I love to read and I love books and I hope to visit some beautiful libraries before I die.
What is your all time favorite fiction work?
What is the best work of fiction you’ve read in the last 6 months?
Bonus: What is the best library you’ve ever been in or would like to see?
Bodlein Library in Oxford, England to inspire you. I hope to get back to Oxford on a day that Bodlein is open to the public.
“No man can be called friendless who has God and the companionship of good books.” ~Elizabeth Barrett Browning
For more Backwards WFMW head on over to Rock’s in My Dryer….
The Happy Wonderer ~ ellen b. 
I can almost smell the books from looking at your pictures… One of the best smells…
Favorite of all time:
To Kill a Mockingbird
Favorite lately:
Either The Good Earth or Gilead. I can’t choose!
Library? I haven’t visited any thrilling libraries. But you make me wish I had!
Without a moments hestitation…. Tolkein……the Lord of the Rings. I have read at least forty times. sometimes to just escape from the craziness of life but also to relish the fantasy of hope when things look the darkness. To go forward against hopeless odds with a friend not knowing what the end is. Tolkein in his book has captured my fantasy for life.
I think it is because he captures the real battle that we are in as believers with the powers of darkness. The power that comes out of the book is that there is always hope and there is help from places least expected. Long live frodo!!!!!!!!
Jim
Jim, This is my favorite too and you have expressed so well much of what is captured in reading it! Long live hope and Frodo!!!
Books: How can I choose amongst so many friends?
Libraries: I loved the Library of Congress in Washington D.C,
My next favorite would be UC Berkeley’s library.
1) I guess I have to say LOTR, but there’s so much great stuff.
2) That’s easy – Cold Comfort Farm.
3) I’d love to visit the Bodleian.
Fun questions. I don’t think I have a favorite book (I’m too much of a variety chick, I could never pick just one). Recently I went to my college reunion. It was amazing to see how they had updated and remodeled the library. Made me want to go back to school. Ha!
Duckabush Blog
1. Favorite book of all time is Pride and Prejudice.
2. Favorite book in the last six months is anything by Philippa Gregory (be careful of content, though).
3. Favorite library? Ha! I haven’t visited one in awhile. I get all my books through my library via my computer.
I have so many favorite books, it’s hard to choose and it will depend on what day you ask me. Maybe The Hobbit. Also the Rumpole series by John Mortimer (I love to find books that make me laugh out loud.)
In the last 6 months, “Women’s Diaries of the Westward Journey” edited by Lillian Schlissel (non-fiction of course)
Library I would most like to visit would be the Vatican Library, not so much for the books, but the artwork, murals and the architecture.
My favourite of all time is Pride and Prejudice.
Some good reads in the last year:
– The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope
– Cold Sassy Tree
– Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson (non-fiction)
– At Home in Mitford
Here’s one I read more than a year ago but enjoyed:
The #1 Ladies Detective Agency
There are too many good books, I could never pick just one! I recently read a wonderful nonfiction book: The Meeting of Anni Adams that I am offering a chance to win one of five autographed copies on my blog.
I also just finished reading When the Morning Comes (another contest) and a wonderful book about the Amish.
If I had to get stuck on a desert island, I would want my Stephen King books and the bible with me. That would keep me busy for a long time…oh yeah and the Harry Potter books…and the Lord of the Rings…
I just can’t choose!!!
I don’t tend to read much fiction at all but In the last few weeks I read “One Tuesday morning” by Karen Kinsbury basically as I had never read any of her books before and there were loads mentioned on blogs.
I was quite surprised.
I love the Anne of Green Gables series.
Favorite of all time? That is tough. To Kill a Mockingbird or Peace Like a River by Leif Enger.
Recent fiction? I have read so much recently that I’m not sure anything is sticking. I have just read two books by Dennis Lehane (Mystic River and Gone Baby Gone) and really loved them. Although they are classified as mysteries, they read more as novels. What I mean is, the mystery serves to reveal the characters, rather than the characters serving the mystery. He does an excellent job.
I have only visited municipal libraries in mid-size towns in TX.
Favorite of All Time? I’m horrible at picking things like that, but I’m going to have to go with the Anne of Green Gables books, because nothing else quite puts me in a state of innocent bliss, realizing that all is well with the world…
Recent Good Reads? Anything by Jodi Picoult – she’s so provocative, but really really enjoyable. I also really enjoyed The Time Traveler’s Wife… it’s coming out as a movie soon, but I thought it was such a well written and creative story.
My latest favorite was Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Favorite of all time is harder, perhaps David Copperfield?
My favorite library is easy – the Trinity College Library in Dublin, Ireland. It’s where the Book of the Kells is on display. I wish I had pictures scanned in, but they’re sitting in a box somewhere. Gorgeous place!
Favorite book of all time: Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. In fact, that whole series of books marks my permanent favorites.
Fave recently: Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. (Caution: adults only (bad language, drug use, sex))
Favorite library: Georgetown Law Library in Washington, DC(you can see it in The Pelican Brief for a second) and the main library at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, MI.
