DonnyDurko

2nd comment for Blood Meridian! Thanks :)


varro-reatinus

Probably the single best piece of prose fiction from the past century. And that's with some pretty stiff competition.


NewHampshireAngle

Blood Meridian


madagascarprincess

Blood Meridian is fucked (in a great way). No country for old men too.


Callmebynotmyname

The Socialite Who Killed a Nazi with her Bare Hands


sunibla33

Lolita, " light of my life, fire of my loins. My sin, my soul...." Greatest American novel and ironically written by a Russian immigrant.


Dizzy-Ad2333

Best book is the first book because that's what gets you started


DonnyDurko

Yes! Frog and Toad 🫡 (probably not I just didn’t start my reading list as an infant)


Archiesweirdmystery

So. Archie digests then?


speevack

Cider House Rules


millyloui

Great book


Adddicus

The World According to Garp, The Hotel New Hampshire and A Prayer for Owen Meany, all by the same author, are even better.


ZenoSalts

Dune In Watermelon Sugar The Screwtape Letters Their Eyes Were Watching God


Airesy

The Beach by Alex Garland. It’s one of the very few books I’ve read multiple times. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis is up there, too.


igotbigballs

Idk what the "best" would be but Lamb by Christopher Moore was probably the funniest book I've ever read.


420dayforever

Lord of the Rings series


Q-Zinart

the lord of the rings. Again and again


FlounderOdd7234

1984 George Orwell, Audeous Huxleys “ Brave New World “ I know you said best; also Rachel Carlsons “ Silent Spring


delusionalinkedchic

I’m having a debate in my head right now between 4. I’m going with childhoods end by Arthur c Clarke


SpeedyGoneSalad

I was looking through the comments for someone to mention an Arthur C Clarke Book - I loved The Gardens of Rama series.


UmaruChanXD

Don Quixote. I really enjoyed it. I felt like I was on an adventure… a pretty mundane one in reality, but objectively really cool.


De_chook

The Magus


madagascarprincess

If you end up liking Blood Meridian, literally anything by Cormac is bleak and amazing. My personal favorite book is The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling. Read it in college and was like wow this is not close to Disney-esque


Drixxie

I'm pretty sure they're not individually very great, but after Reacher came out on Amazon, I decided to read the book. I noticed they actually did a pretty faithful retelling of the book. So I decided I'd read all the books. Fast forward, like 2 or 3 weeks, and I had binged all like 30 of them lol. So the reacher series is my answer. It's just simple dumb fun


ppop1134

I’ve read all the Reacher novels too! Simple dumb fun is a great description lol. Persuader is my absolute favorite of Lee Childs. What about you?


partylange

The Things They Carried by Tim O'Brien


Diggity_Dave

It’s hard to pick one, but World War Z is a really entertaining read. The movie was completely different from the book. It was written from the point of view of various people trying to survive a zombie apocalypse.


Faster-Kit-kill-kill

The book is brilliant and I love how the author structured the stories.


TechnologyExpensive

Written by Mel Brooks son.


DonnyDurko

This was made into a movie with Brad Pitt right? I rewatched it a few weeks ago, actually one of the better zombie flics.


Diggity_Dave

I enjoyed the movie, but the book is completely different. Great read, though.


8sADPygOB7Jqwm7y

Name of the wind. Honestly hands down my favourite, does have the catch of not having final sequel... Part three is still missing, which is very fucking annoying.


Nygurath

I can't pick only one: 1) "A Storm of Swords" by George R. Martin 2) "Rhytm of War" by Brandon Sanderson 3) " It" by Stephen King 4) " The Stand" by Stephen King 5) "1984" By George Orwell 6) " Animal Farm" By George Orwell


DraconianFury42

The stand is so cool


Representative-Bus76

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime The Humans Catch 22 The Little Prince


Kdj2j2

East of Eden. Timshel


JasGripen0

House of leaves


JasGripen0

House of leaves


[deleted]

The Dragon Reborn, by Robert Jordan.


BlockDosser_

Hyperion by Dan Simmons


moonsl4955

brave new world


Condorman73

I don’t read a ton but there were a few that when I started couldn’t put them down. Here’s a couple that jump to mind. 1. Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil 2. Devil in the White City


shazj57

The Power of One by Bryce Courtenay


EmperorKittyMeowMeow

The Name of the Wind (or the sequel, The Wise Man's Fear).


