What's your favourite book(s)?

[InCreator]

Heh, we have all kind of crap threads in "popular threads" subsection, but I really didn't find anything like this.

Either people don't read nowadays or no-one came to that thought.
Anyway, clue on a good book is always handy. So, what's that book or two that you pick up again and again and have skipped a night's sleep over it? And what is it about?

I have three:

1. Eclipse of the Crescent Moon (Egri csillagok) by Hungarian writer Géza Gárdonyi.

I can't count how many times I've read it. IMO, it's most interesting, breathtaking historical novel ever written by humankind. Every nation should have a book like this about it's people and past. I recommend it to anyone who's even a bit into history, especially (late) medieval era.
(English version available on Amazon, reviews say it all.)

2. Skies of War by three-time Soviet Hero Aleksandr Pokryshkin.

The author was one of the best fighter pilots during WWII and book describes his life during war from being an ambitious plane mechanic to becoming one of most feared aces over Europe and after war, Marshal of Soviet Air Force.
He invented many airborne battle tactics, maneuvers, and his experience helped to improve fighter planes alot.

Unfortunately, book was never translated into English, but it's a really good reading. Even despite Soviet censorship appearing in almost every paragraph.

3. Death is the very last option (might be incorrect translation) by Bulgarian writer Bogomil Rajnov

I don't even know why I like this book so much. It's a short spy novel about Bulgarian intelligence operative infiltrating crime syndicate in Soho, London. Which later turns out CIA cover to smear Soviet Union via drug trafficking. But the way it's written, desperate situation of protagonist and extremely well executed atmosphere makes it better than any Bond movies or other spy stories. Protagonist isn't superhuman suit-guy with technical gadgets. All he has is sharp mind and special training. He gets beaten to almost death many times, survives many murder attempts and makes desperate decisions in more than desperate situations. A how-to-book for anyone trying hand at interesting crime novel.

The book seems to be really rare, and Google doesn't know a thing about it. Neither does Amazon.

[Nine Toes]

I enjoy reading from time to time.

Two of my all-time favorites, "Moby Dick" by Herman Melville, and "The Strange Case Of Dr. Jekyll And Mr. Hyde" by Robert Louis Stevenson, are two titles I've read quite a few times, in many different editions.  I'm sure just about everyone here has read either of both of them at least once.

Right now, I'm reading a paperback novel called "Dead City" by Joe McKinney.  It's about an on-duty police officer who finds himself caught in the middle of a zombie outbreak.  It's nothing spectacular, but I find it entertaining enough.

[ThreeOhFour]

I second Nine Toes with Moby Dick.

[vict0r]

The best book I've ever read... Maybe "The Process" by Franz Kafka. I'll update if I remember other!

EDIT: Yes! I remember now! "The Complete Hitchhikers Guide to The Galaxy" by Douglas Adams. Although the last third weren't as good as it could have been, it's the only book that has made me actually laugh out loud and think at the same time.

[Radiant]

Amber Decalogy, by Roger Zelazny.

Best fantasy novel ever, hands down and by a long shot.

[Stupot]

I wish I could say I have a favourite book ever.  On other days I might have answers and they vary.
I used to say Northern Lights and it's still up there.  But I Am Legend and Vernon God Little are both books that I could read again and again.  And I am quite a fan of Raymond Feist's earlier sagas, but I haven't really read a lot of fantasy to compare him to.

[[Cameron]]

My favorite books are in no particular order
1. The Hellbound Heart by Clive Barker. I love that story, I've read it quite a few times. Barker is a great writer and I just love the character of Frank. Plus Pinhead kicks ass.
2. Fear and Loathing In Las Vegas by Dr Hunter S Thompson. I've read the book so many times it's ridiculous, and each time it just gets better, I think it may be part of the reason I'm studying journalism next year.
3. Haunted by Chuck Palahniuk. First book of his I read was Fight Club which is great, but I think Haunted is a much stronger work.
4. American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis. I think this is great, it was the first book to get me into this writer, it is far greater than the movie, and that movie was great Lunar Park and The Informants are other books by Ellis you should read.

[Mr Jake]

I don't really read a lot, but I have been as of late. My favorite books would have to be:

1) Ubik (Philip K. Dick) - Began reading this on the train to and from work during the summer holidays, it was fairly short at 200~ pages (but thats kind of what I wanted, short but interesting novels.). I wasn't too impressed when I first started reading it, but a couple of chapters in I was hooked. Brilliant book in my opinion.

2) Do Androids Dream Of Electric Sheep (Philip K. Dick) - This was the first book I read during the summer. I had heard good things and I'm a fan of the Blade Runner film and game (Blade Runner being based off of this short novel). Again it was reasonably short, but more than long enough.

3) Series of Unfortunate Events (Lemony Snicket) - Ok, so they are "kids" books I guess, at least aimed at 16ish year old readers, but I was about that age when I started them and I was sure as hell going to finish them (13 books all in all) and I would read them all again too!

