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General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: Penguin on March 11, 2012, 09:08:46 PM

Title: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Penguin on March 11, 2012, 09:08:46 PM
What is the best book that you ever read before you declared yourself a 'teenager'?  Mine is without at a doubt "The Thirteen and a Half Lives of Captain Bluebear" by Walter Moers.  It came out in 1999 and I've read it cover to cover four times.  I'm taking my fifth journey into that wondrous land even though I'm fifteen- it's good for all ages and the writing quality is incredible.  Don't try to read it quickly, though.  Read it in bed each night, and keep going until your eyelids get in the way.  It'll last you a month if not more.

-Penguin
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: coombz on March 11, 2012, 09:11:59 PM
The Hobbit
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 11, 2012, 09:13:14 PM
Red Nails by REH
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Shuffler on March 11, 2012, 09:14:29 PM
Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and 20,000 Leagues Under The Sea.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: kilo2 on March 11, 2012, 09:16:56 PM
The Hobbit

Hey me too. The first novel I ever read.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: 4Prop on March 11, 2012, 09:17:59 PM
Spare Parts by Buzz Williams
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: mthrockmor on March 11, 2012, 09:19:24 PM
Where the Red Fern Grows, Grapes of Wrath, and the big one, a book I got as a 10-year old from a Goodwill bin. It was all about the Pacific naval war.

Boo
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: F22RaptorDude on March 11, 2012, 09:24:52 PM
Where the red fern grows, old yeller, all the eye witness books
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: PFactorDave on March 11, 2012, 09:38:34 PM
Gotta go with The Hobbit too...

But I also really enjoyed Thirty Seconds Over Tokyo
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Meatwad on March 11, 2012, 09:39:36 PM
Red Dwarf
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Devil 505 on March 11, 2012, 09:45:44 PM
Jurassic Park
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: colmbo on March 11, 2012, 09:54:42 PM
30 Seconds over Tokyo --- read it 7 times  before getting out of school

God is My Co-Pilot  (Between GIMC and TSOT I was doomed to be a pilot)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: TonyJoey on March 11, 2012, 10:00:47 PM
As a kid, Charlie in the Chocolate Factory was my favorite. The Lord of the Rings as a whole is my favorite now though. Tolkien has such imagination and eloquence as to amaze me every time I read even a portion of it over again.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: B-17 on March 11, 2012, 10:05:48 PM
War and Peace. Not even kidding. Mind you, I didn't understand a lot about the time period, but it was an interesting read, lots of the whole cavalry/artillery thing. I need to re-read it though. Been a few years :/
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: MarineUS on March 11, 2012, 10:05:57 PM
"The Last Full Measure" - the only book that's ever made me want to man-cry.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Pigslilspaz on March 11, 2012, 10:07:13 PM
Life of Pi. Also, gonna say it, Harry Potter. Got the first book when I was 7-8, and read it nonstop (was a tad slow reader, and stayed up many nights with a flashlight under covers reading.

Also, anything by Dahl or Dr. Seuss (didn't say how old counted as being a kid  :neener:).
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: B-17 on March 11, 2012, 10:12:08 PM
Life of Pi

Forgot about that one... that was wicked.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: uptown on March 11, 2012, 10:13:42 PM
Emmanuelle  :O
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: vonKrimm on March 11, 2012, 10:16:44 PM
'The Cablecar and the Dragon' by Herb Caen was the first book I can remember reading; still have my signed 1st edition.
The best book I ever read as a kid is a toss-up between Heinlein's 'Citizen of the Galaxy' and 'Starman Jones'; I have re-purchased those books over the years time-and-time again.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: phatzo on March 11, 2012, 10:17:59 PM
Emmanuelle  :O
Truth be told, probably one of the best books I read as a kid too. Linda Lovelace's biography was probably a close second.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: flight17 on March 11, 2012, 10:27:59 PM
The bible... Kids edition
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Tac on March 11, 2012, 11:14:52 PM
Dune

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vVlsGYFm494/SxPcs2CgsNI/AAAAAAAAADw/p_qm6ahJj6Y/s320/dune_ver1.jpg)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: mthrockmor on March 11, 2012, 11:54:55 PM
Loved God As My Copilot. Also, McCampbell's  many great ones to choose from.

