Definitely Watchmen.
Farenheit 451 and The Martian Chronicles. both by Ray Bradbury.
The Veldt, a short story by Bradbury
The Nine Billion Names of God by Arthur C. Clarke
Ultimately, however, the one I remember best is a short story by Roald Dahl wherein a woman murders her husband with a leg of lamb and proceeds to serve said chop to the police. I do not remember the title, but the story stayed with me from my first reading of it at nine years of age until now.
The Iliad
The Odyssey
the Sandman series
the Chronicles of Narnia
Comic: Lone Wolf and Cub
Short Story: “The Silence” by Haruki Murakami
Novel: “Midnight’s Children” by Salman Rushdie
Wow. I came into this thread to post my favorite short story, All Summer in a Day.
I think the sun is a flower,
That blooms for just one hour.
I read it in 6th grade and it has stayed with me ever since.
The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
Hard.
General fiction: Red and Black by Stendhal.
Science fiction: Ender’s game
Fantasy: Lotr, of course
Non fiction: A distant mirror by Barbara Touchman
Short story: Well my favourite author is Jorge Luis Borges, he writes stories that has a lot of fantasy in them, my favourite is
Ficciones (short sory collection. sorry I don’t know how to link it)http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0802130305/qid=1028755732/sr=1-2/ref=sr_1_2/002-6495394-2112001
If I may add another category to my earliest post:
Young Adult: Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. Read this for an eighth grade English class, and it has never left me. The last few pages contain some of the most haunting prose I’ve ever read. I still keep a copy of this book my shelf today.
Oh, and My Name Is Asher Lev. I’m Potok-obsessed right now. Probably Deerskin by Robin McKinley, too.
Bluebeard by Kurt Vonnegut
Mine would have to be Franz Kafka’s The Trial, particularly the story of the man who seeks the law. After reading this story, I went out and joined the army, because I didn’t want to wind up like Josef K. OK, there were other reasons, too, but I think Kafka is what tipped the scales. (Along with Hemingway. People do some strange things after reading Hemingway.) Anyway, it’s a haunting novel, and now that my life is starting to wind down into a comfortable routine, it’s probably going to remain the novel with the most significance in my life.
Harry Potter series, natch.
i think the novles “the stand” and “fight club” really change the way you look at the world. even if its only for a while, you still think differently.
also the short story, “the most dangerous game” i think the way of short stories, its a keeper. also many Poe stories are worth reading.
sistercoyote:
Lamb to the Slaughter.
Aw geez. . .
LOTR, mos def. Ender’s Game, the His Dark Materials books. The Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler resonated with me for some reason; “the destiny of earth is to take root in the stars” may well be my last and parting words. Guns, Germs, and Steel is really good for nonfiction… I always thought Dandelion Wine captured the essence of summer, thus making it very memorable…
I guess most memorable for me would be Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman. When I first read it, I thought it was just a light, almost trivial, comedy, but I’m constantly seeing things that remind me of it.
Childhood:
The Dark Is Rising by Susan Cooper. Positively one of the freakiest books/series I’ve ever come across in my life. I picked up volume II (first one with Will) just at random out of the elementary library and have rarely been more enthralled. The whole series is highly recommended, but that one has always remained my favorite.
Adulthood:
Little, Big by John Crowley. Those who’ve read it know why; those who haven’t have no idea what they’re missing. A truly marvelous book in every sense of the word.
[sub]It seems this one was on Fenris’ reading list. I wonder if he’s gotten to it yet.[/sub]
I’ve read a few books that leaving me thinking for a good while after I finish them (either from depression, fear, anger…blah, blah, blah)
In the Fear category: The Thief of Always by Clive Barker. I read that in my 7th grade English class. The book engulfed me…so did the nightmares.
In the Depresson category: Hearts in Atlantis by Stephen King. I never thought that I would be so depressed as to shed a tear or two when I got through with a book. Again, the book engulfed me…so did the depression.
In the Anger category: The Sun Also Rises by Hemingway. I did everything I could to keep from screaming at Jake at the end of that book…reason being: we’re nearly identical twins.(Notice that I said NEARLY. Some parts of my…“character” are still in tact, if you know what I mean.) I really could put myself in his shoes. I got so mad at him, then I got mad at myself for being just like him…Grrrrrrr, Hemingway! You and your psycho/emotional twists!
And another to add to the Fear category: The Giver by Louis Lowry. 8th grade reading. The first time I was introduced to the idea of the state being able to control people’s mind. Creepy.
And I’ve read a lot of other great books, but, I don’t want to take up the entire page, so, I’ll stop myself now.
Catch-22 is the most memorable book I’ve ever read. It’s totally insane, but it’s just sane enough that you can’t shake the felling that it might actually happen.
In science fiction, Hyperion, by Dan Simmons. In fantasy, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets. In short stories, The Most Dangerous Game.
Copy that.
The Trial is probably the most memorable book I’ve ever read. I always find myself thinking about it.
LOTR
The Chronicles of Narnia
The Prydain Chronicles
Grendel
Bridge to Terabithia - I still have dreams about this book