Your Favorite Books

[Gerald Wilgus]

Many of us love books, some are your favorites because; it started an interest, taught you a lesson, or changed your thinking. Name Three to Five of those books which are fundamental to who you are.

I'll start:
1. My First Book of Rocks and Minerals
It ignited an interest in the earth and its history, lasting since 1957 to present, taking me to different countries and 5 billion years into the past.

2. Why I Am Not a Christian
The ideas of Bertrand Russel that convinced me of the difference between ethics, and the rules of religions, aka morals. I chose the former, even after my Jesuit Catechism.

3. Huckleberry Finn
To me, a profoundly anti-racist screed of which is said "Over time, Huck develops an inner conviction that he can't return Jim to slavery. Despite feeling guilty for acting in a way his society considers immoral, Huck decides he must treat Jim not as a slave, but as a human being." He decides to remain uncivilized and says; "But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can't stand it. I been there before." Such ethics!

4. Annals of the Former World; Basin and Range, In Suspect Terrain, and Rising From the Plains.
Tales about the geology and geology-associated people across the United States. You will never look at the American landscape the same way again.

5. The Panda's Thumb
I started to understand Natural Selection and Evolutionary Biology. You learn that the earth holds all the cards and adaptation is only catch-up. And, when the earth, and its atmosphere, oceans, or land masses change rapidly, great dieings happen.

Your turn . . . .

 

[Tom]

Wellington at Waterloo - Jac Weller

Tries to tell the story of the 4 day campaign from Wellington's viewpoint, with no more information then he had at any given moment. It also tried to get from the typical large unit narrative down to the battalion or even company level. Written in 1965, it is somewhat dated now due to the considerable research that has been done since, but still one of the most vibrant and illuminating versions of what it was like that June in 1815. Awoke in me a lifelong interest in the battle that still persists unabated. Even though I have visited the battlefield twice and have an extensive library on the subject I still reread this book from time to time and study the excellent ariel photographs (he hired a small plane to fly him low over the multiple battle sites) that have never been attempted since, and some 60 years on are much more altered by added buildings, roads, etc.

 

[Luca]

Books? I have too many favorites to count lol!!

Anything nonfiction and related to animal science, or world travel, is an instant favorite, usually.

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this but I sometimes like reading young adult novels. I grew up with the Animal Ark and Animal Ark Hauntings books in the 90s and 2000s so those get re-read a lot.

I'm literally looking at both of my bookshelves in my living room right now and seeing if I can pick a definitive favorite. I can't. Lol

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

Books? I have too many favorites to count lol!!

Anything nonfiction and related to animal science, or world travel, is an instant favorite, usually.

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this but I sometimes like reading young adult novels. I grew up with the Animal Ark and Animal Ark Hauntings books in the 90s and 2000s so those get re-read a lot.

I'm literally looking at both of my bookshelves in my living room right now and seeing if I can pick a definitive favorite. I can't. Lol

Anything that touched you profoundly?

 

[Luca]

Anything that touched you profoundly?

Hmm. I really have to think about that.

I think the closest I've come to that was reading The Dog: A Natural History by Adam Miklosi, and understanding how profound the bond between humans and canines truly is, and learning in detail about their intelligence and emotional capabilities, as well as how our relationship with them developed over time.

People are often too quick to dismiss the fact that dogs are actually capable of thinking and feeling some pretty complex stuff. They are not livestock and they are not "just pets" either. They are a complex working animal that develops incredible bonds with humans.

...I'm sure everyone is rolling their eyes at the fact that I brought up something dog-related as the thing that touched me profoundly lol

 

[Sherlock77]

I really enjoy reading anything to do with history, to a certain extent almost any topic... But I love reading any history/non-fiction books related to the Canadian prairie provinces... I just love the whole topic of history, how we got to where we are today... I know lots of people who couldn't care less about that, maybe some of you?

 

[Slime_Punk]

Mostly textbooks, instruction manuals and how-to guides. One day I'll read some fiction... maybe

 

[SusanLR]

Fiction: C. S. Lewis - The Chronicles of Narnia
Due to the spiritual nature.