Boo
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 12, 2012, 12:23:41 AM
ok real young?

Ferdinand the bull......

and "where the red fern grows" that was a good book

once I read REH (12 yo), every other author, just pales in comparison :aok 
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: B-17 on March 12, 2012, 12:28:40 AM
Dune

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vVlsGYFm494/SxPcs2CgsNI/AAAAAAAAADw/p_qm6ahJj6Y/s320/dune_ver1.jpg)

What's that about? My dad is trying to get me to read it, but I keep putting it off.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ByeBye on March 12, 2012, 12:35:30 AM
"Night of the never ending Dawn". Very inspiring and changed my life.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Guppy35 on March 12, 2012, 12:51:47 AM
First book I ever checked out of the grade school library.  2nd Grade.  I think i was the only one to check it out the rest of my elementary school days.  It's been all downhill ever since.  There were others in the series but this one sent me over the edge on WW2 fighter pilots.  American Heritage had one called "Airwar over Hitler's Germany' that was a close second, but I found this one first.    Some of the old timers will remember the Ballantine Books series on WW1 and 2 also.  We could buy those at grade school book fairs.  Amazing stuff for a history minded little kid.  Clearly they all made a huge impression as it's still my passion all these years later.

(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/BookCover-1.jpg)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: olds442 on March 12, 2012, 03:17:10 AM
old yeller FTW first on ive read, also first one i cried in  :cry
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Lab Rat 3947 on March 12, 2012, 03:23:26 AM
Animal Farm by George Orwell and the Martian Chronicles by Ray Bradbury    :old:
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Rob52240 on March 12, 2012, 03:38:42 AM
This was my first favorite book. 

(http://content.scholastic.com/yawyr/e7f377925371a9c3d8d32eea585f04802a8e18a9.jpg)

Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: eagl on March 12, 2012, 05:44:43 AM
Air Combat Tactics and Maneuvering by Robert Shaw.

No kidding.  I loved that stuff, loved that book.  Found it at a public library when I was 12.

Thunderbolt by Robert S. Johnson and the Spitfire book (Wing commander?) by Johnny Johnson were up there too.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: cpxxx on March 12, 2012, 05:52:55 AM
I was a prolific reader as a kid. I read everything I could lay my hands on in the junior section of the public library, history, aviation, military and stories. I can hardly pick one out. I also loved the Biggles books.

But I suppose if I had to pick one it would be Tom Sawyer. I re-read that several times. I liked Treasure Island too.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Reaper90 on March 12, 2012, 08:06:13 AM
God is My Co-Pilot 

THIS
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: redcatcherb412 on March 12, 2012, 11:15:34 AM
Reach for the Sky
.
About Spitfire pilot Douglas Bader
.
Remarkable man
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ariansworld on March 12, 2012, 11:15:40 AM
Hustler.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Selino631 on March 12, 2012, 11:21:30 AM
Hujavascript:void(0);stler.
  :aok :lol



and i never really liked reading, but one book that i know i liked was

(http://mms.hilliardschools.org/wp-content/uploads/13964888.JPG.jpeg)

Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Dace on March 12, 2012, 12:11:16 PM
"Fighting the Flying Circus" by Eddie Rickenbacker
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: titanic3 on March 12, 2012, 12:13:29 PM
Sun Tzu: The Art of War
The Things They Carried
Lord of the Rings (All of them)
Guns Germs and Steel

Not so much as a kid but as a teen I liked these books.

Never really enjoyed all those Seuss and Dahl books.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: AKP on March 12, 2012, 12:16:15 PM
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever - By Stephen R Donaldson (6 books)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: IrishOne on March 12, 2012, 12:21:02 PM
"Fallen Angels" by Walter Dean Myers.   i still consider it to be one of the best books i've ever read.   had to read it for school, wound up reading and re-reading it several times.    can't believe nobody has said this one, especially on this forum.

and of course "Where The Red Fern Grows"      that book will stand out in my mind for all of my days.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Slate on March 12, 2012, 12:23:20 PM
I was a prolific reader as a kid. I read everything I could lay my hands on in the junior section of the public library, history, aviation, military and stories. I can hardly pick one out. I also loved the Biggles books.