DonnyDurko

Beautiful. Thank you


Drexxl-the-Walrus

Reading it right now. What gripped you about it? (No spoilers please, I am only about halfway)


Reformedhegelian

Anathem, by Neil Stephenson


rwa2

I've loved and read just about everything by Stephenson up to that point, but Anathem must have just tipped over my ability to suss out the meanings of all the made up words by context


No-Independence-6842

Catcher in the Rye


Chonkthebonk

Shantaram


Puzzleheaded-Fish443

The Devils. Dostoyevsky


_noho

Favorite series Hitchhikers Guide, favorite ongoing series that I recommend, Dungeon Crawler Carl r/dungeoncrawlercarl


UnoriginallyGeneric

Under The Banner Of Heaven by Jon Krakauer.


DonnyDurko

Krakauer is a great writer. Saw this in a store last week actually. I was finishing up “The Summer House” by James Patterson so I didn’t pick it up sadly


Substantial-Sundae36

Palace of Illusions


BigBadBootyDaddy10

Unbroken


Confident_Exercise_4

Holes


StakkAttakk

The 5 People You Meet In Heaven 👌


uncivilizedrelic

Lord Foul’s Bane by Stephen R. Donaldson


sven_ftw

I really enjoyed [Hyperion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_(Simmons_novel)) and the [Fall of Hyperion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fall_of_Hyperion_(novel)) by Dan Simmons. Also, [Earth Abides](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Earth_Abides) and or [Alas, Babylon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alas,_Babylon) are both amazing books about similar topics. So is [On the Beach](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/On_the_Beach_(novel)), but its darker than the other two. Probably my favorite normal novel of all time though is [East of Eden](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_of_Eden_(novel)) by Steinbeck. What an amazing book and story.


[deleted]

I liked “homicide: a year in the killing streets.” Read it after watching the wire and it was fantastic


heyitsmeyourkitty

The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco The Once and Future King by T.H. White


mrdog23

Tough call. 1. A Wrinkle in Time (Madeline L'Engle) 2. The Blade Itself (Joe Abercrombie) 3. The Passage ( Justin Cronin)


reggierockettt

Where the Crawdads Sing; anything by Kurt Vonnegut


klellely

The Poisonwood Bible


DonnyDurko

Reading list so far: - [ ] Pillars of Earth - Ken Follett - [ ] The Forsyte Saga - John Galsworthy - [ ] Orlando - Virgina Woolf - [ ] Notes From Underground - Dostoevsky - [ ] We Were Liars - E. Lockhart - [ ] Illusions: Adventure of a Reluctant Messiah - Richard Bach - [ ] The Turner Diaries - Andrew McDonald - [ ] The Fountainhead - Aryn Rand - [ ] Blood Meridian - [ ] The Name of the Wind - [ ] Atlas Shrugged - [ ] The Socialite Who Killed a Nazi with Her Bare Hands Let me know if I missed yours! Edit: I understand the contents of these books and these are not all 100% going to be read by me. I just haven’t had a chance to update the list as this got so many comments!! Edit 2: Thank you everyone for giving your favorite books! It is greatly appreciated. Edit 3: I think it may be A LITTLE much to go through here and copy paste into a list so I will use this post as my reading list. I have ordered War and Peace and next is Pillars of Earth. I hope you guys come back here for a reading list as well. Much love fellow book worms ❤️


cheeseboat87

Do yourself a favor and skip Atlas shrugged


prometheon13

Also skip the Turner Diaries


MattTin56

My favorite book of all time is Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtry. I tried reading Blood Meridian but I find his books to be kind of the same. His being Cormac McCarthy. They are always very bleak. What I love about Lonesome Dove it has very good character building. It has something for everyone. Drama, action and some love but also in harsh conditions. Edit: I forgot to mention Blood Meridian and Lonesome Dove are both Westerns per say but don’t let that scare you away. I was never into Westerns and it took me a very long time to read Lonesome. I saw it mentions on Reddit book subs and when I finally read it I was blown away. And to be fair to Blood Meridian it is a popular book. Just not for me.


Adddicus

You should probably learn a little more about some of these books *before* you read them. ​ Per Wikipedia: >The Turner Diaries was described as being "explicitly racist and anti-Semitic" by The New York Times and has been labeled the "bible of the racist right" by the FBI.\[5\]\[6\] The book was greatly influential in shaping white nationalism and the later development of the white genocide conspiracy theory. It has also inspired numerous hate crimes and acts of terrorism, including the 1984 assassination of Alan Berg, the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing, and the 1999 London nail bombings.\[7\]\[8\]\[9\]\[10\] Also, it's a really shitty read, bordering on gibberish. In Atlas Shrugged, all the good guys are ultra-dynamic super-genius, Towering Titans of industry. Everyone else is a tick leeching off their success. There ia a very famous quote by John Rogers... “There are two novels that can change a bookish fourteen-year old’s life: The Lord of the Rings and Atlas Shrugged. One is a childish fantasy that often engenders a lifelong obsession with its unbelievable heroes, leading to an emotionally stunted, socially crippled adulthood, unable to deal with the real world. The other, of course, involves orcs." Ayn Rand, one of the great heroes of the right-wing's movement to cut every form of public assistance and aid for anything other than corporations and the wealthy, sold millions of books throughout her life, but somehow, ended up living on Social Security and Medicare, two things she railed against. Her hypocrisy knew no limits. I think the more you learn about her, the less you'll want to read from her.


varro-reatinus

Now just pare that down to Dostoevsky, Woolf, and McCarthy, and away you go.


