Please give me book recommendations

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 8:28:53 AM
Author: geckodani
The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher. Have a little SciFi/Fantasy mixed into modern day, and they are a RIOT!

I''ve heard of that - I''ll check it out, thanks!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 8:37:10 AM
Author: Honey228
BF reads a bunch of sci-fi/fantasy. I''d recommend Neil Gaiman, they were all fun reads.

I love his books. American Gods is next on the list - I loved Stardust, Nevewhere and Good Omens though!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 9:04:53 AM
Author: sap483

Date: 2/13/2009 6:57:57 AM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 2/13/2009 6:00:25 AM

Author: Lorelei

Date: 2/13/2009 4:28:19 AM


Author:Brown.Eyed.Girl


I posted this here because I figured it''d get more traffic. I''m going on a trip to New Zealand next month, and I need books for the 12-hour flight, and also for while I''m there. Nothing too much of a fast read (I read fast and I''m trying to minimize how many I take, so no short reads). I love sci-fi (but I''ve read almost all of Orson Scott Card and Asimov already), love historical novels (I just went through James Clavell''s Asian Saga, read Pillars of the Earth, etc.), love thrillers (reading Clive Cussler''s Treasure of Khan right now). So please help!



Thanks!

Have you read The Other Boleyn Girl by Phillipa Gregory? Thick book and fascinating, she also has various others on Katherine of Aragon and Katherine Howard if you like Tudor history.

Hey Lorelai! I have actually - The Other Boleyn Girl, The Constant Princess, The Boleyn Inheritance, The Virgin''s Lover, and I have The Other Queen but I haven''t started it yet. I definitely like historical fiction!

If you like Phillipa Gregory''s books, have you read the Duchess? IMO, although it''s a biography, it reads like a novel. Another non-fiction book that reads like a novel is the Devil in the White City. It''s an accounting of the World''s Fair in Chicago and the serial killer in Chicago at that time. It was hard to put down.

I''ve thought about getting the Duchess, but wasn''t sure how biographical it would be. I''m glad you say it reads like a novel - I''d be really interested in reading it! Have you seen the movie?

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 10:09:57 AM
Author: Gayletmom
I recently read The Time Traveler''s Wife and really enjoyed it. I also loved Lottery. It''s a fairly quick read but really heartwarming.


Hope you have a great trip!

Thanks Gayletmom!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 11:41:29 AM
Author: julabean
Have you read the Outlander series? There is some fine historical fiction for you.

Date: 2/13/2009 1:38:17 PM
Author: Amandine
This is what I was going to recommend! Diana Gabaldon rocks! And they should last you for awhile, the books are pretty thick.

I must be the only one who didn''t like the Time Traveler''s Wife. The closer I got to the ending, the more I could see what was going to happen and it really creeped me out. But I had to finish it, kinda like you have to look at a train wreck. In fact, I always liked the name Henry, and the book ruined it for me! Its odd, because there are very few books I don''t like.

Thanks guys! I was reading the Amazon synopsis of the Outlander series - looks really really interesting! I think I''m going to get the first two books!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 11:45:32 AM
Author: fieryred33143
You know when we flew back from Switzerland (10 hour flight) I really, really enjoyed the audio books they had on the plane. I believe it was Sherlock Holmes. There were 3 books available and I listened to them all. Maybe if you don''t find anything else, you can give those a shot?

Definitely. I''ve only read a few of the Sherlock Holmes stories/books, and I really liked them. Have you tried Agatha Christie? She''s one of my favorites too in that vein of fiction

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 1:41:19 PM
Author: vespergirl
I just read an INCREDIBLE book that''s one of the best books I''ve ever read. I can''t remember the name of the author, but the title is ''Fault Lines,'' and it won the Prix Femina, which is a prestigious literary award. It totally sucked me in - look it up on Amazon.

Thanks Vespergirl! I love Robert Heinlein but I don''t think I''ve read that one, so I''ll need to go find it!

Fault Lines looks really eerie and good - thanks for the recommendation!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 1:46:16 PM
Author: Circe
The single best work science fiction I''ve read in the last ten years (and I read a LOT of SF) would have to be Richard Morgan''s Thirteen. It''s a near-future noir thriller that bases itself pretty heavily on the idea of genengineering. Brilliant. Someday I want to teach a class that uses Neil Stephenson''s The Diamond Age in conjunction with Morgan - I just need to figure out a framework! Right now, all I''ve got is ''they''re both damn cool works of predictive paranoia,'' and I doubt that would fly with my department.



Ooo, though if I tossed in Cory Doctorow''s Little Brother ....


Ahem. Yeah, those three.

I''m so glad you recommended Thirteen! It''s been in my Amazon cart forever but I always bought something else instead. I''ve heard of Diamond Age too - these are definitely sci-fi books I''m looking for. Thanks so much!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 1:52:29 PM
Author: AprilBaby
''The Autobiography of King Henry VIII with notes by His Court Jester Will'' It will take you there and back to read it but it was magnificent!

Thanks! Love that era - for some reason I''m so fascinated with the Tudor age!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Well, the kinds of books I read are not, generally, of the genre you mentioned but I will put my $.02 in anyway.

During one trip last year I bought "Liberal Fascism" by Jonah Goldberg. I cannot tell you the number of people that came up to me to ask about the book and telling me that they could not wait to read it. Another book I would recommend is Creature Frok Jekyll Island by G. Edward Griffin. OMG, I could not put it down.

Another book is "Why You're Dumb, Sick and Broke [and how to get smart healthy and rich]" by Randy Gage.

