My favorite book? That’s easy:
I mean – seriously. Ask an author for their favorite book and what do you expect? Like any proud mother, I think my book baby is the most beautiful one in the world . it should be at the center of the universe and on every bookshelf…
Ahem. Okay, so maybe not so much.
When it comes to the idea of favorite books, I tend to draw a blank. I have a lot of books that I love, but if somebody was so nefarious and evil as to try to force me to choose only one, my brain would blow a fuse and I’d be stuck in some never ending decision loop.
At first I thought I would tell you of some of my long time loves, books like Little Women, Lord of the Rings, and A Christmas Carol. But you already probably know all about these books. So what I’m going to do instead is share some books I love that not everybody seems to have read.
So, yeah. Almost every body knows Douglas Adams for the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, and a lot of people look at me blankly when I start raving about Dirk Gently’s Holistic Detective Agency or The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul. The adventures of the electric monk, the horse in the bathroom, and of course the sofa eternally stuck in the stairway where it couldn’t possibly have wedged itself, have got to be some of my all time favorite moments in literary history.
And then there is this little number, from the author of The Last Unicorn:
A Fine and Private Place is quirky and wondrous and strange. And yes, the title comes from the poem with the lines: “The grave’s a fine and private place, but none I think do there embrace.” Most of the action takes place in a graveyard.
And the last choice from me today is basically everything by Robertson Davies. I’m eternally shocked and appalled that nobody seems to know who this man is. He wrote these wonderfully large novels, set in the real world and yet always with a little something “other.” Since I have to pick something, I’m offering the Cornish Trilogy:
And it turns out I’m not quite done after all. Because I have to mention one last book. Edith Pargeter’s (aka Ellis Peters) historical novel, The Heaven Tree, holds all the magic of fantasy while remaining completely grounded in a realistic medieval world. I shed more tears over this book than any book I have ever read, and usually I don’t like books that make me cry. This one? Pretty much perfect, as far as I’m concerned. I’m not quite as in love with the two following books in the trilogy, but they are still great reads.
Have you read any of these? What books do you love deeply that seem to be neglected by other readers?
Lovely choices!
Sally – I think so, lol. They truly are all either fun or wonderful, and some of them are both. 🙂
Oh, gosh, Kerry, I think I need to add all of these to my list of books to read, maybe this summer after I get through all of the Debs’ books. I’ve always loved Ellis Peters’ Cadfael books and need to check out The Cornish Trilogy, for certain! Thanks for sharing your favorites!
I can’t imagine anybody not loving the Heaven Tree. Beautiful, beautiful book. And the Cornish Trilogy is – oh, just read it. I can’t describe these things. 🙂
I LOVE The Long Dark Tea Time of the Soul. Not only is it one of the all-time best titles in publishing history, but the book itself is fabulous. I like Dirk Gently too – not that this comes as a surprise to you, I’m sure.
The others you recommended, though, are not books I’ve read, so I’m happily putting them on the TBR list immediately!
Susan, well yes, I was pretty sure you would be a fan of Tea Time, because of that whole separated at birth thing. 🙂 I’m also pretty sure you’ll love the others.
I haven’t read any of these, but I’m always looking for recommendations! And I also have trouble picking favorites!! Well, except for my own book. That one is easy ;-).
Whenever I’m asked for a favorite author or book, I freeze. I’ve started taking a list with me to readings. I figure that’s an acceptable crutch. I haven’t read any of these either…and am adding them to the “check it out” list. I love that it’s easy to do that these days, with book info available online!
Is it fair to say that my favorite book (besides mine) is usually the one I’m reading at the time. I don’t finish books I don’t like a lot or love, so while I have a few that are near and dear to me, I am an equal opportunity book lover!
Several friends who love The Heaven Tree and the Cadfael books recommend Patrick O’Brian’s books . Though his works are NOTHING like Tea Time! 😉