Going to the library today….any suggestions? I’ve been trying to read The Given Day by Dennis Lehane and I just can’t get into it. That’s been the theme of my reading experience lately…maybe it’s me and not the books??? Anyway, what have you read lately that you liked, I’d love to hear.
‘Reading is Cool’ print by studio mela for TGIF: Thank God for Illustration Friday.
I’m glad you read “Devil in the White City.” I just finished “The Scarlet Mansion” which was a fictionalization of the H.H. Holmes murders which Eric Larsen quoted in his sources. It only dealt with H.H. Holmes so it didn’t have the same depth as the Larson book but it had a really interesting twist at the end. I’m done with serial murders for now so maybe I’ll pick out one of the recommendations from your readers’ suggestions.
Fifrildi – oh yes, The Thirteenth Tale was good.
Hey, Gail! I’ve already read The Devil in the White City and it was good. You may also enjoy Erik Larson’s other book Isaac’s Storm about the 1900 Galveston, TX hurricane.
Once again I was too late to give a recommendation. Maybe for your next library visit you can take out “The Devil in the White City,” a non-fiction book about the Chicago World’s Fair of 1893. I couldn’t put it down. Also, “The Stolen Child,” a fantasy about changelings. Those are my two favorite books of the year so far.
The thirteenth tale by Diane Setterfield. It’s one of my best reads ever.
I agree with Mel–there are too many good books out there to waste time on one that doesn’t fit you (or your current mood)… it feels a little wrong to abandon one that you (or others) feel is a perfectly “good” book, but that’s the beautiful thing about libraries–you can just return one and check out another.
Karenn, I too loved “The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy.
Tiffany, I’ve read everything by Jeffrey Eugenides…Middlesex was my favorite. He is genius.
Here’s a link for Joey Goebel.
http://www.joeygoebel.com/
Thanks for all the suggestions. I ended up with The Poisonwood Bible by Barabara Kingsolver, which I still haven’t gotten around to reading, and Commonwealth by Joey Goebel.
I got the Goebel book b/c there was a quote by Tom Robbins on the front cover. Tom Robbins is one of my favorite authors ever.
I highly recommend “I Was Told There’d Be Cake” by Sloane Crosley. I’ve had the same problem of late and that one made me laugh AND want to write my own book. Collection of witty essays. Good stuff. Love your blog!
“The God of Small Things” by Arundhati Roy (my favorite- absolutely colorful and poetic!)
or
“Where Peace Lives” by Debbie Robins. Although they say never judge a book by its cover, I was drawn to the illustrations, and found it to be a beautiful book!
By the way, I absolutely LOVE this site!
ooop . . . hit submit too soon on my last comment lol
So I like The “Virgin Suicides” by Jeffrey Eugenides and have been wanting to read “Frontier Madame: The Life of Dell Burke, Lady of Lusk” by June Wilson Read, which is about a woman who opened a brothell in the small, very Christain Frontier town of Lusk, Wyoming. Oh, and “A Clockwork Orange” is really good too.
Also, I love the print. I am a Librarian, so it really speaks to me 🙂
I fell in love with “The Art of Racing in the Rain” by Garth Stein. It is narrated by a family dog and was so very very good.
I also really liked “The Virgin Suicides” by
Beautiful illustration!
I recommend Stieg Larsson, a Swedish writer! read more about his book in my blog!
Here’s my current reading list- the first is uber-dry, history textbook reading (that I’m reading for fun, go figure) but the other two I’ve been devouring.
The Civilization of the Middle Ages: A Completely Revised and Expanded Edition of Medieval History, the Life and Death of a Civilization
by Norman F. Cantor
Whitechapel Gods
by S.M. Peters
Empire of Ivory
by Naomi Novik
I just finished reading “The Importance of Music to Girls” by Lavinia Greenlaw – it’s a short-story-form-based memoir, beautifully written. I got it from my local library, so hopefully it’s available at yours. I’d recommend it!
Here’s a list my Fiber Focus group has been putting together: http://fiberfocus.ning.com/forum/topic/show?id=2200802%3ATopic%3A121
You should be able to find a few gems in there!
I just finished reading DEWEY the Small-Town Library Cat Who Touched the World by Vicki Myron and Made in the U.S.A. by Billie Letts. I’d recommend them both. If you read any of Billie Lett’s previous novels, this one is quite a bit darker ~ just a warning.
I don’t think it’s you. It’s the books. There are so many books that it’s hard to find the ones that fit the reader. Lately, I’ve beenall over the bookstores looking at different genres. I check everything Young Adult, Christian, Mystery, General Lit, etc.
Right now I’m reading the Heart & Soul series. I’m on the second book called Do The Right Thing by Stacy Hawkins Adams. It’s about and young woman and her friends dealing with their life and faith. It’s pretty good so far.