Monday, March 13, 2006
Recommendations Wanted
I'm following suit with Fifty Books and asking for reading recommendations. I always love to hear what people are reading and if they like it or not. And I'd love hearing what your favorite books are. Make as many recommendations as you want. Keep in mind that I love mystery/suspense, but I enjoy books from all genres except romances. Having said that, I do try to read one romance every summer for the library's summer adult reading program, so if you have a suggestion for a romance that is not too steamy or inane I would appreciate the suggestion. Two years ago my sister-in-law recommended Mt. Vernon Love Story by Mary Higgins Clark and I really liked it.
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7 comments:
I have three books to recommend right now. I had to go back and look at my list of books to decide which one's I thought were the best. Two of the three could be considered mystery/suspense type books (although I think their main genre is SciFi). Those two books are:
The Talisman by Stephen King and Peter Straub and Timeline by Michael Crichton.
The third book is just an awesome book that I love. It is Peacegiver by James Ferrel. I know you've probably already had a recommendation for this book in the past, but it's an amazing book that I think everyone should read at least once.
I don't get to read as much as I'd like, but my mom is a huge reader, and she loves "Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China" by Jung Chang.
My sister Cash recommends:
-The Chosen by Chaim Potok
-Cat's Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut
-A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers (TONS of questionable material in it, though, so keep that in mind before choosing to read it)
-Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Thomas Hardy
-Beer and Circus: How Big-time College Sports Is Crippling Undergraduate Education by Murray Sperber
-Privilege: Harvard and the Education of the Ruling Class by Ross Gregory Douthat
-Wise Blood by Flannery O'Connor
The best book I've read lately is "And There Was Light: Autobiography of a Blind Hero of the French Resistance" by Jacques Lusseyran.
I love all mysteries, also, and especially like the ones by Katharine Hall Page about a character named Faith Fairchild. The first in the series is "Body in the Belfry." They are good clean reading, but still fairly well-done.
I agree with Myke on "I Heard the Owl Call My Name." BJ loaned her copy to me a few years ago and I loved it. I didn't know there was a sequel - but I will definitely try it!
I love looking at these lists. It's giving me some great ideas although I'm afraid some may be thinking books, and I try not to think too much. Books are my escape from reality. (I skipped the speeches in Atlas Shrugged and the Fountain Head. Rand's heros really did love to hear themselves talk, didn't they?) That said, both books I recommended to Alyson do make you think. You've read one already. (The Little Country)
Here are a few more: "Fine Old High Priests and 'A Wise Blue Autumn" by Donald Smurthwaite, "The Secret Journal of Brett Colton" by Kay Lynn Mangum, all of these are LDS fiction; "Trinty" and "Exodus" by Leon Uris. The Kate Shugak mystery series by Dana Stabenow are great Alaskan books and the Anna Pidgeon mystery series by Nava Barr take place in different National Parks (a poor substitute for traveling, but still).
Alyson, I've always thought I should try a Stephen King novel, but didn't dare just pick any one, so I appreciate the recommend. Think I better read the Peacegiver, too, since I keep hearing so many good things about it.
Cardine, I put Wild Swans on Interlibrary loan. Hoping I get the other 2 books I checked out read before it comes in.
Pam, I always like learning about good mystery writers. I goofed--I thought And There Was a Light was about the French revolution, now I see it's about the French resistance! Which I know absolutely nothing about--I look forward to reading it.
Shaneen, thanks for the 2 new mystery authors--that's exciting. And I definitely NEED to read one Leon Uris in my lifetime, if not more. BTW, are you related to the Mangum author?!
Thanks all for your help. Great things to look forward to.
I'm not related to Kay Lynn Mangum at all . . . but I don't think Mary is either. That is why I bought the book though because I liked the author's name. I own it so you can borrow it. It made me cry but in a good way.
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