But I suppose if I had to pick one it would be Tom Sawyer. I re-read that several times. I liked Treasure Island too.

   Treasure Island would be first then Tom Sawyer, spent many youthful days as a pirate Arrrggggg!

    Anyone remember Foundation and Empire? (Sci Fi)
(http://i1205.photobucket.com/albums/bb430/bookswithoutanypictures/FoundationandEmpire.jpg)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: helbent on March 12, 2012, 12:24:03 PM
(http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/2577/largebookblog.jpg)

LOL
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Banshee7 on March 12, 2012, 12:31:27 PM
This was my first favorite book. 

(http://content.scholastic.com/yawyr/e7f377925371a9c3d8d32eea585f04802a8e18a9.jpg)



We just read that in my American history class two weeks ago as an example of how literature reflected that time period!! (And I'm a sophomore in college! lol)

My favorite novel was definitely Where the Red Fern Grows.  I never really like reading, still don't, but that was the first book I really wanted to just keep reading.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Bizman on March 12, 2012, 12:34:30 PM
I learned how to read at the age of four and after that I read everything in the house, including milk cartons at the breakfast table. The first book that really hooked me was the Jungle Book (text only) by Rudyard Kipling. We were visiting my oldest cousin and her husband, and they had it in the bookshelf. I hardly managed to leave the book there, and to my pleasant surprise Santa brought me a copy the following Christmas. I'm not sure if I had even started school back then. Anyway I must have been quite young, since my little sister smudged some pages with a crayon as a revenge for my colouring a couple of pictures in her colouring book. I still have the book and a few of years ago I read it out to my daughters as a bedtime story, some thirty pages at a time, breaking the story in an intriguing situation.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Rob52240 on March 12, 2012, 01:01:02 PM
We just read that in my American history class two weeks ago as an example of how literature reflected that time period!! (And I'm a sophomore in college! lol)

My favorite novel was definitely Where the Red Fern Grows.  I never really like reading, still don't, but that was the first book I really wanted to just keep reading.

Did you boo the modern diesel and electric shovels?  I wanted to smash them when I was first reading it around 5 years old.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Banshee7 on March 12, 2012, 01:21:30 PM
Did you boo the modern diesel and electric shovels?  I wanted to smash them when I was first reading it around 5 years old.

Hahaha as a matter of fact we did.  At least they finally found a good use for her after they were finished!
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Rob52240 on March 12, 2012, 01:42:56 PM
Hahaha as a matter of fact we did.  At least they finally found a good use for her after they were finished!

That's right, they did exactly the same thing as they still do with obsolete technology.  They put it in public schools.

Hey you younger people.  Does every teacher still have an Apple II in their classroom?  Mine did and I graduated in 1997.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: katanaso on March 12, 2012, 02:56:29 PM
What age range?

As a kid, the most impressionable on me was "The Giving Tree" by Shel Silverstein. I can remember the last pages of the story and they still touch me.

As a teenager, in high school, I distinctly remember three:  "Catcher in the Rye" bye J.D. Salinger (probably still part of today's curriculum), "A Farewell to Arms" by Hemingway, and "Will" by G. Gordon Liddy. 

I've definitely forgotten more than I remember, and I wish I made time to read more often.  My wife can read two paperbacks every day...
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Klam on March 12, 2012, 03:16:21 PM
A kestrel for a Knave.  Barry Hines 

Our Man in Havana.  Graeme Green

Danny Champion of the World.  Roald Dahl (my mum helped me read that when I was 5 :D
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: TonyJoey on March 12, 2012, 03:31:38 PM

Thunderbolt by Robert S. Johnson and the Spitfire book (Wing commander?) by Johnny Johnson were up there too.


 :aok I loved those too.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 12, 2012, 03:32:08 PM
The Chronicles of Thomas Covenant the Unbeliever - By Stephen R Donaldson (6 books)

"white gold wielder"   :headscratch:

think I read the first 3

Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Meatwad on March 12, 2012, 03:36:11 PM
That's right, they did exactly the same thing as they still do with obsolete technology.  They put it in public schools.

