I was asked this question the other day & it prompted me to go get it off the shelf again. However it was so wrecked, I had to go buy a new one. On average, I reckon this gets read at least every other year. I’m guessing @XH558 knows it but if you don’t, take my word for it-it’s the greatest boys own read, except it’s not fiction, just reads like a can’t put down page turner. Can’t recommend it highly enough
The Collector by John Fowles. Inspired the song The Butterfly Collector by The Jam. Read it a good number of times. Also Oliver Twist by the aforementioned Mr Dickens. Favourite book of all times. Menacing Bill Sykes, Fagin (the real one) and the Artful Dodger. Love it.
The Magus by John Fowles (The Collector is s terrific book) The Silmarillion by JRR Tolkien Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes Last and First Men by Olaf Stapledon Most stories written by HP Lovecraft but especially The Dream-Quest of Unknown Kadath and At the Mountains of Madness Use of Weapons by Iain M Banks The Bridge by Iain Banks Potentially this will be a great thread.
I've even read the expanded version that was later released, with all the bits missed out from the original print. Doubt I'll be re-reading that one though : o )
Favorite books, sometimes re read... Kosinski. Devil Tree / Vonnegurt, Slaughter House Five / Irving, The World According to Garp / Faulks, Birdsong The Long Way by Moitissier is surely worth reading several times.
Orwell, I liked his writing as a teenager and have gone back to it many times. The Road To Wigan Pier in particular is one of my favourites. I like Larkin too, never tire of reading him. From more recent times, I can re-read Will Self's travel writing endlessly, and How To Be Free / How To Be Idle are books I try to get everyone to read sooner or later, profound and light in equal measure. Mostly though, I'm on here or watching YouTube. I hate the Internet.
Definitely a good choice of topic .... Fowles hit a peak with The Magus , no question , although he re-worked it several times , and wasn't ever really satisfied with it . There's a few that I've read so many times that the pages are falling out ... " The Fall " by Albert Camus " Money " by Martin Amis " Heart of Darkness " by Joseph Conrad
