Dante's ''Divine Comedy''
I think the ''Divine Comedy'' is a link between classical and modern writing. Dante draws masterfully on classical literature and weaves it in with his own Catholic world. He uses his art to make valid criticisms of the church of his day while incorporating up to date (at his time) philosophical and theological speculations about the nature of the universe.

By breaking with tradition and writing in his native tongue (Italian), he also, in my opinion, creates the first great work of the renaissance. This book has therefore had a great influence on the modern development of writing.

Besides all that, it's a great poem and I really like the imagery, the journey, and the art. The funny thing is that, in his day, when people saw Dante walking around they would say to each other "There's that guy who visited hell." Some people literally thought his book was autobiographical.
Source(s):
http://danteworlds.laits.utexas.edu/

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The Razor's Edge by W. Somerset Maugham

This is the book that convinced me to drop out of college and take care of my own education out in the world. a must read for anyone between the age of 15 and 22. Alienation, existentialism, poetry, mysticism, the comfort of ennui, and flat out anti-establishment exuberance of youth are all explored and celebrated. Read it this weekend. You won't regret it and will thank me.
Source(s):
me

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The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

Opened my eyes to great and wonderful world of fantasy lit. If I can pick a whole series it would be Lord of the Rings. I believe it should be a must read for everyone.
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Right now my favorite books are the Twilight series by Stephenie Meyers but Stephen King and Dean Koontz are my all time favorite authors. I also like Danielle Steele, Nora Roberts, and Maggie Shayne.
Source(s):
personal feelings

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The Pigman, by Paul Zindel.
Source(s):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Pigman

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I don't love everything he wrote, but I have a special fondness for C. S. Lewis's book "The Screwtape Letters." It is written as a series of letters from a demon to his nephew. Uncle Screwtape is advising his nephew on how to coax a human into becoming a sinner and sacrificing his soul. It's a long process, and apparently the corporate-like job of young demons.
Even as a nonreligious person, I found the concept interesting and the depth with which Lewis plunged very fun to read. I also love books in letter form.

"The Screwtape Letters" also contains my favorite quote from any book: "In the heat of composition, I find that I have allowed myself to assume the form of a large centipede. Accordingly, the rest will be dictated to my secretary."

The image in that is just great :)
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Mine is probably the first "real" book I ever read - Salem's Lot by the master, Stephen King. I remember that boo scared the bejesus out of me the first time I read it (and even a few times since!)

Ever since then, I've been a fan of his work and can honestly say I'v read the majority of his work. I think he's brilliant for a number of reasons, but in his more recent work, he actually blurs the line bewteen reality and fiction when a group of his characters actually visits him in this world. This is in either Wolves of the Callah or the final Dark Tower book. I just remember thinking about reality and how many parallell universes there may be DAYS after I read that book. That is truly the mark of a master in my book (no pun intended). Causing a reader to think about things long after he's completed reading is any author's goal, and Steve does it like a champ.


Source(s):
My fave author!!

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absences of angels by paul micheal glaser. its his story about his wife and daughter.
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stephenie meyer......twilight series. best books ever
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id have to say Angels and Demons - Dan Brown.
it has an exhilarating plot line, lots of details, and lots of research went into it.
every little place, organisation, art work, was all researched and studied before it went into this book, alot more than most authors do.
there is a big twist in the story aswell, which makes it a great read,
id recomend this to anyone who enjoys reading!
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Titus Groan by Mervyn Peake - the first book in the Gormenghast series.
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shiloh.... I love this book because it is about a kid and his dog and the friendship you can hold with someone other then a human being and have something far more superior then with a human being.

mike !
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I can't choose between any of the wonderful fantasy series by the late David Eddings,

1 The Belgariad series
.2 The Malloreon series
3 The Elenium series
4 The Tamuli series
5 The Dreamers series
6 Standalone fantasy novels

I think most people who enjoyed The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings would enjoy his books,and they're quicker reading.I have most of them and will not lend them out! I re-read them from time to time and still enjoy.
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Kokoro by Natsumi Soseki

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kokoro
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My favorite book is "The Prophet" by Kahlil Gibran which by my default "what do I like" settings makes Kahlil Gibran my favorite author as well.

I love these 26 little essays on life and living the author always has some item of insight that helps me better understand a portion or even a moment of my life. I keep this book very close to my person as I like to have this remedy for personal misunderstanding ready for those moments and times that I just need another outlook or a simpler way of looking at a scenario.

A favorite quote explains away some pain.

"Your pain is the breaking of the shell that encloses your understanding."

~endquote
Source(s):
http://www.scribd.com/doc/2518149/The-Prophet-Khalil-Gibran

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I read just about everything I can get my hands on. It is hard to choose my one favorite book out of all of them but I will try.

Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder published in 1932

It is the first chapter book I can remember reading and falling in love with. It was a story from the perspective of a little girl on her first big journey. It dealt with family, sickness (Fever 'N Ague or what is now identified as malaria), homesteading, starting a farm, being forced to move and meeting people along the way.

It is still a favorite of mine.
Source(s):
personal experience

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My favorite book of all time is Wuthering Heights - I love how dark it is when exploring the love/hate relationship with Heathcliff and Catherine. It is so beautiful to see how love lasts even after death.

But my favorite author is J.K. Rowling. She is brilliant in how she created an entirely new magical world. She draws you in right away and you have to know what will happen next. I could completely envision everything that she created and it seems so real. Even though the series has ended I still am obsessed with the movies and I think Harry Potter will always have a place in my life. Harry Potter is just one of those things that everyone bonds over. It is universal and entertaining and something that was so new and different when it first came along. I can't imagine not having been introduced to these characters and this magical world.

http://students.ou.edu/T/Van.T.Tran-1/HarryPotter.jpg
Source(s):
http://students.ou.edu/T/Van.T.Tran-1/HarryPotter.jpg

personal opinion

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It's difficult to say who would be my favorite author or what my favorite book would be. I've read so many wonderful works by many brilliant writers.
However, a book that truly sticks out to me is by a lady named Toni Morrison.
It's called, "The Bluest Eye."
It is truly a fantastic read.
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_The Annotated Alice_ by Martin Gardner

It has the full text of _Alice's Adventures in Wonderland_ and _Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There_ both, of course by Lewis Carroll.

Each page is roughly one third Carroll and two thirds Gardner. Everything is explained in minute detail. The world we live in is so different from Charles Dodgson's that it helps to have an explanation for terms such as "bathing machine."

Most of the poems in those books are actually parodies of other poems, which of course are included in the annotation.
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I just finished Lost Symbol by Dan Brown. A really great book with lots of info on history, arts and mystisism. At the moment is this my favorite.
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Times of our singing by Richard Powers, beautiful language.
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