Thursday Thirteen #50

My thanks to Jenn at Enjoying the Ride for this week's header.

 

“Do you ever read any of your books more than once?” someone asked me in a comment not very long ago. Oh yes, I certainly do. And if I really like a book, I read it more often than that. So I thought I’d have a look round and see what I could come up with if I did a TT of those. Many of the ones I have read several times have appeared in other book lists and so I can’t feature them now, due to my self-imposed rule of never showing the same book twice, but even so I can manage a list or two. Here you are then,….

............Thirteen books I have read at least three times

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“Flashman At The Charge”  by GEORGE MACDONALD FRASER.  I love all the Flashman books and I have read them all more than once, so this one is just representative.  It is probably my favourite. Here Harry Flashman gets involved in the Crimean War, the Charge of the Light Brigade, being held prisoner in Imperial Russia, and a rebellion Central Asia.  All the while, quaking with fear and wishing he were somewhere else!  Lovely!   Buy it here

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“Doctor On The Brain”  by RICHARD GORDON.  I am not sure how many Doctor books Richard Gordon has written but I have several of them, and will try to get hold of as many more as I can find.  So far I own six and I have read them all many times over.  If you are unfamiliar with these books, and you have a sense of humour, then do yourself a favour and give them a try. Start with this one, maybe!  They are all comic stories centred around the fictional St. Swithin’s Hospital in London, and involve the doctors, nurses and medical students who work there, and occasionally a patient or two.  Gordon himself is a doctor, writing pseudonymously, so one is left to wonder how much of this is based, however loosely, on actual events.  You’ll like these books; trust me, I’m not a doctor.   Buy it here

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“Eye Of The Needle”  by KEN FOLLETT.  This was Follett’s first really successful novel, written when he was just twenty-seven.  After a slow start it became a best seller.  It is set in the war and is about a German spy working in England.  Fascinating detail and an exciting chase. Well worth reading.   Buy it here

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“Salems Lot”  by STEPHEN KING.  This was the first King book I ever read, and I think it is still my favourite. I got rid of my paperback copy when I moved across the pond and I bought this hardback edition at a used book store a couple of years ago.  I think this must be an early edition: King’s name is smaller than the title, and it makes reference only to “Carrie”,  his first novel.   This one is about vampires in Maine.   Buy it here

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“Prison Diary”  by FF-8282.  When best selling author Jeffrey Archer was sent to prison for four years for perjury, he spent the first three weeks of his sentence in the high security, Category A prison at Belmarsh in south London.  This is his day-by-day account of his time there.  It was no picnic but I suppose it could have been a lot worse.  It is certainly very readable, as were the two sequels, describing the months after he was transferred first to Wayland Prison and then to North sea Camp Prison.   Buy it here

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“Sharpe’s Regiment”  by BERNARD CORNWELL.   I enjoy all the Sharpe novels, and have read them all two, three or even more times.  I’m glad to say that Cornwell is still turning them out, and I will add each one to my collection as soon as it becomes available.  This one is a bit different from all the rest because most of the story takes place in England, even though the war with Napoleon is still going on in Europe, and I think it is the one I like best… so far.   Buy it here

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“In High Places”  by ARTHUR HAILEY.  From the man who wrote “Airport” we get a story of Canadian politics.  One politician has a guilty secret, another wants to initiate unification talks with the USA. Meanwhile a man with no past is detained by immigration authorities and suddenly becomes a cause celebre.  Hailey always researched his subject exhaustively before writing a novel, and that adds to the impact.  Don’t let yourself think that all political stories are dull – this one isn’t.  I actually bought this when I was in Canada. The TTC subway transfer which I used as as a bookmark is still tucked inside it.   Buy it here

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“The Kraken Wakes”  by JOHN WYNDHAM.  It’s a toss-up whether this is my favourite Wyndham book, or “The Day of the Triffids”  but since I have featured the Triffids in another book list, I’ll post The Kraken here.  I have certainly read this several times – more than three, to be sure.  This was written in the 1950s and parts of it are very dated but that doesn’t diminish the excitement one iota.  Creatures from we-know-not-where land on Earth and take up residence at the bottom of the ocean. Peaceful co-existence should be possible, but alas it doesn’t work out that way.  Ships are sunk, atomic bombs are dropped into the sea, and things just get worse.  The story gallops along at a fine pace. This is a thrilling book.   Buy it here

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“Mailed Fist”  by JOHN FOLEY.  Definitely not one for the girlies!  I bought this as a young teenager and in the course of the next few years I read it several times, though I haven’t opened it in ages.  In spite of the publisher’s blurb on the front cover, this is a restrained and entertaining account of one man’s experiences as a junior officer commanding a British tank in the latter part of the war.  No long passages about fighting to save democracy, or mawkish invocations of God and patriotism – just a young officer and his men trying to do their duty as best they can, and to survive the outcome.   Buy it here

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“Helter Skelter”  by VINCENT BUGLIOSI.  Here we have an account of the murders committed by the Charles Manson “family”, their arrest and trial.  Bugliosi was the Assistant D.A. in charge of the prosecution. This is a “with” book, so we can’t be sure how much Bugliosi actually wrote.  Anyway, it’s a fascinating story and parts of it would be completely unbelievable if we didn’t know they were all true.   Buy it here

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“The Golden Rendezvous”  by ALISTAIR MACLEAN.  I found this book abandoned in a coin laundry in Toronto, where it had fallen behind a tumble drier.  I pulled it out and I am very glad I did!  I started reading then and there, as my clothes were washing, and I was sorry when the time came to put the book down and take my clothes home, because I was enjoying it so much.  This thriller, from this very dependable author, is about gold smuggling, the theft of an atomic bomb, a passenger ship in danger, and a capable hero who tells the story in the first person. Very enjoyable!   Buy it here

