What books do you consider a must-read in a lifetime?

Discussion in 'General' started by swp0525, Jan 23, 2010.

  1. swp0525

    swp0525 Well-Known Member

    I'm getting back into the reading habit, and am trying to compile a list of books that I haven't read, but must. Which books do you consider are a must-read in one's lifetime?
     
    1 person likes this.
  2. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    I'd say lovely bones. It's in theathers now.
     
    1 person likes this.
  3. MamaKimberlee

    MamaKimberlee Well-Known Member

    The Narnia Series
     
    1 person likes this.
  4. kingeomer

    kingeomer Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    I would agree with the Lovely Bones
    Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    Harry Potter series
    The Secret Life of Bees
    The Stand by Stephen King
    Any of Christopher Moore's books, he is pretty funny
     
    1 person likes this.
  5. Utopia122

    Utopia122 Well-Known Member

    I'm a classics person myself, so I'm going to have to say at least one book by the following:

    Jane Austen (personally Emma was my favorite)
    Charlotte Bronte (Jane Eyre--my all time fav)
    Emily Bronte
    Thomas Hardy (Mayor of Casterbridge and Tess of the d'Ubervilles)
    Charles Dickens--Just pick one, you won't be disappointed
     
    2 people like this.
  6. JandCsMom

    JandCsMom Well-Known Member

    Pride and Prejudice
    Anna Karenina
    Atlas Shrugged
    Outlander series
     
    1 person likes this.
  7. JDMummy

    JDMummy Well-Known Member

    Love the classics like Rach!

    For Dickens, I am pretty sure Tale of Two Cities is still my fav of his.
    Austen, Sense and Sensibility.
    I prefer Wuthering Heights to Jane Eyre.
    Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, Dr, Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    Barrie, Peter Pan
    Tolkien - don't forget the Hobbitt! I think I prefer that one. :)
     
    1 person likes this.
  8. swp0525

    swp0525 Well-Known Member

    Thanks everyone! I have read The Lovely Bones and do agree it's a must. I've read almost all of Dickens, and I agree Sarah, Tale of Two Cities is my favorite too. Loved Wuthering Heights too, but haven't tried anything else by Bronte. I will definitely give some of the new classics a try too. Haven't read the Narnia set since I was in grade school. I may start with them. I have an almost 9 year old blowing through the Harry Potter series right now. He's going to need a new series to start soon and I like to pre-read them.

    Wow, I tried to read Atlas Shrugged, twice(!), and could not get through the 1000+ pages. I'm :bow2: not worthy!! LOL!!

    Please keep them coming! I'm developing a great list!!!
     
  9. Utopia122

    Utopia122 Well-Known Member

    For your nine your old...The Lightning Thief series is amazing. Plus, the movie for the first book comes out in Feb.
     
  10. betha

    betha Well-Known Member

    I miss reading! I haven't read much at all in the past few years (a few magazines??). I'm putting my toe in the water and bought a book of short stories to read after the kids go to bed.

    Back when I was a reading fanatic, I used to try and read a lot of the Man Booker prize winners and the Pulitzer prize winners. It was interesting and challenging.

    http://www.powells.com/prizes/prizes.html

    If I think of anything more specific, I'll let you know (fuzzy brain).
     
  11. *Sully*

    *Sully* Well-Known Member

    The time traveler's wife by Audrey Niffenegger

    I totally agree with Chris Moore! Great author and really fun reads. All of them.

    Other authors that I recommend:

    Alice Hoffman
    Margaret Atwood
    Tom Robbins
    Jodi Picoult
     
  12. moski

    moski Well-Known Member TS Moderator

    Gone with the Wind is one of my all time favorites.

    One Flew over the Cuckoo's Nest
    To Kill a Mockingbird
    The Help (AWESOME book)
    For a classic: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer is a great book.

    Some chick books that I love:
    Bridget Jones Diary
    Confessions of a Shopaholic and Shopaholic Takes Manhattan (there are more, but these two are the best in the series).

    I also like Jodi Picoult's books. And Nelson Demille and Jeffrey Archer have some really good books.

    I'll try to think of some more.
     
