Is it possible to *not* have a favorite book?

[jkmalik]

Is it possible you can love to read, be a complete and total "bookworm", but not have a favorite book or author?

I'm not going to say I've read an infinite amount of books in thirty years; however, I've read many, and many kinds, distributed amongst fiction and non-fiction, classic and contemporary, poetry and prose.

I can't pick.

I thought Animal Farm.

Then, I thought The Handmaid's Tale.

Then, for the longest time I thought, The Bell Jar, which I've reread the most. However, I tried to read it again, last year, and I just couldn't get into it---and I hadn't read it in like six or seven years.

Besides, I think our tastes change over the years, don't they?

Thoughts?

-Jess

[Manang Muyang]

In answer to the question in the topic title, I think that is perfectly possible and perfectly fine. I can't name a favorite myself.

And yes, experiences change us (and our tastes) over the years. I only pray that mine will make me a much better person in the end.

[Gravy]

I don't have any single favorite. I have multiple favorites, genres/books/authors I prefer, but I don't really have any one favorite anything.


I don't think there's anything wrong with having or not having a favorite, and I do agree that our tastes change. Sometimes they change a lot.

[_l_e_x_y_22]

I definitely see how this could be a problem. I feel like everyone has to have a "favorite" but there are so many good authors and books in the world how can you choose just one. I think it's completely possible and okay to not have just one favorite book, sometimes you just can't choose and that's totally valid.

[KaitW13]

I think it is possible to not have one designated favorite because you could definitely have several more appreciated books that you could never decide between as the best one. It’s hard for me to do as well, even concerning entire genres of books.

[reignstar2149]

Perhaps this could lead to another topic for discussion but in direct response to this question would be a yes for me.

However... if I had to choose only one book... for example:
If I was in The British Library or the Library of Congress and say that for some reason the building, or world for that matter, was about to be destroyed (by man or nature) and I had to choose only one book to take, what would it be?

With certainty, I would be walking out with their biggest dictionary in my arm.

(Please dont ask what type...
I would not even go to the monolingual section! Just the English one is suffice.)

I would not even think or consider about anything else...
Not the best or biggest selling. Not even the oldest or most expensive...

I can live without the books of the famous or great authors,
but not the book that contains the greatest meaning of words.

[Aditi Sapate]

Tastes do change over time, but I think it's okay to have more than one favourite.

[Florence Nalianya]

Yes and no cause even after reading this favorite book and you are through what next? yuve got to move on and read other books.

[RoxieReads]

You don't have to have a favorite book. My favorite changes with my mood or what genre I'm interested in at the time.

[Henrytbab]

Is it possible you can love to read, be a complete and total "bookworm", but not have a favorite book or author?

I'm not going to say I've read an infinite amount of books in thirty years; however, I've read many, and many kinds, distributed amongst fiction and non-fiction, classic and contemporary, poetry and prose.

I can't pick.

I thought Animal Farm.

Then, I thought The Handmaid's Tale.

Then, for the longest time I thought, The Bell Jar, which I've reread the most. However, I tried to read it again, last year, and I just couldn't get into it---and I hadn't read it in like six or seven years.

Besides, I think our tastes change over the years, don't they?

Thoughts?

-Jess

Yes. Our tastes so change and I also don't have one single favorite book per se.

[Lia A]

I have many favorites, and when asked to choose one, I just choose the one that I think of first.
I actually don't have any one favorite.

[Ashley-Osuna]

I love reading and still, I can't choose a favorite. I have plenty that I love, though, I just can't compare them.

[EmmaZ]

I think so. When I'm asked what my favourite book is I always reply with the Harry Potter series, but I wouldn't know which one to pick because they are all so amazing! So yeah, if someone told me they didn't have a favourite book I'd think it was fine.

[Disquisitive]

Definitely! I used to have a favourite book when I was a child, but as I've gotten older, I've found I don't really have a favourite book any more.

If I really enjoy a book, I'll buy a paper copy of it, not just an e-book, to make it easier to read again and again. That said, I still don't have a favourite out of the paper books on my physical shelf. I suspect if I ever did enjoy one more than another, then the next year it might be the other way around. I agree with what you said about tastes changing over the years.

So the closest thing I have to a favourite book is actually a bookshelf of paper books that I like a lot, which I suppose can be considered as my shortlist of my top all-time favourites. But I don't have one book that stands out among the others on that list.

[Zeejane]

I have favorite authors but don't have one favorite book. I definitely have favorite books read each year, (so if I read 100 books there may be 4-5 that really stood out to me), but my reading tastes change over time so what I loved a few years ago I may not enjoy as much now.