What was the first novel you read?



The first I can remember was Treasure Island. Stuck out because it was my Grandad’s copy that he was given as a birthday present by his sisters when he was very young. Still have it.
 
I read loads when I was little so it’s impossible to say. Probably The Magic Faraway Tree by Enid Blyton.

I don’t get to read (or watch telly either) now with the kids, but the latest was Replay by Ken Grimwood - definitely worth it.
 
From loving reading at primary school, I got it knocked out of me in secondary school and didn't read a full novel until I was in my twenties. Somebody in the office gave me Catcher In The Rye and I read it in a day (at work as I was a civil servant:lol:). That reignited my love of reading although I suspect I would hate it if I tried to read it now.

The last one I read is a bit of a cheat as it's my own. I've rewritten my first novel so I've read it about three times in various guises over the past fortnight.
The story of why I rewrote it (and how SMBers can get a free copy) here. Should you edit already published work?

Before that was probably a Ben Myers one. I've started quite a few novels and given up on them recently. I've become a lot stricter these days in jettisoning books I'm not enjoying.
 
Can't remember the first one I read it was so long ago, but I remember reading my first set of novels and they were , Peter Tinniswood' - A Touch Of Daniel, they formed some kind of "rilogy" though fucked If I know what, in fact, this reminds me to try and read them again, because I loved them at the time.
 
At junior school, trainee student teachers would read to us at the end of the day. One of the books was Call of the Wild by Jack London. My Dad had a copy and I just had to read ahead to find out what happened.
"One devil, dat Spitz," remarked Perrault. "Some dam day heem keel dat Buck."
"Dat Buck two devils," was François's rejoinder.


Currently reading this (which to my shame I should have read years ago) and being thrilled and amazed by Melvilles telling of the story.
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The first I read (at school I remember), tremendous and always stuck in my head.

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The last was this.

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Both writers are Gods of observation and descriptive magnificence!!:cool: (Along with Thomas Wolfe)

Just googled the Jack Kerouac book I have and it's edition and found this value in price.:eek:

The Big Sur by Jack Kerouac | Rare and Antique Books
yer supposed to grow out of Kerouac before you leave your teens.
 
I couldn't say for definite what the first one was, it being so long ago.
But I can remember picking up a copy of Jaws by Peter Benchley, that was lying around the house when I was aged about 7. It's quite different from the fillum :eek: and well worth a read
 
Can't remember the first one I read it was so long ago, but I remember reading my first set of novels and they were , Peter Tinniswood' - A Touch Of Daniel, they formed some kind of "rilogy" though fucked If I know what, in fact, this reminds me to try and read them again, because I loved them at the time.
A Touch of Daniel
I didn't know you Cared
Except you're a Bird
I read these when I was about 15 as my older sister said they were really good. They made me realise books could be funny. Loved them ever since and the old TV series was unable to 'capture' them, although I loved Uncle Mort. Just managed to track some old paperbacks of all three last year. Still love them.
 
I can also remember an unhealthy obsession with macabre authors such as James Herbert, Stephen King and Dean Koontz as a teenager. Reading Domain by Herbert (number three in his Rats trilogy) had me shitting my pants about nuclear war
 
First non bairns one I remember was The Big Sleep by Raymond Chandler on holiday from a very early 70s Scarborough b&b library bookcase on the stairs for rained on holiday makers. I’ve loved yer cliched PI novel ever since. Reading a James Crumley atm actually.
Chandler, Cain, Hamnett, Ross Macdonald, John D MacDonald, Crumley, Estleman, Pelecanos etc etc. Love em. I can nivver remember the names of the two modern LA based PI novelists churning em out Atm though, Harry Bosch and Elvis Cole are their private dicks though. Gunter Thingy the 1930s and onwards Berlin PI too. The NI fellers good anarl.
 

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