What's your greatest novel of all time?

I’ve only read one book on more than one occasion… (apart from the Very Hungry Caterpillar to my daughter and the Thomas books to my son) and that was Running Blind.

Is that the Desmond Bagley novel? (Don’t know of another, but have fallen foul of one author using an already used title before). Have a great affection for his books, as well as the 87th series by Ed McBain, the Martin Beck series by Maj Sjowall and Per Wahloo, and the Modesty Blaise series by Peter O’Donnell. But by far my favourite reads are the James Bond novels by Ian Fleming – which is where my forum name comes from.

Nearly impossible to single one out, but ones that spring immediately to mind are Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden and Cannery Row (all John Steinbeck) Kensington Heights (surprisingly good, showing Leslie Thomas did much more than bawdy stuff) One day in the life of Ivan Denisovich (Alexander Solzhenitsyn) and The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists (Robert Tressell) If I had to choose just one, I’d probably go for Great Expectations, the first “proper” book I ever read, and which unfortunately probably helped form my early view of women.

It is a subjective issue, “The Siege Of Krishnapur” a fictional account of a battle during the Indian Mutiny made me start to think about history in a wider context, “Piece Of Cake” made me re-think my views on war and pilots in a more mature and less stereo typical way. “The Last Place On Earth” while non fiction (depending on your view of the book!)effected me in much the same way in terms of my thoughts and opinions.

I think these three books that I read in my mid teens shaped my thinking and view of events more than any other books I can think of, with due respect to the initial question in the post “greatest novel” (which I haven’t answered) “great” is in the eye of the beholder, I can only add the titles that I think had the biggest effect on me in terms of thinking and questioning.

The book that probably had the most effect on me is To kill a mockingbird. I first read it when I was thirteen, quite a heavy read at that age. It cleared my mind of any prejudice towards and fear of others. It also enabled me to see the tolerance and understanding in my own father.

Sagitarious Rising is one of the best war books I’ve read. I will check out Covenant with Death, it sounds excellent.

For me it is the fact that it is so close to the (short) life of my Uncle Frank who died on the Somme 30 July 1916. So much so that it hurts to read it.

Birdsong (Sebastian Foulkes) is a brilliant book and would have got my nomination but for Kev’s intervention.

Moggy

In reference to Covenant With Death, it’s the characterisation that brings the whole thing to life for me. That and the fact that I’m of an age able to remember Great War Veterans, both as family and as neighbours. Harris’s writing encourages you to invest in the lives of his characters emotionally and because of that you genuinely feel their loss. You know the ending, the rear cover tag line ‘two years in the making, ten minutes in the destroying’ leaves no doubt as to the outcome. But it’s the trials and tribulations of those two years and the defining moment of July 1st 1916 that both grabs and holds your attention. I’m sure Moggy would agree that Bold and Corker, Eph Lott and Mason, the Manderson’s and Tom Creak are the ideal complements to the central characters of Locky Haddo, young Murray and Mark Fenner.

I think Shaara’s Killer Angels comes close. I suspect J. Boyle will have read the book, he’s certainly seen Gettysburg and will perhaps agree with me regarding the way in which Shaara really brings to life the pages of history. Putting flesh on the bones is the sign of a good novelist, but to bring real historical characters to life the way he does (and particularly with Louis Armistead, Joshua Chamberlain and robert E Lee) puts Killer Angels a very close second to Covenant With Death in my opinion.

Regards,

kev35

I’ve only read one book on more than one occasion… (apart from the Very Hungry Caterpillar to my daughter and the Thomas books to my son) and that was Running Blind.
My favourites more recently have been Da Vinci Code, The Lost Symbol, Labyrinth from Kate Mosse and this week Sacred Treason from James Forrester which I would recommend highly.

Kev loaned me his copy of Covenant With Death.

Having read it three times now I can only agree with him.

I really should get around to buying my own copy.

Moggy

Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy by John Le Carre.

I cannot single one out. But The Grapes of Wrath and 1984 are at the top together with almost any of Wells and Lord Jim.

Covenant With Death by John Harris and the American Civil War trilogy by Michael and Jeff Shaara, the titles being Gods and Generals, Killer Angels and The Last Full Measure.

Regards,

kev35