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“Sagittarius Rising”  by CECIL LEWIS.  The author was a pilot in World War One, aged eighteen, flying a fighter biplane over the western front. He was one of the lucky ones, and he survived the war.  He wrote this book of memoirs in the 1930s, when still a young man and since then it has never been out of print.  For those who are interested, this is a wonderful book.  To my surprise I saw Mr. Lewis on a talk show on the BBC (Wogan) many years ago, in his nineties but looking and sounding like a man twenty years younger.  He left us just a few months short of his century. This book is his memorial.   Buy it here

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“The Sunbird”  by WILBUR SMITH.  As usual, Smith sets his story in Africa, under a very wide sky.  In fact, this book is two stories.  The first half is about an archaeologist, his rival, his unrequited love, and a newly discovered city from a lost civilization.  This story transforms seamlessly into a tale set in that city, two thousand years beforehand.  A very satisfying read, and you certainly get your money’s worth.   Buy it here

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Comments

[Nicole Austin]

Wow, I don't think I've read any book three times other than children's stories read to my kids. Happy TT!

[WendyWings]

Hmm the only one I have read is Helter Skelter, and I much prefer Day of the Triffids. Even though the movie scared the bejeebers out of me when I was much younger lol.
Have a great Thursday.

[Chelle Y.]

They must be good books for you to read them three times! Except for one, I have never heard of any of them.

Oh, and as for the "rock" songs on my list, I did not think them to be in that category either. But, like I said, iTunes does, and we all know that they are never wrong! Haha! :)

[Lilibeth]

Hey, you finally posted one of my favorite authors--Alistair MacLean. My favorite book of his is Circus, which I've read many times, but most of his books I've read at least three. He changed a lot from HMS Ulysses (I think) to the more modern ones--WWII through Communism to terrorism, but his hero is still intrepid and amazing. The only one I didn't like was The Black Shrike. (I hate sad endings.)

[Sue]

Gahhhhh!!! Matthew and I were just discussing Helter Skelter the other night, which we both read as teens. Creepy!!! I hadn't thought of it in about 20 years and here you go posting about. Did I already say creepy?!

Happy TT :)

[AnthonyNorth]

The Sunbird is an unusual book, set in modern times, and then ancient. I used to love Wilbur Smith, but he got a bit pretentious in later novels.

[Morgan]

:) I read books over and over too. Once I find one I love, I read it again and again. Salem's Lot? Really? I don't think I could *ever* read a Stephen King book more than once, LOL.

[Joely]

I re-read my keepers too, or used to when I had the time. :-) Happy TT!

[On a Limb with Claudia]

I love this list because it's so different from what I would THINK that you like. lol! I do love eye of the needle and I've watched many of a Sharpe adventure on DVD. There's a photo of my gf in Helter Skelter. It's miss labeled. I think it says the DA or something. There weren't metal detectors in the courts before that trial. It's a photo of him laughing as they check him. (He was a Federal court judge.)

dude, I would so love to read anything you wrote - where do a I get your novel.

[Tilly Greene]

Well now, Helter Skelter is one I've read a multitude of times...as a young adult through to now and I'm still fascinated by how far people can follow another without questioning. And yes, it's research :-)

Jeffrey Archer's diary did interest me because I was curious about how he made it through...kept seeing visions of Porridge and I knew that couldn't be right.

I didn't know about this rule of only listing books once. Im impressed because I know I wouldn't be able to remember if I'd listed it or not.

[Lazy Daisy]

Helter Sketlter is the only one I've heard of. Interesting list of books.

[Sarah in Disturbia]

I've not read any of those books nor do I think I've read any book more than TWO times. That's love right there: )

[Cordia Amant]

I haven't read any of those books. But they must be good if you've read all of them more than three times. I'll have to keep my eyes open for these.

[Di]

Helter Skelter haunted me.

[SJ]

You have completely exposed your literary taste! How fascinating. I don't think I've read any of these specific books, but have read books by many of the authors. My 3X's list would be a who's who of Laura Ingalls Wilder!

SJR
The Pink Flamingo

[Lori]

3 times?? Why?? You know how its gonna end. Silly boy...Happy TT and thanks for stopping by. My Mr. Linky isnt working sense my makeover so Im hoping to get it up and going.

[Babystepper]

I've read Eye of the Needle and Golden Rendezvous. (Well, of course, MacLean!)

I have to admit that the former was a little much for me. I'm a bit of a prude when all's said and done.

[pjazzypar]

I remember reading Helter Skelter as a teenager. It is cool to revisit books because you sometimes get a different perspective. Happy TT. Thanks for visiting my blog.

[pjazzypar]

I remember reading Helter Skelter as a teenager. It is cool to revisit books because you sometimes get a different perspective. Happy TT. Thanks for visiting my blog.

[marcia v]

good for you! I know when I read a book more than once it is a part of who I am. Do you feel the same way?

come see my Easter bunnies

[pussreboots]

I've read The Kraken Wakes but it didn't "do it" for me. It was a decent story but it didn't suck me in like I had hoped it would.

[Danica/Dream]

I have to admit, most of these books are probably not to my taste, although the prison diary sounds fascinating. I may have to pick that one up.

[Winter]

I think everyone's read Helter Skelter a few times. I mean, how can you not? It's endlessly fascinating and enthralling. I have quite a few books I've read over and over. Although my taste in books is significantly different than yours.

[mo]

Wilbur Smith is one of my favorite authors, but I haven't read "The Sunbird" - will have to check it out!

[Kaige]

People look at us like we're weird when we admit that we re-read books. No Arthur C. Clarke on the list, huh? Sad news, but not particularly surprising either. I've at least read a couple of these beyond Salem's Lot. =)