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  3. What Are Your Top 5 All-time Novels?

What Are Your Top 5 All-time Novels?

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  • W Westside Steve

    The Godfather by Mario Puzo even though Francis Ford Coppola pretty much wrote it and hired a novelist to put it all together so I hear.

    Of course Lord of the Rings a masterpiece  I've read many many times.

    Needful Things by Stephen King.

    All these years the mark lewisohn trilogy on the history of The Beatles. I wish you'd get off his butt and release the second book.

    It's been a long time but I really did like Shogun also Trinity by Leon Uris.

    The Century Trilogy by Ken Follett is one of my favorites.

    I've enjoyed every one of the Bernard Cornwell series The Last Kingdom.

    I have read and enjoyed every book by Harlan Coben.

    I just finished Chesapeake speaking of James Michener and have thought about reading Centennial.

    Animal farm and A Clockwork Orange are among my favorites.

    Can't really nail on a top-five I guess.

    WSS

    TexasAg1969 T Conversation Starter Dedicated Reacting Well Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post One Year In One Month Later Week One Done
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    T TexasAg1969 wrote on last edited by
    #12

    @westside-steve said:

    Get really nailed on a top-five I guess.

    WSS

    I know. It's tough to rule some out. I had to do that with East of Eden, The Godfather and the best short novel ever IMO, Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness.

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    • The Gipper The GipperT In Memoriam Very Popular
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      The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
      #13

      Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper

      Beyond that I like series:

      The Dune Series...by Frank Herbert...and then by his son plus Brian Anderson

      Bernard Cornwell...as Steve said, did several series:   The Saxon Tales (The Last Kingdom)   The Richard Sharpe series (Napoleanic War stories), The Warlord Chronicles.   The Holy Grail Series.   He also did a great stand alone novel on Agincourt.

      I have enjoyed all the Dan Brown books,  but, they have become formulaic.

      And also the Lord of the Rings series.

      W mjp28M 2 Replies Last reply
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      • The GipperT The Gipper

        Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper

        Beyond that I like series:

        The Dune Series...by Frank Herbert...and then by his son plus Brian Anderson

        Bernard Cornwell...as Steve said, did several series:   The Saxon Tales (The Last Kingdom)   The Richard Sharpe series (Napoleanic War stories), The Warlord Chronicles.   The Holy Grail Series.   He also did a great stand alone novel on Agincourt.

        I have enjoyed all the Dan Brown books,  but, they have become formulaic.

        And also the Lord of the Rings series.

        Westside Steve W Dedicated Reacting Well Posting Machine Collaborator First Post Conversation Starter Week One Done One Year In One Month Later Very Popular
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        W Westside Steve wrote on last edited by
        #14

        @the-gipper said:

        Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper

        Beyond that I like series:

        The Dune Series...by Frank Herbert...and then by his son plus Brian Anderson

        Bernard Cornwell...as Steve said, did several series:   The Saxon Tales (The Last Kingdom)   The Richard Sharpe series (Napoleanic War stories), The Warlord Chronicles.   The Holy Grail Series.   He also did a great stand alone novel on Agincourt.

        I have enjoyed all the Dan Brown books,  but, they have become formulaic.

        And also the Lord of the Rings series.

        Come to think of it I liked Cornwell's King Arthur series better than the last Kingdom, but like them both a lot.

        WSS

        www.westsidesteve.com www.myspace.com/westsidestevemusic www.cdbaby.com/artist/westsidestevesimmons
        The GipperT 1 Reply Last reply
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        • W Westside Steve

          @the-gipper said:

          Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper

          Beyond that I like series:

          The Dune Series...by Frank Herbert...and then by his son plus Brian Anderson

          Bernard Cornwell...as Steve said, did several series:   The Saxon Tales (The Last Kingdom)   The Richard Sharpe series (Napoleanic War stories), The Warlord Chronicles.   The Holy Grail Series.   He also did a great stand alone novel on Agincourt.

          I have enjoyed all the Dan Brown books,  but, they have become formulaic.

          And also the Lord of the Rings series.

