What are your top three favorite books and why?

The Dark Elf trilogy R.A. Salvatore. A Course in Mircicles. The Cave of Time. They all helped me in a time of troubles.

Generally speaking, this question is impossible to answer.

However, I’ll narrow it down, for myself, to “three favourite books to read for entertainment”.

I have dog-eared, falling apart copies of Marion Zimmer Bradley’s The Mists of Avalon, Frank Herbert’s Dune, and J.R.R. Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings.

They’re all great character-driven stories with vivid scenery and interpersonal conflict.

I agree with you @Seek. It’s really impossible to name favourite books. It’s like asking me to name my favourite child. Furthermore, if you ask me in a week, I might name different books. Today I’ll say Silence of the Lambs, Papillon, and…. so many books…I’ll go with The Road. I too love Lord of the Rings.

Catch 22 because it exposed the seemingly impossible situations one may encounter when faced with the bureaucracy of our government.

Mark Twain… need I say more?

Kurt Vonnegut explanation offered….discover this on your own.

L.O.T.R.
Dune
Battlefield Earth

You know, Stranger in a Strange Land was a favorite of mine. I read it as a teen and ever since had fond memories of it. I re-read it last year, or tried to anyway, and was unable to finish it. I got bored.

Times, and tastes, change.

When I was young my uncle and father both told me that The Fountainhead shaped them. I read, and I agree.

I enjoyed Bret Easton Ellis’s American Psycho, as it is much better than the movie and really develops the character.

And for fluff, well, The Life of Pi was pretty good. David Sedaris is funny. And Sex Lives of Cannibals was both enlightening and entertaining.

The Stand
Day of the Triffids
The Harry Potter series

Of Mice & Men
Picture of Dorian Grey
Frankenstein

I loved them all for they had strong story plots & they were good page turners :)

Wow. Only 3….
•Great Maria- Cecelia Holland. My book I will grab if leaving home in a hurry. I have read it every time life is rotten. 11th Century Norman Woman in Italy marries into family fighting Saracens for Mecca. Excellent read and author.
•Shirley Jackson’s now combined novels: Life Among the Savages/ Raising Demons. The short story author of The Lottery, writes about her family in the 50’s. Sooo funny if you were around then, or aware of times.
•J.D.Salenger’s: The Catcher In The Rye. As you reread during life, like in -To Kill a Mockingbird, you are more aware -and thus, it changes your viewpoint.

Impossible question.
I am reading Proust, which is extraordinary and I am so happy I didn’t miss this author in my life.
Loved Magic Mountain. The Angle of Repose. Short stories by Monroe.

So many authors who are so fantastic, it’s a rich, rich world of literature for those who love to read.

I’m only going to write the one that comes immediately to mind, it would be hard to decide between the others.

THE ENGLISH PATIENT
Michael Ondaatje

glorious writing
mesmerising
a pleasure to read
(the movie is not a patch on the book)

The King Must Die by Mary Renault. This opened my eyes to the ancient myths and was exciting and imaginative too. I read more of her books on the Greek myths and they were spellbining
The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M Auel. I read this m
ore than once
Extra Virgin by Annie Hawes. Sisters living in Italy in the 80’s and experiencing work, fun and laughter amongst very entertaining locals.