One of the reasons I decided to become a literary agent is that books affect me more than any other artistic medium. I love movies, I love television, I love music… but nothing really moves me like a great book.
So this is a simple but extremely difficult You Tell Me: what is your favorite book of all time?
You have to pick one. No lists, no caveats, no subcategories, just one book: your favorite book of all time, by whatever criteria you choose.
Mine: MOBY DICK, the longest book I’ve ever read three times. I love the expansiveness, the plot, the characters, the way Melville uses the whale to delve into other topics… it has it all.
What’s yours??
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A Paperback Writer says
Well. Shakespeare is my favorite author, and I’m steeped to the ears in “classic” literature (Sorry, Nathan, but Moby Dick is on my least favorite book list — ugh), but my favorite of all is The Lord of the Rings. hands down.
Nathan Bransford says
I’m very excited to see so many Curtis Brown books on the list:
ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand
THE CHOCOLATE WAR by Robert Cormier
THE OUTSIDERS by S.E. Hinton
AN AMERICAN TRAGEDY by Theodore Dreiser
THE TWO PRINCESSES OF BAMARRE by Gail Carson Levine
Go Curtis Brown, go!
Brenna says
This year, my very favorite is THE LITTLE FRIEND, by Donna Tartt. I love so many books, but this is the one I’ve been reading again and again.
ian says
WATCHMEN by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons (yes, it’s a graphic novel). This single book made me want to write more than anything else I’ve read in my life.
Ian
alternatefish says
Lolita, by Nabokov.
It’s the first book I finished and then started again within the hour.
dma715 says
Since I can’t decide which collection of Harlan Ellison’s work to choose, I’ll go with Slaughterhouse Five. I’d save The Lord of the Rings Trilogy for that desert island.
Starstruck says
Winter’s Tale, by Mark Helprin.
Don says
Brighton Rock by Graham Greene.
Anonymous says
One? I can’t pick one. That’s mean.
*goes away for a while to pick favorites*
*comes back perplexed*
I can only get it to three…sorry…
ILLUSTRATED MAN by Ray Bradbury
ANTHEM by Ayn Rand
MY ANTONIA by Willa Cather
Zen of Writing says
My favorite book of all time *used* to be Bangkok 8 by John Burdett, but then I read The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas.
Fickle, I know.
Anonymous says
East of Eden by John Steibeck.
Anonymous says
…I mean Steinbeck, of course. Sorry, I am sober.
Dave says
The Name of the Rose by Umberto Eco
L.C.McCabe says
Aztec by Gary Jennings.
It has by far the most sex and violence in it than any other book I have ever read, other than the Bible. However it only spans one man’s lifetime and not hundreds of generations of people.
I accidentally picked up Aztec as an impulse buy for a Christmas present for my mother because I knew she liked fat historical novels. I had no idea what I was giving her.
She gave it back to me the following year, and I was shocked what I had given my sainted mother.
It is an amazing piece of literature, and there is nothing superfluous in the entire novel. Every apparent anecdote has some greater purpose later in the book.
Be forewarned, the first human sacrifice appears at about page 12.
You’ll learn words in the Nahuatl language as well, especially terms for genitalia. You pick it up through context and repetition.
Truly an amazing novel.
The sequels, eh, not so much.
Linda
j h woodyatt says
At the moment, I can’t decide between CATCH-22 and NEUROMANCER.
Spartezda says
The Curse of Chalion, by Lois McMaster Bujold.
The glorious world-building, detailed characters (including the incredibly awesome gods!), stylish action, and plot with flair. Not to mention the most visceral, satisfying depiction of faith I’ve ever read.
Anonymous says
Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner, but his Angle of Repose came in a close second.
reality says
The Winter of our Discontent…John Stienbeck.
Determinist says
Have to go with “Dune” by Frank Herbert. It’s deep, layered, can take a lot of re-readings without getting stale.
Have to say, I love seeing the list that came out of this question – thanks for asking. I’ve bookmarked the page and will be using it as a reference for books to take a look at. Thanks all!
David de Beer says
this is an interesting post! almost 70 comments, and how many similarities are there between books chosen?
gives a whole new meaning to that “it’s a personal taste” thingy.
lafreya says
CANE by Jean Toomer
It was lauded as a masterpiece of the Harlem Renaissance, the equal of Richard Wright’s Native Son and Ralph Ellison’s The Invisible Man. the writing is breathtaking. A heady mix of poetry, essays and short stories.
