Author Topic: DO READ THIS!  (Read 436 times)

Offline corgiqueen

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DO READ THIS!
« on: June 01, 2018, 03:15:55 pm »
So what books would you recommend? Since we've covered the ones that suck, how about the ones that rock?

I actually prefer non-fiction now, to fiction. I go through phases too, both with fiction and non-fiction and will read only certain genres, authors, themes, etc.

my main issue is, i have so little TIME to read.

But here goes.

One of my all time favorites: One Hundred Years of Solitude. I had to read it in school and in Spanish too, either HS or college, i can't recall which. I love it.

The Emperor of All Maladies: A History of Cancer. NOT light reading and I've read it twice, and still didn't get it all, but it really is fascinating. The author also wrote another
on Genes, which I started but haven't yet finished.

I love mysteries, and when I read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, I got into Scandinavian crime etc. I have tons! Cant think of any off the top of my head though.

I also loved a series about an Indian detective: Vish Puri by Tarquin Hall. And Donna Leone’s books about Commissaro Guido Brunetti

 I must have several hundred books ON my Kindle and no time to get to them!

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Offline ginger aka Gellchom

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #1 on: June 01, 2018, 04:02:09 pm »
I will just do one novel and one non-fiction, not necessarily my favorites, but just because I happened to be discussing them this weekend, and everyone I know who has read them has thought they were absolutely wonderful.

The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon (fiction).  Completely original and brilliant.

Sapiens: a Brief History of Humankind by Yuval Noah Harari.  This will change you.  And the writing is beautiful.

« Last Edit: June 01, 2018, 04:14:08 pm by ginger aka Gellchom »

Offline VorFemme

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #2 on: June 01, 2018, 04:13:11 pm »
Anything by Lois McMasters Bujold - fantasy or science fiction. 
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Offline GloryAndCrumpets

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #3 on: June 01, 2018, 05:04:34 pm »
Anything by Fredrik Backman, but especially A Man Called Ove and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. He's wonderful, and I adore everything he's ever written, but those two are probably my favorites. His books are funny and warm and poignant and basically just perfection.

Offline MariaE

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #4 on: June 01, 2018, 05:54:57 pm »
Anything by Fredrik Backman, but especially A Man Called Ove and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. He's wonderful, and I adore everything he's ever written, but those two are probably my favorites. His books are funny and warm and poignant and basically just perfection.

 ;D I only liked A Man Called Ove and DNF My Grandmother... - the imaginary world (forget the name) bored me to tears and I just couldn't finish it. On the other hand I loved, loved, loved Britt-Marie Was Here! I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. SO good.

High on my DO read this list: A Modern Witch by Debora Geary. This hidden gem is almost unknown and only available as an ebook these days, but it is so, so, so good. (As is the rest of the series). AMW is the only book I've read three times in one year since I outgrew picture books. ...And now I wanna reread it again!

For Christians I highly recommend The Yada-Yada Prayer Group by Neta Jackson. That series has done more for my faith than any other book ever! Fiction and non-fiction both.

Offline Morrigan

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #5 on: June 01, 2018, 07:40:31 pm »
My husband and I own three Ikea bookcases, each with 6 shelves. We have had to start double stacking books because we just have so many.

My favourites are as follows:

The Kite Runner by Khaleed Hosseini
The Lovely Bones by Alice Seebold
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson
The Little Prince by Antoine de St.Auxprey
Shadowfires by Dean Koontz
Superstitious by R,L.Stine
The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis
Weaveworld by Clive Barker (this one introduced me to fantasy)
Of Time and Of Seasons by Norma Johnston
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
The Works of Edgar Allan Poe
Trinity by Leon Uris


And quite a few more, but the list is already long enough.

Offline GloryAndCrumpets

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #6 on: June 01, 2018, 09:29:47 pm »
My husband and I own three Ikea bookcases, each with 6 shelves. We have had to start double stacking books because we just have so many.

My favourites are as follows:

The Kite Runner by Khaleed Hosseini
The Lovely Bones by Alice Seebold
The Girl Who Played with Fire by Steig Larsson
The Little Prince by Antoine de St.Auxprey
Shadowfires by Dean Koontz
Superstitious by R,L.Stine
The Monk by Matthew Gregory Lewis
Weaveworld by Clive Barker (this one introduced me to fantasy)
Of Time and Of Seasons by Norma Johnston
Tiger Eyes by Judy Blume
The Works of Edgar Allan Poe
Trinity by Leon Uris


And quite a few more, but the list is already long enough.

