It's not literary, it's not big, it's not particularly clever, but it is the book I've enjoyed the most over the years: Life, The Universe And Everything, by Douglas Adams.
Picking an absolute favourite is really hard, but I have a shortlist of books I never get tired of: "The Lost Art of Keeping Secrets" By Eva Rice is as close to a favourite as I can get "I Capture the Castle" By Dodie Smith is also amazing "Uglies" "Pretties" "Specials" and "Extra's" By Scott Westerfeld are my favourite series of books. "Salem Falls" by Jodie Picoult is a really well researched, interesting subject. I read it a couple months ago and it's left a lasting impression. The "Series of Unfortunate Events" were my favourite when I was younger. It's really hard to pick favourites, especially when discovering new literature all the time, but I highly recommend these to anyone
V. by Thomas Pynchon. Though that is hard, as I also love For Whom the Bell Tolls by Ernest Hemmingway and At the Maintains of Madness by H.P. Lovecraft.
Just one? Way too hard! Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy The Day of The Jackal King Soloman's Mines The Hobbit ^Have to be one of them, but like I said, it's too hard to choose just one.
I would say "A Storm of Swords" from "A song of Ice and Fire" but George R.R Martin has already been mentioned. So - The Dexter series by Jeff Lindsay, starting with Darkly Dreaming Dexter. If you've seen the TV show, but haven't read the books, just erase it from your mind. As always, TV has either corrupted or removed the main ingredient - in this case, humour. Cheerful, funny, happy-go-lucky dead inside Dexter. This is one of my favorite characters of all time.
The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky As near to perfection as you will find.
Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean Auel the sequel did not equal the first though. I read it in high school and had to do a verbal book report and I was scared but with that subject in hand I did get an A.
Pullman's trilogy is brilliant Yeah, unreal book. Probably my second or third favourite novel of all time. A few others in my top five would have to be Judith Jedamus's 'The Book of Loss' Anyone interested in Japanese culture a few hundred years ago should check it out. Better than I made it sound. Also Iain Banks's (a true master of sci-fi) 'The Player of Games' Which neither needs nor could have a faithful summary.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman I'm also a big fan of Oscar Wilde's work. ^-^; One of my cats is named Basil after my favorite character from The Picture of Dorian Gray, Basil Hallward.
The Little Prince. I read it once a year, on Valentine's Day, to remind myself of the capacity of love.
My favorite book EVER would probably be......Slaughterhouse-Five. When I read that book for the first time, I don't know, I can't explain it. I was blown away. Is that a good book? I've heard a lot about it from some avid readers, American Gods, I mean. I'm definitely checking it out.
Well, of course I think it's a good book if it's my favorite. It also spoke to me a bit on a Pagan level, I suppose - though the representation of a modern Pagan was less than flattering... albeit true in a lot of cases, unfortunately. It's really just an amazing book all around. It's since spawned a spin-off and one (two?) novella(s) (that I know of), but they just don't quite add up to the original.
Tough choice... The Harry Potter books are right up there with My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult and the Otori series by Lian Hearn.