          Come to think of it I liked Cornwell's King Arthur series better than the last Kingdom, but like them both a lot.

          WSS

          The Gipper The GipperT In Memoriam Very Popular
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          The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
          #15

          @westside-steve said:

          Come to think of it I liked Cornwell's King Arthur series better than the last Kingdom, but like them both a lot.

          WSS

          Cornwell himself thinks that the King Arthur series was his best work.  But, FYI, in his series, I do not believe that Arthur was ever actually King. It was Uther, then Mordred (who was also a son of Uther). 

          Just FYI for those not familiar......The Warlord Chronicles is Cornwell's version of what the history of (King) Arthur could actually have been like... no sorcery or magic involved.  There is mysticism, what with Merlin being the head Druid priest.  But no actual magic.   

          What it actually is is story of the original Britons struggle against the invading  Angles and Saxons, circa between 400-500 AD.  In a certain sense, the Saxon Tales are a somewhat sequel series, because they depict the Angle/Saxons struggles against the invading Danes and Norsemen.

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          • calfoxwc C Dedicated Very Popular Conversation Starter Collaborator First Post Posting Machine Reacting Well Week One Done One Year In One Month Later
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            C calfoxwc wrote on last edited by
            #16

            say, I have an idea.

            I could post my wild and crazy medieval short novel again...Sir Calfox is still out there....🙄

            The GipperT 1 Reply Last reply
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            • C calfoxwc

              say, I have an idea.

              I could post my wild and crazy medieval short novel again...Sir Calfox is still out there....🙄

              The Gipper The GipperT In Memoriam Very Popular
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              The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
              #17

              @calfoxwc said:

              say, I have an idea.

              I could post my wild and crazy medieval short novel again...Sir Calfox is still out there....🙄

              Nothing says you can't.

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              • The GipperT The Gipper

                Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper

                Beyond that I like series:

                The Dune Series...by Frank Herbert...and then by his son plus Brian Anderson

                Bernard Cornwell...as Steve said, did several series:   The Saxon Tales (The Last Kingdom)   The Richard Sharpe series (Napoleanic War stories), The Warlord Chronicles.   The Holy Grail Series.   He also did a great stand alone novel on Agincourt.

                I have enjoyed all the Dan Brown books,  but, they have become formulaic.

                And also the Lord of the Rings series.

                mjp28 mjp28M In Memoriam Dedicated Conversation Starter Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post Reacting Well Week One Done One Month Later One Year In
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                mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
                #18

                @the-gipper said:

                Last of the Mohicans, James Fenimore Cooper

                Beyond that I like series:

                The Dune Series...by Frank Herbert...and then by his son plus Brian Anderson

                Bernard Cornwell...as Steve said, did several series:   The Saxon Tales (The Last Kingdom)   The Richard Sharpe series (Napoleanic War stories), The Warlord Chronicles.   The Holy Grail Series.   He also did a great stand alone novel on Agincourt.

                I have enjoyed all the Dan Brown books,  but, they have become formulaic.

                And also the Lord of the Rings series.

                Anybody watching the current PBS series the great American read?

                THE GREAT AMERICAN READ is an eight-part series that explores and celebrates the power of reading, told through the prism of America’s 100 best-loved novels (as chosen in a national survey)*.  It investigates how and why writers create their fictional worlds, how we as readers are affected by these stories, and what these 100 different books have to say about our diverse nation and our shared human experience.  

                The television series features entertaining and informative documentary segments, with compelling testimonials from celebrities, authors, notable Americans and book lovers across the country. It is comprised of a two-hour launch episode in which the list of 100 books is revealed, five one-hour theme episodes that examine concepts common to groups of books on the list, and a finale, in which the results are announced of a nationwide vote to choose America’s best-loved book.........  

                GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND!
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                • calfoxwc C Dedicated Very Popular Conversation Starter Collaborator First Post Posting Machine Reacting Well Week One Done One Year In One Month Later
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                  C calfoxwc wrote on last edited by
                  #19

                  so, my brotherinlaw printed me three copies of my novel. Two friends have read it - they really liked it -

                  had all sorts of notes, per my request, reported on it. lol.

                  some mistakes here and there, etc, a word here and there, maybe three run-on-sentences...

                  but i've fixed those.

