“Daniel in the Lion’s Den” – Peter Paul Rubens |
Simple question, not so simple answer. Which book do you most wish you had written?
Are you going with the mega fortune? Literary greatness? Maybe a little of both?
I’m going with The Great Gatsby.
What about you?
Christy McCall says
Pale Fire by Nabokov -yum.
Anonymous says
Absolutely anything by Margaret Atwood.
Cossette says
A fascinating question…I'd probably have to say _The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe_ because it is timeless, classic, and helped paved the way for all modern fairy stories and children's fantasy. But really…I've never wished I wrote someone else's book–I just find them inspiring
Rick Daley says
THE ROAD, for the style and the profound emotional impact delivered through the story.
WORD VERIFICATION: ceregism. A cerebral climax, i.e. a purely intellectual orgasm. Sorry, I just call 'em as I see 'em.
D.G. Hudson says
It's a toss-up: either the original DUNE series by Frank Herbert, or the FOUNDATION epic by I. Asimov. The scope of those two amazes me. (in the genre category)
As for literary – anything by Hemingway, preferably during the Paris or Key West years.
This is the stuff we dream about, that perhaps our writing might resonate like the books we all remember. Can't wait to see all the comments – our favorite books sometimes indicates our preferences in writing too.
Diane T says
Every time I read "His Dark Materials" by Philip Pullman I get jealous. I wish I'd thought of the daemons.
Diane Marie Shaw says
"Come Away my Beloved" a devotional by Frances Roberts. Whenever I open it it gives me what I need. It helped me through a bout of depression and it is a book I give and recommend to others.
Writing a book that impacts lives for the good, even after death, it doesn't get much better than that.
Jennifer Cary Diers says
Either "Ishmael" by Daniel Quinn or Tamora Pierce's new series (the first book of which was "Terrier")… although, actually, if I'd written those books then I would miss on the delight of reading them.
1000th.monkey says
"ROOM" by Emma Donoghue
…the voice of Jack is just so amazing… it was like reading my nephew's thoughts it was so realistic/perfect.
Laurie Muench says
Wuthering Heights. That was the book that got me obsessed with writing as a teenager. I wanted to create my own Heathcliff.
Livia says
Hunger Games
Mallory Garrett says
Twilight or Harry Potter. I don't like the Twilight novels but she sure does have a lot of $$$$
Anonymous says
The Great Gatsby for me, too.
-Salom
there says
Also Gatsby. Definitely the best-written book I have read.
Anonymous says
Oh, forgot to mention: I also wish I had thought of The Boys from Brazil.
-Salom
Heather says
Trickster's Queen because the characters are so believable and the complexity of the social and racial clash between the natives and whites is honest and doesn't have a clear cut resolution.
Every time I read it I find something new. That is the best kind of book.
BP says
Aw, you know, anything earth-shatteringly inspiring and classic by one of the great literary geniuses. Nothing spectacular. 😉 I don't necessarily want to have WRITTEN their books, but I wish I could inspire people the same way they did with MY writing! 😀 Someday!
chestel says
Cloud Atlas. Six for the price of one.
John K. says
*To Kill A Mockingbird
*Peace Like a River (Enger)
*Boys Life (McCammon)
John Barnes says
All the books I imagined I was going to write before I wrote them. The reach of imagination always exceeds the grasp of technique.
Joanna says
Where The Wild Things Are
Not seeing many picture books in this list!
L. Shanna says
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close– that book changed the way I look at the creative process. It's amazing.
Christie Koester says
Matilda by Roald Dahl (any of his books, really) or The Giving Tree(Shel Silverstein). Those books changed me as a kid!
Sommer Leigh says
I'm going to have to go with Harry Potter, but not really for the money. (though I'm sure it is nice) I'd go with Harry Potter because of the way the books make me feel. I love The Great Gatsby and I've loved many other books, but few of them make me FEEL the way Harry Potter does. I'd love to have created that. I hope what I do create makes someone else feel the same way Harry Potter has made me feel.
Brett Minor says
Any of the works of Alexandre Dumas
TheLabRat says
THe Mars Trilogy by Kim Stanley Robinson. Nearly every topic I get into a discussion about has the potential to make me think of that book series. It just covers so many bloody themes it's a little absurd.
abc says
The Heart is a Lonely Hunter. The forgotten, the rejected, the human. I love books about the human condition and I think this one is the most beautiful one I have ever read.
