My Top 10 Books of All Time (As Of 2023)
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- čas přidán 31. 05. 2024
- In the toughest choices he's had to make, Mike narrows down the 10 books he would call the best he has ever read, as of June 2023.
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0:00 Introduction & Requirements
1:51 My Top 10 Books of All Time
23:13 Final Thoughts
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#MikesBookReviews #Top10 #FantasySeries - Zábava
Hi guys. I understand you disagree on the "Lord of the Rings isn't one book" take, and I do agree that it is one story. However, I'm not going to bend my rules for any series and it WAS released as 3 books. That's why I didn't count it as one. You, however, may do as you wish! Let me know your picks below.
There's a book called "You Suck" by Paulie Amigo that is a nice original. I recommend it. It takes a satirical approach about self help, since self help is a genre that is being oversaturated.
Would you consider the Bible as one book considering it was written during different periods with chapters being added over time?
Totally agree!! One story, three books. Great list! Thanks Mike!
That's hard because so many books borrow from it so much.
No. I listed everyone's favorites. It's a law, a FEDERAL law. Pretty sure.
10. Lonesome Dove - Larry McMurtry
9. Hyperion - Dan Simmons
8. Jurassic Park - Michael Crichton
7. To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee
6. Ender's Game - Orson Scott Card
5. Gone with the Wind - Margaret Mitchell
4. Lord of the Rings : The Fellowship of the Ring - J.R.R Tolkien
3. A Song of Ice and Fire : A Storm of Swords - George R.R Martin
2. It - Stephen King
1. Dune - Frank Herbert
ive read 2,4,5 + 7
only two female authors. interesting.
@@leahjuniper2031shit yo ass up bro 😂 he can read whatever books he wants
THANK YOU!!! ..saves one time to see this individual's taste/slant.
Your my hero of those 10 minutes
I would argue that The Lord of the Rings does count as one book, since Tolkien wrote it as such. There just wasn't enough paper post-war for his publisher to release it in one volume.
This is how I think of it as well! The movies, too. (Though I know that's a bit different.) But yeah, I couldn't ever pick a favorite individual part of it. I adore it as the whole.
I also consider it to be one novel.
Absolutely agreed. If it's written as one story in one volume, that's very different from something like The First Law trilogy.
@@Rogue_VI Because it is one novel... written in six "books." Just as War and Peace is one novel written in four "books."
100%. LOTR is one novel. Alwyas has been, always will be. How it's released matters less than how it was written.
Greatly impressed by this list. Minor quibbles only. I was shocked that you started with “Lonesome Dove,” I’ve adored that book for more than 30 years. Much respect!
Glad you made this video, Mike! It must have been a tough one, but it's always a joy to hear your love of books!
It wasn't easy, my man.
@@mikesbookreviewsisn't Hyperion belonged to a book series? Correct me if I'm wrong
@@Dann-md9eqHe said it can be in a series but just one book from it
You are at your most articulate when you talk about things you love. Great video, great books. Yay reading
Thanks!
What a top 10! We need to read so many of these. I'll definitely be reading Lonesome Dove soon. It is also one of Ed's favourites of all time.
Truth & Courage!
I love that IT was on here. The only book I've ever read twice. I loved it each time. One of my favorite characters is Mike Hanlon. King just created not just a horror book but a book that oozed out a sense of dread. The atmosphere hits you hard when you read it. Great video!
Mike is more than just the 7th Loser. He made that group whole.
King is a MASTER at characters. IT is one of my favorite books, as well as the Stand and the Waste Lands.
IT is one of the only Stephen King books that I've read twice. Probably gonna be on regular rotation every summer for me
I think the book that most positively impacted my future in reading as a child was 20,000 leagues under the sea. It really launched my love of science fiction and adventure
I read Lonesome Dove when I was on ship in the USMC 25 years ago. At that point it was the biggest book I had ever read and I remember when I finished I didn't want it to end. An amazing book.