My all time favorite books (so far) are:
1. The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
2. The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
3. The Cider House Rules by John Irving
4. Anything by Marian Keyes!
I just finished Thank You for Smoking by Cristopher Buckley, I highly recommend it.
I love libraries, but I actually prefer the mid-sized ones. Those big ones are kind of intimidating. 😛
I really don’t have a favourite. Right now my thing is going back and reading books from my childhood- Beverly Cleary, Judy Blume, The Borrowers, Nancy Drew, that kind of thing. It’s fun reading what my kids are reading and talking to them about it.
I don’t have a favorite, but one I just finished was the Orphan Train West Trilogy, by Jane Peart. It is a fictional novel about 3 orphans that were part of the Orphan Train odyssey. I had been unaware of that time until my neighbor leant me her book. I wrote a mini-review of it on my blog referenced above.
I saw the Book Of Kells in the library of Trinity College in Dublin. I would say that’s my favorite library, so far.
Oh, that’s like asking which child is your favorite! Let’s see…My all time favorite(s) would be:
1. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, by Betty Smith &
2. Love Comes Softly Series, by Janette Oke.
Favorite Library? Why, the one at which I am the director, of course! 🙂
Favorite all time fiction? Gee, I don’t know – I like a lot of Michael Chrichton, and John Grisham – but I also love ‘classics’ like To Kill a Mockingbird…
The best library I visited was The Free Library of Philadelphia that opened in the 1920’s. I love the idea that people from nearly 100 years ago were there looking at the same things I looked at.
Wow! Most of my favorites are mysteries…here’s a list of my favorite authors…
Yada Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson
Beth Moore Bible Studies
Left Behind Series by Jerry Jenkins & Tim LaHaye
Jennifer Cruise
Jennifer Weiner
Robert B Parker (3 different series)
Sue Grafton (Alphabet series)
Janet Evanovich (anything!)
Diane Mott Davidson (Goldy the Caterer series)
Jenny McCarthy (yes the actress)
Joan Hess (Claire Malloy Series)
Lisa Scottoline
Sara Paretsky
Catherine Coulter (FBI series)
Marcia Muller (Sharon McCone series)
Jan Burke (Irene Kelly Series)
James Patterson
Favorite fiction book: Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen
Favorite in the last 6 months: The House of Mirth by Edith Wharton
These are classics of 200 and 100 years ago, respectively, but they are so easy to relate to!
Francine Rivers – The Mark of the Lion triology – powerfully moving fiction!
The Lord of the Rings Trilogy is also a favorite – I just marvel and the creative mind of Tolkien. Reading is better than watching too!
The library is my favorite place but I haven’t been in any spectacular libraries.
I really liked Terry Brooks Magic Kingdom for sale series. I love re-reading it. For something really fun, I love Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series. I like light hearted reading, helps to deal with stress, etc. Sorry I don’t have a great classic for you. I haven’t been to any libraries except local ones. Your pictures are amazing, I’d love to be able to visit some famous libraries!
I love books by Wally Lamb.
My favorite book still remains: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
Favorites:
“The Once and Future King” by T.H. White
“The Mists of Avalon” by Marion Bradley
“Time and Again” by Jack Finney
“The Alchemist” by Paulo Coelho
“The Legend of Bagger Vance” by Steven Pressfield
“Replay” by Ken Grimwood
“The Time Traveler’s Wife” by Audrey Niffenegger
Oh and how could I have left out: “The Philosopher’s Stone” By Colin Wilson
My favorite is The Song of Albion Trilogy by Stephen R. Lawhead. The three books are called The Paradise War, The Silver Hand, and The Endless Knot. They are amazing.
East of Eden by John Steinbeck!!
All Time Favorite Book: Little Women
Best fiction this year: The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri
Check out the Donkey Library!!!!
Best book in the last 6 months is The Shack by William Young. You’ll love it.
Love your photos!
Favorite work of fiction of all time: hands down, The Lord of the Rings. Jim (above in comments) said why better than I …
Favorite recent work: Tie between A Common Life (one of the Mitford books by Jan Karon – just feels like home!) and Leepike Ridge by N.D. Wilson (a children’s book, but a romping good read!
Best library visited: Library of Congress – not very romantic, but the only famous library I’ve been to.
Thanks to an above comment, I’m now dying to see the Book of Kells at the Trinity College Library in Dublin!
Wow! I LOVE the library photos! There’s nothing like beautiful, old architecture for interesting pictures. Thanks for sharing! 😀
I really like Maeve Binchy, Elizabeth Berg, Lisa Whelchel, Sacred Marriage by Gary Thomas (hands down the best book I’ve read on marriage). Those are a few of my fave authors- too hard to pic a fave book :).
I’m so delighted by all your comments. I’ve written a few books down to add to my need to read list and I’m so motivated to visit so many beautiful libraries around the world. Thank you so much for stopping by and telling me about your favorite reads.
Blessings…