Which Books Do You Read?
By Darkwing
@Darkwing (21583)
April 16, 2007 7:31am CST
Do you stick to a favourite author, or do you choose by subject of title? Novels, Romances, History or which type of book takes your fancy?
I read Bernard Cornwell... I particularly like his Arthurian and other historical books. Most of his books are bestsellers and he has written hundreds of them. He has the ability to store historical records, add a little humour, add a little fiction and come up with a best selling novel. I also enjoyed Marion Zimmer Bradley's, Mists of Avalon and Elizabeth Kostova's, The Historian.
So who are your favourite authors and which are your favourite types of books?
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37 responses
@recycledgoth (9894)
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16 Apr 07
I tend to go by favourite authors. Anne McCaffrey, Marion Zimmer Bradley, Terry Pratchett are my top three. I, too, enjoy Arthuriun books and have read Bernard Cronwell too.
2 people like this
@Darkwing (21583)
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16 Apr 07
I like Mists of Avalon, but that's the only Marion Zimmer Bradley I've read. Bernard Cornwell, to my mind, is a very clever writer. He has the knack of throwing history, legend, humour and a little druidry into a bag, shaking it up and making it into a story that you can't put down.
Thank you for your response and brightest blessings.
1 person likes this
@chenxiaoyue_713 (2165)
• China
17 Apr 07
Well, I prefer to say that I don't stick to a certain author. I like read books, all kinds of books. I'm studying literature, so I have to read much. But as a Chinese, I still find it much more easy to read Chinese books.
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@arseniajoaquin (1732)
• Philippines
17 Apr 07
I read the Holy Bible - the bestseller of all time. And I also translate it from Greek to English.
I am a Christian, a child of God, baptized into Christ on October 1, 1989 and I belong to the Church of Christ founded and headed by Christ as shown in Acts Chapter 2. I am given the gift of knowledge and understanding Bible Greek and I translate the Word of God from Greek to English PLAINLY - Greek word into its English equivalent with additional words for grammar purposes written in italics so that readers may delete them when they so desire.
I have already published GENESIS, EXODUS, LEVITICUS (Greek-English), THE WILL New Testament (Greek to English), ELEMENTS of SALVATION, The Right Way, GOD, ORIGIN, TRANSFER into PERFECTION, GREEK-ENGLISH (Grammar & Vocabulary), WORDS in THE WILL New
Testament, and others shown at
http://www.lulu.com/arseniajoaquin
I have seen the versions being circulated worldwide and they are generally admitted to be 80% NOT translations. My translations are 99.99% translations and I see the truth, beauty, and sweetness of the Word of God. I hope these books could also help people understand the Word of God and be saved.
I hope that people would include these in their reading. May God bless all of us.
@Darkwing (21583)
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17 Apr 07
I'm sure that there are many English versions of the Bible, Arsenia, but you have done well to translate it so closely... you couldn't get much closer than 99.9% accurate.
I'm afraid I'm not a Christian so I won't be entering your link but I'm sure many Christians who look into this discussion, might.
Thank you for your response to this discussion, for which I've awared a + rating, and brightest blessings.
@Stiffler07 (1356)
• United States
16 Apr 07
I'm big on Dean Koontz, he is truly one of the greats. I don't believe there is enough time in a day to tell you about all, & I do mean all the books he wrote. One that I have finished not to long ago & enjoyed a great deal was .... (Tic-Tock)
Great story, with a twist.
@unusualsuspect (2602)
• United States
16 Apr 07
It's interesting that you mention Bernard Cornwell. He's not my favorite author, but I did get hooked on his Sharpe series after watching all the movies made from it. I'm almost through the Sharpe books, and find them fascinating because of their period detail. I did try the Arthur books but got bored about thirty pages into the first one. I did just read Gallows Thief, which I liked very much. The thing about Cornwell books, which is why I can't include him among my favorite writers, is that he's excellent on plot and settings, but his characters aren't fully developed. They tend to get lost in the details of the stories.
To answer your questions, I don't think I could pick a favorite author because I read so widely. But I do have general favorites in both fiction and non-fiction. Unless I'm on a fiction kick, which I am right now, I usually read non-fiction--science and psychology.
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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16 Apr 07
You certainly do cover a wide range of books and you did well to read all the Sharpe ones; there are an awful lot! Yes, I agree Bernard Cornwell sometimes goes into a lot of battle detail, but I find that he concentrates a lot on the central characters of the book, as with Derfel, in the Arthurian series' and not so much on Arthur, about whom the stories were supposed to be.
Having said that though, I can get completely wrapped in Cornwell books, so much that I read almost for a full day, hardly putting the book down. There's always something to keep me going... I have to get to the end of the story. lol.
Thank you for your quality response. It was very thoughtfully written and I'm awarding a + rating here.