                  Now, to get a formal copyright and an ISBN number. Then I'll sell it to a movie producer for millions ,and we're set.

                  But I have to go work out on the farm today, I've been installing lights and painting edges of walls for a couple of days - got half of today off.

                  mjp28M 1 Reply Last reply
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                  • C calfoxwc

                    so, my brotherinlaw printed me three copies of my novel. Two friends have read it - they really liked it -

                    had all sorts of notes, per my request, reported on it. lol.

                    some mistakes here and there, etc, a word here and there, maybe three run-on-sentences...

                    but i've fixed those.

                    Now, to get a formal copyright and an ISBN number. Then I'll sell it to a movie producer for millions ,and we're set.

                    But I have to go work out on the farm today, I've been installing lights and painting edges of walls for a couple of days - got half of today off.

                    mjp28 mjp28M In Memoriam Dedicated Conversation Starter Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post Reacting Well Week One Done One Month Later One Year In
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                    mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
                    #20

                    @calfoxwc said:

                    so, my brotherinlaw printed me three copies of my novel. Two friends have read it - they really liked it -

                    had all sorts of notes, per my request, reported on it. lol.

                    some mistakes here and there, etc, a word here and there, maybe three run-on-sentences...

                    but i've fixed those.

                    Now, to get a formal copyright and an ISBN number. Then I'll sell it to a movie producer for millions ,and we're set.

                    But I have to go work out on the farm today, I've been installing lights and painting edges of walls for a couple of days - got half of today off.

                    Used to be a big and somewhat expensive deal getting anything published now with today's software you can publish one book......if you want.

                    Now making a movie is another $$$$$ story.

                    GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND!
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                    • calfoxwc C Dedicated Very Popular Conversation Starter Collaborator First Post Posting Machine Reacting Well Week One Done One Year In One Month Later
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                      C calfoxwc wrote on last edited by
                      #21

                      sure - they have to buy the rights to my adventure novel - and my brotherinlaw can make me plenty of copies to get started.

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                      • Ghoolie GhoolieG One Year In One Month Later Week One Done
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                        GhoolieG Ghoolie wrote on last edited by
                        #22

                        The Bible

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                        • Axe AxeA Dedicated Conversation Starter Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post Reacting Well One Year In One Month Later Week One Done
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                          AxeA Axe wrote on last edited by
                          #23

                          Too many to list only 5.. The one that sticks out because it's a recent read is "Wool"

                          woolshiftdust.jpg

                          Well, I guess that is three 😁

                          Dude is my fav author as of late.. Many good books..

                          Our musical works to date http://www.arielsatticmusic.com/
                          mjp28M 1 Reply Last reply
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                          • AxeA Axe

                            Too many to list only 5.. The one that sticks out because it's a recent read is "Wool"

                            woolshiftdust.jpg

                            Well, I guess that is three 😁

                            Dude is my fav author as of late.. Many good books..

                            mjp28 mjp28M In Memoriam Dedicated Conversation Starter Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post Reacting Well Week One Done One Month Later One Year In
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                            mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by mjp28
                            #24

                            @axe said:

                            Too many to list only 5.. The one that sticks out because it's a recent read i is "Wool".........

                            Well, I guess that is three 😁

                            Dude is my fav author as of late.. Many good books..

                            Agreed. They want to list America's favorite read when it would be hard to list 20 or even 10 but you try to get some manageable list of 5 here. I've never even heard of many of the top 100 but it is an interesting PBS program.

                            I read a LOT in junior high and high school, tapered off in college might try to read more but sports, movies mainly old movies and lately online stuff are taking more time. My wife and her 94 year old mother are voracious readers.

                            Meanwhile carry on, good reading.

