What's Your Favorite Book

Jonny Ryan Mac · Jun 6, 2005

Whats your favorite book, what book made you want to start writing, how much of an impact did it have on your life? What are you reading now?

My favorite book is "This Present Darkness", by Fank E Peretti. (A great read about angels and demons and spiritual warfare.) It was the first Novel I read twice, the first novel I told people about more than "The Lord of The Rings." - Series books.

What made me start writing, well, it was the thought I had after finishing "Angels and Demons", by Dan Brown. I said, i can do that. Loved the book, but knew the whole plot as it unravelled so effortlessly at my feet, the ending was cool, but like "The Village," I had a sinking suspician. Five months later i had my first MS, and my editor loves it, here we go to the Literary world.

Right now im reading, "Eaters of the Dead," Micheal Cricthon, and "Decipher" By Stel Pavlou.

RGame · Jun 6, 2005

I edited out my reply. I referenced something from a past conversation for a joke and got a "troll" remark when I clicked on the little feedback button. I thought it was a joke, not a "troll" remark, but I'll edit it out so as not to get anyone else angry. Yeesh.

KTC · Jun 6, 2005

The book that made the most influence on my decision to be a writer is A Separate Peace by John Knowles. I read it when I was about 8 or 9 and it caused me to be a fanatic reader. My favourite book(s) are: A Separate Peace, Franny & Zooey, The Wonder Boys, The Bell Jar, Too Loud a Solitude and To Kill a Mockingbird. I can't pick just one and on another day I might give you five different answers.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory was the book that made me think...this is what I want to do...WRITE!

I am presently re-reading The Picture of Dorian Gray.

BlueTexas · Jun 6, 2005

Yikes...I can't pick one.

Some of my favorite books are East of Eden, The Eyes of the Dragon, The Red Tent, The Lovely Bones, The Year of Wonders. Tomorrow I'd probably have a different list.

I can't say what book made me want to write...I think I just always have. Reading Robert Frost's poetry may have done it, though.

I'm currently reading Eats, Shoots and Leaves, Wizard and Glass and a book of Edwardian ghost stories.

Jamesaritchie · Jun 6, 2005

Favorite book

Jonny Ryan Mac said:
Whats your favorite book, what book made you want to start writing, how much of an impact did it have on your life? What are you reading now?

My favorite book is "This Present Darkness", by Fank E Peretti. (A great read about angels and demons and spiritual warfare.) It was the first Novel I read twice, the first novel I told people about more than "The Lord of The Rings." - Series books.

What made me start writing, well, it was the thought I had after finishing "Angels and Demons", by Dan Brown. I said, i can do that. Loved the book, but knew the whole plot as it unravelled so effortlessly at my feet, the ending was cool, but like "The Village," I had a sinking suspician. Five months later i had my first MS, and my editor loves it, here we go to the Literary world.

Right now im reading, "Eaters of the Dead," Micheal Cricthon, and "Decipher" By Stel Pavlou.

I don't have a favorite book. There are just two many I really love, and a list of those tied for first place would be pages long.

But I can say which novel first influenced me, made me realize fiction can evoke strong emotion, and even make the physical senses hear and smell things that aren't real. It was "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea" by Jules Verne, and I was a wee lad of nine or so when I read it.

But there wasn't a book that made me want to start writing. I started writing for money. The only book I can point to that made me think I could make money from writing, and could keep doing it for years and years, and that the writing life was one worth living, was a nonfiction book. It was "Call it Experience," the writing autobiography of Erskine Caldwell.

But even "Call it Experience" came after the fact. I was already selling fiction before I read it.

The only novel I have in progress right now is "Look Homeward, Angel" by Thomas Wolfe. I've read it a couple of times before, but I'm now reading through all the Thomas Wolfe novels again.