I've been considering reading Lonesome Dove but I've never read a western before so I'm a little intimidated to start with a gigantic one lol
@@Ghostly-00 You might like "Duane's Depressed," which is also by Larry McMurtry.
Same!!! 30+ years ago and I was so sad when it ended.
My all time number one! Ever.
Try the book Shogun, great book that you will also not want to end.
Great list! I didn’t think Dune could be knocked off my number one spot, but then I came across Hyperion!! Unforgettable.
Love your videos, Mike! Thanks for everything you give.
To Kill a Mockingbird had such a profound effect on me as a child my eldest daughter is named Harper. Loved this list so many brilliant selections.
My ten books, in no particular order. "East of Eden ' - John Steinbeck, "A wizard of Earthsea" Ursula Le Guin, "Goormenghast" - Mervyn Peake, "Blood Merridian" - Cormac Mcarthy, "Hyperion" - Dan Simmons, "Use of weapons" - Iain Banks, "The Magus" - John Fowles, "T he Shining" - Stephen King, "Smileys people" - John Le Carre, "Alice in Wonderland" - Lewis Carrol. And many more......
Blood Meridian is fire 🤌
For me Michael Crichton's Disclosure and John Grisham's The Firm and The Pelican Brief were pivotal books in my life that I loved reading. Motley Crue's the Dirt was also a favorite.
Oh dang, I was calling for this on the discord years ago. Glad to see it is finally here! Looking forward to diving in later.
Great list of books. You give enough description without any spoilers. I would enjoy seeing your next top 10 books of all time...
I really appreciate the time and energy you put into this list! It’s like choosing one’s favourite child!
It was difficult ha ha
Lonesome Dove is my absolute favorite book. I first fell in love with the mini-series. Gus, Call, Deets, Newt....You can't get any better. I'm glad to see someone else who loves it!
It truly is a fantastic book. If you love it I highly recommend Shogun.
So impressed with this video! Very grateful for sharing your childhood story. I would never have guessed how lonely your life was then, you have become very confident and successful as an adult. Amazing how a book helped that change occur. Great list of books!
Ha, at 15 I could never have imagined being like I am now.
Just found this channel and really like it. Mike is a great content creator. Very likable. And great videos. I often struggle on what to read next and look to videos like this to give me a little direction. Great work.
Excellent list Mike. I loved how you put a bunch of non-SFF books on this list. I'm starting to expand my pallet after reading a historical fiction book a few weeks ago. Larry McMurtry has now entered my TBR list due to this video. Again, wonderful video my man.
Lonesome Dove is so amazing.
I read Lonesome Dove last summer and about a third of the way through my wife went out and picked up her own copy to start reading because she saw how much I was enjoying it. Incredible book.
Recently subscribed to you and it was bc of your best Michael crichton list- low and behold I have jurassic park on my shelf so I finally cracked it open and wow! Just wow, I'm really enjoying it!
I keep meaning to buy a cheap copy and FINALLY read the darned thing! Maybe this summer. Seems like a fun summer read. I can't believe it's only recently that I even learned it was a book!
Wonderful to hear!
Thank you very much for this video. I came down with a terrible fever and was looking for some chill and fun bookish content to watch along with my evening porridge and tea. I went straight to your channel and voila! Keep up the good work sir
Happy to help!
Excellent presentation and interesting choices of books.
Glad to see that Lonesome Dove and Gone With The Wind made your list. 👍
Fun list! I love how you threw To Kill a Mockingbird, Lonesome Dove and Gone with the Wind in with the sci-fi/fantasy/horror. A recommendation for a historical fiction book - E.L. Doctorow's Billy Bathgate. A resourceful, capable boy falls in with some deadly Depression era gangsters.
Love when you make ranking videos! I’d love to eventually read through all 10 of these! I think I’ve read 4 of them already! (Thanks to you lol)
I love this channel; More than just reviews, it’s inspirational! Thanks for your work and your enthusiasm, Mike!
