It’s the meme that’s sweeping the circle of blogs I read!
Anyway, here are “51 (I like being odd) of my favorites” (as Kate put it) … feel free to copy and do the Booky Meme bits with them, too:
Bold the ones you’ve read,
strike-outthe ones you hated, italicize those you started but never finished and put an asterisk (*) beside the ones you loved.
For me, of course, all of the below would be bolded and starred (hence the purpose of the list). For the most part, consider these books I’ve liked enough to read multiple times (sometimes having to graduate to second or third paperbacks, or even a hardcover). They’re all fiction, and intended as stories.
It was actually a tough call — in some cases, I lump together a series under a single volume, in other cases I actually single a couple out because, in a series I like, I like them best. And, of course, I make no pretense to these being “great literature,” profound, or anything else. I find them entertaining, moving, amusing, interesting, and/or possessing of other attributes that leads me to pick them up time and again. Your mileage may (should) vary.
Going through my book shelves to make this list, I realized (a) I have quite a few books I will likely never read again, and so should clear off of my shelves, and (b) I have quite a few books I’ve not read in some time and really should.
- The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams
- Operation Chaos, by Poul Anderson
- The Devil’s Game, by Poul Anderson
- I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov
- The Caves of Steel, by Isaac Asimov [best of the trilogy]
- The Going to Bed Book, by Sandra Boynton [any any other of hers]
- The Martian Chronicles, by Ray Bradbury
- Martians Go Home, by Fredric Brown
- Jhereg, by Steven Brust [Taltos series]
- The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton
- The White Mountains, by John Christopher [Tripods trilogy]
- Childhood’s End, by Arthur C. Clarke
- Sten [series], by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch
- Star Trek: New Frontiers, by Peter David [series; actually, any PAD ST book]
- Ship of the Line, by C.S. Forrester [Hornblower series]
- Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman
- Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman
- Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
- The Case of the Careless Kitten, by Erle Stanley Gardner [Perry Mason series]
- The Princess Bride, by William Goldman
- The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
- Guilty Pleasures, by Laurell K. Hamilton [Anita Blake series,up thru Obsidian Butterfly]
- The Maltese Falcon, by Dashell Hammett
- The Stainless Steel Rat, by Harry Harrison [series, the earlier the better]
- All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot [series]
- Friday, by Robert Heinlein
- Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein
- Revolt in 2100, by Robert Heinlein
- The Jungle Books, by Rudyard Kipling
- Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey [trilogy; the Valdemar series is hot/cold for me]
- A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle [favorite of the series, but there are other inter-related books I enjoy]
- Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey [series, the earlier the better]
- The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis
- Silverlock, by John Myers Myers
- Dream Park, by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes [series]
- The Mote in God’s Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle [better than the sequel]
- Inferno, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
- The Zero Stone, by Andre Norton [and sequel]
- Moon of Three Rings, by Andre Norton [and sequel]
- The Crystal Gryphon, by Andre Norton [better than the sequel]
- Year of the Unicorn, by Andre Norton
- Psi High and Others, by Alan E. Nourse
- The Widening Gyre [Spenser series], by Robert Parker
- A Morbid Taste for Bones, by Ellis Peters [Cadfael series]
- Justice, Inc., by Kenneth Robeson [Avenger series]
- Callahan’s Cross-Time Saloon, by Spider Robinson [series, the earlier the better]
- The Doorbell Rang, by Rex Stout [Nero Wolfe series]
- Prisoner’s Base, by Rex Stout [another NW]
- The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
- The Honor of the Queen, by David Weber [Honor Harrington series]
- Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazny [series]
There may be other books I love as much, or even more — but these are the ones that leapt out at me from the book shelf (figuratively speaking).
Frell….forgot about Stainless Steel Rat. Not read enough of the PAD ST ones yet. Anansi Boy’s and Neverwhere (every version of it) would be on the extended list. I could not remember the Brust that Randy leant me (very Dumas), so I couldn’t include it.
1. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams*
2. Operation Chaos, by Poul Anderson*
3. The Devil’s Game, by Poul Anderson*
4. I, Robot, by Isaac Asimov*
5. The Caves of Steel, by Isaac Asimov [best of the trilogy]
6. The Going to Bed Book, by Sandra Boynton [any any other of hers]
7. The Martian Chronicles*, by Ray Bradbury
8. Martians Go Home, by Fredric Brown
9. Jhereg, by Steven Brust* [Taltos series]
10. The Andromeda Strain, by Michael Crichton
11. The White Mountains, by John Christopher [Tripods trilogy]
12. Childhood’s End, by Arthur C. Clarke
13. Sten [series], by Allan Cole and Chris Bunch
14. Star Trek: New Frontiers, by Peter David [series; actually, any PAD ST book]
15. Ship of the Line, by C.S. Forrester* [Hornblower series]
16. Anansi Boys, by Neil Gaiman* (absotively!)
17. Neverwhere, by Neil Gaiman*
18. Good Omens, by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
19. The Case of the Careless Kitten, by Erle Stanley Gardner [Perry Mason series]
20. The Princess Bride, by William Goldman*
21. The Forever War, by Joe Haldeman
22. Guilty Pleasures, by Laurell K. Hamilton [Anita Blake series,up thru Obsidian Butterfly]
23. The Maltese Falcon, by Dashell Hammett
24. The Stainless Steel Rat, by Harry Harrison* [series, the earlier the better]
25. All Creatures Great and Small, by James Herriot* [series]
26. Friday, by Robert Heinlein*
27. Starship Troopers, by Robert Heinlein*
28. Revolt in 2100, by Robert Heinlein
29. The Jungle Books, by Rudyard Kipling
30. Arrows of the Queen, by Mercedes Lackey [trilogy; the Valdemar series is hot/cold for me]
31. A Wrinkle in Time, by Madeleine L’Engle [favorite of the series, but there are other inter-related books I enjoy]
32. Dragonflight, by Anne McCaffrey [series, the earlier the better]
33. The Screwtape Letters, by C.S. Lewis
34. Silverlock, by John Myers Myers
35. Dream Park, by Larry Niven and Steven Barnes [series]
36. The Mote in God’s Eye, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle [better than the sequel]
37. Inferno, by Larry Niven and Jerry Pournelle
38. The Zero Stone, by Andre Norton [and sequel]
39. Moon of Three Rings, by Andre Norton [and sequel]
40. The Crystal Gryphon, by Andre Norton [better than the sequel]
41. Year of the Unicorn, by Andre Norton
42. Psi High and Others, by Alan E. Nourse
43. The Widening Gyre [Spenser series], by Robert Parker
44. A Morbid Taste for Bones, by Ellis Peters [Cadfael series]
45. Justice, Inc., by Kenneth Robeson [Avenger series]
46. Callahan’s Cross-Time Saloon, by Spider Robinson [series, the earlier the better]
47. The Doorbell Rang, by Rex Stout [Nero Wolfe series]
48. Prisoner’s Base, by Rex Stout [another NW]
49. The Lord of the Rings, by J.R.R. Tolkien
50. The Honor of the Queen, by David Weber [Honor Harrington series]
51. Nine Princes in Amber, by Roger Zelazny [series] (first series was interesting, second series not so much. Basically I have played in games that were better than the second series)
Shoot, missed the Cadfael series too.
One of the fun things about this sort of exercise is realizing all the things you forgot.
And, of course, any of the above are available for check-out from the Hill-Kleerup Library to any qualified visitors. Sharing the wealth …
You’ve never read Good Omens, BD? Yikes! (Sets aside copy.) Of the books above you haven’t read, I’d say that, The Forever War, the Callahan books, and Silverlock would be my top recommendations to you.
Well, this was better than the other lists, at 21, of which 6 were “starred” (because the word `asterixed’ gives me Gaul…I mean…) Now I want to do my own list!