                            GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND!
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                            • The Gipper The GipperT In Memoriam Very Popular
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                              The GipperT The Gipper wrote on last edited by
                              #25

                              Now for the five books that you read that you hated the most: great expectations by Dickens, had to read that in ninth grade and hated it. Wuthering Heights Just a stupid romance novel pretending to be a classic. And I will think of more as I go along

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                              • The GipperT The Gipper

                                Now for the five books that you read that you hated the most: great expectations by Dickens, had to read that in ninth grade and hated it. Wuthering Heights Just a stupid romance novel pretending to be a classic. And I will think of more as I go along

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                                mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
                                #26

                                @the-gipper said:

                                Now for the five books that you read that you hated the most: great expectations by Dickens, had to read that in ninth grade and hated it. Wuthering Heights Just a stupid romance novel pretending to be a classic. And I will think of more as I go along

                                That's true. Some Dickens I liked, some eh. For authors particularily in school I loved every Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel bought them back in the paperbacks for about 35 cents each. I loved the classic WWII novels and autobiographical books, sports stories and biographies even the Biography TV series with Peter Graves. I read whole shevles of books in our school library and my place the McKinley Memorial Library a block from my junior high school.

                                In college I liked F. Scott Fitzerald, didn't really like English Lit, loved ancient history and the Civil War books. On it goes, in that PBS eight part series you sure see a varierty of books alright!

                                And now I'm hanging around Sports Boards.  😆

                                GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND!
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                                • mjp28M mjp28

                                  @the-gipper said:

                                  Now for the five books that you read that you hated the most: great expectations by Dickens, had to read that in ninth grade and hated it. Wuthering Heights Just a stupid romance novel pretending to be a classic. And I will think of more as I go along

                                  That's true. Some Dickens I liked, some eh. For authors particularily in school I loved every Ian Fleming James Bond 007 novel bought them back in the paperbacks for about 35 cents each. I loved the classic WWII novels and autobiographical books, sports stories and biographies even the Biography TV series with Peter Graves. I read whole shevles of books in our school library and my place the McKinley Memorial Library a block from my junior high school.

                                  In college I liked F. Scott Fitzerald, didn't really like English Lit, loved ancient history and the Civil War books. On it goes, in that PBS eight part series you sure see a varierty of books alright!

                                  And now I'm hanging around Sports Boards.  😆

                                  TexasAg1969 T Conversation Starter Dedicated Reacting Well Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post One Year In One Month Later Week One Done
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                                  T TexasAg1969 wrote on last edited by
                                  #27

                                  @mjp28 said:

                                  And now I'm hanging around Sports Boards.  😆

                                  Where the prose is ah..............................inventive!!???

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                                  • The GipperT The Gipper

                                    Now for the five books that you read that you hated the most: great expectations by Dickens, had to read that in ninth grade and hated it. Wuthering Heights Just a stupid romance novel pretending to be a classic. And I will think of more as I go along

                                    TexasAg1969 T Conversation Starter Dedicated Reacting Well Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post One Year In One Month Later Week One Done
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                                    T TexasAg1969 wrote on last edited by
                                    #28

                                    @the-gipper said:

                                    Now for the five books that you read that you hated the most: great expectations by Dickens, had to read that in ninth grade and hated it. Wuthering Heights Just a stupid romance novel pretending to be a classic. And I will think of more as I go along

                                    I read Great Expectations for the first time just a few years ago and just enjoyed the prose more than anything about it. Gave me a better understanding about where "The French Lieutenant's Woman" grew from, another where the prose alone made it worth the read.

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                                    • T TexasAg1969

                                      @mjp28 said:

                                      And now I'm hanging around Sports Boards.  😆

                                      Where the prose is ah..............................inventive!!???

                                      mjp28 mjp28M In Memoriam Dedicated Conversation Starter Very Popular Posting Machine Collaborator First Post Reacting Well Week One Done One Month Later One Year In
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                                      mjp28M mjp28 wrote on last edited by
                                      #29

                                      @texasag1969 said:

                                      Where the prose is ah..............................inventive!!???

                                      Yeah I'm going down the river, probably will end up living in a van.  A big pile of unread books rotting away, 😆

                                      GO BUCKEYES, BROWNS, INDIANS, CAVS, YSU, NAVY and yes I like ND!
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