Hey you younger people.  Does every teacher still have an Apple II in their classroom?  Mine did and I graduated in 1997.



Class had one back in 2nd grade, that was fun to play on.

But then at that time we watched movies on projectors and educational stuff on slide projectors with the cassette tape for audio.

"blah blah blah blah........BEEP"
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: xNOVAx on March 12, 2012, 03:38:32 PM
Sphere
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: The Fugitive on March 12, 2012, 04:33:30 PM
In HS we had the "Lord of the flies","the Red Pony", and a couple of Shakespeares, but it was "work", not fun. Then in our senior year the teacher showed us some crap book and said either we could read this, or if we all bought our own copy we could read a new book that was just out and it was said this thing was great. So we all bought a copy of "JAWS" and I've never looked back! I read that book 3 times during the course, the first time I finished it in two nights, talk about not being able to put a book down! I have been hooked on books ever since.

After HS I went into the Navy and we had a lot of down time on ship, as well as watches. It was easy to load up before a trip with 15-20 books and hook up with other guys to swap them around. Going through a few paperbacks a week was nothing. After the service I was still a smoker. They were starting to crack down on smoking in the work place so I would read on smoke breaks which extended to my home once my wife became pregnant. Again a few paperbacks a week were nothing. Luckily we had a second hand bookstore/swap place in town. I think I was the one that keep them in business so long. After I quit smoking my reading fell off. I had a couple kids to play with anyway, didn't have the time for books as much, maybe fell off to one a week, maybe a bit less.

Now the kids are all grown, and I'm starting to find those few minutes a day to read again. On top of that, I am a member of Audible, and a couple of on-line libraries. I drive a lot for my job and use downloaded books with my GPS unit to "listen" to books as I drive. I'm back up to almost 2 books a week !! I know all about the "one Tree" and white gold, followed "my precious" through the worlds of middle earth. Been to "Pern" with the dragons, "Hogwarts" with Harry and the "ring worlds". I've "Hitched Hiked Across the Universe" and been "Around the world in 80 Days" a number of times. I've swung through the trees with Tarzan, and had as many "slave girls" as I could find on "GOR".

I'm one of those lucky people who can read a book a number of times. My favorites I keep and read over and over, sometimes buying a new copy when the old one wears out. I have a couple hundred books I save as favorites, plus another 100 on my computer for my GPS. Reading this thread I though it was kinda funny some of the responses. To some it sounds like they had a hard time to name a book. Is it because they have read a lot of good ones or is it because they haven't seen that many books and it was hard to choose one of the few that they did read. It all started for me with "JAWS". It opened up a whole new world, even tho I lived an hour away from that "beach" and had been to a few of those sleepy island towns. Seeing it from anothers view was just amazing. I've tried to get my kids to read. They are not into it like am, but don't shy away from it. The wife is the same. I feel sorry for them that they miss out of the thrills and excitement that is hidden between the covers of so many books.

READ, READ, READ!!! 
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: IrishOne on March 12, 2012, 05:13:24 PM
"Lord of the flies"


can't believe i left this one out......incredible, life altering book.   a must read for anybody and everybody IMO.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: PFactorDave on March 12, 2012, 06:35:20 PM
"white gold wielder"   :headscratch:

think I read the first 3



Ya that's it.  I read them, but thought it was a little to angsty.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 12, 2012, 06:38:01 PM
Ya that's it.  I read them, but thought it was a little to angsty.

didn't like em.

the Shannara series much better :rock
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: CptTrips on March 12, 2012, 06:40:48 PM
Dune

(http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_vVlsGYFm494/SxPcs2CgsNI/AAAAAAAAADw/p_qm6ahJj6Y/s320/dune_ver1.jpg)

+1
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: PFactorDave on March 12, 2012, 06:41:44 PM
didn't like em.

the Shannara series much better :rock

I agree, I like Terry Brooks.  I liked pretty much everything David Eddings wrote as well.  Robert Jordan started out ok, but turned into a bigtime hack.  Pumping out trash as fast as he could.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: shotgunneeley on March 12, 2012, 06:44:30 PM
"Rifles for Watie" by Harold Keith
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Reaper90 on March 12, 2012, 06:55:52 PM
I have $100 I'll throw down on Penguin coming back and admitting his favorite book is actually "The Rainbow Fish."
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Dragon on March 12, 2012, 07:00:29 PM
"white gold wielder"   :headscratch:

think I read the first 3



That would be correct Ink, I own all 6.