J. R. R. Tolkien - The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings
He was influenced by C. S. Lewis' writings.
I loved being swept away to another world with these books.

Anything scientific on the subjects of Astronomy, Archeology and Quantum Physics.
Earth sciences and evolution also.

 

[Atrapa Almas]

I will try to order them from older to more recent:

Pre-Teen book -> Lord of the flies: Human group mechanics simplyfied. It not include sex. A group of teens must organice themselves in a desert island with no adults.

Teen Book -> The naked ape: A fresh and more logic view on our human condition. Opened my eyes in some ways.

Teen Book-> A happy world: About a distopic futuristic world. Was written in 1932 and its not so distopic now, the world have evolved in a very similar way.

Young Adult-> The limits of the growth: A very nice essay about the planetary limits to our growth, prior to any global warming or climate change stuff. This one was written in my own logic code, so it was a pleasure to read

Adult Book-> The personal MBA: A book about bussines. How they work, what skills are needed and a list of very good books related to those needed skills.

Adult Book-> Lead the field: Audio book about how to be suscesful. I read it after becoming father and gave me very good advice. I wish I had read it sooner.

Last Month-> Sapiens: From animals to Gods. Audio book about the proccess humans to control the world. What made it so shocking was the "shared fictions part". I connected that with many deficits of me that are autism related and sudently understood many group mechanics I was unaware of.

So those are. Nice thread.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I'm sure everyone is rolling their eyes at the fact that I brought up something dog-related as the thing that touched me profoundly lol

Not at all. learning to make connections into Natural History is valuable. I have always wondered why Charles Darwin chose pigeons instead of dogs to illuminate the power of selection in breeding success applied to natural variability.

What fascinates me is that dogs came from a single lineage while cats developed from two lineages that began interacting with humans. When in Morocco I was in an area where I was hoping to glimpse a Sand Cat.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

I really enjoy reading anything to do with history, to a certain extent almost any topic... But I love reading any history/non-fiction books related to the Canadian prairie provinces... I just love the whole topic of history, how we got to where we are today... I know lots of people who couldn't care less about that, maybe some of you?

I'll devour well written histories. Some of my favorites are; Men to Match My Mountains (California and the far West), Nothing Like it in the World (the Transcontinental Railroad), The Last Place on Earth (Amundson and Scott race to the North Pole), Undaunted Courage (Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery).

 

[Sunny1]

In no particular order:
"The Six Day War" was current history when it first came out, so that interested me, and it puts you in the building by building tactics.

"Huckleberry Finn" is my favorite book by my favorite author! I love how Huck and Jim's relationship grew throughout the book. And Huck had a pure heart.

"The Bible" helps me be a better person.

"How to Win Friends and Influence People" was the book I read over and over and over in 8th Grade because I wanted to start my new life in high school, at a new school in a neighboring town, where I would know no one. I hoped it would help me make friends without the grief and loneliness of elementary and middle school. It did!
I was never in the popular group which came preformed from the local eighth grade, but I had a great group of friends that hung out together (not a few of which were/are probably autistic.)

"The Little Engine That Could" helped build my optimistic outlook.

 

[Rodafina]

I’m a graphic novel and comic book person myself – the story Return of the Dapper Men is my all-time favorite.

Other reading includes either David Sedaris or mental health/social work related articles. Otherwise, graphic novels, it is.

 

[YiskaChava]

Many of us love books, some are your favorites because; it started an interest, taught you a lesson, or changed your thinking. Name Three to Five of those books which are fundamental to who you are.

I'll start:
1. My First Book of Rocks and Minerals
It ignited an interest in the earth and its history, lasting since 1957 to present, taking me to different countries and 5 billion years into the past.

2. Why I Am Not a Christian
The ideas of Bertrand Russel that convinced me of the difference between ethics, and the rules of religions, aka morals. I chose the former, even after my Jesuit Catechism.