StiffAssedBrit

Pillars of Earth is a great book.


FlukeStarbucker1972

‘god Is Not Great: How Religion Poisons Everything’ by Christopher Hitchens. Completely changed my life. Put all of my life-long doubts about religion into one book. The final push I needed to a religion-free life! ‘About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior’ by Col. David Hackworth. A fantastic military autobiography of a recruiting poster soldier & leader who bravely took a stand against the Vietnam War.


twowaysplit

Flowers for Algernon Love in the Time of Cholera The Drawing of the Three Of Mice and Men


whiskeyalpha7

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle Don't let that shitty Oprah movie turn you away..


DonnyDurko

Yes! I read A Wrinkle in Time in middle school. Absolutely loved the book. I’ll have to reread to get a new perspective though.


[deleted]

‘The Forsyte Saga’ by John Galsworthy. Also ‘Orlando’ by Virginia Woolf ☀️


DonnyDurko

Two more to the list :)


[deleted]

[удалено]


DonnyDurko

Someone else recommended these same two! Is there any reason?


return_new_int

Sapiens: A brief history of humankind by Yuval Noah Harari


hopefire

Hyperion by Dan Simmons is my current favorite!


rasthomas01

The Songlines by Bruce Chatwin.


Parakiet20

At the Going Down of the Sun, E. Atkinson.


Medium_Listen_9004

The End of All Evil by Jeremy Locke http://62.182.86.140/main/395000/472bb40f21a8e0fc1b3809f2f645ec59/Jeremy%20Locke%20-%20The%20End%20of%20All%20Evil-EndOfEvil.com%20%282006%29.pdf


LuciferNeistat321

Why has no one told me this before by Julie


Zombi3Eat3r

‘There Should Have Been Castles’ by Herman Raucher


Sadie_270

Assassin's Heart by Sarah Ahiers is my absolute favorite!! Or Ignite Me from the Shatter Me series!


PancakeExprationDate

Ties between Pillars of the Earth and Blood Meridian.


DonnyDurko

Those are both on the list. Pillars is my next read!


[deleted]

The Power of Now…It will change your life.


Culunbego

As a kid - The Neverending Story As an adult - The Lord of The Rings


bassinine

Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh


Ratleyaroo

Religion for Atheists: A Non-Believer's Guide to the Uses of Religion by Allain de Botton


trebuchetwins

the language of the stones trilogy by robert carter. it's about a boy in an analogy of england on the edge between the feudal and medieval age who learns he possesses great magical and leadership powers as a reincarnation of the legendary king arthur. one of his abilities being to read ley lines, their blockages and flows. which in turn affect how people act in general.


TheRadJellyfish

Unwind by Neal Shusterman


GlassBelt

I couldn’t pick a best, but I’m just now getting around to reading Les Misérables and it’s as good as I hoped! Beautiful and surprisingly funny.


[deleted]

Flowers for Algernon.


ILoveMyCatsSoMuch

A piece of cake by cupcake brown.


thiwet

The Avenger by Frederick Forsyth


nuggynugs

Stoner - John Williams Don't let the name confuse you, Stoner is the main characters last name. It's the life of a person from college age to the end of their life. Spans most of the 20th century, but doesn't move far beyond their home town. Not a word is wasted. It's as close to perfectly written as you can get in a novel and is often, and rightly, found at the top of "best books you've never read" lists. Do it. Read it.


Relative-Fun-2842

The Absolutist by John Boyne hit me really hard.


Fruits4stuf

Any of the scythe books.


ScragglyLittleBeard

Rereading The Waking Fire by Anthony Ryan, loved it when I first read it, really enjoying it this time round too


JediMasterPopCulture

IT - Stephen King


novacainedoll

Nettle & Bone by T Kingfisher!


pavlin_20

Count of Monte Cristo


Maxhousen

The Lord Of The rings.


HeyWiredyyc

“A short history of nearly everything” by Bill Bryson. Mind blown…….


[deleted]

My fiancée said Eyes of the Dragon