The book was given to me by my white high school English teacher who saw that as her only African American student I was struggling to relate to the curriculum of all white novelists she was forced to teach in class.
It is because of her wonderful gift that I became a writer. I think about her every day when I sit down to work on my novel. I still have the paperback she gave me. It is worn,yellow and among my most prized possessions.
Lafreya
Therese Walsh says
The Time Traveler’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. Gorgeous, unique literature that affected me deeply.
Katherine Hyde says
ANNA KARENINA by Leo Tolstoy. The whole universe is in this book, or at least every nuance of human nature. I’ve read it twice in Russian and several times in English. It’s time to read it again.
Nichole says
The English Patient by Michael Ondaatje.
Mig says
Have to toss a coin:
The Age of Innocence by Wharton (heads)
or
Les Miserables by Hugo (tails)
Tails wins
alternatefish says
re: Anna Karenina.
This book made me throw my first novel in a draw to rot. I’d just finished the first draft of my first properly-sized novel (I was 15) and then I read Anna Karenina for the first time and I realized I couldn’t write worth beans. That book is amazing.
So I put the manuscript in a drawer, got very depressed and tried to write something Brilliant for a year or so. Didn’t work. I then realized that I am not actually going to be able to write as well as Tolstoy, so I got over myself and have been happily writing to this day.
True story.
Andrea says
Oh without a doubt I’d have to say SPEAK, MEMORY by Nabokov.
Nancy says
One book? Your crazy? I will go with The Stand by Stephen King.
Sam says
The Once and Future King by TH White
Anonymous says
“Warchild” by Karin Lowachee
Jay Montville says
Well, if you’re going to be mean about it …
The Changeover, by Margaret Mahy.
There are a LOT of other books I could list here – I don’t believe in “favorite” when it comes to books – but rules are rules, and Nathan is a big meanie. sigh
Len says
Can’t be done. There are dozens all pawing away at me at different levels of my consciousness at any given time. It’s like asking, “Which was your favorite breath of air?”
Carole says
“The Pillars of the Earth” by Ken Follett.
Julie says
The Lord of the Rings
Dr. Dume says
I have to put my vote in for ‘Titus Groan’ by Mervyn Peake. First of the Gormenghast trilogy, although he died before completing the third. That was put together from his notes, and plumbed new depths of weirdness!
I still think the first book, Titus Groan, was the best of them. A wonderful world of darkness and despair. Lovely.
Anonymous says
Wow, I was pleased to see someone mention WATCHMEN . . . but I think I’d still have to go with THE GRAPES OF WRATH. It works on so many levels. And I can’t believe I just said that.
Brian
Maya Reynolds says
“The Fountainhead” by Ayn Rand.
Beth: I have probably started “Atlas Shrugged” fifteen times in the last ten years, but I’ve never finished it. I *think* it’s because the philosophy I embraced in “The Fountainhead” is too harsh for my social work soul in “Atlas Shrugged.”
It’s about time I tried again–especially since you mentioned it.
Anonymous says
That’s easy: 1984 by George Orwell. Lately, though, I’m not sure whether to love it or be creeped out by its accuracy.
Jason Pollock says
Lord of Emperors, by Guy Gavriel Kay.
There’s no evil, just different views.
witchofbreithla says
It would have to be Gone with the Wind. I’ve read it at least once a year every year since I was 11 years old.
Jim Zoetewey says
It’s hard to say, but at this moment, I’ll say Michael Bishop’s “Brittle Innings.”
Jen says
Ooh, easy one for me.
Companions of the Night by Vivian Vande Velde. LOVE that book.
S.F. says
Another vote for MOCKINGBIRD…
Derek says
Easy.
HARD-BOILED WONDERLAND AND THE END OF THE WORLD, by Haruki Murakami
Chisem says
The Watchers by Dean Koontz. A great love story.
Rachel Starr Thomson says
Can’t possibly choose, but last year’s favourite was SHIRLEY by Charlotte Bronte.
It was fun to see Kipling’s STALKY AND CO.” on the list… I read it a few months ago but had never hard of it before then. The ending was surprisingly heart-wrenching.
Fiona says
TROPIC OF CANCER by Henry Miller.
Anonymous says
The Lieutenants by W.E.B. Griffin
terry says
Red Storm Rising
by Tom Clancey
Happy Days says
If I HAVE to pick one, I’ll say The Milagro Beanfield War by John Nichols, because it was my introduction to magical realism in modern literature.