Glad you enjoy it!
This is a fabulous list! Excellent picks. 👏🏻👏🏻
Thanks!
I love the list. I've read them all with the exception of Enders Game. I agree with you about Gone the Wind. It is awesome. Once you reach the BBQ at Twelve Oaks the story takes off like a rocket that does stop until the final page.
Thanks for this top 10. I really appreciate your explanation of why you picked what you picked; as a matter of fact, I've added those which I haven't read to my TBR due to your explanations.
As always, great content and great books! Thanks Mike!
Great video as usual! Love your list. I bought Lonesome Dove based on your review. Going to read it before the end of the year. Thanks, Mike!
I hope you love it!
My grandmother grew up in Monroeville, AL and met Mrs. Lee. Got a copy of To Kill a Mockingbird signed by her and my grandmother then gave it to me; it's one of my most prized posessions from my grandmother.
If any of you are interested, there is a hilarious Introduction for one of her editions of TKaM written by Mrs. Lee where she talks shit about novel Introduction sections. Pretty good stuff 😂
First time viewer, and now that I’ve watched this list, a new subscriber! This is a fantastic list, and you described exactly how I feel and what I’ve said about some of these, especially IT and Storm of Swords. I would trust any book recommendation from you!
Wow... I just found your channel and I can't believe I watched the entire thing and it felt like 5 mins. Great video! I usually skim and fast forward a lot when I am on Audible trying to find a book quick.
That cover for Dune is insane. Love the list. Very nice selection.
To Kill A Mockingbird would probably be on my list too. What a book.
I love Gone With The Wind. So good.
Lord of the Rings makes my list as one book since Tolkien wrote it as one book! 😄 Out of the three, yes I'd pick Fellowship too.
Great list!
‘The Rainmaker’ of its day!
I was forced to read To kill a mocking bird in 9th grade and that book made me want to die
Love your reviews! Totally agree with Gone with the Wind.
Very good list Mike. I like that you have such a variety in your list
I enjoyed how you discussed your feelings toward Dune and how it changed your life and I totally understand what you mean because books can change your life in a big way. The book that has changed mine is one called Endurance by Alfred Lansing. Without that book I don’t know where I would be tbh
The thing I most enjoyed about this video was your explanation of why Dune means what it does to you. Very well said.
Yes! Fellowship 🙌
That’s an opening I can get behind.
This list is really awesome!
There are so many super pretentious "top 10 lists" of books no "normal" person ever reads, so your list is really liberating and "real".
Greetings from a new subscriber in Sweden
ASOIAF is without a doubt the series ignited my love of the fantasy genre, though I read it roughly 10 years ago. You've made me want to reread and pin down what my favorite in the series is!
It truly is special and, IMO, the only thing even close to touching Tolkien for the fantasy throne.
storm of swords is the goat@@mikesbookreviews
You are the only book tuber who has put Michael Crichton in their sci-fi top 10 list. All the kudos to you, sir!
I absolutely love Gone with the Wind. I was hooked on that book within a few pages and I do not think there is one misstep in the 700+ pages. I recently had to start packing to move and it was the first book I put in the "keep and move" box. I think your Patreon book club is going to love this book. I agree it is not what people think. To me, it is a story about arrested development, about the inability to move on and accept change, and how our (erroneous) perception of things interferes with out ability to grow and live. It is so so good!
Great choices! Also, love your library! Wow!
Immediately started this video after finishing Clash of Kings for the first time… some favorites: Dune, Wizard & Glass, Memories of Ice, Kafka on the Shore. Thanks as always for the work you put into these videos. Hile!
Thanks for watching them!
Wizard and Glass was amazing - I usually hate backstory, but this ended up being my favorite in the set.
Dune is with no doubt my favourite book of all time.
I read it for the first when I was 11 and it hooked me forever to the Sci-Fi genre but it was after the second reading in my early 20s when I had that epiphany that has changed me forever!
