Oh gosh... that's really hard EC.... but my first would be Gone With the Wind....

Like many of these questions they prove difficult because of the prescriptive nature. But I am curious as to where people go, classics, modern, autobiographies, scifi and fantasy...

So Baz, why GWTW?

Well, I love anything to do with the American Civil War, and I love the way the story unfolds... Other than that I think mine would probably all be detective novels..... at least a couple of Agatha Christies.... but I'm not sure which ones.......

I will give it some thought when I am trying to get to sleep

5 

Cider with Rosie...Laurie Lee (I adored doing that at school) 

Wind in the  Willows....fabulous

State of Mind ....John Katzenbach

Tale of Two Cities 

and any Jeffrey Dever book 

Great thread EC ... will have to come back to you on this. Wuthering Heights, The Great Gatsby for starters. 

Oh blimey! I used to read a lot years ago but not now. I remember reading a lot of Susan Howatch books and liking them though. Books about the occult 

A good time to contemplate something of this nature, but I bet you fall asleep before coming up with another 4 

I toyed with Wuthering Heights and Jane Eyre.... but I think the ones I chose edged it for me Roger /Rosie  

Nice quick list there Dame, you must really like them to have suggested so quick. What do you like about the last three?

Thanks, looking forward to your complete list and why you recommend 

I don't read much now but the last lot of books I did read was the Sean O Casey trilogy.

State of mind was a page turner EC, although the ending was a tad disappointing... I have a theory that the book was so good, the end was all  too quick and predictable  although a great read,

Tale of Two Cites is my favourite Dickens book, I am a great fan of his anyway, but I love history and anything to do with the French revolution.

Last choice is one of the best thriller writers in my opinion of our day...love everything he writes, The Bone Collector is my favourite... but I have loads more that could probably surpass or equal my first list 

Can we have a whole series EC? If so, the you can add Hugh Walpole's Herries series to my 5

Are you asking to negotiate the original parameters of the question Baz?

The Spycatcher is suppose to be a good read.

Such a shame he did not write five books Erin  

The books I have the most emotional attachment to are the ones I read as a child...... so I would put The Hobbit, and Stephen Kings IT on my list. They are the two that have always stayed with me. I shall have to have a think about the other three. (I'm tempted to put some Enid Blyton on there ) 

He did and more I just know 3

 Hi Dame. I loved Laurie Lee's Cider with Rosie and As I walked Out One Midsummer Morning - have to re-read them as it was yonks ago!

I toyed with the famous five 

Me too!  

That and the Faraway Tree

Or maybe Naughtiest Girl at School?  

I still have three spaces, so sod it, Enid Blyton it is.  

I was gonna say, go on, do it and I'll see if I can remember them, but at this time on a Saturday night 

And the Wishing Chair. Oh I did love the Wishing Chair. 

Isaac Asimov's Foundation 'Trilogy' - there's 7 for starters!

Alas my reading has not extended to Dickens which is a massive shortcoming, too many people cite his books as a must read. Here you just support that.

I bet you will tell me the book is better than the film (It is the same book / film isn't it?). If it is, do you think the film did the book justice?

Can we remember the Secret Seven? 

I might include the Chalet School or St Clares stories

I used to like them too 

I should have mentioned that because it continues his story fabulous!!! I may revisit them both again soon  we have good taste Rosie  

I liked the Secret Seven too!  But they weren't in my oh my god I looooove them category.  

I think many people love books from their childhood which is great, at least we read and not spend our spare time on video games.

Probably should not say this but I am related to Enid Blyton..  

Originally Posted by Baz:

I might include the Chalet School or St Clares stories

I used to like them too 

and me and the famous five and secret seven but not in my  top five

Yes, same film...book is a far better read EC  To be honest, I find most books to be far better than the film EC, sadly they manage to muck about or muck it up 

The Country Girls by Edna O'Brien.

Katherine Mansfield's collected short stories

The Rainbow by DH Lawrence

Gah five isn't enough...  No room for my childhood reads.