Oh my gosh, I love The Monk. I read it in my Romantic Literature class in college and it was such ridiculous fun. It's so completely over-the-top and cheesy and it's like playing Gothic Novel Bingo with all the overblown tropes. It also contains possibly one of my favorite lines of all time- "He tore off those garments that impeded the gratification of his lust." I about died. I actually included Ambrose in an article I wrote on the strangest and most gruesome deaths in literature.
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Offline Damocles

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #7 on: June 01, 2018, 10:08:59 pm »
The Lusty Argonian Maid

Offline Queen of the Night

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #8 on: June 02, 2018, 02:03:34 am »
The Lusty Argonian Maid

Oh yeah, isn't that the sequel to the Eye of Argon?   :D   ;D 

Offline Pandorica

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #9 on: June 02, 2018, 09:52:50 am »
I always like to recommend The Secret History by Donna Tartt. Her other books are also very good. (The Goldfinch won a Pulitzer)   

Offline GloryAndCrumpets

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #10 on: June 02, 2018, 10:53:37 am »
The Storied Life of AJ Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin. A persnickity bookstore owner whose life is in shambles finds an abandoned baby in his shop. One of the most charming books I've ever read, just completely lovely in so many ways.

Offline VorFemme

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #11 on: June 02, 2018, 08:59:16 pm »
Anything by Fredrik Backman, but especially A Man Called Ove and My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry. He's wonderful, and I adore everything he's ever written, but those two are probably my favorites. His books are funny and warm and poignant and basically just perfection.

 ;D I only liked A Man Called Ove and DNF My Grandmother... - the imaginary world (forget the name) bored me to tears and I just couldn't finish it. On the other hand I loved, loved, loved Britt-Marie Was Here! I laughed, I cried, I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting. SO good.

High on my DO read this list: A Modern Witch by Debora Geary. This hidden gem is almost unknown and only available as an ebook these days, but it is so, so, so good. (As is the rest of the series). AMW is the only book I've read three times in one year since I outgrew picture books. ...And now I wanna reread it again!


Amazon doesn't have it any more - oh, no!  What to do?  Must go search other digital bookstores...dang, Amazon, B&N, and Kobo don't have it...I don't have an account anywhere else! (((mournful noises)))

Must check interlibrary loans out...
« Last Edit: June 02, 2018, 09:11:13 pm by VorFemme »

Offline thebushiestbeaver

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #12 on: June 03, 2018, 02:57:58 am »
I've read everything by David Sedaris. I've never laughed so hard while reading as I have with his books. I also highly recommend listening to him read his own stories - he's incredible.

Bill Bryson is also one of my favourite non-fiction authors.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman is gorgeous. Anything by Neil Gaiman is great, actually. If you're into graphic novels, his Sandman series is wonderful.   


Offline GloryAndCrumpets

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #13 on: June 03, 2018, 08:44:54 am »
I've read everything by David Sedaris. I've never laughed so hard while reading as I have with his books. I also highly recommend listening to him read his own stories - he's incredible.

Bill Bryson is also one of my favourite non-fiction authors.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman is gorgeous. Anything by Neil Gaiman is great, actually. If you're into graphic novels, his Sandman series is wonderful.

David Sedaris hysterical. And I have a very distinct memory of sitting in a train station red-faced and shaking from trying not to laugh uproariously while reading Notes From a Small Island.

It took me a really long time to finally read anything by Neil Gaiman, but now I can't stop.

Offline ginger aka Gellchom

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Re: DO READ THIS!
« Reply #14 on: June 04, 2018, 05:02:34 pm »
I've read everything by David Sedaris. I've never laughed so hard while reading as I have with his books. I also highly recommend listening to him read his own stories - he's incredible.

Bill Bryson is also one of my favourite non-fiction authors.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman is gorgeous. Anything by Neil Gaiman is great, actually. If you're into graphic novels, his Sandman series is wonderful.

"Willage."

David Sedaris hysterical. And I have a very distinct memory of sitting in a train station red-faced and shaking from trying not to laugh uproariously while reading Notes From a Small Island.

It took me a really long time to finally read anything by Neil Gaiman, but now I can't stop.