I'm also reading "Walden" again. I've lost count of how many times I've read it, but pretty much once a year for more than two decades.

scribbler1382 · Jun 6, 2005

Beyond comics, my first introduction to the book as a whole thing was probably Lester Del Rey's The Runaway Robot. That, along with every Hardy Boy book I could get my hands on. A few years later, the ones that made an impression were James Blish's All The Stars A Stage, but more significantly, Frederick Pohl's Gateway. All of these taken together explains a LOT of the direction my taste runs in to this day.

What book made me want to write? Hmmm. I don't think I can pinpoint that. I know that Gardner Dozois' story The Visible Man from the anthology of the same name had a huge affect on my wanting to put things down on paper. But most of the first things I wrote were suspense/mystery stories, so I'm going to say it was probably Lew Archer's The Blue Hammer or any number of more contemporary (at the time) novels by Lawrence Sanders or Robert Ludlum. My muse has pretty much been doing battle between the Fantastic and the Mystery/Suspense genres every since.

And that's the short answer.

Oops...almost forgot. Right now I'm reading Stephen Coonts' Liars and Thieves and I'm trying to find a copy of The Postman Always Rings Twice.

brinkett · Jun 6, 2005

Like James, I don't have one favourite book. Several books have influenced me and made me think. I'm sure if I read some of them now, I wouldn't feel the same way about them, which is why I rarely re-read books. Perspective can change as one's journey in life progresses.

hoyateach · Jun 6, 2005

I guess I'd define a "favorite" book as one I've read many times... so I'd have to go with:

Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.
The Stand and On Writing by Stephen King.
All three of Barry Eisler's John Rain novels (and the 4th comes out June 23rd!).
Caribbean by James A. Michener.
Creationism on Trial by Langdon Gilkey (nonfiction, obviously).
Paramedic by Paul Shapiro.

I'm sure I'm leaving a book or two off the list. :tongue

BlueTexas · Jun 6, 2005

hoyateach said:
I guess I'd define a "favorite" book as one I've read many times... so I'd have to go with:

Stuart Little and Charlotte's Web by E.B. White.
The Stand and On Writing by Stephen King.
All three of Barry Eisler's John Rain novels (and the 4th comes out June 23rd!).
Caribbean by James A. Michener.
Creationism on Trial by Langdon Gilkey (nonfiction, obviously).
Paramedic by Paul Shapiro.

I'm sure I'm leaving a book or two off the list.

You made me realize I forgot to mention The Drifters by Michener. I re-read the mass-market pb so many times the cover fell off!

SeanDSchaffer · Jun 6, 2005

I don't have a single favorite book. I have several favorite books. They include, but are not limited to:

Dragon's Blood by Jane Yolen
Slan by A.E. van Vogt
Dragon on a Pedestal by Piers Anthony
The White Dragon by Anne McCaffrey
Animal Farm by George Orwell
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson
The Dragon and the George (I can't for the life of me remember the author's name!):Smack:
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

All of these books have influenced the way I think, the way I write, and the way I imagine. They've been quite helpful to me in my writing career.

Jonny Ryan Mac · Jun 6, 2005

Boy, I guess i should have listed more. I love Frank E Peretti, of course, but in others i really like the classics. One of my absolute favorites is "The count of Monte Cristo", Then "Brave New World", and "Hiroshima" (i picked in school because it was short, but i had no idea the impact it would have on me.)
I liked both Dan Brown's Langdon thrillers, "Homeland" By Salvatore. Im with you guys the list just goes on.

aadams73 · Jun 6, 2005

This like being asked to choose a favorite child.

JK Rowling's Harry Potter Books
The Lord of the Rings (I reread this every year)
My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Piccoult
East of Eden
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
Jemima J and Mr Maybe by Jane Green
All of the C.S. Lewis Narnia books
Enid Blyton's Faraway Tree books.
All of Roald Dahl's books.

and a million others

moblues · Jun 6, 2005

Hello everybody. Still a neophyte to the site. To this day, my favorite book has been "Tarzan of the Apes" by Edgar Rice Burroughs. I voraciously read and read again anything by this author during my formative years.