Currently Im reading "Filth" by Irvine Welsh, which may also end up being added to this list by the time I'm finished. There are also loads more Philip K Dick books I could add. If you're a fan of Sci-fi and haven't read any of this books, it might be worth checking one out!

[Nacho]

"IT", by Stephen King.
"Foundation Saga", by Asimov.
"Jurassic Park", by Chrichton.
"Agent Pendergast Saga", by Lincoln and Child.

[Eigen]

Basically I have two favourite authors ..

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
"Breakfast of Champions" by Kurt Vonnegut

but also

"The Red and the Black" by Stendhal

and when I was a kid, I really liked this book series called "Bert's Diary". It was by two swedish author and it was about a teenage boy who kept a diary. And it was really fun. Makes me laugh even now.

I'm really not into sci-fi and such books.

[EldKatt]

I'll use this opportunity to bring up a matter of some... national pride, I guess.

Aniara, by Harry Martinsson (Swedish author and Nobel laureate), is an epic poem from 1956, that I guess you could call science fiction. The Earth is on the brink of destruction, from war, pollution, and that stuff, and its inhabitants are leaving for Mars. One large space vessel (among many IIRC), named Aniara, is diverted from its path by a near-collision with an asteroid, and begins drifting, with no hope of rescue, out of the solar system and towards the constellation of Lyra. In 103 cantos, the poem depicts the struggle of the inhabitants to cope with their doom, their boredom, the emptiness of space itself as well as their own existence, and eventually with the news of the utter destruction of Earth. It's wonderfully poetic and a joyful and emotional experience to read. It's among the greatest masterpieces in Swedish literature, and had it been written in English, it would probably have a given place in the Western literary canon.

There is an English translation, which I haven't read beyond a few quotations but which seems good enough. I urge you to look for it. Even if you're not into sci-fi, honestly.

[Oliwerko]

Definitely the "Catch 22" by Joseph Heller.

He uses the same sense of humour like me. There are tons of information on the internet about it. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catch-22)

The book is mainly about satyrical explanation of war and army. About that rubber heads. About the psycho. Greatest book I have ever read.

[Tuomas]

Something like Watership Down by Richard Adams, Then The Possessed by Fedor Dostoevsky. I also love Sinuhe (the egyptian) by Mika Waltari. But most of all I appreciate books that interest me from beginnin gto end, so there are several like the one I'm reading right now, The Insulted and Humiliated by Dostoevsky. Right after Satan comes to Moscow by Bulgakov. I really fancy eastern literature.

[Da_Elf]

im waiting for melani rawn to hurry up and write the last book in the exiles series. ive been waiting years for it

[Privateer Puddin']

To Kill a Mockingbird (Harper Lee)

[Ghost]

Fool On The Hill by Matt Ruff
I think that you need at least two reads, but the pacing is amazing, and there's a certain tone in the Finding Heaven story that just drags me into the book.

Moby Dick
Oh yes, this is a great one. True "adventure" all the way.

The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn
This book made me wish to run away from home first time.

Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
This book has a special part in the shelf of my life- while I enjoyed almost all the Discworld books, this one is about being all alone, and helped me through a strange time.

Die Stadt der Träumenden Bücher by Walter Moers
Don't know if the English translation is any good, and what the title'd be, but heck, stop staring at this here list and read at least this one!

Harpy Tyme by Piers Anthony
The first Xanth book I ever read. Well worth the time.

[ambientcoffeecup]

Alice in Wonderland
Fight Club
Kingdom of Fear
American Psycho

[LimpingFish]

Roadside Picnic - Boris & Arkady Strugatsky
Blood Music - Greg Bear
UBIK - Philip K. Dick (one of many!)
I Am Legend - Richard Matheson
The Stars My Destination - Alfred Bester
The Halloween Tree - Ray Bradbury
The Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
The Forever War - Joe Haldeman
The Peace Machine - Bob Shaw

I'm more inclined to read short story collections, though...

Welcome to the Monkey House - Kurt Vonnegut
Deathbird Stories - Harlan Ellison
The Collected Short Stories of Philip K. Dick, Vol. 1-5
The Complete Works of H.P Lovecraft
Nightmare at 20,000 Feet - Richard Matheson
High Cotton - Joe R. Lansdale
The Stories of Ray Bradbury Vol. 1&2

I could go on...

[Evil]

I fancy teh Garfield.

[shbaz]

Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand changed my life.  Not saying it's a new bible or anything, just that it made me understand a lot about what I thought was wrong with the people around me at the time.

The last cool book I read was "Surely you're joking, Mr. Feynman!" by the famous physicist Richard Feynman.  It's nice to know people who are extremely intelligent can also be wild and crazy sometimes.  It's also really fun to read about.  Your everyday quantum physicist isn't a good looking womanizer like that guy.

Basically I have two favourite authors ..

"For Whom The Bell Tolls" and "The Sun Also Rises" by Ernest Hemingway
"Breakfast of Champions" by Kurt Vonnegut

I second all of these, awesome awesome books.