What is your favourite "random" book?

Sometimes the love of reading takes us in strange directions. The path to a good book isn't always a straight line.

Have you ever came across a book that was far outside of your preferred genre, or seemed unappealing, but you read it regardless, the book or author then becoming one your absolute favourites?

The summer I was 13 I was bored, lonely, and spent a ridiculous amount of time at the local library. I couldn't get a library card, as my father and I had moved to the town very recently, so I had no proof of residence. I'm an extremely shy person, and all though I've since learned how to deal with it, at the time the library was like a best friend to me. I would sit and read all day, and when the library closed I would hide my book so I could read it the next morning.

One afternoon I hid my book in a rack of fantasy novels, and came across a book called "Lord Valentines Castle". I hadn't read much fantasy before that, but something about the (rather strangely) illustrated cover spoke to me.



I picked it up the next day, and I've read it a couple of times a year ever since. Fantasy novels became a favourite.

I've rambled on in this post, but what I'm getting at is...What book became a favourite of yours despite looking like it was terrible, or being far outside of your literary genre of choice? A book you read out of sheer boredom and lack of choice that earned a place on your bookshelf? What books surprised you and made you a more diverse reader?

I'd love it if members could share their favourite "random" book, and maybe we all could be delighted in it too.

I've always enjoyed the 1985 edition of the encyclopedia britannica, specifically the fourth volume Be - Br

a reply to: Atsbhct

I remember coming accross a small book of essays by Oscar Wilde called "Intentions". The book itself was about 100 years old, but it sits by my bed to this day, and I read it often, at least so as to be reminded that beautiful writing and language is still possible.

a reply to: ChefSlug

Hahaha. Perfect. We had a set of encyclopedias when I was a kid. In the middle there were pages of maps, with cellophane overlays of topography, etc. I would play with those for hours.

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Gorgeous. I had a similar thing happen with an old classroom reader about Robert Livingstones African adventures. It all seemed so wild and politically incorrect. While the language wasn't beautiful, so to say, I gave me a strange sense of nostalgia for a time when the world was truly mysterious.

a reply to: Atsbhct

Two books spring to mind

The little Prince Given to me by a friend to read, I've bought countless copies for friends over the years.

And one that really took me by surprise, totally out of anything I'd normally read but couldn't put down

Pillars of the Earth

Nice idea for a thread S&F

Cody

I cried and cried on this book. Anyone who stalks/abducts/murders children; etc.; pisses me off.

The anger at God ... I fully understood and subsequent teaching from God and the Lesson in it still haunts me.

a reply to: Atsbhct

After reading numerous classics and being severely dissapointed: To kill a mockingbird, Catcher in the rye, Wuthering heights (though on a second read I ended up thinking it was brilliant).

So skeptical to pick up another well reknowned oldie, I ended up with Crime and Punishment and I think its easily one of the best books ever written. It can be pretty hard to read though when you get started.

Was never really into manga at all till I read Berserk, saying that I'm not really into manga I dabble, but mostly just into Berserk alot.

My favourite book of all time which shouldn't surprise anyone is 1984, first time I read it must of been about 14 got halfway through and thought it was crap so it got left on a shelf for about 4 years, if I only knew...

a reply to: Atsbhct

Wow.... I was bought Lord Valentine's Castle quite randomly as a gift when I was about 13.

Wonderful book! I read it a few times, maybe several, before losing my copy years later, and i'm going to have to get another, been maybe 15 years

It lead me to reading his "Gilgamesh The King" (after Majipoor Chronicles) which in turn lead to me reading "The Epic" and was the first ancient story/classic that I had read in translation - it started me on a journey through many of the world's more ancient writings and LVC is a book that lead to so much for me..

Slightly more on topic, as a sniffy, slightly snobby late teen (Yes, me. Really), I picked up James Clavel's Shogun (as I was bored) from somewhere, I don't remember.

James Clavel's airport blockbusters quickly became a guilty pleasure.

a reply to: ChefSlug

Was that because of Beer and Breasts?

a reply to: Atsbhct

What is your favourite "random" book?

Godric by Frederick Beuchner,



Thanks for asking, have a good one.

a reply to: DaphneApollo

This one looks really interesting definatley going to give it a read.

Do you have any others that hit you the same way?

My favorite book ever is something that I read a year ago called "Blueprints To The Afterlife" The biggest tragedy is that no one I know has or will read it because of it being a little too "out there" any maybe a little too crude during some parts, but this tale is epic! It almost reads as like a very long, very bizarre dream. It is a must! Has anyone read it besides me? Also I loved "Ready Player One" because it is chock full of 80's video game and movies pop culture references and it really took me back to my childhood. Oh yeah and the book "The Visible Man" by Chuck Closterman, Its about a guy that was developing active cloaking for darpa or something and it got shut down and he finished at home, then uses the suit to take a voyeuristic look into the human condition.

