Saturday, March 14, 2009

I Need a New Book

I am about to finish one book and am in need of another. My mind is an absolute blank slate as to where to head reading-wise.

Is there a classic, new or old, that you think is a "must read"?

6 comments:

vfg said...

I read a lot. I try occasionally to keep track of all of my books, but cannot seem to...but these books stick out from the last 5 years or so as extraordinarily beautiful books:
Peace Like a River
Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close
A Thousand Acres
The Poisonwood Bible
Women Who Run with the Wolves

Old Favorites, the sort I like to start a bookclub with:
Crossing to Safety
My Name is Asher Lev
The Chosen
Anne Tyler books. I especially liked When we were Grownups and Breathing Lessons

I also love British cozy mysteries, though they're just light, and will read every book in the series, like
MC Beaton's Hamish Macbeth & Agatha Raisin stories. Other mystery series I enjoyed were Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody Egypt mysteries and Laurie King, starting with Beekeeper's Apprentice (Sherlock Holmes' female apprentice). I listen to mysteries on tape; they keep me in the kitchen to finish my dishes, and somehow seem a little less asinine when they are getting that way. Also, my favorite narrators, George Guidall (okay, I'll admit I also listened to the whole Cat Who series), Jennie Silver (the Laurie Kings) and Barbara Rosenblat (the Amelias) read them and then they seem awesome. I tried to physically read books from those series & just couldn't.

Tara said...

Thanks vfg for me for all the suggestions.

I just finished The Secret Life of Bees. Sue Monk Kidd hasn't written very many books, but her writing just draws you in. It is amazing. I am definitely not promoting the Divine Feminene (sp?)but I do like her writing. The movie is awesome too. Have you read The Same Kind of Different as Me or The Shack? Both are those are very inspirational.

Sara Bowen said...

I'm reading John Berendt's "City of Angels" which is all about Venice and I loved his book "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". A couple of years ago I was part of a book group in Bristol, UK, and the standout book we read that year was Lionel Shriver's "We need to talk about Kevin" which I thought was brilliant but it is NOT an easy read: harrowing but amazing. I must admit I have a soft spot for Crime fiction and read Sue Grafton's alphabet series as well as Ian Rankin. It sounds to me as if you're going to be flooded with good ideas, and I'll keep an eye out for some for myself! Sara x

organized chaos said...

am working through "the hour I first believed" by wally lamb. such a thought-proking though depressing book.

vfg said...

Hopped out of bed to say:
"ay! forgot my very favorite book: Ray Bradbury's Dandelion Wine." I love it love it, a book all about summer and childhood and just enough magic and so beautifully written. Perfect to read just as the days warm and the promise is there...

Anonymous said...

Peace Like a River
And you'll be sorry you asked this but this gal has sooooo many recommendations.
http://heylady.net/