O/T: Adult Book Recommendations

[Toba]

I am a virtual bookworm. I LOVE to read and I generally have a few books going at once. I like a wide variety of books ... chick-lit, biographies, history, true crime, pretty much anything that will keep my attention.

I just read "This is Where I Leave You," from Jonathan Tropper a few weeks ago and it was the best book (kind of like chick-lit, but written from a guy's perspective) I've read in a LONG while. I went out and purchased his other four or five novels and just finished them too. Now I'm sloooowly into Sophie Kinsella's new novel (the author of the Shopaholics series) and it's losing me (it's pretty different than her other novels). I was going to get the new Charlaine Harris book that has some Sookie short stories, but it has gotten abysmal ratings from other friends so I'm not even going to bother.

So, the only thing in my Barnes & Noble shopping cart is a book on King Henry VIII's children (and niece). Usually I have no trouble finding books but I can't find anything that's grabbing my attention. Soooo, any recommendations? Have you read anything lately that wowed you?

[wellyes]

Maybe it's just me, but from the thread title I thought you wanted advice on ..... erm...... naughty books.

I'm not much help with that :shy:. But I did just finish a good plain old novel - Richard Russo's Empire Falls. It's a page-turner even though it's just about regular small-town people. Plus it won a Pulitzer Price for fiction.

A recent non-fiction I enjoyed is The Unlikely Disciple by a Brown student who goes undercover at Jerry Falwell's university. For a liberal like me it was a true eye-opener about a whole way of life that is just foreign to me (stuff like: no girls allowed in the boys' dorm and vice versa). It's a humor book, but it's largely sympathetic and is generous in spirit. It was a fun, quick read.

[Toba]

Maybe it's just me, but from the thread title I thought you wanted advice on ..... erm...... naughty books.

Oops. Sorry ... not what I meant. Changed title. ;)

ETA: Never mind, I guess I can't do that. Oops. Oops.

[StantonHyde]

The Help (is now on NYT bestseller list)
Half-Broke Horses by Jeanette Walls
The Floribama Ladies Sewing Club (something like that)
Last Voyage of the Valatina
Under the Banner of Heaven
Into Thin Air

I want to read Super Freakanomics.

[graciebellesmomma]

The Book Thief
Shadow of the Wind
The Help

-Under the Banner of Heaven, then read
The 19th Wife-both about Mormonism...different stories, but so interesting.

Hotel Honolulu
Molokai
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
The Devil in the White City
Geek Love
Eat Pray Love
The Thirteenth Tale
The Wedding Officer
Animal Vegetable Miracle
Water for Elephants
The End of the Alphabet
Evening
Shanghai Girls
The Secret History
A Year of Living Biblically

[SnuggleBuggles]

You can change the title (which confused me too) by hitting edit then go advanced.

I just reread Emily Giffin's "Something Borrowed" and "Something Blue" books anre remembered just how much I liked them.

Have you ever read Artemis Fowl? If you like Harry Potter and YA books like that then this is a great series. It really grows over each book.

Beth

[fivi2]

Agree with pp:
The Book Thief
Shadow of the Wind
Devil in the White City
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (and sequel the Girl Who Played with Fire)

A historical mystery sort of thing that I enjoyed was The Mistress of the Art of Death. There is a sequel, but I haven't read it.

Sort of an alternate history that is technically YA, but I really enjoyed was MT Anderson's The Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Vol. I The Pox Party. I believe the sequel is out, but again, I haven't read.

A little more romancey, and definitely fantasy (magic and such, not YA) is Poison Study. Not my usual style (it was my sister's) and I haven't read the sequels, but it was pretty good.

Recent YA fantasy that I enjoyed: The Thief (Megan Whalen Turner) and Graceling (Kristen Cashore).

Also, if you haven't read the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, I recommend that. YA, but good.

Sorry that is a lot of YA, but these are very good, imo.

Non-fiction - I am still reading The Science of Fear which is interesting so far.

[BabyMine]

Ester's Child by Jean Sasson

[Momit]

Waiting for Snow in Havana by Carlos Eire is fantastic. It's a beautifully written memoir about growing up in Cuba before Castro.