I had a simile experience with Frankenstein, which I read when I was 12.
Always very heartfelt. Good show.
That reference about getting things done even though nobody believes in you resonated very much with my recent read, Poppy Wars by R.F Kuang. I have just read the first book but it was quite much about that and I enjoyed it a lot. I should probably check Gone with the wind as a follow up if it has similar theme.
That Dune cover is awesome.
(Actually reminds me how much I hate that Amazon/Kindle won't even let you change your book covers, after they retroactively change cover art for books you already purchased, from timeless art for things like Dune, Wheel of Time, Lord of the Rings, etc to whatever the newest movie adaptation-inspired covers are.)
I love Gone With the Wind. I like to re-read it every few years. There is not a boring page in the whole book.
An amazing list! I’m about halfway through Dune right now and loving it so far!
Thank you for the list!
I really love your channel, I started reading several books thanks to you, only thanks to you!
As of today, my top ten list is as follows:
10. Small Gods
9. Wizard and Glass
8. Child 44
7. Shantaram
6. IT
5. Into Thin Air
4. One Hundred Years of Solitude
3. Dune
2. The Lord of the Rings
1. The Bridge on the Drina
And I still got to read ASOIAF, Mr Crichton, the last books from Discworld, Lonesome Dove, The Pillars of the Earth, Midnight's Children, Pachinko, Il Nome della Rosa, Mr Murakami, Shogun and some Russian classics!
Love from Rome!
Thanks so much!
Very nice list! Thank you sir 👍🏻
Great list! Amazing how books can change us. Story defines what we are and inspires us to try to be the best we can be.
100 percent.
I ve read Hyperion because of your previous recommendation and it blew my mind!! Then I continued with fall of hyperion too. ❤
I need to read Hyperion again. Wasn't it wild? Some parts were horrifying and other parts heartbreaking. Almost like different types of books combined. I can't even explain it. I've never read anything quite like it.
Reading the Red Wedding was incredible. A put down the book and take a moment reaction.
Not enough people talk about Tyrions last chapter in ASOS. One of the most heartbreaking and gut wrenching chapters in fiction
Hey, Mike! Great vid! Love your down to earth and honest vibe.
Some of my favourites are Crime and Punishment by Dostoievski, Hundred years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez, Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, Delirium by Laura Restrepo, Pedro Páramo by Juan Rulfo, Heart So White by Javier Marías, Blindness by José Saramago (which I really hope you read one day)
Great top 10, I like that it's varied.
I re-read 4 times Dunes in the last 30y. The only book I reread so often. With the movie released, I have to reread it another time!
A fellow man of culture, I see.
Hi Mike. When you spoke about Dune and the impact it had/has on your life...I got goosebumps because I knew that feeling. My book is Pawn of Prophecy by David Eddings. I was about 12 years old in 1986. I remember that summer we were playing around in the station wagon my dad drove that belonged to his employer. I found an old tattered novel in side and immediately picked it up began reading. That was my intro to the fantasy genre and I was hooked. I grew up in the Bronx NY and book stores were not common. Thankfully I went to middle school and high school in Manhattan where book stores abounded.. It took me about 8 years to find all the books in the series and I loved every single one. Fast forward 37 years....I still love fantasy and I have read some amazing books. But Pawn of Prophecy will always be my all time fave 💞💞💞
I love those books. They were my intro into the genre too. I went on from there to disc world and 40 years later I am still going back to Garion co.
@@jeaners7 We belong to the same Tribe! I love the Discworld as well. I read Carpe Jugulum years ago and became an instant fan! Rest well Sir Pratchett.
Thank you. I'll add a few to my reading list. With the chaos every level of Hollywood's story tellers are feeding us it's a great time for us all to start reading more again
Great video! Can’t wait to read some of those
Regarding LOTR, there's an audiobook version on the archive by Phil Dragash that may be the best audiobook I've ever listened to. I try to bring attention to it because he can't sell it due to copyright bs but he deserves so much credit for his work. I encourage everyone to get it.
