Right then ladies and gents- let's have your favourite fiction, and non-fiction, book of all time and why.

My fav fiction- Gardens of the Moon by Steven Erikson. Why? It's genuinely awe-inspiring epic fantasy- truly to be lost in, and makes real life seem a very dull place.

My fav non-fiction- Wasted by Marya Hornbacher. Why? Her memoirs of her battle with anorexia are painfully detailed in all their 'glory' and if you've ever suffered with self-destructive tendencies there's a lot to be recognised.

 

Wow - no-one I speak to has ever heard of Wasted so I am glad its not just me that loves that book - In the same style of self destruction "bloodletting" is a very good account of Self harm (again if anyone wants a lend let me know"

Hmm favourite books I have soo many. Love all the Jodi Picoult books and Hannahs Gift (i sobbed from start to end)

Take Care

Tracie xx

My favourite fiction book of all time is Mine, by Robert R McCamon (link to Synopsis here: http://www.robertmccammon.com/novels/mine.html). BUT I read it around 10 years ago so I don't remember too much about it, other than it's stuck in my mind as the best book I've ever read.

Non-fiction: 2 books - One Child and Tiger's Child, both by Torey Hayden. Torey is a special needs educator & is given the 'dregs of society' (the book's words) to teach, including Sheila, a 6 year old who tried to burn a toddler to death ...... Sheila has been so badly abused that she's a complete head-case, but she has an IQ that's off the record. The abuse that this girl suffered will move you to tears.

This is a TRUE story. One child is mainly about Sheila's year in Torey's class & Tiger's Child is a continuation into adulthood of the girl. You can read more about Torey Hayden's books here: http://www.torey-hayden.com/the_books.htm I had to read both books in one sitting, they're just so compelling.

I've still to read her other books.

My favourite book of all time is Wuthering Heights.  I just find it so moving and romantic, and sums up how love is really, I can read it a thousand times and never get bored of it.  It's such a shame that it was Emily Bronte's only book.

Benjamin William - Benjamin and I part II

Hard to say really as I have so many faves,  but the ones that first sprung to mind are:

Fiction - In Cold Blood, Truman Capote.

Non-fiction - The Executioners Song, Norman Mailer.  This is about Gary Gilmore and what happened before he was sentenced to death and then his story on death row.  It really affected me and made me think about capital punishment.


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Memoirs of a Geisha for fiction - it was a book that I couldn't stop reading but didn't want to end... I am wondering if the new film could possibly live up to it?

Non-fiction is more tricky. Perhaps 'Duende' - can't remember the name of the guy who wrote it but it's about a guy who goes to live in Spain to play the guitar and learn all about duende ... difficult to explain but a funny and also serious read.

Sam x

Fiction - I often find books I cant put down. I'm not sure what my fave would be. Probably the St Claires series by Enid Blyton, I still re-read all of these from time to time!

Non Fitction - Emma and I by Sheila Hocken. It's about a woman who lost her sight very early in life, about her first ever guide dog Emma, meeting her husband having her child, working for a living etc. Very moving and totally fascinating. There are follow up books and she eventually got an operation that restored her sight. I recently wrote to her and she wrote back. I first read the books at about age 8 or 9 and I've re-read them many times.

Beloved by Toni Morrison...stunning shocking book.

The Blind Assassin/The Handmaid's Tale (both Margaret Atwood)

Wuthering Heights...I find it incredibly disturbing and provocative for it's time.

To Kill a Mockingbird...did this at school, and I still love it now. Very powerful.

Kelly xx

Lord of the Rings I've read most but other favourites include Magician by Raymond E Feist and Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel

Favourite children's book is The BFG.

Adult book, hmm anything I'm reading it changes so often.

Emma x

tbh i probs only read fiction books, part from World War 1 books but don't tend to read them as often but gotta say fav book of all time is The Pact by Jodi Picoultbut then love My Sisters Keeper by her lol, just had to sell them  on ebay to make room for new books.

Fee 

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>Lord of the Rings I've read most but other favourites include Magician
>by Raymond E Feist and Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel
>
>

OMG someone else who likes Jean M Auel - I have the whole set of clan books, waited for years for her to finish no.5 Shelters of Stone. I first read Clan of the Cave Bear some 15 or more years ago when a friend lent it to me...was hooked immediately!

>Fiction - I often find books I cant put down. I'm not sure what my fave would
>be. Probably the St Claires series by Enid Blyton, I still re-read all of these
>from time to time!

PMSL!!

i LOVE the St Claires series!!!!!!!

i have all the Magic Faraway Tree ones too- for my dd of course

Anyway

my fave book of all time has to be Along Came A Spider - by James Patterson

Stace x x x

>OMG someone else who likes Jean M Auel - I have the whole set of clan books,
>waited for years for her to finish no.5 Shelters of Stone. I first read Clan of
>the Cave Bear some 15 or more years ago when a friend lent it to me...was
>hooked immediately!
>
The first book I think is the best of the series, I was a bit disappointed with Shelters of stone, still can't wait for the next one though!! Yikes it was the summer of 84 when I read Clan of the Cave bear - on holiday and I borrowed it off some one else on the boat!! Dh has read most of the books too - he enjoyed them but not his first choice!!