[frgsnlzrds]

I have been on a reading tear this year! Some of the ones I've liked the best have been:

Size 12 Is Not Fat by Meg Cabot, funny, light mystery-I've reccomended these to everyone I know
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, found out about here
All the Sookie books
Riddle of the Wren by Charles De Lint, pure fantasy
Tall, Dark, and Dead by Tate Hallaway (I've been on a vampire kick since Sookie)
And I really enjoyed Undead and Unwed by Maryjanice Davidson, but the books (after the third or so) quickly degenerate into thin plot with random sex scenes.

Right now I'm reading A Girl's Guide to Vampires by Katie Macalister. It's got some sex scenes, but sometimes it makes me laugh out loud.

ETA: boy I feel shallow....LOL

[lizzywednesday]

... I was going to get the new Charlaine Harris book that has some Sookie short stories, but it has gotten abysmal ratings from other friends so I'm not even going to bother....

Do your other friends read the Southern Vampire books or do they watch the TV show? TV show fans won't "get" the context of the stories, which have been published previously in many anthologies ... several of which are out of print.

The stories in A Touch of Dead are fill-in-the-blank Sookieverse stories and do relate to the plot of the other 9 novels. Although, IMO, the one that's the most essential to the overall plotline is "One Word Answer" ... it's the one that fills in the blanks on what happened to Sookie's cousin Hadley before the action in Definitely Dead. Truthfully, this is the one I actually wanted to read the most (as I went back and re-read the first few pages of the novel because I thought I'd gotten distracted and missed something!) I found the other stories to be a lot of fun ... and especially enjoyed the last one 'Gift Wrap' because it plays into my opinion about another character.

If that last paragraph was Greek to you, totally don't bother. If it made sense, GET THE BOOK! (I've read the 1st 8 Southern Vampire books and am eagerly anticipating the release of the 9th in paperback next year.)

Also, there's a new Sookie short story in the anthology Death's Excellent Vacation, which I couldn't find on Amazon.

Hope this helps!

[Laurel]

Great suggestions here. I read 2-3 novels a week (from the library) so I am loving this thread!

Have you read Nick Hornby's stuff? It's definitely guy-chick lit. He has a new one out.

[mommylamb]

Some of the recent books I've read that I've enjoyed are:

The Book Thief
The Guernsey Litterary and Potato Peal Pie Society
The White Tiger
Water for Elephants
and now I'm reading The Wonderous Brief Life of Oscar Wao (it's really good)

Other things I've loved:
Geek Love
The Power of One
White Teeth
On Beauty
A Walk in the Woods (really anything by Bill Bryson is great)
The Rotter's Club

I loved the Sookie series too, but it sounds like you've already read that.

[graciebellesmomma]

I forgot to mention my best friend's book!
It is YA, but awfully fun! And my children
and I got mentioned in the dedications!

It's called, Leaving the Bellweathers by Kristin Clark Venuti.

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/10/leaving-the-bellweathers-is-like-edward-gorey-for-young-readers/

We just spent the weekend in San Francisco to attend her book
party at City Lights Bookstore! Which is a big deal!

[Indianamom2]

I usually read mysteries/fiction, but I'll read anything in a pinch (backs of cereal boxes, ingredient lists on shampoo bottles...you name it, I've read it!)

I really enjoyed The Soloist by Steve Lopez. Lopez is a LA Times reporter who met a homeless former musician and befriended him. He wrote a series of columns about the man and their friendship. The book was really good and there is a movie out/coming out based on the book.

Christina

[LBW]

I finished Helter Skelter last night, and I'm never leaving my doors unlocked again! I seriously knew very little about what actually happened during the Manson murders, and decided to read about them after Roman Polansky's arrest this year. The book is terrific and the story is so bizarre that it's hard to believe it really happened.

I've also recently been reading lots of books by Scandinavian authors. I guess it's that time of the year. In particular, Karin Fossum, Stieg Larsson, and Henning Mankell are all fantastic!