Edit: Also The Hobbit by Bluefax. One of the best and also free on the archive.
Although Jurassic Park is the cliche pick, and for good reason, Sphere is the Crichton book that really stood out to me as a younger reader. Something about how well he used psychological suspense was what got me hooked. Plus there is just something terrifying if you truly take a deep look into the reality that you do not control your own subconscious mind.
Sphere was wack, made absolutely no sense at end and too many twists
I've read all 18 fiction books Crichton published under his own name (and one under a different name), and Sphere is my number one favorite. Followed closely by Prey. Honestly, I think I'd put Jurassic Park in my bottom half. I didn't really like it much
I loved Sphere first time I read it
Great video Mike! Your love of these books just oozes from you! Man books are so cool. Love books so freakin much
Same.
You finally made it! Great video man, you've gotten me even more excited to read a lot of these books. I still have yet to get to Dune even though I've been watching your channel for...3 years now? I will get to it! Great list, this had to be super difficult to make.
You're young. You got plenty of time left.
Mary Stewart’s - Crystal Cave was one of my all time favorites. Probably in my top 10… but I haven’t read it in over 20 years…
Read it many moons later. Quite good.
I discovered Dune a few years ago and quickly read the following 5 books in quick secession. Totally get what you mean about transformative. Like you i read this series at the perfect time. It impacted me so much and the themes throughout the 6 books was so powerful.
Yep. Still to this day.
You should explore the prequels as well. They are worth reading!
I'm not sure I could narrow down my favorite books to a top 10 list and I haven't read nearly as much as you. It must have been tough making this list, but it is a great list. Thanks for the great video Mike!
Great list. My top 10 would have quite a few cross overs.
I would definitely recommend continuing the Ender series. Subsequent books are quite different from the first (except the one retelling the first book from Bean’s perspective, which is excellent), but all compelling and epic in their own way.
East of Eden would be one of my top ten. Maybe even number one! Steinbeck!!!❤
I've had this one on my TBR for too long!
this one is just amazing
Speaker for the dead, in my opinion is a must read. It is philosophical and potent.
This is a great list. I do hope that Mike would consider doing a Top 10 nonfiction books of all time list at some point. I do really like how he is willing to address how reading a particular book has influenced how he sees the world and work that into his arguments to persuade the audience to read his picks. For me, the best works of nonfiction that I've read have had more influence on how I see the world than my favorite works of fiction - although there are certainly works of fiction that have shaped how I see the world. Anyway, if Mike were to make a video of his Top 10 nonfiction books of all time, I'd definitely watch it right away.
I appreciate your favorite list amazing books!!
Really happy to see Jurassic Park included on your list! I read it when I was about 11 or 12, and it is one of the first books that has really stuck in my memory. I re-read it quite often. And you’re so right, it looks a lot more like horror in some places than sci-fi..
That book was everything I wanted at 13 years old.
MIchael Crichton was amazing! Medical degree, law degree, and phenomenal author. Also gave us ER!
Two things: Crichton's books have aged very poorly. When you focus on cutting edge technology, ten years later it is ridiculously out of date. Also, when you steal Arthur Conan Doyle's work, then make millions off of it, maybe you deserve your denouement.
LotR, GoT, It, Dune, Jerassic Park, The First Law, Red Rising these all for sure hold a position on the list. Not sure which books exactly but these are my predictions!!!
This is a banger of a list, Mike. This is my first video of yours and I can say it will not be the last. Some of these books are among my favorites as well. Ender's Game and Storm of Swords are both such great books within great series. Loved pretty much anything by Michael Crichton since I was a kid. I just finished my first read through of Fellowship and it was fantastic. My wife just finished her first read through of Dune and she loved it as well. Interesting timing on coming across your channel...
Welcome! Hope you'll stick around.
Great Video! Thank you for share us this!
