Favourites - books

To share a little bit about me I thought I'd let you know about my favourite Books and Movies, which I will do over two separate posts.

Immediately this poses problems. Firstly, to pick an out and out top book or film is just too tricky, so really these are a selection that would make it into my Top 10. Secondly, as a big Tolkien fan I should technically include The Lord of the Rings in both lists, but partly because there is more than one film, and because Tolkien produced far more than just the LotR I have decided to omit it from this list.

Here, then, are my favourite books:

Life of Pi - Yann Martel
Martel tells the story of Pi's journey across the Pacific in a life boat... with a Tiger, and uses it to consider life, religion, people and stories. Here is a novel that both messes with my head and yet also makes a lot of sense. It is a fantastic and fantastical story, beautifully described and completely gripping.

A Week in December - Sebastian Faulks
Faulks reckons this isn't his best novel, but it is the one I have enjoyed the most. In it he tells the story of a week in December in London, from the point of view of seven normal, and apparently disconnected, people. However, throughout the story their lives cross in interesting and intriguing ways, which shows just how closely we are connected to people, even when we don't realise it.

The Testament - John Grisham
Not critically acclaimed but one of the biggest selling authors of all time, and not for nothing. Grisham's stories from American court rooms are beyond gripping. This novel is probably my favourite of his in which a billionaire leaves all his wealth to an illegitimate daughter who happens to be a missionary somewhere in the Amazon rainforest. Funnily enough his other children aren't happy and his lawyer has to sort it all out.

Never Let Me Go - Kazuo Ishiguro
Another favourite author of mine, Ishiguro is well worth looking up if you haven't already. This story of love, friendship and memory is set in a darkly skewed version of modern England and sees a collection of students come to terms with what their lives are really about and what awaits them on leaving Hailsham School.

To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
A much loved classic, which I was fortunate enough to study at GCSE. This is a story of morals and how one brilliant father teaches his children to make good decisions. Set against the backdrop of racism this novel reveals different things to each reader, and on each reading, and can be enjoyed by young people and adults alike.

Other books which are high on my list but I have had to leave off include: The Great Gatsby, The Grapes of Wrath, Catch 22, Captain Correlli's Mandolin, Three Men in a Boat, Atonement, The Shipping News, Azincourt, and (well I have to be honest) the Harry Potter series, all of which have gripped, thrilled and inspired me. I recommend them all!