What book would you recommend to others?

LignumVitae

OK so based on the threads of what books haven't you read and what books influenced you...if you could recommend one book to others what would it be and why?
Mine would be Marlon James' The Book of Night Women

It isn't my favourite book, it hasn't influenced me in ways others have but it has stayed with me. It's quite horrific at times and gives a chilling account of life on a plantation. I read it after being in Jamaica and it gave me an insight into the political situation and some of the views I encountered and made me think long and hard about slavery and how today we deal with British historical influence and the way our nation 'shaped' others. We were beyond disgusting and I'm not sure we truly acknowledge that because I'm not sure we truly understand just how bad our actions were.

ichabod6

hello lv,

The book I would chose is "my dear I wanted to tell you" by Louisa
Young. It is a love story set in the first world war and the blip is that
the hero suffers horrific facial injuries which require very early
methods of plastic surgery. The war scenes are graphic. You can get it
on your kindle fairly cheaply.
Hope I have said enough to interest you in reading it.
It's not my favourite book; that is " anna of the five towns" by Arnold Bennett. I read about once every two years or so and am fairly certain
I been doing that since before you were a twinkle in your daddy's eye.

stickywicket

Great idea for a thread, LV, and I'm going to make notes about books

I've thought a lot about this as I do think that one recommends different things to different people.

One that I first read at uni and keep coming back to (because it keeps telling me different things) is A Canticle for Leibowitz by Walter M Miller Jnr. It's SF which will put many off but both funny and prophetic, scary and very, very human.

It begins after a nuclear holocaust when all knowledge had been lost and a humble monk finds a fragile link to twentieth century civilization in the form of a hand-written document 'from Blessed Leibowitz? which reads:

Pound pastrami
can kraut
six bagels
- bring home for Emma.

Slosh

The book I do reccomend to people is The Book Thief.
It's been iut a few years now and is one of the few books that really does reduce me to tears.
It's set during World War 2 and deals like other books with the holocaust, book burnings etc but in a very different way and ultimately is about the power of words, reading and love. It's narrated by death and is a beautifully written book. One word of warning though, it doesn't work on kindle as you can't read the book within the book which is an integral part of the story.

Great idea for a thread by the way

Numptydumpty

For a light read, and for me, pure enjoyment, I recommend two books by Raffaella Barker. "Hens Dancing" and "Summertime".
They are about a single mother and her chaotic lifestyle, set in Norfolk.
I have read them several times and they still make me laugh out loud.
The main character pops up in another Raffaella Barker book "Green Grass", which I also recommend.
Numpty

LignumVitae

You caught me at it Sticky...this will indeed give me a host of new titles to try, in fact you all have done so thank you, I can't wait to finish the book I'm on and try the ones you have all put forward.

Ichabod, I haven't read Anna of the Five Towns but I did read 'The Card' one of Bennett's later works whilst at school and I remember enjoying it so maybe it is time I revisited his works.

LignumVitae

Ichabod - thank you for that, I just devoured that book (partly it kept me company in the wee small hours with poorly girls). What a fantastic and thought provoking read. I looked into the story and found the Harold Gillies archive which has information about the patients that feature in the story. What a remarkably visionary man. I will be reading more of her works.

ichabod6

Hello lv,

Very glad you enjoyed it.
This morning I have finished "the rescue man" by Anthony Quinn.
It's another wartime story set in Liverpool during the blitz. I found it
a novel novel (I wont tell you why) but not quite as gripping as "my
dear.......".