Anything by Robert E. Howard, H.P. Lovecraft, and some Fred Saberhagen could be considered as well.

Present day favorites include Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child, as well as Michael Creighton. An honorable mention goes to Caleb Carr.

If you were to check out "The Mound Builders" in the 'Share Your Work' section of this website, you would notice that nods go to nearly all of the writers mentioned above.

I'm glad I found this site. Thanks.

THenry · Jun 6, 2005

Won't pick a favorite, but Truman Capote's Other Voices, Other Rooms finally made me put pen to paper.

katee · Jun 6, 2005

I have too many favourite books to list, but I can answer "what book made you want to start writing". All the mediocre books out there that I've read.

The books I love are amazing, and whenever I read them I'm totally in awe of how great the writer is - and they intimidate the heck out of me as a writer. But the mediocre books are the books that made me think, I can do this too.

Now, considering I haven't finished writing my first novel (yet!), the memory of those mediocre books keeps me going: If that book can get written, I can finish my book too.

triceretops · Jun 7, 2005

The guy who started all for me was Poul Anderson's Virgin Planet. He became a penpal and mentor. Couldn't ask for a better teacher! Alan Dean Foster's Ice Rigger--Peter Benchley's The Island--Speilberg's Close Encounters was surprisingly well done for such a little book. George R.R. Martin's The Sand King was the best short I ever read.

Don't know why but read everything by Joseph Wambaugh--now that's a real shocker.

Kudos to the person who picked H.P. Lovecraft and Robert E. Howard!

Triceratops

brinkett · Jun 7, 2005

But the mediocre books are the books that made me think, I can do this too.

There are published books that encourage new writers in a backwards sort of way, yes.

Marcusthefish · Jun 7, 2005

Stephen King and J.R.R. Tolkien made me want to write. Misery is my favorite of King's novels.

Books that I really love and admire are Hyperion by Dan Simmons, Watership Down, by Richard Adams, and Lonesome Dove and Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurtry.

MTF

Liam Jackson · Jun 7, 2005

No particular order and no way to seperate them in terms of enjoyment and influence: (Top Ten List)

Nine Princes in Amber, R. Zelazny
Martian Chronicles, R. Bradbury
Rift War Saga, R. Feist
Ivanhoe, W. Scott
It, S. King
Talisman and Black House S. King/P. Straub
Ghost Story, P. Straub
Wars of Light and Shadow, J. Wurts
The Deerslayer, J.F. Cooper
Catch-22, J. Heller

There really isn't a way for me to seperate these by degrees or worth or influence. Each brought, and left something different with me.

NOTE:
King's On Writing planted the seed that I could write commercially. Inspiring and straight from the shoulder.

An author, rather than a book, convinced me the notion of writing for a living wasn't so far fetched. Out of respect for the author as a human being, I won't mention his name or works, but dear gawd, reading that stuff gave me nose bleeds. Still, he gave me tons of hope. Maybe I'll have the opportunity to pay it forward and give some of you folk nose bleeds, someday. Then, you can charge ahead and write your own.

stranger · Jun 7, 2005

I remember reading a book and thinking it was abysmal; I categorized it as 'author must be sleeping with the publisher'. Then I thought: I could do it better. (Write a book, not sleep with a publisher.) And whenever I'm reading a brilliant book and get depressed about my ability to write well enough, I look at that book or read a passage or two.

Favourite books.
First 6/7 of Wheel of Time:Robert Jordan
Song of Fire and Ice: George RR Martin (He's just finished his latest, yey!)
Gone with the Wind: Margaret Mitchell
Ender's Game: Orson Scott Card
Catcher in the Rye: JD Salinger
To kill a Mocking Bird: Harper Lee
Cannery Row: John Steinbeck. (Or anything else by Steinbeck)

Pat~ · Jun 7, 2005

Jonny Ryan Mac said:
Whats your favorite book, what book made you want to start writing, how much of an impact did it have on your life? What are you reading now?

