[Cybele]

1) Alice in Wonderland - because it's so crazy and vivid and an amazing book if you have an hour to kill and want to get lost in another world.

2) Birdsong (Sebastian Faulks) - read this book so many times and I cry each time. I even tear up before the sad parts because I know what's coming. Such a gorgeous book.

3) The Odyssey (Homer) - because it's full of monsters and witches and other cool stuff, and much better than the Iliad.

I love so many books, was hard to pick just three.

[Tochai]

Norwegian Wood-Haruki Murakami.

House of Leaves-Mark Z. Danielewski.

One Flew Over The Coucou's Nest-Ken Kesey.

[kalika_amz]

(Original post by daisydaffodil)
Jane Eyre - read it for higher English, then again for Advanced Higher. I've never enjoyed a book more, in so many ways it's incredibly sad but has a very uplifting ending as well, a must read to be honest.

Tess of the D'Urbervilles - a difficult read and damn depressing (what Hardy book isn't?) but fantastically well written and amazing imagery.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Atticus (along with Jane and Tess!) is my book-hero. Was given a copy from my nan years ago and have read it over and over again.

Jane Eyre is amazing, have you read the post-colonial response Wide Sargasso Sea and the book Yellow Wallpaper? Theyre both really good

[CSM1996]

(Original post by Alix23)
1) The Book Thief, Markus Zusak
relatable, heart wrenching, a view on the war most British people never look at. Interesting personification of Death

omg, i'm just over half way through this book, it's so good!!!

[battycatlady]

(Original post by Tochai)
Norwegian Wood-Haruki Murakami.

House of Leaves-Mark Z. Danielewski.

One Flew Over The Coucou's Nest-Ken Kesey.

I'm reading 'House of Leaves' at the moment. It's awesome...although I'm ashamed to say I find it really scary haha :')

[Tochai]

(Original post by battycatlady)
I'm reading 'House of Leaves' at the moment. It's awesome...although I'm ashamed to say I find it really scary haha :')

Don't be ashamed, I slept with the lights on the night I finished it.

[Yumnaarrhhh]

(Original post by Rational Thinker)
1) Animal Farm (the economical use of words, the truth it told about capitalist and communist societies, the fact that it exposed perfectly the evil Joseph Stalin and his and Lenin's as well as Mao's corruption of commmunism and how communism while good in theory has been pretty awful in practice at the same time showing how also destructive capitalism is and being set in the context at the start of one of the most dysfunctional periods of humanity the Cold War makes Animal Farm even more relevant)

2) Lord Of The Flies (it shows the truth of humanity how humans destroy the environment, how the supposed better people can do the most wicked things. How people will do evil things just because they are told to)

3) 1984 (it shows how a dystopian society can come about how a society can do evil things, all the more relevant today when freedom of speech is being silenced under the guise of offending people)

The exact same 3, expect that I am still half way through 1984

[Alix23]

My top three YA novels (there were just too many books to put in my first three):

Divergent, Veronica Roth
So good, and such a unique idea. I really wanted to live in their (dystopian) society and I really empathised with the main character

Graceling, Kristin Cashore
very vivid imagery, strong characters and an incredible plot line. Quite a weird idea, but amazing just the same

Bumped, Megan MacCafferty
This is a different kind of dystopia, the world/government hasn't gone bad, but rather views in society. It's hard to describe, but is really interesting and a fun read!

I don't understand how people can like Jane Eyre!?! She was whiny, annoting and pathetic, and Mr Rochester is just an old, creepy man with a moustache (I'm not sure if that's just in my head) who seems in no way nice. I guess it's all personal, but never before have I wanted to murder a character in a book, just so I don't have to listen to their pathetic drivel any more. It's hard to get into a book when you hate the protagontist.

[battycatlady]

(Original post by Tochai)
Don't be ashamed, I slept with the lights on the night I finished it.

Hehe, so glad I'm not the only one :')

[Alix23]

(Original post by CSM1996)
omg, i'm just over half way through this book, it's so good!!!

I know, I cried for so long at then end :'( but no spoilers!!
I had to lend it to my teacher last year because she had heard me go on about how good it was, and she was thoroughly impressed

[dothestrand]

Tender Is The Night - F Scott Fitzgerald. Some of the finest characterisation ever drawn, with an astonishing middle part. Gatsby doesn't come close.

The Idiot - Dostoyevsky. Fascinating exploration of the human condition. I long to be able to read it in Russian.

A Portrait Of The Artist As A Young Man - James Joyce. I find most Joyce difficult to read, almost impenetrable at times, but this is richly entertaining and often quite beautiful.

[Simone.xox]

The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini ; This book taught me so much & stayed with me for weeks. It puts things into perspective and is truly heartbreaking as well as inspirational.

The Help - Kathryn Stockett ; I really fell in love with a couple of characters in this book and was so sad when I finished and had to leave the world this book was set in. Another book that teaches courage, not to accept things the way they are and to make a change.

Memoirs Of A Geisha - Arthur Golden; This story transported me to another world, it's so vivid and so believable, this book lead me to naming one of my tattoos after a geisha!

