The Pillars of the Earth is probably, if I had to choose just one (horrors!), my all-time favorite book. I've enjoyed all of the Follett books I've read, but this is so different than all his others, and it's so sweeping and tragic, about a fascinating period in history. Highly, highly recommended! I hear he is currently working on a sequel to Pillars, to be released in 2007, and I can hardly wait!

It was hard to decide which to pick here. I started with The Winds of War and War and Remembrance, but later read Marjorie Morningstar and Inside, Outside, which both became among my all time favorites. I finally decided on Marjorie Morningstar, by a very narrow margin.

I've enjoyed everything I've read by him (have not read The Caine Mutiny or The Hope), therefore, I did not vote for "a bad place to start!)

Love, love, LOVE David Baldacci. I voted for the Camel Club because, although I've loved all of his books, I believe this one was by far the best of his I've read. The Collectors was great, too, but as it continues the adventures of the Camel Club, I would still start there.

I have to say, though, you can't go too far wrong no matter where you start, as all of his books are excellent!

I have only read the Richard Jury novels, and they are fantastic, very literary, with a cast of characters that will stay with you book after book and make you laugh out loud. I would suggest starting at the beginning. It is not necessary to read them in order, but it it is helpful, as the character stories continue throughout all of them. I would not start the Jury books with anything after 2001, as these get a bit morose. If you've been following Jury all along, you will still enjoy these, but if you start with them, you might be turned off and will thus miss all of the humor in the early ones.

My favorite book by Pat Conroy is The Lords of Discipline, and my least favorite is The Water is Wide. Of course, any of his novels would be a great place to start...Santini, Lords, Prince, Beach...

Pat Conroy combines gritty scenes with poetic language. He is a true master, in my humble opinion!