Book Recommendations?

pamnandy · 08-18-2009, 08:59 AM

I just thought it would be neat to share what books you read, for entertainment, comfort, education, or to "escape." I'm always in the market for a good book. For me, especially when I was inthe midst of caring for Andy, a great escape was reading any book by Janet Evanovich. Recommend you start them in order, so you really get to know the characters. She is truly a "laugh out loud" read. I also was recently put on to "Weavings," which is a quarterly magazine published by the Upper Room people. A friend gave me some of her back issues, and I found this series helpful in applying the Word of the Bible to real life!

Those of you who can no longer hold a book, please check out the online book services, either through your library online or using other internet programs. Perhaps you might share your findings on here with others.

Blessings,
Pam

abbas child · 08-18-2009, 11:52 AM

Thank you, Pam! I've asked my "library shopper" to look for Janet Evanovich starting with One for the Money. Thanks!
Ann

mare · 08-18-2009, 03:28 PM

Recently, Newsweek had a list of "50 books to read now".
My husband ordered 5 from Barnes & Nobel. So far, his reviews are:

1) Gilead by Marilynne Robinson: even though this is a Pulitzer Prize Winner, he was
disappointed; "just so-so" for him
2) Gone Tomorrow (a Reacher series) by Lee Child: easy reading, fast-paced, fun
detective-type story. He really liked this (good "beach book")
3) The Way We Live Now by Anthony Trollope: reading now; this is an 800+ page
book and at page 300, he loves this book! Well written, great story, lots of plots &
characters. This was #1 on the list, which is why he chose it; compares it to a
Dickens novel.

For me, always behind the times, I loved:
1) The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett
2) The Kite Runner ( don't have the author right here) the book is always richer than
the movie!
3) The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski: loved it up to the end; would
love to ask the author why?

GlenBrittle · 08-18-2009, 06:54 PM

I have liked audio books for many years , but used to only listen to them when I had a long drive ahead of me.

Now I hope to have a long time ahead of me.

I just downloaded a ton of audio books , including 10 of Janet Evanovich's novels. I will let you know how they sound. I am surprised at how small they are in file size.

If they sound good , I will share them if requested.

Glen

GlenBrittle · 08-18-2009, 07:48 PM

well they are crap ... uses the Microsoft Sam voice . AND THAT BLOWS .

Now I need to find other voices.

A {{censored}} work is never done.

BarryG · 08-18-2009, 07:56 PM

Glen, you need to buy a nice voice, Microsoft Sam is not a voice that anyone would want to hear for some better SAPI voices. I use Cepstral David and AT&T Mike but they also have some nice female voices if you want someone soothing to read you a bedtime story.

thelma313 · 08-18-2009, 08:05 PM

What a great idea for a thread, Pam! I am a total book worm so I am always in the process of reading. Right now I'm reading, "The Memory Keeper's Daughter" by Kim Edwards. It's pretty good but I thought the first few chapters were the best and it sort of has slipped for me a little.

For comfort I read Eckhart Tolle's "The Power of Now." I have this in Audiobook format as well and it brings me great comfort.

Some of the best books I have read (sort of recently) include:

"Hotel World" by Ali Smith - a bizarre story narrated by a girl who has died. It's quirky but the writing is outstanding and totally original.

"Never Let Me Go" by Kazuo Ishiguro -a haunting novel but I can't tell you anything because it would be ruined. It's being made into a film so hurry and read it before it comes out. It's by the author of "The Remains of the Day" another amazing novel.

"The White Tiger" by Aravind Adiga - this is the debut novel by this author and won the 2008 Booker Prize. It's awesome! I LOVED it.

"A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toewes - a fictional memoir of a teenage girl embarrassed by her Mennonite heritage who longs to escape to New York City to hang out with Lou Reed.

"Disgrace" by J. M. Coetzee - a professor in post Apartheid South Africa loses everything: his reputation, his job, his relationship with his daughter, when it is discovered that he had an affair with a student.

That's all I can think of right now...

LauraW · 08-19-2009, 09:34 AM

Great thread....I love love love Nicholas Sparks. Though some of his books can be real tear jerkers. The Secret life of Bees was wonderful and the movie was exactly as it should be. The Mermaid Chair....wonderful! Mind just went blank. I will list more later.

hopeful warrior · 08-20-2009, 10:59 AM

Thank you for this great thread! I often read and am constantly on the lookout for something good. This summer I read The Help and really liked it. I also read The Reader by Bernard Schlink. The setting for this book is post war Germany. Pillars of the Earth is a great read. I know these are not new books, but I thought they were great.

thelma313 · 08-20-2009, 11:01 AM

Hopeful, I also thought The Reader was a great book! The movie was pretty good too.

hopeful warrior · 08-20-2009, 11:06 AM

Oh, I was so glad I read the book before watching the movie. My dad was a WWII vet. He was a military policeman at the Nuremburg Trials so I really like to read this type book.

I have heard First Family by David Balducci was great but haven't read it yet.

lynster · 08-20-2009, 01:19 PM

I love this thread! I have been enjoying the brain candy from Vince Flynn. He's a CIA/suspense/intrigue along the lines of Dan Brown, but with fewer acronyms. Mitch Rapp is a suitable hero/antihero. All in all a good read.

Lynn
Husband dx 08/08

JOSIEM02 · 08-27-2009, 11:58 AM

I don't have much time to read, but am very interested in any suggestions on books about ALS. Not medical books but books like Ryan is Winning. I guess I want to say stories about real people that have gone thru or are dealing with this diease now. Thanks

pamnandy · 08-27-2009, 06:30 PM

Hi Josie, Have you read Tuesdays With Morrie? That's about the only ALS book I'm aware of. My PALS Andy thought that it misrepresented PALS in a way, because Morrie was "old" and ALS affects "younger" adults as well.

KeeKer · 08-27-2009, 06:54 PM

Hi Pam. I agree with Andy's thinking. I had read the book a long time ago and was left thinking it was a geriatric disease. Found out different the hard way.
Colleen