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Welcome to October’s DDBD! If you are new to the blog, it’s a little tradition we have when each month I ask my readers a question and then randomly select a winner to receive a mystery package, i.e. Box of Delights. The only way to find out what’s in the box is to win it!
To enter, answer this question:
What is your favorite story of all time and why? (it can be a movie, a book, etc). Mine is Harry Potter, I’ve been reading it book after book all through my 20s and still think about it a lot. Even now that the series has ended, there are still so many unsolved mysteries left! Like what did Dumbeldore really see in the Mirror of Erised?
Ok, your turn! You have one week to submit your answer – please post it in comments, not by email – those won’t count! Winner will be picked at random and announced on Monday, October 19.
I have so many stories that I love, I don’t even think that I can choose only one favorite!
But I guess that you could say that there are one story that will always be very precious to me, and that is the story
Harry Potter.
I read my first harry Potter book when I was seven, and I instantly loved it. I’ve read books that I’ve found better in some ways, but Harry Potter will always lay close to my heart, because of the fandom. Through the Harry Potter fan community I have found so many friends, and I have gotten so much support and help through my ups and downs.
The only thing that Harry Potter have disappointed me in, was when I did not receive a letter on my 11th birthday. But I guess being a muggle isn’t that bad. :p
I think my favorite book(s) would have to be The Lord of the Rings books. They opened up a huge, beautiful world of fantasy for me and I will read them over and over until the books wear out. Then I’ll buy new ones! (This has already happened twice, hehe)
Well, my favourite story is Harry Potter as well! I discovered the series when I was about 9-10 years old, and we had 2 books in the class library. I secretly took them home, although we weren’t allowed to do that, and read them all night. (I was also kind of expecting to get a letter from Hogwarts, but I didn’t and I got really upset so I made a letter myself!) Then I bought all the books myself and well, an obsession was born. Now I’m 16 and I’m still obsessed! Harry Potter is really a very important thing in my life. It’s my safe fantasyworld, I can hide here whenever real life isn’t going too well.
Good question, for me it was always Miss Snow White, an independent woman who can even take care of 7 men. She is so strong and can sing, plus she is the most beautiful in the land. :)
Ok. im sorry to all the haters out there.
let me put this one out first! i do not appericate the movie!
i would have to say the twilight saga…
please dont attack me! i love the books but i hated the movies. most movies ruin the classic enjoyment of the books.
^^;; twilight<3
Lana Gabonna Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 12:11 pm
*hate the movie
sorry:)
Jessie Reply:
October 13, 2009 at 2:27 am
I loved the first two books don’t get me wrong…I feel that Ms. Meyer let fans down with the last two books they felt rushed to me and also there were so many holes in the plot and so many things taken from other vampire series.
Lana Gabonna Reply:
October 13, 2009 at 6:03 pm
i agree. the first one was what led me to the next and the next.
i think breaking dawn was a downer for my expectations.
Margery Williams’ The Velveteen Rabbit, hands down. It’s one of the stories I best remember from my childhood, days when I looked at everything as being “alive”.
My favourite story of all time has to be Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Nightingale and the Rose’. A very beautiful story :)
My absolute favorite story ever is ‘Beauty and The Beast’. I remember being four years old and getting my very first copy of the VHS for Christmas and loving it to bits. I watched it so many times, the tape ended up ripping. A few years later, my mom married a new husband and his mom found out that I loved the movie and gave me her old copy. It holds a very precious spot in my heart.
And to make my love of the story even more magical, when I went to Disney World for the first time as an adult (18 years old) I was having quite the rough time in my life. While walking through Epcot I spotted Belle and the Beast and wanted my photo taken with them. When it was time for me to move out of the line and let the next person through, the Beast grabbed me and did a small dance with me. Looking at the pictures of it makes me grin still to this day.
Perhaps this book is childish to most adults, but this is the reason why I love this book so much.
Breaking Dawn, the sequel of twilight. Pure fantasy, yet entangled with the most true of all emotions, love. There’s not only action in this book, the touching emotions if one can empathize is so overwhelming that one can only drown in them.
During the time of despair for the couple so much in love, you can almost feel their own pressure on your chest, helplessly watching from the sidelines. They were willing to do ANYTHING for their daughter. I love that feeling because personally for me it’s something I’ve never felt. Let’s just say I’m not a loved child.
When finally all the harsh times are over, the happiness you feel cannot be described with words. Just like how I am unable to express how much I enjoy reading this book.
I’ve read it over 100 times I’m positive, I read this daily, I’m obsessed with it and I need my daily dose.
“You’re like my own personal brand of heroin.”
My favorite stories are the Dark Materials by Philip Pullman — They’re the books the Golden Compass was based off of. It’s fantasy, reality, creativity all rolled into one.