+1 for The Hobbit.  I remember delivering papers a looong time ago and saw a pile of books in someones trash, found a 1946 version of Hobbit, it's in pretty bad shape, but still alive here somewhere.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle is the first book I remember.


I think I read too much as a kid (and kept all of them) and find them all to be "favorites"

Short list:

Naomi Novik - The Temeraire Series
David Eddings - Belgarath Series (all 20+ of them)
Terry Brooks - Wishsong Series
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - Dragonlance Series + (all 50 or so of them)
Robert E Howard & L Sprague de Camp - Conan (plus misc other authors, all 75+ of them)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Dragon on March 12, 2012, 07:04:41 PM
I agree, I like Terry Brooks.  I liked pretty much everything David Eddings wrote as well.  Robert Jordan started out ok, but turned into a bigtime hack.  Pumping out trash as fast as he could.

I liked Jordan's Conan books, but only got to the third Wheel of Time before losing interest.

Ya that's it.  I read them, but thought it was a little to angsty.

The first one was hard, but the last 2 I found much better.  Maybe I was able to relate to his epileptic world by then.  :headscratch:
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 12, 2012, 07:06:32 PM
I agree.  I liked pretty much everything David Eddings wrote as well.  Robert Jordan started out ok, but turned into a bigtime hack.  Pumping out trash as fast as he could.

thats funny, I cant stand Robert Jordan....

have you read the Shannara series by Terry Brooks? if not, they are great, as good or better then LOTR (IMO)

a few of my favorite book series I read(off the top of the head)

Red Nails/all Conan by Robert E Howard  (plus everything else that he did)
The Shannara series by Terry Brooks- great books some of the best Fantasy
Magic of xanth-Piers Anthony-so so
spellsinger series-Allen Dean Foster-very good fun series
Incarnations of immortality-Piers Anthony- 7 books all awesome but "on a Pale horse" is the best
Tarzan-Edger Rice Borrows - awesome stories
Dragon riders of Pern- Ann Mccafrey- mediocre at best except "the White Dragon" thats a great book
The Sword of truth series


a few single books that were great

Wolf and Iron-Gorden Dickson-truly awesome book
The talisman-Peter Straub/Stephen King
The Stand
hello America-crazy book-?
Battlefield Earth-L Ron Hubbard
Stranger in a strange land-I believe it was Robert Hienlien :headscratch:

 
I dont read generally unless I am locked up

drawing a blank on the rest, these are the ones that really stand out.

 although I have read some of James Patterson more recently he is good.












Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: kilo2 on March 12, 2012, 07:09:33 PM
Since I have seen some people say life altering reading I will add mine.

The single most life altering piece of literature I have ever read is "The Death of Ivan Ilych" by Tolstoy.

To a lesser extent "The Old Man and the Sea" by Hemingway.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 12, 2012, 07:12:58 PM
That would be correct Ink, I own all 6.

+1 for The Hobbit.  I remember delivering papers a looong time ago and saw a pile of books in someones trash, found a 1946 version of Hobbit, it's in pretty bad shape, but still alive here somewhere.

The Mouse and the Motorcycle is the first book I remember.


I think I read too much as a kid (and kept all of them) and find them all to be "favorites"

Short list:

Naomi Novik - The Temeraire Series
David Eddings - Belgarath Series (all 20+ of them)
Terry Brooks - Wishsong Series
Margaret Weis & Tracy Hickman - Dragonlance Series + (all 50 or so of them)
Robert E Howard & L Sprague de Camp - Conan (plus misc other authors, all 75+ of them)

Robert E Howard is by far my favorite Author of all time.