Brightest Blessings and happy reading.
@derek_a (10873)
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16 Apr 07
I like mysticism, and particularly got involved in Zen, which is not an easy path to follow, but can be very profound and enlightening. I don't read many fictional books, but have read the occasional one, -fantasy like Lord of the Rings (a few years ago now). I suppose some would call me an escapist, but I have not read Harry Potter.:-)
I would say the one book I would hate to lose is Three Pillars of Zen, but Roshi Philip Kapleau, which deals with beginners advice through to the enlightened masters.
One Zen-based humorous book I read was The Dice Man. This was written in the 1970s long before the television series and is both shocking and funny. Luke Rhinehart wrote this and a follow up called, Beyond the Dice Man - but his first book was best IMO.
@Darkwing (21583)
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16 Apr 07
I'm into a little mysticism and fantasy too. I haven't read anything Zen, nor Lord of the Rings, but I have watched Lord of the Rings on DVD. Harry Potter is a little immature for me, but I did read one children's book... Shadowmancer... but only because it was based around Whitby near where my brother lived, and this gave me added interest.
Thank you for a very detailed, quality response, Derek. I am awarding a + rating for the time and detail you put into this. Brightest Blessings.
@MGjhaud (23240)
• Philippines
16 Apr 07
usually i do because sometimes if i read a series of novels of a particular author i love and then suddenly jump to another author, it somehow cut my appetite of reading. sort of like that.
i read Ken Follett's book, he's a spy novelist and yes i like those kind.
i seldom read romantic novels but recently a friend of mine suggected a book and when i read it it was so cool. it's a novel written by Judith McNaught.try to read PERFECT. its love and romantic indeed as what my friend told me.
@denden (802)
• Philippines
17 Apr 07
I do choose any interesting topics and good authors when i choose a book to read.But i do love to read an epic and drama like illad and oddyssey, i like it very much and i enjoy reading it.As for now i am looking for a good book and author that really interests me.
@Married2aMarine (1273)
• United States
16 Apr 07
I really like John Grisham's books. And any similar types of books. I read a romance novel occasionally but nothing thrills me more than a suspenseful book, a thriller, mystery, etc. I love books with lots of twists and keeps me going page after page!
@maryelser (13)
• United States
17 Apr 07
I like fantasy books. I read a lot of Terry Brooks, Anne McCaffery. I have started one today by Marie Brennan titled " Doppelganger". So far it is proving good. But i will read just about anything, except for romances. I dont care as much for them.
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
16 Apr 07
I read a lot but it is mostly childrens' stuff as I home school my children. We are getting ready to read a Christian Novel titled "In His Steps" for my daughters' language arts program and I hope that it is good. Anyone ever read it?
Speaking of reading, I believe we are due to go to the library again!!
1 person likes this
@Darkwing (21583)
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16 Apr 07
That's good that you home school your children. No, I haven't heard of the book entitled "In His Steps" but I'm sure you and your daughter will enjoy it. I used to like the children's books when my kids were young and I read them bedtime stories. lol
Best you hurry off to the library then... happy reading. Thank you for your response and Brightest Blessings.
@ackars (1942)
• India
16 Apr 07
I read mostly detective stories,autobiographies&biographies.I have read the whole of sherlok holmes in just one night.Its the best detective stories I have read.I like Agatha christie novels too.
@aissha (2036)
• India
17 Apr 07
i generally read bestsellers ,fiction and non fiction and i hv experienced they are good only . going by writer jane austen is no.1 ,i like her writng and so pride and prejudice is fav. book of mine for anytime reading i'll sugest pickup reader's digest in fiction the alchemist .lol dear.
@sunita64 (6469)
• India
17 Apr 07
Well my recent favorite is Paulo Coehno, but I do not stick to him. I read whatever I put my hands upon. Nowadays reading more of self help books available on net. As far as Paulo Coehno books are concerned they always give a spiritual message which is what I like in his book.
@xiaodongpan19831110 (67)
• China
17 Apr 07
I always read fairy tale and cartoon when i was a child, just like "hei mao jin zhang"(Chinese), but when i growed, I found i have no interested about them, and now i always read novels reflect social problem. Actually, on-line novel is more and more popular now, and it will be a good way to read
@roshnichaudhary (1160)
• United States
17 Apr 07
I am a big fan of R.K.Narayan's short stories and novels. Apart from these I read fashion and women's magazines.
@mallengadapriya (5)
• India
17 Apr 07
Yes I stick to my favourite authors such as Agatha Christie, Sydeny Sheldon, Sir Aurthur Conan Doyle, John Grisham and lately I have started some books written by Jane Ann Krentz.. these are mostly romance with a bit of suspense in it. Its good past time. It is her offbeat humour and flair that makes it a good reading.