What Is Your All-Time Favorite Book?

[Sophia]

I know there is a thread about what you are currently reading, but what is your favourite book of all time?
So far the best book I've read was The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.
The narrator is Death himself who describes experiences of a German girl, her family and a Jew they are hiding.
Its a very poetical and warming, yet sad story. Very different from other books or films about WWII.

 

[Silicon Waffle]

I don't know if Liesel's story reflects today's any realistic objective perspectives and lifestyles of most European people but I can make a rough and pretty harsh conclusive generalization that they are pretty negative about life and human relationships. If someone thinks they fully understand European people's definition of love or affection, then that's good for them, I just don't myself. The writer is an Australian anyway.

 

[S.G. Janssens]

The writer is an Australian anyway.

I just read his parents are German and Austrian, respectively. So maybe that explains some of the thematic.

 

[micromass]

I don't know if Liesel's story reflects today's any realistic objective perspectives and lifestyles of most European people but I can make a rough and pretty harsh conclusive generalization that they are pretty negative about life and human relationships. If someone thinks they fully understand European people's definition of love or affection, then that's good for them, I just don't myself. The writer is an Australian anyway.

Why would an Australian not understand European's definition of love or affection? In my experience, there is very little difference between Australian culture and European.

 

[AkshayJain]

I'm fairly sure the answer to this is Watership Down, by Richard Adams. It has great characters, I love the rabbit mythology he builds throughout, the story is genuinely exciting/frightening/empathetic, and I've never read anything that better encapsulated the British countryside.

 

[Ironmanlet]

the Future of the Mind by Michio Kaku followed by Waking Up by Sam Harris

in that order.

 

[Sid Collins]

My all time favorite...Atlas Shrugged by Russian born author Ayn Rand. I realize that many people either love it or hate it, but its philosophical doctrine which proclaims intellectuals and the free market as important to every society is always enjoyable. Hell, it entertained me for 1,000 pages, that deserves an award.

 

[symbolipoint]

Out of the Crisis, W. Edwards Deming

 

[meBigGuy]

I have to list two. Sorry. Both are informative fun reading.
A World Lit Only By Fire by William Manchester describes European Civilization leading up to Magellan's Voyage (when science conquers religion)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0316545562/?tag=pfamazon01-20

Chaos: Making a New Science by James Gleick contains an incredible description of the frustration of being on the cutting edge of Non-Linear Dynamics
(it's almost like Kuhn says, the old school has to die off)
https://www.amazon.com/dp/0143113453/?tag=pfamazon01-20

 

[nucleargirl]

Anna Karenina

 

[mesa]

"The Trouble With Physics", by Lee Smolin;
It's the reason I am back in college :)

Number two on my list is currently, "Principles of Magnesium Technology" by E. F. Emley. Fascinating (and unfortunately rare) book with extraordinary pictures only matched by its content.

 

[newjerseyrunner]

My favorites have always been Flatland and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.