3. Huckleberry Finn
To me, a profoundly anti-racist screed of which is said "Over time, Huck develops an inner conviction that he can't return Jim to slavery. Despite feeling guilty for acting in a way his society considers immoral, Huck decides he must treat Jim not as a slave, but as a human being." He decides to remain uncivilized and says; "But I reckon I got to light out for the Territory ahead of the rest, because Aunt Sally she's going to adopt me and sivilize me and I can't stand it. I been there before." Such ethics!

4. Annals of the Former World; Basin and Range, In Suspect Terrain, and Rising From the Plains.
Tales about the geology and geology-associated people across the United States. You will never look at the American landscape the same way again.

5. The Panda's Thumb
I started to understand Natural Selection and Evolutionary Biology. You learn that the earth holds all the cards and adaptation is only catch-up. And, when the earth, and its atmosphere, oceans, or land masses change rapidly, great dieings happen.

Your turn . . . .

1) 1984: This is my favorite book. I love how militant it was but yet it seemed to forecast the future a bit (especially the part about newspeak). I'm not necessarily sure why I love it so much. George Orwell just has that spark.

2) Under the Dome: this book ticked me off so much because of the injustice in it. However, whenever a book can pull my emotions, it becomes a favorite. I had never been so p.o.ed in my life while reading until this book. It wasn't even a book; it was a little world. Stephen King is genius.

3) Catch Me If You Can: I love books and shows about cons and imposters -- true crime without all the gory bits. This autobiographical book is funny and it shows that Frank Abagnale, Jr. (the former conman who wrote the book) was really creative.

4) Cell: Stephen King is a favorite of mine. I love apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic fiction and this brought it home for me. The book is a little gory bit it is tactful.

5) The Cobra Event: before covid happened, I was really into fiction books about plagues and pestilence. This book was terrifying and great at the same time. Richard Preston's work is always very vivid and he uses actual science.

6 (just one more)) The Bell Jar: I had always had this book on my to-read list and I finally got around to it a few months ago. It is a semi-autobiographical work by Sylvia Plath. I identified greatly with her. Trigger warning though: it is about depression and mentions suicide.

7 (I know I said only one more but I lied)) The Dark Tower series by Stephen King: Oh, Roland of Gilead -- the famous gunslinger. I love this series. It isn't a classic King horror but it is an adventure. Even though I'm female, sometimes I dream that I am like Roland.

 

[Tom]

The Washing of the Spears - Donald Morris

Another all time favorite and one that also seeded a lifelong interest in the subject of the Zulu Nation's military in the classic period in the 1800's. Also written in 1965 coincidently (as was Wellington at Waterloo) it still stands I believe as the definitive history of the subject. The author was a CIA agent stationed in South Africa and he used his down time (and maybe some work time) to gather all the local sources. He actually takes you from the very beginning of known history to the political development of the Zulu nation and eventually the British military Invasion that is known as the Zulu War. The other tribal groups and Boers are also discussed and it really is a history of South Africa in general. One incident that must have been amazing was when during pre-european contact a sailor washed ashore in a shipwreck was sitting on the beach and heard a low rumbling slowly getting louder and louder. Then around a bend in the coast line came a Zulu Impi on their way on some mission (Military force varying in strength). In perfect formation, 4 accross, regiment after regiment, something like 4000 warriors, passed the astounded european in total silence except for the commands of the Indunas (Officers). The Zulu warriors also stared at the white man as they passed, never having seen one. But did not stop or molest the man as the Indunas had passed the word that this was probably one of the Bead Makers they had heard about in stories.

 

[Richelle-H]

As I am a bibliophile, this is a particularly difficult question for me to answer. It took me some time to sort through my many years of reading to come up with a meaningful reply. I found that I needed to define what favourite means to me and ultimately decided that to truly qualify it required more than fond memories. Thus I have only considered books I have read more than once. So I will list these in the order of member of times read.