Cait Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 1:00 pm
I love Pullman. When I was younger I also like his ‘Sally Lockheart’ series, his sense of humour is spot on in those books.
I have so many favourites! Argh, so hard to choose!
Currently I’d have to say, The Time Traveller’s Wife by Audrey Niffenegger. The book moreso than the film. It really struck a chord with me, having been in a long distance relationship myself I can really relate to Claire, for I know what it’s like to be the person left behind. I also can relate to the relationship she has with Henry – they NEED each other, their relationship is so strong and passionate, there’s literally no way to be without each other even though the circumstances (Henry being a time traveller) means they get torn apart frequently. I understand that kind of relationship (going back to the long distance thing), so it was a really powerful story. I love how in essence it’s just a love story but the added elements of “long distance” and also the sci-fi twist makes it absolutely brilliant. I read it early this year, and saw the film this summer and it’s constantly popping up in my head. It was a fantastic story.
My favorite series for years has been the Young Wizard series by Diane Duane. The first book in the series, So You Want To Be A Wizard, is still one of my comfort reads to this day. And the Wizard’s Oath still gives me chills (but the good kind!).
“In Life’s Name, and for Life’s sake, I say that I will use my Art for nothing but the service of that Life. I will guard growth and ease pain. I will fight to preserve what grows and lives well in its own way; and I will change no object or creature unless its growth and life, or that of the system of which it is part, are threatened. To these ends, in the practice of my Art, I will put aside fear for courage, and death for life, when it is right to do so — till Universe’s end.”
Well Doe, i have to agree with you!
Harry Potter is the most spectcular story of all times! JK Rowling has such a vivid imagination! God bless he. Harry Potter has definetly changed my life! And you are right, so many unanswered questions! I have to be ne of the biggest fans, iam utterly obbsessed! As i type this, i am watching The Order of The Pheonix! I don’t have a ay where i havn’t watched a film and i am re-reading the books for the milionth time! My family is bored of listenng to me go on and on about it, i read parts of he bok outloud whenever i can :L It has certainly captured me!
So that is my very long winded, strange answer :L
What a interesting question, i enjoyed reading everyones answers!
Katherine x
Can’t choose one in particularly…but the Grimm fairy tales, pure genius!
Also To Kill a Mockingbird, a Streetcar named Desire and Gone with the Wind
Oooohhhh, as someone who deals with stories every day (I’m an illustrator) I LOVE this question.
I have to say, my favourite story is Beauty and the Beast, because there are so many variations of it. The Disney movie is gold and will forever be my favourite film, but lots of books I love have the same theme: Phantom of the Opera (Gaston Leroux), The Raging Quiet (Sherryl Jordan), North Child (Edith Pattou)…
Others that get a super special mention: The Shadow of the Wind (Carlos Ruiz Zafon), The Hobbit (Tolkien) and The Sandman Chronicles (Neil Gaiman)
Oh, and anything Moomin. :)
Rhia Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 12:32 pm
AHH! forgot beauty and the beast and phantom of the opera! love!
My favorite storie? Gosh! This question is a hard one, isn’t it?
I think it’d be Nana, a manga by Yazawa Ai.
It’s all about female friendship and life decisions.
It’s not finished yet. The author is sick and I hope she’ll get better soon…
I think you should check it out, Xenia! I bet you’d like it a lot!
Alekx Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 12:36 pm
Aw, I love Nana!
They made a live action movie,
and I actually though it was
pretty cute/similar to the manga.
American Gods has to be my favourite story by Neil Gaiman closely followed by Obsidian Butterfly by Laurell K. Hamilton. American Gods is a book about finding your true self from your past life in the modern world except roll in the Gods of old and have a calamity waiting to happen.
My favorite story is The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. It’s required reading for so many literature courses, but the first time I read it I was so captivated by the characters and plot, I’ve never found anything like it. Fitzgerald has since become my favorite author, but none of his other works rope me in quite like Gatsby.
anja Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 2:06 pm
Oh, I love love love Gatsby!!! Both the book and the character himself – he is so sweet and kind, like a big child:)
I have two favorites, one: The harry potter series and two: the time travelers wife. i remember when i was little going into borders bookstore with my mom and dad and seeing the stack of the sorcerers stone on the floor at the end of one of the isles. i picked up the book and didnt let go of it, and still havent. i have read the entire series countless times, and when i was in middle school, my father read the entire series (well, up to the book that had been published) out loud while we waited for the bus in the mornings. in my dreams i am at hogwarts, and i am darn good at harry potter trivia!
the time travlers wife is a book that i read whenever i am upset and it has gotten me though my parents divorce (weirdly enough being a twisted up love story itself) i cant tell you the number of times i have curled up in my big chair with a blanket, mint tea and the time travlers wife !
