# Your top 5 favorite books of all time **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 16, 2009, 4:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049 "2009-02-16T04:39:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Shodan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Shodan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shodan)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/141 "2009-02-18T22:05:02Z")
Assuming fiction only, and my favorites - not the best, my favorites. These can’t be ordered. [ul][li]_Pride and Prejudice_ - Jane Austen[/li][li]I got the first three Hornblower novels (_Beat to Quarters, Ship of the Line_, and _Flying Colors_) together in one book from my dad, so that counts as one - _Captain Horatio Hornblower_ - C.S.Forrester[/li][li]_The Maltese Falcon_ - Dashiell Hammett[/li][li]_From Russia With Love_ - Ian Fleming[/li][li]There is about a twenty-seven way tie for fifth[/ul][/li] Regards, Shodan ---
**Author:** ![Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f19dbf/32.png) [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Only_Mostly_Dead)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/142 "2009-02-18T22:31:39Z")
I truly feel like a geek when I compose my list. I read from so many genres, but fantasy and science fiction just capture my imagination like nothing else. 1. Brave New World - Aldous Huxley A compelling story that works today just as well as ever. Well written and clever and thought-provoking and haunting. 2. Lord of the Rings - J.R.R. Tolkien My five strongly skew toward fantasy (and if I could expand the list out to more than five, science fiction), and LotR is the giant on whose shoulders all other fantasy stands. 3. The Baroque Cycle - Neal Stephenson Though I liked the first two-thirds of _Cryptonomicon_ better, this is just such a sprawling, detailed, amazing world that Stephenson envisioned, while taking nothing away from the real history it mirrors; quite the opposite, it makes the actual history that much more interesting to research. 4. The Once and Future King - T.H. White As a child, the Arthurian legend absolutely enchanted me. It waned over time, but reading OaFK brings back that feeling full force every time I read it (about once a year). 5. A Midsummer Night’s Dream - William Shakespeare If we can call a play a book. My first exposure to it was in reading Shakespeare’s comedies, then later seeing (and acting in) performances of it. The stories interplay wonderfully, the mundane and magical are woven so intricately, and the play-within-a-play of Pyramus and Thisbe is guaranteed to make me laugh out loud any time I read it. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/143 "2009-02-18T22:37:30Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Didn’t it come out a few years ago that Conroy’s “non-fiction” was more in the vein of James Frey? I seem to remember a review of _My Losing Season_ that suggested many details didn’t jibe with reality. Well, I take it back. I think I found the review I remember, and there is nothing to suggest that _My Losing Season_ wasn’t accurate. It did say it wasn’t very good, though. -d&r ---
**Author:** ![tiescore](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/4bbf92/32.png) [@tiescore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiescore)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/144 "2009-02-18T22:40:55Z")
\*\*Watership Down \*\* is over a 1000 pages about rabbits… and when you read the last word you’ll flip back to page one… I did. It ranks about #6 or 7 on my list… beat out by these restarts: 1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to The Galaxy -Adams 2. Shogun -Clavell (A Children’s Story is in the top 10 too) 3. Cold Mountain - Frazier 4. Where the Sidewalk Ends - Silverstein 5. Don’t Bend Over in the Garden Granny, You Know Them Tatters Have Eyes - Grizzard ---
**Author:** ![wonderlust](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonderlust/32/7237_2.png) [@wonderlust](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonderlust)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/145 "2009-02-18T23:13:02Z")
I love this thread! You’ve reminded me of so many unread books on my shelves, now moved up in the priority queue. Among my favorites, these that come to mind or were otherwise highly influential upon my reading life: 1. [Boy’s Life](http://www.amazon.com/Boys-Life-Robert-McCammon/dp/1416577785/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234998077&sr=1-1) - Robert McCammon I’m so glad to see it mentioned here, as I buy a few copies at a time to press upon people. 2. [The Jaguar Hunter](http://www.amazon.com/Jaguar-Hunter-Lucius-Shepard/dp/1568581866/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234998002&sr=1-3) - Lucius Shepard This is a starting point, and another one I buy extra copies of. I only just discovered this writer within the last couple of years, and I believe he’s the finest writer I’ve ever come across. He has an extraordinary clarity of insight about people and a social conscience as powerful as his words and his massive mind. He primarily writes short fiction, and this is the first collection he published. Also his novel, [An American Handbook of Prayer](http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-American-Prayer-Novel/dp/1568582811/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234997945&sr=8-7), is highly, highly recommended. 