Of all the books you have ever read, which 5 would you re-read time and time again (and why)?

Question

Harry Potter aside (which I haven't read)...I'm intrigued to know which books so take over the reader's thoughts and imagination, to which at some point, they return.

Answer 1

the clan of the cave bear series, had all the books for years and every year or so re read them

Answer 2

Okay, Harry Potter aside, the books I've always come back to when I have nothing new to read:

Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (or Ten Little Indians)
Agatha Christie's Curtains
JRR Tolkien's LOTR trilogy
Erma Bombeck's books (when I get depressed and always wanted a laugh. She's very humorous!)
Jack Higgins books featuring Sean Dillon
and my journals about my kids!

I've read these books more than 5 times except LOTR which I've only read thrice.

Answer 3

To Kill a Mockingbird, it is a timeless story. Every time I read it, there's a turmoil in my head and my heart.
Huckleberry Finn because Twain is such an acerbic observer of the human race.
The Persian Boy, I don't know why I am so engrossed by this story based on Alexander the Great's history.
Tom Sawyer, because it is such a fun and vivid adventure and there's always Twain's penetrating eye.
Charlie and The Chocolate Factory, I love sweets and Dahl's characters are simply delightful.
And the list goes on.
I have quite a few favorites that I can read again and again and every time there's something new, a new layer, a certain something that keeps me coming back for more such as "Jane Eyre", "Wuthering Heights", "Sense and Sensibility", "His Dark Materials", "The Lord of the Rings", Grimm Tales, etc.

Answer 4

I reread Pride and Prejudice (Jane Austen) all the time. The style and characters are great, and it makes me laugh and smile every time I pick it up.
I have probably read Dangerous Angels (Francesca Lia Block) 6 or 7 times through. I love the poetic style of the language and the evolving relationships of the characters as they grow.
The China Garden (Liz Berry) is an old favorite of mine. I discovered it at the bookstore when looking for the new book of the author who was alphabetically after Berry on the shelf, liked the summary, and have read it maybe 10 times since. I have always been really interesting in England, and it takes place in an ideal little village in the English countryside, has a great love story, and is connected to all kinds of mythology which I love.
I am also really interested in Arthurian legend, and especially love Marion Zimmer Bradley's The Mists of Avalon for its fabulous retelling of the legends from the female perspective. She develops the characters and the story in such a wonderful way that, despite the great length of the novel, I love to work through it again and again. It is wonderful.
I could certainly say Harry Potter here as it is an often reread series, but for the sake of another favorite I shall not. Instead I shall mention another all-time favorite, Tamora Pierce's Song of the Lioness quartet. I discovered it in junior high and haven't stopped reading the continuing tales of Tortall since then. But I especially loves this first of the Tortall series for its strong heroine and excellent supporting characters. The first book in particular is wonderful, seeing the characters in their youth and as they begin to struggle with training for knighthood and with becoming teenagers. I love it.

Answer 5

Frenchman's Creek by Daphne du Maurier (the most romantic book ever, with out being sloppy).
The Ship That Flew by Hilda Lewis (read this when I was a child, reread it 2 years ago and it's still magical!)
Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris (quirky)

I can only think of these for now. All I know is that when I finish a really good book, I feel sad, like I have lost a friend.

Answer 6

Harry Potter aside (I read them constantly). The other books I read regularly are 'Watership Down' by Richard Adams, 'Zoya' by Virginia Andrews, 'The Lord of the Rings', 'The Hobbit' and 'The Children of Hurin' by JRR Tolkien and 'A Woman of Substance' by Barbara Taylor Bradford.

These are books that take over my imagination and transport me from my troubles for a while.

Answer 7

1. The Children of Hurin another magnificent story by Tolkien.
2. The Oddman by Dean Koontz a real nail biter!
3. The Mist by Stephen King, loved it, a real bump in the night book.
4. The Genesis of Shannara both of these books will not fail to disappoint if you love Futuristic Sci Fi by Terry Brooks, an amazing Author by no means!
5.Making Money by Terry Pratchett, or any of his books, you'll split your sides laughing, a real pick me up after a hard days work!

Hope this helps, happy reading...

Answer 8

I re-read books all the time, but my top five would be:

Great Expectations by Charles Dickens - my all-time favourite book, full of twists and turns and wonderfully written

The Moonstone by Wilkie Collins - a combination of my two favourite genres, a classic and a mystery novel

No Name by Wilkie Collins (again) - great book mixing social commentary with suspense and revenge

And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie - I love Agatha Christie and this is my favourite book by her with a real twist in the tail

Angels and Demons by Dan Brown - another mystery novel which captured my imagination. Underrated next to The Da Vinci Code.

Answer 9

1. Twilight - aweomse, awesome book, gets better every time i read it.
2. Eclipse - same as Twilight, I didn't like new moon as much as these two.
3. Blind Beauty - Gives you insight on how juvenille delinquits do what they do. (Not really in depth, but it's really good. About a horse.)
4. The City of Ember - Science fiction in a post-end of the world era. Awesome.
5. The People of Sparks - ^ Sequel

Answer 10

Quite dissapointed to find I am the first reader to be recommending Terry Pratchett and Robert Rankin.
Any book they have put to press is worth the read, re-read and re-re-read.
I have gone through the Discworld series maybe 15 times, and each time it keeps me reading.
Robert Rankin is the (living) master of nonsensical fiction.
If you have never read any Spike Milligan, you really nead to get to your local library.
To choose my 5 absolute favourite books, they would be
1 - Armegeddon; The Musical (parts one, two and three) by Robert Rankin,
2 - Night Watch by Terry Pratchett,
3 - The Lake House by James Patterson,
4 - Anything else by Terry Pratchett,
5 - Anythig else by Robert Rankin

Answer 11

A Sneaking Suspicion - By John Dixon (check out his other books too)
They are such mind-openers and had me gripped. I loved the funny little remarks here and there and it really made me feel as though I ws having a chat with the author face to face.

The Secret Life Of Bees - By Sue Monk Kidd
This was such a great book for me. I loved everything about it, the way it dealt with racial issues, family problems and all other problems teenagers had to face in the 1960s.

Witch Child - By Celia Rees
It was like nothing else I've ever read. I was gripped from start to finish and jumped for joy when I discovered there was a sequel. Fascinating and charming.

Soceress - By Celia Rees
The sequel to Witch Child, on the same level of wonder as its prequel. What a story. Absolutely mesmerising from start to finish, I couldn't put it down.

Can You Sue Your Parents? - By Paula Danziger
A book I read nearly four years ago, but still as re-readable. Such great humour and little sidenotes that made me smile. The plot was great and really brightened up my day once I'd finished it.