My favorite story is one given to us by the great Tim Burton. The Nightmare Before Christmas is definitely one of my favorite stories/movies ever! i was 9 when it came out and i still feel the same love and fascination for this movie as i did 15yrs ago.
The songs and music in the movie are AMAZING as is Danny Elfman! and the animation…oh my gosh! can you say mind-blowing! everything about this movie is awesome!
My favorite story would be The Neverending Story.
I know it’s not the best story ever, but when I was a little child and saw that movie for the first time, it really had an impact on me! The music, the voices, some scenes… and, overall, the atmosphere. This story holds a special place in my memories :)
(ps: I looooove Harry Potter and The Lord of the rings of course!! I can re-read the books for ever :P)
xoxo
All time? D: my favorites change just about every time I find something new (and I don’t remember the last time this English major wasn’t reading ;D) But the one book I never tire of reading is Good Omens by Terry Pratchett & Neil Gaiman (I also love everything they’ve ever written by themselves, haha). It’s become my comfort book, pretty much (:
A close second would be Jonathan Safran Foer’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. I dehydrate myself bawling every time I read it.
My favourite story is My family and other animals by Gerald Durrell. I first read it when I was twelve, and last in last week:)
It’s a very funny book about Durrell’s childhood, when they moved to shiny Greece from rainy England. Every “little” story makes me laugh anytime I read them:D
My favorite series of all time is Harry Potter, also. I grew up reading those books and obsessing with my friends every time a new one came out. Now we obsess every time a new movie comes out. I could read Harry Potter a million times, it will never get old. :)
Mine is Harry Potter as well! I love reading the books, I love the style of J.K. Rowling and all the imagination of her!
Btw, I made a post about you on my blog! Have a look if you want to!
This may sound strange, but i would have to say a series called Fearless by Francine Pascal. I read the series when i was 6th grade, and before then i was never a big reader. Fearless really opened my eyes to the world of books, and since then I’ve read so many novels i don’t think i could even name half of them. The series also got me through a lot of things in my own life, and i still feel attached to the characters even though i finished reading the series many years ago.
Jenn Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 6:38 pm
Oh my goodness, I love that series, I honestly thought I was the only one to discover it! I still haven’t finished reading the series because it’s so hard to find the last 8 or so books. I have up to book 27, but I know there are a few more. Such a great story!
Casey Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 9:35 pm
Ah, i love it too. They are hard to find though, luckily my library carries a lot of them, and some can occasionally be seen in second hand book stores. :)
One of my favorite stories is Abarat by Clive Barker. I love how it’s both colourful and beautiful and so dark at the same time.
My Favorite story is a set of books by R.A. Salvatore centering around a Character named Drizzit.
Is a story of an outcast who finds a new family and the adventures they embark on. Is a great story and the Author is GREAT! Love his books.
Megan J. Reply:
October 18, 2009 at 1:57 pm
Oh yes, Drizzt Do’Urden ROCKS!!!
I’m glad you mentioned him!:D
My favorite story is “le rayon vert” is a Jules Verne novel, but I prefer the film by Eric Rohm, a beautiful story of love, hope and optical phenomena, really romantic
I thought about Dumbledore and the Mirror of Erised after the seventh book came out…surely he would have thought about Grindelwald?
Harry Potter is a good choice…it’s a difficult question, though! I guess mine could be Tamora Pierce’s Lioness Saga.
I thought Alanna, the main character, was amazing, and the first really brave, independant female character in a fantasy novel I’d read.
My favorite story of all time is Beauty and the Beast, because of how Belle overcomes looks and sees the true beauty of the Beast and that the Beast could manage to fall in love after all the heartbreak he’d been through, after all the people who shunned him for his appearance.
I think mine would have to be the stories about Janet Evanovitch’s Stephanie Plum – the New Jersey bounty hunter.
Shes just great – the perfect heroine. Fiercely independent, smart, sassy and confident. She’s also a little sentimental and clumsy. Which means the hi-jinx she gets into can be pretty intense, but she always manages to find the best (and most hilarious) solutions.
When I first found out about Lime Crime makeup I thought of Stephanie in her red dress and matching lipstick, teasing her hair up and layering the mascara on – getting ready to track down her next criminal behind enemy lines, or destroy her next car… Nothing beats the stories about this
“Bombshell Bounty Hunter” – I love love love her!
I really always have loved “The Giving Tree.” I never read it as a sexist novel of a man taking everything from a women. I just can’t look into it that deeply. There is just something about it that touches my heart.
Princess Mononoke is a great story!