If you like Harry Potter/Tolkein-esque books, look for The Magicians by Lev Grossman, George R.R. Martin's Song of Ice and Fire series, and Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind.

[catsnkid]

Girls of a Tender Age by Mary Ann Tyrone Smith.

It's part 50's memoir, part true crime, partly about having a family member with autism. I love the 50's, like true crime, and have a sister with Aspergers so I could relate!

[WitMom]

I'm a book lover, too, and when I hit a recent dry spell, I decided to pick up some classics for a bit of a change. So far, I've read Pride and Prejudice, The Woman in White, Anna Karenna and right now I'm working on Dracula. I've enjoyed all of them (some more than others) and some of them are loooong, so they kept me reading for a while. Just another idea for those dry spells.

[hellbennt]

here's another thread to help out:)
http://www.windsorpeak.com/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=333831

I second The Secret History by Donna Tart...

a fun, YA (not 'totally'), quick read that I love is: Mona in the Promised Land

My Latest Grievance by Elenor Lipman: girl growing up w/ parents who are 'liberal' college professors at a little-known college- she grows up on campus- it was a light, funny read

[mjmamma]

Do your other friends read the Southern Vampire books or do they watch the TV show? TV show fans won't "get" the context of the stories, which have been published previously in many anthologies ... several of which are out of print.

The stories in A Touch of Dead are fill-in-the-blank Sookieverse stories and do relate to the plot of the other 9 novels. Although, IMO, the one that's the most essential to the overall plotline is "One Word Answer" ... it's the one that fills in the blanks on what happened to Sookie's cousin Hadley before the action in Definitely Dead. Truthfully, this is the one I actually wanted to read the most (as I went back and re-read the first few pages of the novel because I thought I'd gotten distracted and missed something!) I found the other stories to be a lot of fun ... and especially enjoyed the last one 'Gift Wrap' because it plays into my opinion about another character.

If that last paragraph was Greek to you, totally don't bother. If it made sense, GET THE BOOK! (I've read the 1st 8 Southern Vampire books and am eagerly anticipating the release of the 9th in paperback next year.)

Also, there's a new Sookie short story in the anthology Death's Excellent Vacation, which I couldn't find on Amazon.

Hope this helps!

Thank you!!

[Cheburashka]

I just finished World War Z which was actually much much better than I thought it was going to be. It's about what might happen if zombies overran the world, yes, and I find zombies to be a little played out, but the book mostly focuses on the people behind the war. The story is told through various interviews with different people - a Russian soldier, American pilot, Chinese submarine operator, and then a few civilians too. As someone who can't handle gore, I found it to be all right. There were a couple of times I skipped a paragraph or two, but not many. For a zombie book, it was much better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

House of Leaves is another good one, if you haven't read it yet. There's basically two stories running at the same time - the main story is about a fake documentary about a haunted house, while the background story is the guy who's editing the manuscript (main story) that he found. The background story is told through footnotes, which can get very annoying when the main story is picking up and then there's 3 pages of footnotes. TBH, first time I read through the book, I mostly read the main story, then went back and read the footnotes. A more patient reader could probably read them in the correct order.

[bigpassport]

-Under the Banner of Heaven, then read
The 19th Wife-both about Mormonism...different stories, but so interesting.


I would note that Under the Banner of Heaven is about a murder committed by brothers who were members of the FLDS church NOT the Mormon church (a.k.a. the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints). The FLDS church--the same polygamist group whose ranch was raided in El Dorado, Texas last year--is not the same as the Mormon church. While Under the Banner of Heaven does contain some information regarding Mormon history, the reader should be careful not to blame the actions of the two heartless criminals on the Mormon church (or any church for that matter).

[fivi2]

I just finished World War Z which was actually much much better than I thought it was going to be. It's about what might happen if zombies overran the world, yes, and I find zombies to be a little played out, but the book mostly focuses on the people behind the war. The story is told through various interviews with different people - a Russian soldier, American pilot, Chinese submarine operator, and then a few civilians too. As someone who can't handle gore, I found it to be all right. There were a couple of times I skipped a paragraph or two, but not many. For a zombie book, it was much better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.