To be truthful I'd have to answer 'the Bible' to all of those questions, (though there are many, many 2nd favorites that have also influenced me greatly.) Claimed to believe it for a lifetime, but didn't actually read it cover to cover until 5 years ago. It was my "Aha" experience, and had a major, 'turning point' impact on my life (I was in a self-destruct mode at the time). It first inspired and continues to influence my writing. My first writing venture was a Bible study for women (being considered at 2 publishers right now) based on that "aha" experience, and though I've got one article due out in a magazine, most of my writing is devotional (poetry, devotionals for devotional publications).

What am I reading now (besides the above)? I am constantly in the middle of about a dozen books (I'm ADD), mostly non-fiction with a few fiction thrown in. I favor the Christian mystics, from early church fathers right up to 20th c. Am reading alot of those titles (which would not ring a bell with most of you, so won't list them here--check out www.ccel.org if interested); also reading Obsessed by Ted Dekker, The Grace of Catastrophe by Jan Winebrenner, The Glorious Pursuit by Gary Thomas, Future Grace by John Piper, and want to squeeze in a reread of Tolkien's trilogy.

Ruukah · Jun 7, 2005

Whats your favorite book, what book made you want to start writing, how much of an impact did it have on your life? What are you reading now?

My favorite book is The Bible. How much of an impact did it have on my life? Well, it changed it completely. Or more specifically God did, and still is. I'm inspired to write stories because Jesus was a storyteller. Every story contains messages and I want mine to align with scripture. Most of all I hope that my writing will encourage others to seek a personal relationship with Christ. That's what drives me.

pixiejuice · Jun 7, 2005

Jonny Ryan Mac said:
Whats your favorite book, what book made you want to start writing, how much of an impact did it have on your life? What are you reading now?

What a fun thread!

My favorite books:
A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
The Perks of Being a Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky
Winesburg, Ohio by Sherwood Anderson
Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
the Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Saftety of Objects by A.M. Homes
Birds of America by Lorrie Moore

It wasn't a book that made me want to start writing, actually, it was a video game. Final Fantasy X. And I started writing when I wrote a fanfiction story about it. After which I left fanfiction behind and started writing original stuff. Weird, huh? I don't know if I'd be a writer today if I hadn't played that game.

Reading right now: I just finished Kiss Me, Judas by Will Christopher Baer, and I'm about to pick up The Cider House Rules by John Irving.

SheliaRudesill · Jun 7, 2005

Does anyone like their own books better than all the rest? A woman who read my first novel told me that it was, "the best book she'd ever read!" Unfortunately, she was the only one who told me that. I'm constantly trying to improve my writing as I'm certain you are. But, really now, is there someone here who thinks one of their own books is their favorite?

ymmatrysk · Jun 7, 2005

My favorite book of all time is The Fifth Sacred Thing by Starhawk. It is one of the few books that actually made me cry, it was so visceral in some parts. I had a chance to meet her at a signing for another book and chat about it, which was really exciting for me. I also love Alice Hoffman books, I hear her voice in my writing sometimes but I don't think I pull it off as well as she does...

Jen

What's Your Favorite Book

Jonny Ryan Mac

Bogey Golfer

RGame

Some guy

KTC

Stand in the Place Where You Live

BlueTexas

Back from self-exile land.

Jamesaritchie

scribbler1382

Write For You, Edit For The Reader

brinkett

Elder Scrolls devotee

hoyateach

Dancing with limbo sticks

BlueTexas

Back from self-exile land.

SeanDSchaffer

Jonny Ryan Mac

Bogey Golfer

aadams73

A Work in Progress

moblues

THenry

katee

triceretops

brinkett

Elder Scrolls devotee

Marcusthefish

Liam Jackson

Heathen Horde Elder

stranger

practical experience, FTW

Pat~

Luftmensch Emeritus, A.D.D.

Ruukah

pixiejuice

SheliaRudesill

ymmatrysk