Best Books
mood: 
curious
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varina8 posted. I've read 70, started but didn't finish 13, and own but haven't read 7. Of those listed, only two in fiction would make my "desert island" list. So here's my personal list for the top ten fiction books I simply couldn't live without.
The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien (I'm going to count it as one, and I don't care if that's a cheat)
His Dark Materials - Phillip Pullman (Yes, I am doing it again. Sue me)
Moby Dick - Herman Melville (It's fat enough for three)
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll (OK, this is time it's just two books, but they're short!)
A Winters Tale - Mark Helprin
The Annotated Sherlock Holmes (Hard to tell which is more fun, the stories or the annotations)
Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte
The Wine-Dark Sea - Patrick O'Brien (At least I didn't claim the whole series)
The Grand Sophy - Georgette Heyer (my Achilles heel)
The Murder Room - PD James
I'll only list 5 non-fiction.
Alexander to Actium - Peter Green
Plagues and Peoples - William McNeill
Art & Physics - Leonard Shlain
Art and Fear (if you're an artist of any sort, you should buy this and read it)
On not being able to Paint - Marion Milner
So tell me do, what are your favorites? I'm always looking for something to read.
My guilty pleasure isn't Georgette Heyer, though she is good. I love everything by Elizabeth Peters, but perhaps love the Amelia Peabody books best. There's just something about an unreliable narrator that amuses me. Another is Diana Gabaldon, and I'd simply refuse to go to the island without Pratchett.
I'm currently reading Michael Chabon's book of essays, "Maps and Legends", and enjoying it greatly. I love his fierce defense of the principle that reading should be enjoyable, dammit. I confess that I bought it in hardback because it's so pretty. McSweeney's makes beautiful books -- 3 bellybands!
That list had "A People's History of the United States : 1492-present". No idea if that's any good, but I recently read "1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus" by Charles C. Mann, and loved that.
On the comics side (Marjane Satrapi is opposed to the term "graphic novel"), I loved her "Persepolis", and Alison Bechdel's "Fun Home".
I'm very fond of early Elizabeth Peters, the later ones don't work so well for me, alas. I've been tempted by her actual history on Egypt (two volumes, bless her) which is on sale.
I enjoyed 1491 and if you like that, you should look for the "the Year 1000" which was fabulous (I thought). It has a sister book whose name I can't recall. Powells will have.
I have mixed emotions about Michael Chabon. I want to like him, but he's a tad over flowery for moi. Maps and Legends does look beautiful, though.
We hope to catch Persepolis at the Baghdad this week (I'm in PDX on a trial and Mark is coming with) which seems so dreamy!) Perhaps we can dine again.
A Parisian Affair and Other Stories - Guy De Maupassant (the newer Sian Miles translation)
Drinking Coffee Elsewhere - ZZ Packer
Break of Day - Colette
A River Runs Through It and Other Stories - Norman Maclean
Alice's Adventures in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll
Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
Lord Peter - Dorothy Sayers
The Deptford Trilogy - Robertson Davies (Hey, you used the Lord of the Rings!)
After Rain - William Trevor
The English Patient - Michael Ondaatje (or Anil's Ghost, I had a hard time making up my mind here)
And Robertson Davies is fantastic. I am particularly partial to "The Rebel Angels"
Thank you for reminding me!
I loved the Lord Peter books, and haven't read them in years. All good stuff to go back to!