3. [Neverwhere](http://www.amazon.com/Neverwhere-Novel-Neil-Gaiman/dp/0060557818/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234998135&sr=1-1) - Neil Gaiman He gets an A for sheer imagination, despite a few less wonderful parts. This got me to explore dark fantasy, which I had previously been afraid to try. His scenes of the traveling market and the black bridge still haunt me. 4. [Poisonwood Bible](http://www.amazon.com/Poisonwood-Bible-Novel-P-S/dp/0060786507/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234998212&sr=1-1) - Barbara Kingsolver This introduced me to an entire world of contemporary literary fiction. 5. [Neuromancer](http://www.amazon.com/Neuromancer-William-Gibson/dp/0441012035/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1234998297&sr=1-1) - William Gibson Amazing even now. - Amazon puts a “P.S” after some book titles. Does anyone know what that means? \* I wish this thread would be stickied so it could go on forever! Oh, and I’m 53. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/146 "2009-02-18T23:23:28Z")
This is tough. In no particular order: 1. Cryptonomicon, Neal Stephenson. 2. Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch; Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. 3. Live From New York: An Uncensored History of Saturday Night Live. I love SNL. What can I say? 4. IT, Stephen King. I read it when I was 10, which maybe caused it to have more of an emotional impact than it would have if I’d waited until I was older. 5. A Wrinkle in Time, Madeleine L’Engle. (Surprised?) I feel like my list is really low-brow compared to some of y’all’s. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/147 "2009-02-18T23:30:33Z")
> [@wonderlust](#): > > - Amazon puts a “P.S” after some book titles. Does anyone know what that means? \* That appears to refer to the supplements that are included in some Harper Perennial Modern Classics editions, including the Barbara Kingsolver you linked to. Note the “P.S.” logo in the bottom right corner of the cover illustration. I think their including this in the title listing was probably an error–I don’t see it on others in the series. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [February 18, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/148 "2009-02-18T23:58:10Z")
> [@wonderlust](#): > > - Amazon puts a “P.S” after some book titles. Does anyone know what that means? \* P.S. means that there is extra material at the back of the book, usually an interview with the author and some book club questions. [http://www.harpercollins.com/footer/release.aspx?id=274&b=&year=2004](http://www.harpercollins.com/footer/release.aspx?id=274&b=&year=2004) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/149 "2009-02-19T00:31:01Z")
> [@Only\_Mostly\_Dead](#): > > …4. The Once and Future King - T.H. White > As a child, the Arthurian legend absolutely enchanted me. It waned over time, but reading OaFK brings back that feeling full force every time I read it (about once a year)… I hope you’ll take a look at Thomas Berger’s _Arthur Rex_, which is a great retelling of Arthurian legend - wry and funny, but essentially respectful. I discovered it in high school and still re-read it from time to time. Berger is perhaps best known for writing _Little Big Man_, which took on Wild West mythology with a similar approach. **Erdosain** , I’d never heard anyone suggest that Conroy’s _My Losing Season_ was fictionalized. If you don’t like it, my apologies. I thought it was very good, and really provided some good insights into his inspiration(s) for _The Lords of Discipline_. ---
**Author:** ![Nautilus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nautilus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nautilus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/150 "2009-02-19T02:05:52Z")
This is difficult. In no particular order: 1. Catch-22 - Joseph Heller 2. East of Eden - John Steinbeck 3. Watership Down - Richard Adams 4. Chasing Vermeer - Blue Balliet 5. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte There’s more variety here than I thought there would be. ---
**Author:** ![statij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@statij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statij)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/151 "2009-02-19T02:13:07Z")
> [@AuntiePam](#): > > Ha! It’s probably a waste of time for books that are out of print, but I plan on pimping all his books. Robertson didn’t even have a Wiki page until recently. > > I ordered _The Brothers K_ yesterday and will bump it to the top of the TBR. I’ll let you off the hook on _Paradise Falls_ since it’s OOP and it’s quite long – but _The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread_ is in print and it’s a lot shorter. It’s as good as _Paradise Falls_ and as a coming-of-age story, it rocks. I just realized that I picked up _The Greatest Thing Since Sliced Bread_ out of curiosity at the bookstore recently and almost bought it on a whim. It sounds great, I’m adding this one to my list too. Enjoy _The Brothers K_. I’m so jealous of anyone reading this for the first time. While I’m here, my top 5 non-fiction, in no order: 1. The Demon-Haunted World, Sagan 2. The Beak of the Finch, Jonathan Weiner 3. Godel, Escher, Bach, Hofstadter 4. The Forgotten Soldier, Guy Sajer 5. The Shock Doctrine, Naomi Klein ---