The Hour of the Dragon

The Lion banner sways and falls
in the horror haunted gloom;
A scarlet Dragon rustles by,
borne on winds of doom.
In heaps the shining horsemen lie,
where thrusting lances break,
And deep in the haunted mountains
the lost, black gods awake.
Dead hands grope in the shadows,
the stars turn pale with fright,
For this is the Dragon's Hour,
the triumph of Fear and Night.

The Phoenix on the Sword

What do I know of cultured ways,
the gilt, the craft and the lie?
I, who was born in a naked land
and bred in the open sky.
The subtle tongue, the sophist guile,
they fail when the broadsword sing;
Rush in and die dogs-
I was a man before I was a king.

his suicide note


"All fled, all done, so lift me on the pyre; The feast is over and the lamps expire"

Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Gman on March 12, 2012, 08:11:09 PM
Cool Ink, Elfstones of Shannara was one of my favorites growing up.  Nobody else grew up on Larry bond and Tom Clancy?
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Shifty on March 12, 2012, 08:15:54 PM
First book I ever checked out of the grade school library.  2nd Grade.  I think i was the only one to check it out the rest of my elementary school days.  It's been all downhill ever since.  There were others in the series but this one sent me over the edge on WW2 fighter pilots.  American Heritage had one called "Airwar over Hitler's Germany' that was a close second, but I found this one first.    Some of the old timers will remember the Ballantine Books series on WW1 and 2 also.  We could buy those at grade school book fairs.  Amazing stuff for a history minded little kid.  Clearly they all made a huge impression as it's still my passion all these years later.

(http://i152.photobucket.com/albums/s199/guppy35/BookCover-1.jpg)

 :lol

Dan these were my two favorite books from the third grade on. Checked out of the Memorial Elementary Library in Plano TX

(http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/5193HNHZEZL._SS500_.jpg) (http://www.sharpsbooks.co.uk/userfiles/image/shop/0023.jpg)
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: ink on March 12, 2012, 08:21:10 PM
Cool Ink, Elfstones of Shannara was one of my favorites growing up.  Nobody else grew up on Larry bond and Tom Clancy?

great book :aok

although I like the "Wishsong" the best out of that series.....Garret Jax  that guy was a bad bellybutton :rock
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: PFactorDave on March 12, 2012, 08:22:59 PM
thats funny, I cant stand Robert Jordan....

have you read the Shannara series by Terry Brooks? if not, they are great, as good or better then LOTR (IMO)

a few of my favorite book series I read(off the top of the head)

Red Nails/all Conan by Robert E Howard  (plus everything else that he did)
The Shannara series by Terry Brooks- great books some of the best Fantasy
Magic of xanth-Piers Anthony-so so
spellsinger series-Allen Dean Foster-very good fun series
Incarnations of immortality-Piers Anthony- 7 books all awesome but "on a Pale horse" is the best
Tarzan-Edger Rice Borrows - awesome stories
Dragon riders of Pern- Ann Mccafrey- mediocre at best except "the White Dragon" thats a great book
The Sword of truth series


a few single books that were great

Wolf and Iron-Gorden Dickson-truly awesome book
The talisman-Peter Straub/Stephen King
The Stand
hello America-crazy book-?
Battlefield Earth-L Ron Hubbard
Stranger in a strange land-I believe it was Robert Hienlien :headscratch:

 
I dont read generally unless I am locked up

drawing a blank on the rest, these are the ones that really stand out.

 although I have read some of James Patterson more recently he is good.














We have very similar tastes.   :aok
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Melvin on March 12, 2012, 08:24:33 PM
I had to sip on this one for a bit.

Heart Of Darkness by Joseph Conrad (Josef Konrad).

My Grandma gave me a collection of his stories when I was little. I still have it and flip through on occasion.

In fact, it's still some of the only fiction that I enjoy.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Shane on March 12, 2012, 08:51:52 PM
Too many books...

I've read just about every genre and major author, with a lot of serials.