  13. Mama_Kim

    Mama_Kim Well-Known Member

    Some of my all-time favorites:

    To Kill a Mockingbird
    The Time Traveler's Wife
    The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio
    The entire LOTR series
    The entire Harry Potter series
    The Poisonwood Bible
    Like Water for Chocolate
    Bridget Jones' Diary
    James' Herriott's entire series, beginning with All Things Bright and Beautiful (if you're an animal lover)
    The Red Tent
    Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series (total chick lit, lol)
    Cutting for Stone (twins are part of story line)
    White Oleander
    The Secret Lilfe of Bees
     
  14. JandCsMom

    JandCsMom Well-Known Member

    Oooo, Kim's right--I forgot about Cutting for Stone. I just finished it and it's a great read. Plus, it's twin-themed.
     
  15. Mellizos

    Mellizos Well-Known Member

    Lord of the Flies
    Catcher in the Rye
    Anything Mark Twain wrote - I like Puddin Head Wilson
    Grapes of Wrath
    Of Mice and Men
    Uncle Tom's Cabin
    My Antonia
    Narnia series
    If you like Sophie Kinsella (the Shopaholic series), try Marion Keyes.
    Most of Jane Austen - Pride and Prejudice is my favorite.
    Memories of a Geisha
    Three Swans (3 generations of Chinese women: grandmother, mother, daughter)
    An Innocent Man - John Grisham nofiction that details how the criminal justice system can go terribly wrong.
    Little House series - though you're probably now a little old ;)
    David McCullough historical nonfiction. A fantastic bio of Pres John Adams. Or try 1776.
     
  16. Utopia122

    Utopia122 Well-Known Member


    Love the Hobbit! I have read it about three times and it never gets old.

    Lord of the Flies is one I need to put on my list!
     
  17. Code

    Code Well-Known Member

    Jodi Picoult books ALL
    Go ask Alice - a true story, amazing!

    Can't think at the moment I'll be back :)
     
  18. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    I second Jodi Picolt and Cutting for Stone. Picolt's last book and cutting for stone i both did as audio.
     
  19. Code

    Code Well-Known Member

    Is audio good? Is it the author speaking or someone else?? I was greatfully lucky to meet her 2 years ago! :)
     
  20. Cristina

    Cristina Well-Known Member

    My favorite author of all time: Irving Stone
    Every one of his books, but Agony and the Ecstasy is by far my favorite.

    I, Judas by Taylor Caldwell (I like most of her books too)
     
  21. swp0525

    swp0525 Well-Known Member

    Thank you again, everyone! I'm off to the library this afternoon with a great list in hand!!
     
  22. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    I like audio because I can do more than just read. The curring for stone audio is awesome. Authors rarely do their own audio. If I remember jodi picolt has more than one reader(at least a guy and a girl)
     
  23. Code

    Code Well-Known Member

    Hmm interesting, I may give it a go :)
     
  24. TwinxesMom

    TwinxesMom Well-Known Member

    Most of the hard cover release of books I try for in audio. I just finished jd robb's kindred in death and have michael criton (sp) last book pirate latitudes ready for pickup at the library. it's nice because i can put it on my iphone and go or listen in the care.
     
  25. carilberry

    carilberry Well-Known Member

    My three all time favorite classic books are:

    Rebecca
    East of Eden
    The Heart is a Lonely Hunter
     
  26. ldrane

    ldrane Well-Known Member

    I would 2nd the "Time Traveler's Wife"...good read! I read "Lovely Bones" and honestly I don't get what all the hype is about. I thought it was strange and not all that great. :pardon:

    Some real life reads that I recommend:

    Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert
    and
    Randy Pausch's "The Last Lecture"
     
  27. momofangels

    momofangels Well-Known Member

    The hobbit, and the Lord of the Rings Trilogy.
     
Loading...
Similar Threads Forum Date
Baby Memory Books? General Jan 5, 2017
Library books Childhood and Beyond (4+) Aug 28, 2016
Non-scary books for 5yr old boys Childhood and Beyond (4+) Feb 20, 2014
Books on starting school Childhood and Beyond (4+) Aug 7, 2013
Favorite books.... The Toddler Years(1-3) Jul 16, 2013

Share This Page