Cheers!

a reply to: Atsbhct

After reading Jim Butcher's Dresden Files I checked out another series he did called The Furies of Calderon which is actually very good. He isn't exactly a small time writer but, I can see why he is so popular.

The concept of it is what makes it random and worthy of your list.

From a review:

According to a video interview Jim Butcher gave, he started writing the Codex Alera series on something of a dare: someone challenged him to write an epic sword-and-horse fantasy based on the two things the challenger found most annoying, those being "Pokemon and lost Roman legions". One would think this would be an awkward combination, but in Jim's hands, it's something new and original to bring to the genre. I love the modified Roman Empire milieu, and the concept of "fury-crafting", of working with elemental beings which can shape the substance of things around the crafter, fascinates me.

Actually, yes

When I was a teenager I was the type that never wanted to be like anyone else, so I scoffed at Shakespeare, I just didn't get the love affair with him at all. My drama friends would tell me that I was missing out, I didn't care. Well fast forward eighteen years and I am now a book collector, the older the book the better and I do not discriminate if the book is at least 80 years old. Well, one of the books I acquired about two years ago was a set of his poems from about 1845, and one day I decided to read them...I became enamored right away. I started looking online for other ones and found a Macbeth and man, this is now my favorite book. My all time favorite book, I just love it. I have read most of his tragedy's and a few of the comedies but so far Macbeth and Othello are my favorites. My friends were right, I was missing out, but no longer.


I also like to know how the other side thinks so I read the books that supposedly lean their way. I do so for understanding but hardly ever enjoy them. Rules For Radicals by Saul Alinsky, is one that I actually enjoyed and did not think that I would. I think the guy had some really radical ideas but also some very inventive ones.

I also had to read the book The Wide Sargasso Sea for an English class and I loved it but I thought I wouldn't. Emotional, gut wrenching and sad but a worthy read and one that now has a permanent place in my library.

This was an interesting idea for a thread.

originally posted by: TheUsersName
a reply to: DaphneApollo

This one looks really interesting definatley going to give it a read.

Do you have any others that hit you the same way?

I highly recommend this one. At this moment, I can't think of any others.

a reply to: DaphneApollo

I Loved the Shack. I don't even believe in a God that has consciousness similar to humans that talks to us and whatever, but that book is really good. I may have cried a bit reading it, maybe more than a bit even. That's the only manly thing to do with a book like that.

I was very much not wanting to read it when a hippy girl gave it to me. Shouldn't judge a book before even seeing it's cover haha.


One of my random favorites is Stranger in a Strange Land. My mom recommended it to me so I was a bit skeptical even though she knows more about books than anyone else I know. We have different tastes, but wow.. I even Grokked a few new concepts outside of english language with that book. Pretty cool feat I'd say.

That's my favorite book.


My mom loves "The Book of Lost Things." I got it for her on mother's day, and to be honest I just saw it on the shelf picked it up bought it and wrapped it without even wondering what it was. The title and the cover seemed like my mom's energy. That's a pretty good one if you're into sort of strange imagination weirdness. It's sort of fairy tales ish, mixed with realism, mixed with childish fantasy mixed with adult darkness... The damn book has a VIBE.. Hmm I need to get a copy and read it again haha..

Charles Bukowski - Portions From A Wine-Stained Notebook

I can't remember how that book landed in my lap many many years ago, but it then led to me to read other books by Bukowski including his poetry collections and other various novels.

The man was a heathenistic genius when it came to putting down his thoughts on paper... no holds barred and societal etiquette be damned.

a reply to: Atsbhct

I had a few of those. One related to ATS. I was about 16 in a second hand bookshop on Edgar Cayce, which perked my interest in the odd I suppose. It was an old thin book with water stains on its inside cover, and I bought it for 50 cents. I read it in the sunshine in a couple of hours that afternoon.

I wouldn't say it became a favorite, but I never normally picked a book like that up and I remember the day vividly.

a reply to: Atsbhct

The Stand by Stephan King. I was never much of a horror person, but then I read this book and became fascinated by King's power over imagery.

Choke by Chuck Palahniuk. He's the guy who wrote Fight Club. I first encountered him when my brother bought a book by him and I saw it. He said he wrote some crazy stuff. I read Choke first and then literally every other book he wrote afterwards.