I've always had a fondess for Piers Anthony's "Xanth" series with that sense of humor and wordplay.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: 2ADoc on March 12, 2012, 09:04:07 PM
Rand McNallys enclopedia of aircraft, Janes enclopedia of aircraft 1930-1973
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: wil3ur on March 12, 2012, 10:43:26 PM
The two books that really shaped my mind as a kid were The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich series and the Dune series...  Later in life it was None Dare Call it Conspiracy, 1984, Animal Farm and A Brave New World.

Between them all people often call me crazy for my beliefs...   and just as many say, "HOLY *&#@!!!!"  after they've called me crazy, and then observe the world from a non-mediacentric point of view for a couple weeks...
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: flight17 on March 12, 2012, 10:45:19 PM
Wow, has the title always been best book you read as a kid? totally read that for last 2 days are first book you read...

In that case, the best book i read was probably either QB VII or Alas Babylon
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: B-17 on March 13, 2012, 04:54:30 PM
This was my first favorite book. 

(http://content.scholastic.com/yawyr/e7f377925371a9c3d8d32eea585f04802a8e18a9.jpg)



YYYEEEEAAAHHHH! :aok :aok :aok :aok
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: DEECONX on March 13, 2012, 09:01:48 PM
The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings. Never has a series of books affected me so much.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Guppy35 on March 13, 2012, 09:46:05 PM
OK is this before teenager or as a teenager? :)

If it's all before teenager years, some of you folks read some serious stuff in grade school!
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: 800nate800 on March 13, 2012, 10:08:28 PM
Tom clancys END WAR Tom Clancy's EndWar   
 
 
 
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: SIK1 on March 13, 2012, 10:34:49 PM
The first book I read that really made an impression was Jack London's "The Call of the Wild"  I was eight or nine.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: MarineUS on March 13, 2012, 11:14:24 PM
The first book I read that really made an impression was Jack London's "The Call of the Wild"  I was eight or nine.

I was about the same age when I read that one as well. GREAT book.  :aok
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Auger on March 13, 2012, 11:29:43 PM
Have Spacesuit, Will Travel got me hooked on SF.

Thud Ridge stoked the pilot fire and made me want to read everything I could find on aerial combat.

Cat's Cradle and Player Piano were quite enlightening and caused my teen self to cast a more critical eye on how the world worked.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: BoilerDown on March 13, 2012, 11:43:01 PM
OK is this before teenager or as a teenager? :)

If it's all before teenager years, some of you folks read some serious stuff in grade school!

No kidding.  A lot of what people have listed I was forced to read in middle or high school.  I'm having a hard time figuring out which of them I actually read before I was 13 and which I actually liked.  Most of what I was forced to read I didn't like all that much.

Jurassic Park would be high on my list, as someone else mentioned, but I'm pretty sure I was over the age of 13 by the time I read it.  I read it before I saw the movie, knowing the movie was coming out soon.  Ever since then I decided to watch the movie before reading the book (it was too late for LotR, but I didn't re-read that until after I saw all three movies).

I'm going to go with 10,000 Leagues Under the Sea.  I remember having to look up the word "Maelstrom" in the dictionary and being unsatisfied with the definition.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Guppy35 on March 14, 2012, 12:01:47 AM
Well if we're including teen age years, my list expands although the first two that came to mind were "Treblinka" and "The Murderers Among US"  Found them on my uncle's shelf and read them over a weekend.  13 or 14.  I'd never heard of the Holocaust.  Talk about eye opening.  I had no idea up to that point that people could be so cruel to people.

I'd read a lot about WW2 but those two really changed my perspective.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Debrody on March 14, 2012, 03:35:24 AM
The Lord of the Rings, by far.

Some historical novels were pretty much entertaining too, about Attila, the 150 years war, or 1848.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Hoffman on March 14, 2012, 03:40:55 AM
As a kid? Around 10 years old my Father got me hooked on science fiction books starting with Larry Niven and moving on to Laumer, Chalker, Frank Herbert, and Heinlen.

My favorite books...
Really a tie between Ringworld by Larry Niven and the Bolo series by Keith Laumer.
Both had me teaching myself physics from my Father's college books in middle school(11-13 years old) in order to actually figure out what was going on...  Best education a kid can possibly receive in my opinion.  Hook 'em on science fiction then give them an algebra textbook and a physics textbook and let them learn it by themselves.