Now I need to read Lonesome Dove, LOTR, and Game of Thrones! The new Dune movie is one of my favorite movies ever.
I 100% agree with you on the Gone With the Wind pick. Scarlett is the kind of lady I would always chase after.
Annoyingly amazing ha ha
Dang.. you're almost at 100k. Can't help but feel happy for this growing channel. I was there when you only had less than 1k subs and I just happen to stumble upon your channel 'cause I was looking for reviews on The First Law 🎉
It has been a wild ride! Thanks for being part of it.
I love your videos. One of the best booktubers on CZcams!
Ender's Game is one of my top books of all time. While I'm with you on the sequels, I HIGHLY recommend you give Ender's Shadow a try. It is not a sequel but a retelling of Ender's Game concurrently from the perspective of Bean. Excellent pairing. I consider them one solid read now.
Adding Gone with the Wind to my TBR. Good thing about life is all the unread books.
Bad thing is you will never finish them all.
I've never been a big reader and want to get into something different and I got 3 in mind. I love Jurassic Park and never would've thought to look back for the book. I recently watched the original IT movie and I can only imagine how much more is in the book. The way you explain dune is honestly a mindset and idea I've been developing on my own over the past few years... I think I can learn something for myself in that book
Im glad you enjoyed Lonesome Dove. Something about the character relationships are perfect, reminds me of WoT character relationships.
I'm 5 chapters away from finishing Return of the king.. LOTR has been an amazing journey. 3 books out of your top 10 will be on my tbr list... Dune will be the first one.
An excellent choice.
I love Gone with the wind, so glad you’re doing an in-depth video about it! Will it just be on Patreon or on public too?
Oh a ton of us are reading it on the Discord in July. It’s open to everyone.
@@mikesbookreviews Oh, cool!
Dune!!! It is such a great book, and that edition is amazing. I loved hearing your story about these books; I haven't read that book from King, but I had a similar experience with other books, so could relate to what you were saying. I must confess I haven't read Jurassic Park, and you honestly made a good case for that one! Thanks for the video!
This is just such an excellent video. All the books you mention that I have read I completely agree with your review. And now I have a few new ones that I want to read.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Man the last 300 pages of storm of swords were a real banger and the last page involuntarily dropped my jaw (that doesn’t happen often). The book also made me want to reread the first two to catch the foreshadowing bits. I hope I’ll love storm of swords even more on a reread so it can crack my personal top 10! Great list!
It's even better on a series re-read.
personally I love a dance with dragons. I feel that the first three books kind of move at a mile a minute in terms of plot and definitely do explore the characters, but not as deeply as the fourth and fifth books once the war has ended. Theon's character arc, jon snow, tyrion, daenerys, all get deeply explored in terms of what drives them, their stances on how to handle power, and just understanding who they are in the world is amazing in book five and really cements many of the "coming of age" elements in ASOIAF. On top of the characters, the various northern conspiracies concerning robb's heir, the manderly's, stannis, winterfell, jon snow, sansa, etc are riveting to unravel and piece together throughout the various POVs. That's just my take though!
@@durjoymaitra3840 Oooh you have me much more intrigued to continue to read onto books 4 and 5 (I was gonna do it regardless). I was planning on reading A Feast For Crows in mid August followed by DOD.
Top 10 is tough.
Lonesome Dove, the Martian, pattern Recognition, Enders Game, Mistborn, Cloud Atlas, Dune, the Club Dumas, Snow Crash, and Mists of Avalon.
But this could change on any given day. I’d have another dozen honorable mentions. As you said, a lot of tough cuts.
What an awesome list!!!
Great list. my personal favorite is count of monte Cristo so I was glad you mentioned it.
Fantastic reading guide ty mike
Great list! I’m shocked that Swan Song didn’t make the list.
Awesome. Swan Song and Boy's Life are amazing.
I’m reading Lonesome Dove now. Might be the greatest western ever. It’s kind of the Gone with the Wind of westerns.
Absolutely.