What Books do You Come Back To?

There are some books that seem to become touchstones in our lives, that carve out a place for themselves in our memories and that we can't help returning to again and again. Many people have reported coming-of-age novels like The Catcher in the Rye having that effect on them, for example.

The funny thing is that these novels don't always have to be the novels we consider the best or our favorites. One book I come back to again and again, and always derive some great pleasure from reading, is Frank Herbert's science-fiction epic Dune. It's not the best-written book (though it is solid writing), but I just find it to be the perfect blend of religion, politics, philosophy and old-fashioned exciting storytelling to grab me again and again. I've read it more times than I can count.

Other books that continue to hold me do reach a very high literary calibre, such as my old fave The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck. Another book I adored reading once and have already returned to again is E.M. Forster's A Passage to India. These are epic but also luxurious tales that unfold slowly and carefully, with rich and unhurried development of character and place. I do love feeling like I am thoroughly inhabiting the world of the novel, and all three of these books have that strong setting backbone in common.

So what books continue to call you back after you have closed the cover? Tell me in the comments; I'd be very interested to see what other books stick in the minds of my readers.

Comments

[Adam]

One for me has always been Adiamante by L.E. Modesitt, Jr.

I've enjoyed the mix of sci-fi, political and societal worldbuilding and more as an interesting thought experiment. Plus I can usually burn through it in an evening or so, which doesn't hurt.

[Iain Broome]

I often return to Margaret Atwood's Cat's eye, which was the book that made me want to write. I also frequently go back to Ray Carver's short stories, which I love to bits.

[benzz]

anything vonnegut. especially slaughterhouse five. everytime i read it i find it even more hilarious and touching.

[Eliot Night]

Every so often I run across Naked Lunch and lose several hours.

[T.R. Wolfe]

Anything by James Joyce, Thomas Pynchon, and Robert Anton Wilson.

Reading a Pynchon novel is like taking a class in creative writing 4000. I've learned how to do many things from him, mainly his punctuation style. It is an art form and Pynchon is a master at it. It's amazing how he can turn a phrase with a simple dash or comma. I've seen him use punctuation that I had no idea you could use.