h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

While we're on the subject of books written with bizarre dialects - Trainspotting uses its Scottish pronunciation writing style to excellent effect...for those who haven't read it (and why on earth not?), each chapter is written from the perspective of a different character, but it doesn't tell you which character. As you get into the book, you can tell which character is narrating simply by the way it is written...I love this book.

I quite liked "Filth" by Irvine Welsh (who also wrote Trainspotting.) It was just sick enough for me
Did I mention "The Great Gatsby" or "The Bell Jar" last time. Also genius.

On the F. Scott Fitxgerald front, "Tender is the Night" is also very good.

The best book I've ever read by far is a book called "The colours of
space" by Marion Zimmer Bradley.
Ti has everything, Love, hate, spies, science, overall making it an unbelivable read.

Z Phantom

I'm reading the lord of the rings right now,and that is COOL.But the best ever...gonna have to think about that one.
As we seem to be talking about unusual books,anyone ever read the foundation trilogy by Isaac asimov(Although it's probably already been said) I haven't yet,but my brother is,and he says the 3 books take place over 1000 years,with a new generation (and new characters) every few chapters...
"I Robot" is also quite good,now that I come to think...

Hmmm....I keep on meaning to read Foundation - never got round to it. And I have a stack of books that I plan to read first - The Blind Watchmaker, LOTR (again...), Cryptonocon, The Dark Tower series, and a few more.
Prelude to Foundation is very good, though.

.fishy

I'm reading about three books simultaneously:

"Brave New World Revisited" - Aldous Huxley
"Under a Glass Bell" - Anais Nin
"The Great Gatsby" - F. Scott Fitzgerald
"Bluebeard's Egg" - Margaret Atwood

Okay. Four then. Plus "A-level Biology in a Week"...

I'm reading three books at the moment.

The Fellowship of the Ring (Lord of the Rings - part 1): JRR Tolkein
Expecting someone taller: Tom Holt
Country of the blind: Christopher Brookmyre.

I'm also trying to simultaniously study Biology, Chemistry and Psychology for University. Aaagh!

In non-fiction I'm currently working through a book of famous quotations. It's probably better not to ask why.

Wow! Now THAT's a difficult one!
My first reaction would be 'The Hours' by Michael Cunningham. Then again, maybe it's because I didn't think hard enough (not that it's not a good book, but hey, there are so MANY!)...

I also really loved all the books by Bruce Chatwin ('The Songlines', 'Patagonia', etc.), but it's a few years ago I had this Chatwin-kick.
In SF, I really don't know... I can't remember one book being extremely better than another, maybe I'd vote for Asimov anyhow.
Oh yes, in cyberpunk, I know it right away : 'Snowcrash' by Neil Stephenson! Great!

In fantasy, I have been reading about everything of Robin Hobb lately and I really think she can write a good story. To say it's the BEST fantasy I've read would be a bit strange, since there is Terry Pratchett and Fritz Leiber and Jack Vance and.... and... and...

Then there are all these books in Dutch that I'm not going to talk about, because most people here wouldn't have heard of it, I suppose...

Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov Read Asimov. Sorry got carried away there. He is my (second) favorite author!!!!

I guess i did not realize that the slang was that important. i thought the story was about a bad scientific idea gone wrong.

The Foundation Trilogy is worth reading as they are classics.
The other books in the 'trilogy' (two sequels and two prequels) are still worth reading but not brilliant.

I'd suggest you read the original trilogy first as the later books contain material that spoils these.

Z

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooooo.

Lord Of the Rings Tolkien
To Kill a Mockingbird Lee
Into Thin Air Krakauer
Stranger In a Strange Land Heinlein
Huckleberry Finn Twain
Cosmos Sagan

To name but a few

I read Stranger just three days ago . Good but not his best. Nay brilliant but still, day after tomorrow or puppet masters is better.

I liked all fourteen (that i've read so far) of the foundation series, and most of the anne mcaffrey and e e doc smith that i've read. (or should that be just re-read)

I'm about to start rereading "Espedair Street" by Iain Banks since I've recently been reminded how brilliant it is.

I read "Contact" by Carl Segan a while ago,and it resparked my interest in astronomy.Now I've put down a "Physics with astrophics" course for college next year.

be careful with that choice for college, as you can often find that at college level and above the thinks you expect tobe learning about have nothing to do with the names.
for example, you can find physics refering to quantum physics, and astrophysics refering to cosmology, and all the stuff to do with nuclear fusion in stars. I would therefore request a sylabus before confirming those choices so you don't get a nasty surprise.

Good to see 'Espedair Street' mentioned as that's often over-looked. Definitely makes it into any list of my favourites. Of course, actual favourite changes all the time, depending on mood. 'The Glass Bead Game' and 'Siddhartha' by Herman Hesse would have to feature. At the risk of re-sparking the eternal debate, I think LOTR would make it, too. 'A Clockwork Orange' would be there for the sheer b**ls of writing in a made-up language and making it work - oh, and having an important message, too.

For the feel-good factor, I would probably include 'The 13 Clocks' by James Thurber and, perhaps, 'The Snow Goose' by Paul Gallico. 'England Made Me' and 'Our Man in Havana' by Graham Greene (no one seemed to notice when John Le Carre just re-wrote the latter as 'The Tailor of Panama') would make it. 'Falling' by Colin Thubron is quite superb, but I'm not sure whether to include it in this category!

'The Agony and the Ecstasy' by Irving Stone is about the only biographical novel I've ever really enjoyed, though the Caesar books by Allan Massie come close (I never quite got into 'I, Claudius').

For true classical literature, I would probably point to 'Purgatorio' by Dante Alighieri. I found 'Inferno' a bit self-righteous and turgid and 'Paradiso' was just plain boring, but 'Purgatorio' was excellent.