For me, it was Before We Were Immigrants; So Long Yugoslavia. I can't remember where I saw it first but I read it and loved it. I guess if you don't have any expectations, you embrace it more. Similar to films. I was going through the TV channels, and the movie The Way Way Back, which I'd never heard of, instantly grabbed me and now it's one of my favorites.
by pageunresponsive
16 Comments
A thousand splendid sun
The Orphan Master’s Son by Adam Johnson. Found it randomly and its now in my top 3 of all time.
Out Of The Silent Planet by C.S. Lewis. Not his most popular work but it cemented my lovemof science fiction when I was a teenager.
When the Emperor was Divine by Julie Otsuka
No idea how I came to own the book but when I finally read it thought it was incredible. Read it a couple times now
The sirens of titan – kurt vonnegut
Yes! Men Went to Cattraeth by John James. I happened to be reading a Wikipedia article about something else and there was an reference to it. I thought it would be interesting so gave it a go – now it’s probably the book I re-read most often.
It’s a semi-historical novel based on the fifth-century poem by the British bard Aneurin. It’s about a force of British (i.e. Celtic) warriors sent to fight off the Anglo-Saxons. The style comes across first as Arthurian romance but as you read a deeper and darker truth emerges. The writing is superb and it makes you look differently at history.
It should be a famous novel but it went out of print and is very hard to find in book form (but available easily as an e-book).
Knock Knock Open Wide by Neil Sharpson
Good Neighbors by Sarah Langan
The Gone World by Tom Sweterlitsch
Truly just randomly picked them up while browsing my library app and would consider them among my favorite books ever
I found The Magicians in a thrift store. I hadn’t heard anything about it or the TV series or the author before. I loved it.
Far Afield by Susanna Kaysen.
Dove Season by Johnny Shaw. I just stumbled across it on kindle and it’s one of my all time favorites. Just a fun read
The spirit walker book series by Michelle paver was my favourite in middle school, never heard anyone ever speak about it and yet to meet anyone in person who has read them as well but they were an integral part of my school years!
Quo Vadis. Picked it randomly off the library shelf
The Sasquatch Hunters Almanac by Sharma Shields
Somehow both my most loved and most hated book. I want to burn every copy but recommend it to every avid reader I know.
I picked it up at a library sale for 50 cents.
I was looking for a thick book to get immersed into. I found a book – I guess I liked the cover – never heard of it or the author but now I have all his book and I am always waiting for his latest.
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
**Augustus**, by John Williams. I had never heard of the author but I like historical fiction so I picked it up randomly in a Waterstones. I’ve since also read Stoner. I cried when reading both books, which is something I very rarely do.
**A Question of Loyalties**, by Alan Massie. Incredible, subtle book, making you empathise with a French collaborationist in Vichy France despite everything you know. Turns out Massie is still alive and writing novels, despite being born in 1938.
I really enjoyed Cloud Cuckoo Land, I found it randomly at the library and decided to give it a go. I cannot for the life of me get anyone else to read it because the title is weird. It was one of my top three books I read last year. I actually went out and bought a copy because I wanted it in my collection.