Steve DeWinter says
The Bourne Identity by Robert Ludlum. It's why I wrote the book I did.
Tim Christian says
One Hundred Years of Solitude.
Enusan says
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, for a modern work. But for something older and more serious I wish I could express myself the way Souseki does in Kokoro.
Kristy says
A Million Little Pieces. I am a glutton for punishment.
No, seriously. She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb or Sue Miller While I was Gone. But, ask again in five minutes and the answer could be different.
cookie says
LOTR.
Leigh Ann says
"The Hunger Games" – Instant answer.
Incredible story and message, riveting writing, and an instant YA classic that is going to the silver screen. What's not to (be jealous of) love?
terryd says
A certain dark Cormac McCarthy book inspired me to write my first published novel, but I love The Road without envy.
I wish I could write a current-day version of McCullers' The Heart is a Lonely Hunter.
Bethany Elizabeth says
Jim Butcher's Codex Alera. One of those instant-connection books, you know? 🙂
MJR says
I'm going with the The Great Gatsby, too…
Istvan Szabo, Ifj. says
Stainless Steel Rat, Hornblower or the Harry Potter series.
Bret Wellman says
I'm going for big money on this one. Twilight! The author wrote the book in three months and then made 750k in a three book deal.
Three months of hard work and she never had to think about a day job again, she had all the time in the world to wright the other to after that… yea I would wright Twilight.
Steph Sinkhorn says
It's a close race between A Wrinkle In Time and Bridge of Birds.
magpiewrites says
The first book that popped into my head was "Northern Lights" by Philip Pullman, the second was "Wise Children" by Angela Carter. I echo Joshua and say, how's that for spectrum?
I can read either of these books over and over again and find new things I am in awe of.
Interestingly, my favorite book isn't a book I wish I'd written…
Rebecca says
"Lord of the Rings." I'd love to have that much impact, that a book I wrote changed a genre forever.
Marsha Sigman says
Southern Vampire Series (aka Sookie Stackhouse-True Blood series).
Not just because of the popularity but the dark southern wit and clearly defined world Harris created. Awesome.
Himbokal says
Hands down, A Confederacy of Dunces. Although I wouldn't make the same career choices he made afterward.
Mira says
Fun question!
As usual, I have multiple answers:
The Harry Potter books. Not the money at all – I wish I could create an incredible world like that, I wish I could plot like that, I wish I could write like that!
Runner up: The Little Prince by Saint-Exupéry. Lovely and wise.
Another runner up: Winnie the Pooh. Delightful and perfect.
Another Runner up: No specific book, but I wish I could write like Terry Pratchett
Non-Fiction: Hard to pick since most of the truly great non-fiction books we've integrated and moved beyond, but I'd love to have the abilities of Darwin, Freud, etc. to conceptualize a new and more accurate way of thinking about things. To add clarity to the human worldview.
Anonymous says
The Harry Potter series, for the same reasons Mira said. To be able to create such an intricate, complex, sustainable world with such a huge diversity of characters, settings and challenges, wow.
I can't seem to post as me today, having trouble again, but it's Leila.
Domino says
Like the Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell comment- great novel.
Also would have enjoyed writing Harry Potter.
But I'm gonna go long on this one say, "The Brothers Karamazov," by Dostoevsky.
And to this day I am stunned by the devotees of Ender's Game. I thought it was awful, awful writing. But to each their own.
Thufer says
There are so many; however, I must go with 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.
BTW, this is a wonderful 'to read' list.
Rebecca Burke says
I'll share the list of Top 100 novels I keep bookmarked for my ongoing self-improvement program :).
https://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2003/oct/12/features.fiction
Gatsby makes it, also Catcher in the Rye. And Catch 22, another book I would love to have authored.
It's biased toward British writers and obviously made up of lots of classics and works that make it onto assigned reading lists. How many of us would really like to have authored Pilgrim's Progress, raise your hand?! Or The Scarlet Letter, for that matter.
I'm very curious to read Outlander now, given all the call-outs here. Once was enough for The Road, however.
Autumn Rose says
Les Miserables or To Kill A Mockingbird. So many to choose from!
Katherine Hyde says
Pride & Prejudice. Literary greatness, no lifetime fame or money but lots of posthumous glory. OK, I wouldn't mind some lifetime fame and money, but I'd rather see my work become immortal.