>>Fiction - I often find books I cant put down. I'm not sure what my fave
>would >be. Probably the St Claires series by Enid Blyton, I still re-read
>all of these >from time to time!
>PMSL!!
>i LOVE the St Claires series!!!!!!!
>i have all the Magic Faraway Tree ones too- for my dd of course
>Anyway
>my fave book of all time has to be Along Came A Spider - by James Patterson
>Stace x x x

I'd forgotten St Claires - I loved that series, come to think of it I still have them all on the loft!!!
As for magic faraway tree I have read it to the kids 3 times now, I loved all the Enid Blyton books, Famous five, secret seven etc etc!!!!

My favourite book is called Sarem - I can't think who wrote it and am too lazy to go look on the bookcase. Its a story about the changing face of salisbury, starts way back with cavemen and everything living on sarem plains, right up to modern day.  Its amazingly educational too. lol.
I also really like Noah Gordons trilogy about the physician, it starts with the tale of a young barber surgeon who travels abroad to train as a physician and the following books are about the next generations of his family - all with this amazing gift of healing.  Another very educational book too.
Sandra xx

Never ending story - so magical, the film didn't do the book justice at all.  I find films seldom do, do books they are based on justice though.

 

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I'm with those that said Wuthering Heights. Did anyone else go to see Cliff Richard's stage show of it?

mousy

My favourite fiction book has to be Lord of the Rings!  I've re-read it several times since I was 14.

My favourite non-fiction is Evelyn, by Evelyn Doyle

I have so many favourites. I have liked any of the books I have read, for different reason. Love Ian Rankin or Lynda La Plante the best.

 

My favourite has got to be The Thorn Birds i have read it countless times and i never get bored of reading it

Andrea x

I have enjoyed too many fiction books to choose just one, Chocolat was good, I didn't think that I would like it and I was very pleasantly surprised, I think thats why I remember it as being one of my fave's.

My fave non ficton book is probably the Betty Schimmel story (about a young Jewish girls experiences in world war 2) very moving and really tells the horrors of what went on.

Sandie xx

Should also have said that the Acid house by Irvine Welsh is one of my favourite books, it's unbelievably funny and I read it in less than a day.

Sandie xx

I also have all the clan of the cave bear books, am only on book three at the mo, but they are very good!!

Fiction - A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving. (Not a book to read on your way home from work on the tube, unless you are relaxed about laughing and crying in front of strangers!).

For light reading I think it's hard to beat Ian Rankin.

Non-fiction - I have two favourites that I go back to again and again: The Blind Watchmaker by Richard Dawkins, and Guns Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond.

Alison C xxx

dd 4 1/2
ds nearly 3

Arcadia by Jim Crace is an amazing book. Every time I re-read it I'm struck by new things.

I don't tend to read non-fiction since finishing university, but I'll have a think about it. I do remember reading a book called The Forms and Orders of Western Liturgy 800 - 1500 which, despite its title, was fascinating!

jennyx

I don't think I could name my favourite fiction book of all times, there are so many I've loved.

My favourite non-fiction book is The Jigsaw Man by Paul  Britton - the criminal psychologist who worked on crimes such as Fre and Rosemary Wests, The Wimbledon Common murder and lots of other horrific crimes.  It's a simply fascinating book and I would recommend it to anyone.

Little Roo

Ellie008 - I love that Paul Britton book too, it is fascinating!! Have you read his second one, called Picking Up The Pieces?? Very good and slightly different to the first, with more cases from his clinical work.

I can't name a favourite book as I love loads, depending what I'm in the mood for!

Sarah xx

Fiction - Gone with the Wind is my all time favourite, but also love Lord of the Rings, The Chronicles of Narnia and Jane Eyre

Non-fiction - Margot Fonteyn (biography) - she was the greatest ballerina ever and had a really eventful life.

Children's fiction - The Secret Garden and Tom's Midnight Garden

I LOVE reading but don't get much chance to read these days - by the time the children have gone to bed I'm too tired!

Maria

Childrens books, I loved the Famous Five and still have most of them and Mallory Towers was an alltime fave, still have them and would love a daughter to pass them onto!!!

Favourite of alltime so far would have to be The Diary of Anne Frank

Vickie

Toby Hope

I absolutely loved The Faraway Tree series when I was a kid... I still remember them now... Moonface climbing up the tree to whatever land was passing by next.  It's the only book that has made that much of an impression on me that I remember clear details 30 years on...!!!!

 

Officially doing our Adoption Home Study...OMG!!!

It's really hard to think of favourite books, I tend to like different ones at different times.  I would say "Sophie's World" by Jostein Gaarder, "The Women's Room" by Marilyn French, anything by Jane Austen, Jane Eyre (but I never liked any of Charlotte Bronte's others) and I'm sure some others will come to mind later on!