Favourite novel?

[JaneEyre]

Why on earth is "Heart of Darkness" on the list? I've just finished it, having been inspired to read it by the recent R4 production of Orson Welles' screenplay. It's an absolute stinker. I was expecting better, we did "The Secret Agent" at school a few decades ago and that's a hundred times better. HOD is definitely one of those books that's flattered by its screen adaptations.

The ranking has been made by writers from around the world – excluding the UK. That may explain the presence of "Heart of Darkness" on the list.

Also the word "favourite" is ambiguous and subjective, a favourite may be a book that inspired you, made you laugh or cry or had you pinned to the edge of your seat, but it may also be a book that brings back fond memories that have little to do with script but rather more to do with where or when it was read or even the person who gave you the book.
Most importantly a personal list of favourites should never be criticised by others, it's an emotional choice and very individual opinion that reflects that person's feelings in the snapshot of time they wrote it.

+ 1
But I do also find this kind of lists useful as they do help me to get some ideas of reading material from time to time.

I also think that there are some books that we may dislike at first but once we are really introduced to the literary devices and read them in depth then our perception of them can be completely changed. I have been through such transformation of opinion with Of Mice and Men (American, not British lit).
My first contact with this novel had been through the film more than a decade ago and I was understanding only half of it or even less as there were no English subtitles to help me to understand the dialogues at high speed. Therefore, the scene when Curley’s wife dies prompted me to take the VHS tape out of the VCR and I didn’t even finished watching the film.

I was a bit apprehensive at the prospect of having to study this novel and the beginning has been a bit hard for me to take in all the swear words and I could not ‘see’ George’s affection towards Lennie whilst he repeatedly called him a ******* and other horrible names. However, thanks to the guidance of an excellent tutor and the HW given, I came at last to understand the characters more in depth and analysing closely some pages from a literary point of view has really changed my opinion about the book: I do now find it very intelligently crafted and beautifully written (though I would still have preferred George not to insult Lennie most of the time!).

The page with the personification of silence when Carlson take Candy’s dog to shoot it for mercy will stay with me as my favourite one of the book…
He (carlson) led the dog out into the darkness. George followed to the door and shut the door and set the latch gently in its place. Candy lay rigidly on his bed staring at the ceiling.

Slim said loudly, "One of my lead mules got a bad hoof. Got to get some tar on it." His voice trailed off. It was silent outside.

Carlson's footsteps died away. The silence came into the room. And the silence lasted.

George chuckled, "I bet Lennie's right out there in the barn with his pup. He won't want to come in here no more now he's got a pup." Slim said, "Candy, you can have any one of them pups you want."

Candy did not answer. The silence fell on the room again. It came out of the night and invaded the room.

George said, "Anybody like to play a little euchre?"

"I'll play out a few with you," said Whit.

They took places opposite each other at the table under the light, but George did not shuffle the cards. He rippled the edge of the deck nervously, and the little snapping noise drew the eyes of all the men in the room, so that he stopped doing it. The silence fell on the room again. A minute passed, and another minute. Candy lay still, staring at the ceiling. Slim gazed at him for a moment and then looked down at his hands; he subdued one hand with the other, and held it down. There came a little gnawing sound from under the floor and all the men looked down toward it gratefully. Only Candy continued to stare at the ceiling.

( Of Mice and Men has not entered my list of favourite books, but at least, I can now appreciate it and have pleasure reading it)

Having failed my own challenge to read W & P by the time I hit 50 I am very pleased to hear that the BBC are helping me out by screening a TV adaptation in the New Year

I know what P&P is... but I do not know what W&P is... Can anyone help me on that one please?

[999 mum]

... but I do not know what W&P is... Can anyone help me on that one please?

War and Peace (maybe)

Thanks for the heads up about it being on TV in the New Year (I haven't read it either!)

[JaneEyre]

War and Peace (maybe)
Thanks for the heads up about it being on TV in the New Year (I haven't read it either!)

Oh yes! of course... I still haven't read it either...

[BucksBornNBred]

I really couldn't get into War and Peace, though I tried. I might just watch the adaptation.

I cried so much when I read Frankenstein, and I found Dracula a really good read too; not a bit like the modern interpretation (except for the most recent film) Strange how something you hated at school can be a joy in later life

[doodles]

Definitely is War and Peace. I'm looking forward to watching rather than reading. I tried and tried to read it but felt like I needed a notebook beside me to keep the story line straight in my head

I've inspired myself to re-read Diary of a Nobody again

[inkypinkyponky]

With you on that one as my all time favourite is "Good Omens"!

I love 'Good Omens' too and have to read it a couple of times a year, it's brilliant!

My favourite book at Christmas is 'Father Christmas needs a Wee', anyone else read this literary classic?

[doodles]

Oh yes, many times!!

[Proud_Dad]

This list of favourite paperbacks by WH Smith probably gives a truer reflection of the books people actually like rather than the ones that they think they are supposed to like:

http://blog.whsmith.co.uk/the-best-pape ... ed-by-you/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Interestingly it doesn't include any of the top 3 on the other list but still has quite a few classics along with more modern stuff.

[southbucks3]

I've inspired myself to re-read Diary of a Nobody again

[/quote]

I love that book.....so funny! I love the three men and a boat books too, in fact fake, or even true but romanticised diaries and fictional autobiographies rate very highly on my lists, I wonder why? Actually I really enjoy the real ones too, if the characters are colourful enough that is and not too self congratulating or too whiney....I'm thinking of pepys and the Mitford sisters, great diary writers imo.

Proud dad I love that list, I'm deffo going to choose some off there for Christmas, what a great selection.

Edited to add, I have ordered the "perks of being a wallflower" for my eldest boy and myself to read over the break, it had previously passed me by, but is on the smiths list from the link above and has great reviews and is written in diary form according to the reviews....Harrah.

[doodles]

SB3 I'd forgotten about Three Men in a Boat, must get it off the shelf. Thank you for reminding me.

PD, I like the WH Smiths list too. There are so many good books out there i keep forgetting about, lists like this really help me.

I'm hoping for a nice book token again this Christmas and then I can go and indulge after the New Year.