Dear lexi,

Are you serious? If you're conning us then your favourite book must be the lexicon.

Dear mac,

Well you were doing better than I. I probably would have offered up Jonathan Livingston Seagull or Clarke's Rondevous with Rama at that age, although my Conrad fixation did kick in about then. I didn't get to The Prince until my mid 20's.

Big tick for The Kite Runner, Lexi.
What a fantabulous book.
Anthony
http://www.observationpoint.com.au

Okay, here are some books I have enjoyed over the years.

I really enjoyed Jane Eyre in my teens - although I think I had the hots for Mr Rochester.

Also in my late teens, I used to read "Anna Karenina" in my little car at lunch when I was working at a car wash which was attached to a service station. It was such a contrast to my surroundings and I so looked forward to munching my lunch while reading it...I think it was the first decent piece of literature I ever bought, so it has a special place for me.

The French Lieutenant's Woman - Fowles is a master and takes you where he will. It even has alternate endings.

Death in Venice" - superb storytelling in this novella - erotic (in the truest sense of the unobtainable) and atmospheric.

The Name of the Rose" - Umberto Eco is such a clever man.

....and many more.

A special mention to a compilation of letters exchanged between Gustave Flaubert and George Sand "Flaubert~Sand" - simply because they were both so wise and sensitive.
Flaubert wrote" "Language is like a cracked kettle on which we beat out tunes for bears to dance to, while all the time we long to move the stars to pity."
(He wuz humble too)

JoM,
I have a copy of Chester Wilmot's "The Struggle For Europe". In my twenties I had a particular penchant for learning about British social history of the WWII era, and invariably this led to associated themes.

Dear David F.,

No David - I'm an avid reader - and the list I gave is a
very short one. There's so much more that I could add to it.

Dear Poirot,

I also loved "The French Lieutenant's Woman," It's a passionate piece
of writing as well as an immaculate example of storytelling.

Have you read, "A Difficult Young Man," by Martin Boyd?

csteele,

I've been a Clarke fan since I read "The City and the Stars", Asimov was another great sci-fi writer.

High School ruined the 'classics' for me, so I've generally avoided the Great Literature of Western Civilization.