Best book as an adult?  Pick a book written by Terry Pratchett, or any of the Sten series.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Sonicblu on March 14, 2012, 10:16:59 PM
Read a lot of books when I was younger still read all the time.

I would have to go with Great Expectations by Dickens.

Where the red fern grows and Summer of the Monkeys I remember fondly.

Never got into sci-fi until later.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: 4Prop on March 15, 2012, 01:14:39 PM
This was my first favorite book. 

(http://content.scholastic.com/yawyr/e7f377925371a9c3d8d32eea585f04802a8e18a9.jpg)



mine to
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: PFactorDave on March 15, 2012, 04:54:57 PM
I would have to go with Great Expectations by Dickens.

Really?

They forced us to read that book when I was in 8th grade.  Painfully boring, in my opinion.  Same goes for The Great Gatsby...  bleh
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: B4Buster on March 15, 2012, 04:55:54 PM
The Iliad.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: katanaso on March 15, 2012, 04:57:59 PM
Really?

They forced us to read that book when I was in 8th grade.  Painfully boring, in my opinion.  Same goes for The Great Gatsby...  bleh

I enjoyed 'The Great Gatsby' when reading it.  I disliked analyzing it during the class.

Actually, I generally disliked analyzing most things I read, all the way through earning my B.A. in English.  lol 
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: DREDIOCK on March 15, 2012, 07:21:51 PM
Pre teenager?

Robinson Crusoe.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: shppr01 on March 15, 2012, 07:40:50 PM
When the legends die by Hal Borland
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: shppr01 on March 15, 2012, 07:47:16 PM
When the Legends die by Hal Borland.
All Louis Lamour  esp. the Sackett titles
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: texasmom on March 15, 2012, 07:55:10 PM
This was my first favorite book.  

(http://content.scholastic.com/yawyr/e7f377925371a9c3d8d32eea585f04802a8e18a9.jpg)


+1
 Plus blueberries for sal
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: branch37 on March 15, 2012, 08:20:12 PM
The Guns of Navarone and Force 10 From Navarone.  Ice Station Zebra.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Shifty on March 15, 2012, 09:00:50 PM
The Guns of Navarone and Force 10 From Navarone.  Ice Station Zebra.
Books not movies ya dingleberry.  :D

I remember as a kid Ice Station Zebra was on TV on a school night, I had to be 10 or 11 so it would have been about 1969 or 1970. It started at 8:00 PM, my bedtime was 9:00. I knew if I drew any attention to myself my father would notice it was past my bed time. About 8:40 I got quiet as a mouse and curled up in the chair to make myself as invisible as possible. My Dad looked over about 9:30 and said John don't you know you're supposed to be bed. I said yes sir, but this movie is so cool I want to see what happens. He laughed and let me stay up until 10:00 when the movie ended. Then he walked me to my bed room and asked if I liked it. I said yes sir it was great, thanks for letting me stay up. He said you're welcome now don't ever pull that stunt again.  :lol

I lost him last August he was 84. Everytime I see the title Ice Station Zebra I remember that night. :aok
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: branch37 on March 15, 2012, 11:02:24 PM
I never saw the movie.  I read those books in high school since they made us read something and all the other choices sucked.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Shifty on March 16, 2012, 05:44:41 AM
I never saw the movie.  I read those books in high school since they made us read something and all the other choices sucked.


Good choices. :lol
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: Reschke on March 16, 2012, 08:06:25 AM
Read a few that I really enjoyed.

Where the Red Fern Grows...yes I cried as a boy and I still cry as a man when I read it.

War and Peace....my dad dared me to read it in less than 6 months when I was 13; the trick to the dare was I had to read it when he was reading Shogun by James Clavell; I remember it being somewhere around 3.5 months from cover to cover.

The Art of War...I still have that hard back copy somewhere. I need to dig it out again.
Title: Re: The Best Book You Ever Read as a Kid
Post by: branch37 on March 16, 2012, 03:05:17 PM
Lonesome Dove is also a great read.  Great movie as well  :D