House of Leaves is another good one, if you haven't read it yet. There's basically two stories running at the same time - the main story is about a fake documentary about a haunted house, while the background story is the guy who's editing the manuscript (main story) that he found. The background story is told through footnotes, which can get very annoying when the main story is picking up and then there's 3 pages of footnotes. TBH, first time I read through the book, I mostly read the main story, then went back and read the footnotes. A more patient reader could probably read them in the correct order.


I loved both of those, but I do agree that House of Leaves can be annoying with the footnotes. I second the rec. for both.

As an aside - the musician Poe is the sister of Danielewski (sp?) the author of House of Leaves and her album "Haunted" is kind of a companion to House of Leaves. Not directly, it just ties in a little. I like the album a lot, but didn't know they were connected until after I read the book.

[Fairy]

Oops. Sorry ... not what I meant. Changed title. ;)

ETA: Never mind, I guess I can't do that. Oops. Oops.

Yes, you can. Go into edit, and then advanced, and it will let you change the title.

[wellyes]

All this talk about Under the Banner of Heaven reminds me - I saw that John Krakauer has a new one out about Pat Tillman (the NFL player killed by friendly fire in Afghanistan). Really looking forward to reading that one.

[tamie]

I want to read the Pat Tillman book as well!

[lizzywednesday]

Thank you!!

Always glad to help folks out with stuff I know ... and I definitely know the Sookieverse!!


I just finished World War Z which was actually much much better than I thought it was going to be. It's about what might happen if zombies overran the world, yes, and I find zombies to be a little played out, but the book mostly focuses on the people behind the war. The story is told through various interviews with different people - a Russian soldier, American pilot, Chinese submarine operator, and then a few civilians too. As someone who can't handle gore, I found it to be all right. There were a couple of times I skipped a paragraph or two, but not many. For a zombie book, it was much better than Pride and Prejudice and Zombies.
...

May I just say that Max Brooks is awesome? (I read the Zombie Survival Guide recently and have been wanting to get my hands on World War Z for a bit ... you may have convinced me to quit dragging my feet!)

[frgsnlzrds]

Also, there's a new Sookie short story in the anthology Death's Excellent Vacation, which I couldn't find on Amazon.

It's available for preorder on amazon. It doesn't come out until August 3, 2010.

And for what it's worth, I pre-ordered A Touch of Dead and am SO glad that I didn't pay full price for it. I was really disappointed. I'm not trying to start an arguement, just offering my opinion.

[lizzywednesday]

It's available for preorder on amazon. It doesn't come out until August 3, 2010.

And for what it's worth, I pre-ordered A Touch of Dead and am SO glad that I didn't pay full price for it. I was really disappointed. I'm not trying to start an arguement, just offering my opinion.

No, I didn't take it as an argument or anything ... there were a couple of other Sookie fans on the Charlaine Harris boards who were also disappointed, so I am not surprised. I think a lot of them thought that maybe it was a new novel, when in fact it's an anthology of previously published Sookie short stories.

[daphne]

I just finished reading The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. I enjoyed it.

This is the list of books I'd like to read: (sorry that I don't have authors)

Lush Life
Olive Kitteridge
Random Family
People of the Book
The 13th Tale
White Tiger
Plague of Doves
American Wife
Perfection: A Memoir of Betrayal and Renewal
Shanghai Girls

[cestkaren]

The House of Night Series is fun (about teenage vampiers)
The Hunger Games Series
Dan Brown's lastest

[Toba]

Thank you ladies so much. I just placed my order with a few suggestions (over $100). I *did* get the Sookie short story book too ... I had been looking forward to it for exactly the reason that was mentioned ... I wanted to learn more about Hadley's backstory because I too thought that I dozed off during one of the books and missed something. It was frustrating. The group of ladies that gave such horrible reviews for it are both book and TV series lovers, so I trust their opinions ... but it's just that, their opinions. I've read a lot worse, I'm sure, and I'm kind of addicted to Sookie's universe, so I went ahead and placed the order (I have a B&N membership (for YEARS), so I saved money on it, plus had a 15% off coupon, plus free shipping for being a member). Kind of OT, but I was really disappointed in CH's 9th (last one published) Sookie book. It was not her best work, by far, and seemed like she rushed through it and it was edited very, very poorly to rush it out for a deadline. I'd rather wait longer and get a more fulfilling book, KWIM?