You might want to read "Outliers" by Malcom Gladwell and "Talent is Overrated" by Geoff Colvin.

There are a whole bunch more but I can't think of them now. I tend to read 3-4 books/week.

 

[Gypsy]

Date: 2/13/2009 8:22:27 PM
Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 2/13/2009 8:28:53 AM
Author: geckodani
The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher. Have a little SciFi/Fantasy mixed into modern day, and they are a RIOT!

I''ve heard of that - I''ll check it out, thanks!

Ditto!

Add: Good Omens by Pratcett and Gaimen (very funny book)

Anything but Pratchet-- but particularly his watchmen series.

If you are near a used book store or can get out of print books... To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker and Celeste de Blasis Swan Trilogy (Wild Swan, Season of Swans... and one other).

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 2:25:18 PM
Author: Italiahaircolor
I am strongly recommending The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb.


Yes, I have recommened this book over and over again because (to me) it''s an amazing read that shouldn''t be missed or overlooked.


Wally Lamb is a little known author. He busted on the scene by having two Oprah book club books...but he''s a slow author and during a 10 year period where he published nothing fiction and eventually fell off the scene.


The Hour I First Believed is about Columbine, Hurricane Katriana, and the ties that bind us as a family. It''s a slow, savory read. It''s rich in detail, and family, and there is a strong story line that keeps you involved and engaged.

Thanks Italia! I''ve heard of Wally Lamb but never read anything by him, but such high praise is persuasive!

 

[DiamanteBlu]

BTW, have a fab time in NZ. How long will you be there?

Flight suggestion based on experience - you might want to consider taking a sleeping pill so that you will sleep for most of the longest led. If you make sure you really sleep you will be able to acclimate much more rapidly. I have never taken a sleeping pill except for when I have flown to the far east [an MD bud of mine showed me that strategy].

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 5:29:11 PM
Author: Steel
If you have not read them yet I highly recommend anything by Stephen King. Nice long read is the The Stand - uncut version.

I was a little turned off of Stephen King''s works after reading Salem''s Lot a while back - wasn''t a big fan, although I heard that The Stand was amazing. I loved one of his more different works, Eyes of the Dragon. That is without a doubt one of my favorite books!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 8:39:19 PM
Author: DiamanteBlu
BTW, have a fab time in NZ. How long will you be there?


Flight suggestion based on experience - you might want to consider taking a sleeping pill so that you will sleep for most of the longest led. If you make sure you really sleep you will be able to acclimate much more rapidly. I have never taken a sleeping pill except for when I have flown to the far east [an MD bud of mine showed me that strategy].

Thanks Blu! I''ve been worried about that as well - our flight is 12 hours, and we hit the ground running (we arrive at 7 AM and we have a full day in Christchurch ahead). So I''m definitely going to take your advice on the sleeping pill! We''ll be there for about 2 weeks (I think 15 days total). I''m so excited!

And thanks for the book recommendations! I''ve been thinking of getting Outliers

 

[DiamanteBlu]

Sounds great! I hope you take lots of great pics to post!

BTW, I had no idea about the sleeping pill thing until Dave told me the strategy. It did work out well. I had been commuting for years to Europe [Italy mostly] and I had that drug-free strategy down. Heading out to the far-east with regular [or even irregular!] frequency is a different animal. Those flights are looooonnnnnnggggg!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 8:37:15 PM
Author: Gypsy

Date: 2/13/2009 8:22:27 PM

Author: Brown.Eyed.Girl

Date: 2/13/2009 8:28:53 AM

Author: geckodani

The Dresden Files, by Jim Butcher. Have a little SciFi/Fantasy mixed into modern day, and they are a RIOT!

I''ve heard of that - I''ll check it out, thanks!

Ditto!


Add: Good Omens by Pratcett and Gaimen (very funny book)


Anything but Pratchet-- but particularly his watchmen series.


If you are near a used book store or can get out of print books... To Dance with Kings by Rosalind Laker and Celeste de Blasis Swan Trilogy (Wild Swan, Season of Swans... and one other).

Gypsy I love your suggestions - only problem is I''ve read most of them! I love the Discworld series - I''ve read everything but The Last Hero and The Amazing Maurice. I''m actually worried about the fact that if I do get a Kindle, eventually I''m going to have to buy all the Discworld books all over again so they''ll always be there

The watchmen and the witches are my two favorite set of characters, followed by Rincewind.

I will definitely look up your other suggestions though - thanks!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/13/2009 8:43:33 PM
Author: DiamanteBlu
Sounds great! I hope you take lots of great pics to post!


BTW, I had no idea about the sleeping pill thing until Dave told me the strategy. It did work out well. I had been commuting for years to Europe [Italy mostly] and I had that drug-free strategy down. Heading out to the far-east with regular [or even irregular!] frequency is a different animal. Those flights are looooonnnnnnggggg!

I definitely will! BF is already worried about the number of pics I''m planning on taking - I do tend to go a bit overboard (but just in case, I''ve already bought extra memory cards!).

They ARE long. I flew out to Tokyo this past summer and was exhausted when I got there - not a good idea to head out that night to Shibuya just to throw myself into things. I thought I was going to collapse later

 

[Cind11]

I just finished Water for Elephants. I wasn''t too sure about this book in the beginning, but ended up liking it a lot. It has to do with the circus during the depression. I don''t have the book in front of me, but I think the author is Sara Gruen.

 

[LGK]

Definitely will be trying a few books on this thread!

Um. Sci-fi... how about Dies the Fire by S. M. Stirling? