As most people know, I love books. I have a to-be-read pile, as most writers do. I read mostly horror, but I also love any book that is just a good read---no matter the genre.
Reading Edgar Allen Poe and Stephen King as a young teenager, definitely fostered my love of reading and writing.
What are some of your favorite books and/or authors to read? Why are they your favorite? What was it about the writing that transported you into another world?
27 comments:
There are far too many favorite books to list for me.
"The Snow Leopard" by Peter Matthiessen, luminescent prose, the best nonfiction book I've ever read.
"to Tame a Land" by Louis L'Amour, made me want to write a western but I could never match this one.
The Barsoom series by ERB and the Conan, Kull and Solomon Kane stories by Robert E. Howard. Took me to amazing worlds.
The sword of night and day by DAvid Gemmell, hated when it was over. And so many more.
A few favorites, but which I haven't re-read in a while include
My all-time fav: Witches of Karres by James H. Schmitz
Dune by Frank Herbert
God Stalk by P.C. Hodgell
Whipping Star, by Frank Herbert
The first 8 Anita Blake novels by L.K. Hamilton
Earth of the New Sun series by Gene Wolfe
Sunshine by Robin McKinley
Blue Sword by Robin McKinley
Deerskin by Robin McKinley
Red as Blood by Tanith Lee
Anything by Georgette Heyer (who invented Regency romance genre)
These are all books I've read at least three if not a half dozen times or more.
When I think about the books though that first pulled me into another world and fostered my love for readin when I was a young girl, the following books first come to mind:
"A Wrinkle in Time" by Madeline L'Engle
"Bridge to Terabithia"
V.C. Andrew's "Flowers in the Attic" series
George Orwell's "Animal Farm"
R. L. Stine's horrors
Yeah, I was all over the place.
I have always loved storytelling, but I remember being especially inspired to write when I read Anne Rice's "The Witching Hour" like 15 years or so ago. I am sure there are countless others, too many to list perhaps, but that one comes to mind first.
I swing from horror to urban fantasy. I'm reading CE Murphy's Heart of Stone right now.
BTW - glad I could turn you on to more books! That TBR pile is about to topple over.
Ok T! You and I are definitely buds! I loved Poe and King growing up!
I was a big fantasy nut for awhile too so I loved Dragonriders of Pern, Lord of the Rings, Chronicles, all the big fantasy stuff. Was into Piers Anthony for awhile. But classics I loved were Dumas and Harper Lee.
I have read a few good books here and there. Not as stunning as Edgar Allen Poe or Stephen King though. Although I once started reading Christine, but never finished.
With that said, of all the books I've read I have to say that the finest author I've ever read is John Grisham. He writes with so much empathy and direction that it doesn't make any sense. He has mastered language, setting, theme, plot, and character like no other.
The Last Juror, The Pelican Brief, A Time To Kill, and The Rainmaker are all great, great reads.
Other than him, I'd say Ralph Wiley. He has mastered empathy. Makes you feel like you are walking in the shoes of the person he writes.
@ verbal vixen: wow. I've never read any of those books. I always said I was going to read Orwells' book 1984. I never did. I should.
Wow, so many books to choose from!
Definitely Poe. A bit of Lovecraft. Fostered my love of dramatic horror.
Bradbury. Mouth-watering prose, wonderful ideas.
I'd have to add Rod Serling, whose scripts rank with some of the best written dialogue.
Agatha Christie for fabulous mystery and great insight into human nature.
And the Bronte sisters (especially Charlotte), for brooding, moorish settings, glorifying the spirit, and ethereal, soul-stirring romance.
i read abit of everything
lately it's been political commentary type stuff
(and the dreaded dime store romance novels)lol
Where to start ... Anything by HP Lovecraft. The Immortals series by Tamora Pierce, because they were the first fantasy books I read and I just adore them still. Gone With the Wind, Anne McCaffrey's Pern series and Mercedes Lackey's Heralds series ... All amazing.
Charles,
Good ones. Thanks for sharing. :*)
Written,
You're right about those first 8 Anita Blake novels. Thanks for sharing. There are some on your list I haven't read. :*)
Verbal,
I like those too. :*)
Pike,
I haven't had a chance to read C.E. Murphy yet. I plan to. I want to check out Urban Shaman. :*)
Ello,
See, I knew I liked you for a reason. ;*)
Don,
John Grisham is good. A Time to Kill and The Firm were my favorites. :*)
Raine,
Okay, we're officially friends. I love Bradbury, Rod Serling, and H.P. Lovecraft. :*)
Dejanae,
Not the dime store romances. ;*)
Naomi,
I've never read Anne McCaffrey, although I've been meaning to. :*)
It's toooo many to count! I was one of those kids who went to the library, checked out 20 books and then went back 2 weeks later and checked out 20 more.
Some faves:
Edwidge Danticat - amazing author out of the West Indies. Her themes usually are about exile, redemption and usually take place in Haiti.
