What's The Best Book You've Ever Read?

Aren't books brilliant? 

It's so rare to find a really good one and when you do, it's just magical isn't it? 

I don't read enough and it's partly down to lack of free time but mainly down to boredom.  So many books promise so many things and there are millions out there, all with fantastic covers and theatrical reviews but when you open them, I find, that most are same old, same old. 

I don't think I'm asking for too much.  I want to read a book, be able to picture what's going on, not be able to work out the end and I want to be able to escape into it.  That's what books should be all about. You should be able to escape from your real life, I mean completely lose yourself in it.  I don't want to just make do with a book.  I am not one of those people who can just read any old crap for something to do.  It has to engross me.

I recently read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time and Rapture.  Both books had been best sellers and both had fantastic reviews.  Well, at least I didn't find myself thinking, "i can write better than that", but I can't be bothered to finish 'Dog' and when I did finish 'Rapture', I thought, 'oh.....right'.

The first books that swept me away into their imaginary land were Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree and Wishing Chair and also, My Naughty Little Sister series. It was the way my Mum read them too. She is the best bedtime story reader ever.  She should've been on Jackanory with Rik Mayall when he narrated Georges Marvelous Medicine by Roald Dahl.

Maybe that's what it is, my mum spoilt me and so now I expect every book to take me on an other worldly adventure.

As an older kid, I remember being totally enthralled in Desperately Seeking Susan and not being able to put it down. I read it in two days.

I am not a book snob either.  I had a real phase of reading Jackie Collins when I was in my teens and loved them.  Not just for the sexy bits either, although Pinky Banana was quite a character, ergh, no it was because they were great at dragging you in, out of the grey, real world. 

After a lot of teasing and derogatory remarks from my intellectual pal Neil, (who made me read Zen & The Art of Motorcycle Maintenance), I started reading Face magazine and I think that's how I got into the darker, supposedly cleverer book type.  I read Catcher in The Rye, Junky, Diary of A Dirty Old Man, Last Exit To Brooklyn...all dark and dreary but they kept me enthralled at the time.

Gridlock by Ben Elton is a fantastic book. Completely different again.  It's a very funny book about the transportation system.  Please read proper descriptions on the books I've mentioned because my pea sized brain doesn't do them justice.

The last time I really got into a book was American Psycho by Brett Easton Ellis, (I read one of his others and thought it was disconnected and boring) but with American Psycho's character Patrick Bateman, even though he is a vile monstrous sicko, at the end when the Police are after him, I wanted him to get away! Now how fucked up is that?  How on earth, unless you're one of those weirdo's who marry 'death row prisoners', do you feel sorry for a serial killer?  It really goes against everything I stand for.  I strongly agree in bringing back the death sentence and think the SAS should be able to 'train' on rapists and the like. Patrick Bateman though, hmmm, a different kettle of weird fish altogether. And this is even before I'd clapped eyes on the deliciously uptight Christian Bale!  That to me, is brilliant writing.

Fast forward about 18 years and I am now reading Bastard Husband, A Love Story - Linda Lou.

I got that first little chest tingling fizzle of excitement just a few pages in, this morning, when the two main characters realise the woman on the toilet floor has called for her son, who significantly has the same name as the father of the soon to be 'Bastard Husband'... Now, this means nothing to you, unless you've read it but it fills me with hope.

So, out of all the books that are on offer, what are your recommendations? What are the precious books in your life?  No matter how others may look down on your literary choice, what handful of books really kept you page turning?  Here is my measly list of mighty offerings...

The Faraway Tree - Enid Blyton
The Magic Wishing Chair - Enid Blyton
Desperately Seeking Susan - Peter Michael Marino ( I think)
Rock Star - Jackie Collins
Gridlock - Ben Elton
Wonderland Avenue - Danny Sugarman
American Psycho - Brett Easton Ellis
 
added by a follower - follow the actual link inside my other post... http://debadeedoodah.blogspot.com/2011/04/httpwwwtelegraphcouknewsuknews1544033th.html