I'm just .... bored. I'm in a book slump. I think I was so blown away by Jonathan Tropper's novels (most of them anyway) that I was out of gas when I finished all his publications, KWIM? I hate, hate, hate when I finish a good book because I get so attached to the characters. I also put two Nick Hornby books in my cart on your advice, since one or two of you said that he also writes guy chick-lit (I never even knew there was such a thing until recently!).

This is weird, but I have been looking for a *really* good book that reads well (meaning not dull and monotonous) about earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes (non-fiction). I am utterly fascinated by that subject and I can't quite find the right kind of book. I have a few that are basically textbooks, and one about Krakatoa (which was completely obliterated in one of the most catastrophic volcanic eruptions in recent history and is now actively erupting as Anak Krakatau (son of Krakatoa) which grew after Krakatoa's last eruption/destruction). I would love to find one about the absolute monster that is beneath Yellowstone National Park, without all the extraneous stuff (like wildlife, park history, etc. ... I just want to know about that volcano that was just recently showing harmonic tremors ... if you know anything about volcanoes, you'll know how scary that is). I'm not looking for a "doomsday, we're all gonna DIE!" book, just facts, research and informative predictions. Unfortunately, everything I find is too generic, or a doomsayer who thinks the world will end. I would also especially love to find a good book on Toba. Can you tell when I grow up, I want to be a geologist/volcanologist? :) Well, that and a criminal profiler. LOL

My DH keeps asking me if I want the new Kindle or the brand new B&N Nook for my birthday, Christmas, Mother's Day, etc. While I am a complete tech geek, I just really don't think I'd have any interest in them, especially given their pricing. I love, love, love the feel of a book in my hands. I love turning the pages. I'm really anal about my books, and when I'm done reading them, they look brand new (no bent binding, no overturned pages, etc.). And I always "pass them forward" to friends/family. In fact I have two stacks of at least six books each for my sister and my cousin. I very, very rarely re-read a book.

Thank you so much for all your suggestions. Keep them coming, please!!! The Henry the VIII one will take me a while (those historical biographies always do), but all the others I picked are quick reads and I'll be done with them in no time. I'm so glad to have found a bunch of book worms like me. :)

[Toba]

PS: About Dan Brown's latest .... I had that in my cart at BJ's the other day and put it back. I bought The Divinci Code and my born again Christian aunt flipped out on me (rolls eyes ... it's just a book), but I could never get into it so I don't think I even got past the second chapter. I *was* interested in his latest book because DH's whole maternal side of the family (which includes the aunt I mentioned above LOL) were Freemasons all the way down to his grandfather. It's definitely one of those "taboo" subjects, for whatever reason, but I put it back and figured I'd read a non-fictional book about Freemasons before reading a fictionalized version of it first. :)

[wellyes]

Book slumps? Totally normal. Happens to just about every reader.

I broke my last one with I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith, a girl coming-of-age novel that is just magical.


This is weird, but I have been looking for a *really* good book that reads well (meaning not dull and monotonous) about earthquakes, tsunamis and volcanoes (non-fiction).

Hmmm.... can't help you with that exact topic if you've already read Simon Winchester's book on Krakatoa. But perhaps in the same vein there is The World Without Us a non-fic study of what would happen if there were no humans, interesting & imaginative.


About Dan Brown's latest .... I had that in my cart at BJ's the other day and put it back. I bought The Divinci Code and my born again Christian aunt flipped out on me (rolls eyes ... it's just a book), but I could never get into it so I don't think I even got past the second chapter.

I'm with you, I object to Dan Brown's fiction too, even though it's not for religious reasons.

[michellerw]

Nthing The Shadow of the Wind, by Carlos Ruiz-Zafon

Also, the Maisie Dobbs books (I think there are six) by Jacqueline Winspear are great! They're set in England after WW1.