Zora Neale Hurston - Their Eyes Were Watching God.
Toni Morrison - Beloved, Love and the Bluest Eye are some of my favorites.
Khalid Hosseini - A Thousand Splendid Suns, Kite Runner
Poe - Loved the Black Cat, Murders in the Rue Morgue, and other short stories.
Shakespeare - Macbeth, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing, Titus Andronicus, etc.
J.K. Rowling - she created a series that I think was originally for children, but really was transformed into adult fare with engaging characters, complex story lines, etc.
the destruction of black civilization
chancellor williams
blueprint for black power
amos wilson
the black man's guide to uinderstanding the black woman
sharahzad ali
i also love aesop's fables too
thanx babes
I am big on Michael Baisden and Michael Eric Dyson... Baisden because I adore his view on black relationships and I feel like I have been one of the females in everyone of his novels... Dyson because he makes with think... he is the epitome of Hip Hop and yet I find myself having to have a dictionary close whe n reading him... he puts things into perspective that makes me reflect on my own experiences and change things where needed
I read a lot of poetry books more than anything though
All time favorite books (some of my list is nonfiction:
1. The River Where Blood Is Born , Sandra Jackson-Opoku
2. Sula , Toni Morrison
3. Redemption Song , Bertice Berry
4. New Black Man , Mark Anthony Neal
5. When Chickenheads Come Home To Roost: A Hip-Hop Feminist Breaks It Down Joan Morgan
6. Picture Me Rollin' , Black Artemis
7. The Sweetest Taboo Risque
8. The Shaping of Black America , Lerone Bennett
9. The Miseducation of the Negro Carter G. Woodson
10. My Soul to Keep , Tananarive Due
You should know that asking a bookaholic to list her favorites is really hard. I love all books. I'm a book junkie. LOL.
Gwyneth (who is taking baby steps back into blogland...)
These days I tend toward non-fiction. In that vein, I have to say that Jean Markale is my favorite author. As the Chair of Celtic Studies at Sorbonne U., he really knows his stuff. He's also prolific, writing on a variety of Celtic-related subjects. Not only is he informative, he really brings me back to Celtic Europe.
In the fiction realm my favorite author is Charles Gramlich. That guy can WRITE! He evokes so many emotions in me, from tears to frustration to joy. His cliffhangers are KILLER!
Travel,
You have a diverse list there. :*)
James,
Very interesting. I'll have to check out the ones I haven't read. :*)
Eb,
Michael Baisden is a trip. He craps me up sometimes. :*)
Gwyneth,
It's so good to see you back. ;*)
Lana,
I just cannot guess why Charles is your favorite fiction author. ;*)
I could try to wax literary, but in reality my favorite is Dean Koontz. His stories are so easy to read, and I admire his metaphors, especially the ones he uses about different weather. Brilliant!
I just read everyone else's list.
Now I need to say something intelligent.
*closes eyes and drifts to sleep. wakes up.*
Still, not much....
:-)
I read this in the eighties when I was a freshmen in HS relying on the subways to get back and forth to school. DAMN THOSE SUBWAYS!!! (shakes fist)
Anyway, this scared the hell out of me...and it was a good read. I often wondered why it wasnt made into a movie...
The Light At The End...
http://www.amazon.com/Light-At-End-John-Skipp/dp/0553254510
Its pretty cheap on amazon.com...I highly recommend.
Chris,
I like Koontz too. :*) I like a diverse list of books.
Caspar,
Hm. I never heard of that one. I'll have to check it out. :*)
Well, I am not entirely sure what my fave books are. Mostly I would vote for "Picture of Dorian Grey" and "Pride and Prejudice". Apart from that I don't have too many faves. I read almost anything, urban fantasy and steam punk, being on top although I have first to encounter a book that is steampunk.
I have a big pile too.
I promise to read obamas, tales from my father and toni morrison's paradise when i get a chance. I just got david sedaris' book 'naked' for xmas, well I still have yet to read it.
i love non fiction. sistah souljah is one of my favorites...I dont think ive ever read stephen king, only seen his movies...
dang, can't name em all... but dig good horror/fantasy/sf, and tons more, regardless of genre
then again, joe campbell is a fave, too :)
Harry,
I just love books too, but I definitely have some favorties. Even new favorites. ;*)
Ms. P.,
His books are waaay better than the movie versions that Hollywood screw up. :*)
LaughingWolf,
Horror/Fantasy/Sci-fi are my favorite genres as well. :*)
wunderbra! ;) lol
My To-Read pile is a large one.
A few of my alltime favorites are:
"Imajica" - Clive Barker
"Neverwhere" - Neil Gaiman
"What Dreams May Come" - Richard Matheson
"It" - Stephen King
"Lullaby" - Chuck Palahniuk
"The Shining" - Stephen King
Of all of those, "It" was what made me want to write. I read it for the first time at 12 years of age and I KNOW I've read it at least 6 times since.
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