**Author:** ![Frostillicus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Frostillicus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frostillicus)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/152 "2009-02-19T03:25:55Z")
In reading over this thread, it occurs to me that there are millions of people out there who never, ever read books. I feel really sorry for them. And yes, now I need to order \*\*Watership Down \*\*and find out what the fuss is all about. ---
**Author:** ![statij](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c2a13f/32.png) [@statij](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/statij)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/153 "2009-02-19T03:32:13Z")
5 books on my to-read list which I know will make a serious run at my top 5: 1. 2666, Roberto Bolano. I can’t wait to read this, the reviews I’ve read are pretty convincing. 2. Watership Down 3. Gone Away World, Harkaway. Just starting and loving 4. Sometimes a Great Notion, Kesey 5. Cloud Atlas, David Mitchell ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/154 "2009-02-19T03:47:09Z")
1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn - Betty Smith 2. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings - Maya Angelou 3. Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen 4. A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson 5. Hardwired - Walter Jon Williams I also have to slip in anything by Ursula K. Le Guin, especially her Hainish cycle stories. The only reason she didn’t butt in to the top five is because I couldn’t pick any one book over another. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/155 "2009-02-19T04:43:14Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > 1. A Short History of Nearly Everything - Bill Bryson Oh, Lord yes. I forgot about this one. I could read it a million times over. I know there are some factual errors in it, but the writing is just so good. I think it might be Bryson’s best work. ---
**Author:** ![Erdosain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/erdosain/32/7284_2.png) [@Erdosain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Erdosain)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/156 "2009-02-19T05:41:58Z")
> [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](#): > > **Erdosain** , I’d never heard anyone suggest that Conroy’s _My Losing Season_ was fictionalized. If you don’t like it, my apologies. I thought it was very good, and really provided some good insights into his inspiration(s) for _The Lords of Discipline_. Sorry, **Elendil’s Heir** , I must have conflated Conroy with someone else. Now you’re going to make me feel guilty about maligning him erroneously (and without reading him). I won’t read a book that’s been turned into a Streisand movie! I won’t do it! ---
**Author:** ![koeeoaddi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/koeeoaddi/32/408_2.png) [@koeeoaddi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/koeeoaddi)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 5:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/157 "2009-02-19T05:42:23Z")
**Soldier of the Great War** - Mark Helprin **English Passengers** - Matthew Kneale **The Sea, The Sea** - Iris Murdoch **Pride and Prejudice** - Jame Austen **Going After Cacciato** - Tim O’Brien Honorable Mentions: **Winter’s Tale** - Mark Helprin **Dispatches** - Michael Herr **Rebecca** - Daphne du Maurier ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/158 "2009-02-19T13:15:07Z")
> [@Erdosain](#): > > Sorry, **Elendil’s Heir** , I must have conflated Conroy with someone else. Now you’re going to make me feel guilty about maligning him erroneously (and without reading him). I won’t read a book that’s been turned into a Streisand movie! I won’t do it! Your loss – _Prince of Tides_ is a really good book. (Which, admittedly, I read before Babs got her hands on it.) ---
**Author:** ![martu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e0b2c6/32.png) [@martu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/martu)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/159 "2009-02-19T14:51:09Z")
1. Watchmen - Moore 2. The Ancestor’s Tale - Dawkins 3. Excession - Banks 4. The Lord of the Rings - Tolkien 5. Small Gods - Pratchett ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2009, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049/160 "2009-02-19T15:09:32Z")
In my case, I have several authors who have written more than 5 books that could probably lock up the top 5 all by their lonesomes. So rather than pick one, I’ll just phrase them differently. The writings of Terry Pratchett The writings of L. E. Modessit, Jr. (Recluce) The writings of David and Leigh Eddings The writings of Tony Hillerman Atlas Shrugged. Incredibly and frightening prophetic. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/your-top-5-favorite-books-of-all-time/486049.md?page=9)