recommend me a book

[fairkatrina]

i'll read anything from dahl and rowling to fleming and gardiner to bronte and wilde to freud and nizetche - so recommend me something that moved you and tell me why you liked it.

[devilwoman]

one child by torey hayden, it had me in tears because haydens true stories are told with such truth and passion.
i have read all her books and find them facinating, i laughed and cried at them all, and felt amazed and humbled at the kids strenths and ability to win through despite their terrible lives.

[saxy_jag]

Great Expectations (Dickens). Thriller, mystery, romance, humour, social comment - it has the lot, and no matter how much you read it, you'll find something you missed before.

For a more modern read, try Kevin Brooks' 'Lucas'. Just a simple story of a girl's friendship with a local outcast and how everyone was wrong about him. It's the first book I've read in years that had me in tears at the end (yes, it's a real weepie).

[BabsG]

Try My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. The story of a child torn apart by love for her sister and yet not wanting to put herself through further pain is totally absorbing. Couldn't put it down.

[mosesg]

The Island by Victoria Hislop
This book gives you a real insight into lepropy and how it affects families. I couldn't put it downa dn I passed it to my mum and she was the same

[shaneystar2]

I recently read Suite Francaise by Ir�ne N�mirovsky. She died in the gas chambers during the war and this is a book that she wrote from the view of a Jew in France during the occupation.It was meant to become a five part work but of course that never happened .Very moving
Nella Last's War is good too ... a woman living on her nerves in Barrow in Furness during the war who wrote her diary everyday for the Mass Observation Archive.Great insight into how people managed then and also in it's own funny way quite moving as you see her stand up to her husband and go out and do voluntary work for the WRVS when he clearly wants her at home at his beck and call !

[bensmum]

A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving. It's a strange book and not easy to start with (then again most of his books are like that!) but is a strangely moving story. I also have to agree that the Jodi Picoult book is very good - quite thought provoking.

[puddycat]

If you like fantasy I'd suggest Weaveworld by Clive Barker. The story of a world woven into a carpet which starts unravelling. Can the world within be saved???? I loved it.

[mickyilly]

falling leaves by adenline yen mah - made me laugh and cry...lovely book !!!

[drchasuble]

Death And The Penguin by Andrey Kurkov. Original and funny.

My favorite novel is The Pursuit Of Love by Nancy Mitford and I have a soft spot for A Dance To The Music Of Time (12 volumes) by Anthony Powell.

[spanner7853]

time travellers wife by audrey niffenegger(?) had me in tears at the end. Brilliant book and an original story.
Tell no-one - Harlan Coben brilliant thriller with a big twist at the end.

[SRH]

Love in the Time of Cholera by Gabriel Garcia Marquez - never has a book made me cry, laugh and shout out loud at the characters so much. It is wonderfully evocative of turn of the century Colombia and the characters are so real you feel like you know them. It has a wonderfully epic feel to it and as I neared the end I rationed myself to a chapter a day because I couldn't bear to finish it. When I did I blubbed my eyes out! Wonderful stuff. Birdsong by Sebastian Foulkes is a great book too - but much sadder than LITTOC. Have the hankies ready! My other three all time favourites are Boy by Roald Dahl, To Kill a Mockingbird and (predictable, I know, but fantastic) Catcher in the Rye - must have read it 50 times and it still feels as fresh as ever.

[spudqueen]

As someone has already recommended The Time Travelers (sic) Wife I will recommend A Town Like Alice by Nevil Shute. Fantastic book, it was one of those that stayed with me for ages after I'd read it.

[naz_nomad]

Salt - A World History by Mark Kurlansky

[angelap]

Crime / Thrillers

The P.J.Tracy series (Want to play, Live Bait, Dead Run and Snow Blind)
And Karin Slaughter (BlindSighted, KissCut, Faint Cold Fear.....)

they are all amazing reads :)

Visit www.bookcrossing.com to see if anyone has left books in the wild for you to find :)

[Thicko2006]

I thoroughly enjoyed Past Caring by Robert Goddard and have no hesitation in recommending it.

[BabsG]

I could also add anything by James Rollins for sheer adventure and escapism on the grand scale. I guarantee that you will not be able to put them down - there are thrills on every page. Lovely stuff.

[robbo82]

I'll recommend three that I think are all thought-provoking, entertaining, moving and gripping in equal measure:

The Dice Man- Luke Rhinehart
The Secret History- Donna Tartt
The New York Trilogy- Paul Auster

[toltol]

AWWWWW...Gabriel Garcia Marquez and Paul Auster were going to be my first two choices!

If I can't have them then anything by Albert Camus, I remember being transported...lovely

[Mammar]

The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett.

Follows the building of a cathedral from 1123 - 1174 and the lives of the people involved. Left me amazed by their skill, imagination and tenacity.

[Mistopheles]

Thillers - anything by Harlan Coben or Lee Child.

A Case For Faith - fascinating whether you are religious or not. Really helped me.

Sati by Christopher Pike - an unusual take on religion.

Jane Eyre - the only classic I read without hating it.

Firestarter - best Stephen King by far.

The Queen and I by Sue Townsend. Hilarious, well written, and an interesting way of analysing social culture.

Currently reading The Big Picture by Douglas Kennedy for the 5th time - still so gripping I missed my train station.

My favourite of all time is 'Kiss Mommy Goodbye' which is not yet published I'm afraid. Written by a friend, I started reading it at 9pm and read all 600 pages without putting it down once. If / when it's published, snap it up - I defy you not to love it.