Listmania!
Books to make you pause
Anna Karenin (Classics)Anna Karenin (Classics) by L.N. Tolstoy
Buy used from: £0.01
I can never thank the person who recommended this book enough. The two parallel love stories contain more feeling and reality than a sackful of modern 'chick-lit' romances.
To Kill a MockingbirdTo Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Buy new: £4.30 / Used from: £1.22
This features on so many lists and rightly so. I read this when I was in school and it made a huge impression. Everything about this book, the characters, events and message, is special.
The Poisonwood BibleThe Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Buy new: £4.48 / Used from: £0.01
I love everything about this book. Adah provides one of the most interesting and intricate narrative voices I have read.
The Grapes of WrathThe Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
Buy new: £6.48 / Used from: £3.20
I've always prefered this to East of Eden, the Joad family are instantly welcoming to the reader. Arguably the most beautiful final passage ever.
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Buy used from: £1.95
Seriously Creepy. Not to be read while under the influence of anything. This is a book that will keep you up all night reading, and only partly because you don't want to turn out the lights.
Night Watch: A Discworld Novel (Discworld Novels)Night Watch: A Discworld Novel (Discworld Novels) by Terry Pratchett
Buy new: £5.59 / Used from: £0.01
Unforgetable characters, intricate storylines and a healthy dose of cynicism make up a hugely under-rated collection of books. At times highly satirical and political and always hilarious.
Pride and Prejudice (Collector's Library)Pride and Prejudice (Collector's Library) by Jane Austen
Buy new: £4.79 / Used from: £0.97
Forget what you've heard. Forget Colin Firth. This is one of the most enduring love stories written. I will admit to muttering at the book with frustration every time Elizabeth and Darcy missed.
The Great Gatsby (Penguin Modern Classics)The Great Gatsby (Penguin Modern Classics) by F Scott Fitzgerald
Buy new: £4.41 / Used from: £1.64
There's a captivating magic about this book, Gatsby is the person you've always wanted to meet.
The God of Small ThingsThe God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
Buy new: £4.74 / Used from: £0.01
I picked this up in the airport looking for a distraction. I found Roy's style of writing enchanting and was deeply touched by this book. Only read it if you have the time to think about it.
Catch-22Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Buy new: £5.42 / Used from: £2.00
Despite the reputation once you get beyond the first few chapters the style becomes familiar and easier to follow. Hilarious and haunting. Worth it just for Milo.
The Hitchhiker's Guide To The GalaxyThe Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy by Douglas Adams
Buy new: £5.49 / Used from: £0.01
Packing more imagination than the latest Sci-fi blockbuster these books are beyond description. Once you do read them you'll find yourself seeking others who have just to share the in jokes.
The Catcher in the RyeThe Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger
Buy new: £4.90 / Used from: £1.40
Equally powerful as a teenage or adult read. After reading this I had intense urges to follow his footsteps.
The Crow RoadThe Crow Road by Iain Banks
Buy new: £5.29 / Used from: £0.01
Prentice McHoan has had some interesting experiences in his life, notably his hilarious sexual experience in a car. While at times seemingly without purpose the book draws together as it progresses.
Dance, Dance, DanceDance, Dance, Dance by Haruki Murakami
Buy new: £5.56 / Used from: £1.04
Everything Murakami writes is poetry. Prepare for dreamlike states and some of the most beautiful language to be found on a page.
Lord of the FliesLord of the Flies by William Golding
Buy new: £3.99 / Used from: £0.01
It's official. Children are scary.
Wuthering Heights (Penguin Popular Classics)Wuthering Heights (Penguin Popular Classics) by Emily Brontë
Buy new: £2.00 / Used from: £0.01
Quite a dark take on love and loss. If this ever gets released as a major film I want Tim Burton to get his hands on it.
The Art of Looking SidewaysThe Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
Buy new: £15.47 / Used from: £12.50
Like a giant magpie let loose Alan Fletcher has gathered a multitude of pictures, random facts, anecdotes, musings, designs and sketches on issues from pattern to chance.
His Dark Materials Gift Set: "Northern Lights", "The Subtle Knife", "The Amber Spyglass"His Dark Materials Gift Set: "Northern Lights", "The Subtle Knife", "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman
Buy used from: £10.00
Pure, compulsive magic. Definately not just for children.
E=mc2 (pb): A Biography of the World's Most Famous EquationE=mc2 (pb): A Biography of the World's Most Famous Equation by David Bodanis
Buy new: £5.07 / Used from: £0.01
Don't be put off by the science, it's easily explained in simple terms. Fascinating insight into scientists of all ages. Very good for impressing people with.
Summer SistersSummer Sisters by Judy Blume
Buy used from: £0.01
I've read this several times since I was fifteen and have never been able to resist crying. Emotionally wrenching tale of a unique friendship.
The Man in the High Castle (Penguin Modern Classics)The Man in the High Castle (Penguin Modern Classics) by Philip K. Dick
Buy new: £5.73 / Used from: £2.97
A slightly bonkers and at times terrifying image of a world in which the Allies lost the war. Hard going but worth it.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Book 1)Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone (Book 1) by J.K. Rowling
Buy new: £4.47 / Used from: £0.01
It's hard to imagine the last few years without these books. Ignore the hype and definately ignore the films. As involving and well written as the best adult fiction.
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-timeThe Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Buy new: £4.80 / Used from: £0.01
Worth the hype. Incredibly well written and intriguing insight into the mind of a boy with Aspergers.
The No.1 Ladies' Detective AgencyThe No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
Buy new: £4.54 / Used from: £0.01
Beautiful in its simplicity. Instantly loveable characters that develop throughout the series. I challenge anyone to read this and not finish the rest of the series.
Vernon God LittleVernon God Little by DBC Pierre
Buy new: £4.78 / Used from: £0.01
I found certain issues raised in this book shocking and difficult to stomach. The final vision of deathrow as reality tv is chilling in its inevitable possibility..