It is remarkably difficult to pick a favourite story, but I suppose one of my most favourite is the Swedish vampire novel ‘Let the Right One In’. This is a rather heavy book in some ways because it deals with some of the darker sides of humanity but it is also a sweet story centred on the relationship between 12 year old Oskar and 200 year old Eli who is a vampire trapped in the body of a 12 year old girl. The movie adaptation is also very well done, I would recommend watching it.
James Vee Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 11:56 pm
I think the book and movie are both great in their own ways. I saw the movie before reading the book, but I think I still had the same effect from the story. I recommend it to everyone as a superior Twilight story. :P
I was considering the Didius Falco series (murder mysteries in ancient Rome– oh lord, I was in heaven when I first found out about them), but I think my favorite story would have to be The Fall. Not Camus’s book, mind you, but the 2006 movie about an immigrant child who demands that a depressed man she meets in the hospital tell her a story. It’s difficult to appreciate without seeing the entire movie, but oh, so so so good.
My favorite story of all time is Bram Stokers Dracula. Oh how I wish I could have lived in that era with the gorgeous bustled gowns and hairpieces. The story itself may be looked upon as horror, but to me, I have always viewed it as a love story. It goes on to show that love never dies.
My favorite story would be Batman. I love how dark and artistic it is. Each character has a great back story, making them complex rather than two dimensional. I think Batman has one of the most creative characters, like Poison Ivy, The Joker The Penguin, Two Face and the Scarecrow for example.
Best of all, it all takes place in my hometown, New York. Despite Christopher Nolan’s interpretation, I think Dennis O’Neil said it best, “Gotham is Manhattan below 14th Street at 3 a.m., November 28 in a cold year. “
I agree with the above; Princess Monoke is a great story. My favorite, however, comes from a Spanish song from the 80s band Mecano. It’s called Hijo de la Luna, or Son of the Moon.
It begins on a night of the full moon and a gypsy who wants a husband. Moon grants her the wish of her man, but asks for their first-born in return. When the gypsy marries and has his child, the baby is born with pale white skin and grey eyes. The husband suddenly realises that the child isn’t his and kills his wife. He then takes to the mountains with the baby and leaves him their for the moon to look after.
Seth Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 1:49 pm
Ohhhhhh I LOVE Princess Mononoke!
Nora Thaisa Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 5:47 pm
I love this song… very good choice!
The Sherlock Holmes mysteries are my favourite books. He’s like the original and best version of CSI/Criminal Minds and so on and nothing is ever what it seems.
i was in doubt, between alice’s or kill bill… i think i like a little much kill bill, beatrix kiddo is my biggest hero of ALL TIME, and i started to pratice kung fu because of her… and in two weeks from now, i’ll be in the nacional championship, here in brazil! wish me luck, doe deere! lots of love *;
Without much contemplation, I would have to say Voltaire’s Candide. I know it’s a play, but it’s still a story, and I’m always so amazed how readable and relevant it is even today! Plus, it’s hilarious :D I’ve read it a million times, and I’m also addicted to the operetta!
Where the wild things are!! Hands down! I’ve loved that book since I was little. I can’t wait for the movie to come out!
my favorite story is, was, and always will be The BFG.
I especially loved the descriptions of the food that the BFG eats, plus the interaction between the BFG and the Queen. Amazing.
Anne of Green Gables, for sure. I love the little redheaded orphan who gets to live in a beautiful farmhouse in Prince Edward Island!
The chronicles of narnia! i had them read to me when i was a little girl and have loved them ever since , its the magic that draws me in!
the expressive language ! the way it makes the reader feel those golden thrones and touch the green grass and talk to the narnians.
Truly magical books!
I adore them
Hmmm… My favorite story is a toss up between Star Wars and Dune. Nerdy, much?
I don’t know if someone has said this already, but J.K. Rowling has answered that question once! Dumbledore sees himself, surrounded by his happy and rejoined family.
My favourite is also Harry Potter. It’s such a great story, the magic is so fantastic, and there is such a warm, cozy feeling in it.
(I hate it that my english is so crappy, but what can you do?)
Seth Reply:
October 12, 2009 at 1:48 pm
Your English is fine! :)
That’s such a cool question!
I love stories and books and movies and everything and it’s so hard to answer… I love Prattchett as well as Alice in Wonderland, Romeo and Juliet or Sleepy Hollow… and the Picture of Dorian Grey, but right now, I’m going for: Wuthering Heights! It’s a very unusual, dark and emotional story about the hot tempred Catherine and the forsaken love to Heathcliff… love it!
xoxo
The Neverending Story by Michael Ende is my absolute favorite book of all time, favorite story hands down. It’s inspiring without being preachy, and to this day stands out as one of the most unique, creative books ever written, especially with characters as diverse and odd as there are here in “our” world. The last chapter where Bastian finally comes home to his father never fails to make me cry. It was the book that inspired me to write my own stories and create my own worlds.