[AmethystLove]

1: Delirium by Lauren Olivier...This is such a good book, as you'll be able to see in my top 3 I am so into post-apocalyptical books...this one tops them all though...it's a wonderful love story with loads of complications...read the second book (pandemonium) too this one was also good...now just waiting for the third.

2: Matched by Ally Condie...another post-apocalyptic love story but with a different storyline also read the second one (crossed) and waiting for 3rd

3: the whole series of "Yesterday's Gone"...like a tv series but in book form instead...really great read if a bit scary at times!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

[Sem193]

It's really hard to pick 3! I'll have to choose the one's I recommend to my friends and family the most. I'm also not very good at explaining things so bear with me, haha.

1. 1984- Oh, such a beautiful book. When I read quotes from the book I just think of how beautifully written it is. The mottos in the book are quite interesting as well and I believe that this book made people more aware of thngs. Also, as others have said, I can think of current events now that can link to 1984 and that makes seem even greater. I really do like dystopian novels, lol.

2. Brave New World- Another dystopian novel that I love because it actually scared me. I read it and the things that featured in the book actually happen in today's societ or had happened in the past after the book was written. It also focuses on pleasure seeking which is part of Utilitarianism and I enjoyed studying that in Philosophy and Ethics. The fact that a dystopian society is created from seeking pleasure also interests me. For instance people still look good in old age and nobody has ailments etc. which seems nice, but the citizens are stripped of their individuality and humanity.

3. Birdsong- This book got me in to War Literature. I love the way it's set out and how it follows the soldiers. I thought my English Lit teacher was crazy for giving it me, but I was mistaken. I must read it again.

I read all these books due to studying English Lit as one of my A levels. I was not even going to choose to study English Lit before, but I'm glad I did now because I've read some absolutely beautiful and inspiring books.

I also like Of Mice and Men, The Great Gatsby and the Book Thief

[Alix23]

I'm sorry to come back a third time, but I forgot the saddest of all, The Last Battle.
I read it when I was about 8, but basically forgot what had happened so that when I worked my way through the series a few months ago I was struck anew by the sheer depressing-ness of that book. The whole world that the characters had loved and called home had began to fall apart, but from the inside so that most people didn't even know what was happening.
I cried for about the last half hour whilst reading, and then for another hour afterwards, just missing that world that I had imagined myself in, even at my age. Because even though it's a series you can come back to again and again, once you read the ending it's destroyed, almost as if it can't be real any more.
The ending was actually supposed to be happy, with the discovery of the 'real' Narnia and Aslan's kingdom, and the reunification of all the friends, but I don't believe in heaven, so to me they were just all dead, and their amazing world that they had loved all their loves gone. :'(

Didn't realise how long that turned out, but the Narnia series is often overlooked as a kids' series, but it's not!!!

[Tedaus]

Nausea - Jean Paul Sartre; Really gotten into Existentialism recently because I find it so hard to get my head round it. I'd love to read his philosophy, but it really is like a textbook.

The Marriage of Heaven and Hell - Thomas Hardy; Just an amazingly good book. Couldn't put it down, but I can't explain why as it is depressing.

I, Partridge - Alan Partridge/Steve Coogan; Absolutely hilarious. Read the whole thing in Alan Partridge's voice and it's the only book I've ever genuinely laughed at.

[Alix23]

(Original post by AmethystLove)
1: Delirium by Lauren Olivier...This is such a good book, as you'll be able to see in my top 3 I am so into post-apocalyptical books...this one tops them all though...it's a wonderful love story with loads of complications...read the second book (pandemonium) too this one was also good...now just waiting for the third.

2: Matched by Ally Condie...another post-apocalyptic love story but with a different storyline also read the second one (crossed) and waiting for 3rd

3: the whole series of "Yesterday's Gone"...like a tv series but in book form instead...really great read if a bit scary at times!


This was posted from The Student Room's iPhone/iPad App

Loved Delirium and Matched too, didn't think too much of Crossed and am yet to read Pandemonium though.

[wolf-pack]

On the subject of books, would anyone recommed Lord Of The Rings? I know this seems a stupid question because it is such a classic but I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts

[battycatlady]

(Original post by wolf-pack)
On the subject of books, would anyone reccomed Lord Of The Rings? I know this seems a stupid question because it is such a classic but I just wondered if anyone had any thoughts

It depends. When I was younger I just couldn't get through it and found it dragged on with lots of pointless description. But now I am old enough to appreciate I have come to realise it's one of the best fantasies ever; it's imaginative, the characters are awesome, the writing it brilliant and it's just so well thought out!

[wolf-pack]

(Original post by battycatlady)
It depends. When I was younger I just couldn't get through it and found it dragged on with lots of pointless description. But now I am old enough to appreciate I have come to realise it's one of the best fantasies ever; it's imaginative, the characters are awesome, the writing it brilliant and it's just so well thought out!

I'm 16, so I sincerely hope I am old enough to appreciate it by now
I have a copy of the book theif, couldn't get through it because I was so young but i'll definitely be reading it again as everyone says its amazing on here!!