The top of the list would have to be DHALGREN by Samuel R. Delaney

Curiously enough it was published the year the world changed for me (1975). It was a mass market paperback that was a huge hit and went through multiple printings very quickly. It isn't a particularly easy read. I first read it in galleys (not an easy way to read any paperback book as they are not bound and, as I recall, my copy had one sheet that was missing which meant a few pages were absent). Also, by contract, Delaney had the right to demand changes to the text on each reprint (for misprints as minute as a single comma somewhere). Not a conventional novel on any level and for some a difficult read. I never found it so and on last count I have read it a total of four times. Two of those readings done back to back (that had to do with the fact that it has a circular narrative structure overall, with many scenes repeated with altered perspectives. It ends with the beginning of a sentence that has its terminus at the start of the book "I come to wound.../...the autumnal city." ) I wound up purchasing a (definitive at the time) hardcover, no frills printing on acid free paper, years after its original publication. It is quite possibly one of the defining reads of my life.

Next up would be Terre Nostra by Carlos Fuentes

It was also a book first published in 1975 although the English translation was not available until the following year. It moves around in time and location with the overall thrust of the novel and attempt to recount Hispanic history in both the old and new worlds. I have read this one a few times as well. I think the structure of this book as well as Dhalgren connected with my autistic brain more than any other books I have read.


Although I could come up with any Others, my final favourite would have to be:

Gravity's Rainbow by Thomas Pynchon (1973)

Yet another big book and one difficult to synopsize easily. I have read this one twice and its memory lingers in my brain. I bought this book on a whim in a small bookshop in Hamburg NY, simply because it was filed in the science section and it intrigued. It is a wild, strange, and comic piece of fiction. Like the other two above it, not everyone's easy read.

That is all I will mention, for every book that I buy/read is a favourite in the moment. AS I said at the start, if I mentioned every book I have fond memories of, I could wind up with carpal tunnel syndrome.

Note: All Cover images are the original U.S. Publication covers and have most likely changed over the decades.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

this was probably one of the Bead Makers they had heard about in stories.

I have only ever seen the film, ZULU. I guess it is a tale of the British garrison that prevented the Zulu from invading Natal. I have read about the Zulu discipline, ferocity and skill, and have concluded that they would have made the Spartans quake. A tale of warfare and the men who are called to fight that I am in awe of is Steve Ambrose's, Band of Brothers. Easy company's overrun and destruction of a battery of 88s that were firing on the Normandie beaches is so classic it is taught at the War College.

 

[ZebraAspie]

Books? I have too many favorites to count lol!!

Anything nonfiction and related to animal science, or world travel, is an instant favorite, usually.

I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this but I sometimes like reading young adult novels. I grew up with the Animal Ark and Animal Ark Hauntings books in the 90s and 2000s so those get re-read a lot.

I'm literally looking at both of my bookshelves in my living room right now and seeing if I can pick a definitive favorite. I can't. Lol

Never knew their was a haunting version. I read the Little Animal Ark books over and over again.

 

[Luca]

Never knew their was a haunting version. I read the Little Animal Ark books over and over again.

I love the original series but I love the haunting ones too. You can usually find them on eBay for under $5. I have the whole hauntings series!

 

[Thinx]

The works of E Nesbit that I read as a child in beautiful library hardbacks, especially the House of Arden, Hardings Luck, The Wouldbegoods and it's sequels. Late 19th and early 20th Century children's books.

Elinor Lyons stories of some adventures and life on the West coast of Scotland, Strangers at the Door, Daughters of Airedale,and others. Children's fiction from the 60s. I loved the young people's freedom and ideas expressed, and the beautiful settings.

Works of Rosemary Sutcliff, historical stories from early Britain and Roman Britain, also Geoffrey Trease's, K M Peyton's and Ronald Welch's historical stories. I love history and archaeology texts now, and visiting ancient or historic buildings and areas.

Works of Noel Streatfield, Apple bough, Ballet shoes, and others. Children's fiction I learned some ideas about more positive family dynamics from, as a child.

Many classics, works of Jane Austen, Works of Henry James, also of Thomas Hardy, I read as a young adult. I found these so well written though some odd ideas especially about women from Hardy in particular!

Many crime novels - humorous or not too gory ones! Agatha Christie, Josephine Tey , Janet Evanovitch & others.

Historical fact and fiction. Deborah Harkness: A Discovery of Witches trilogy, also her book about aspects of Elizabethan London, The Jewel House, 2007. Fascinating.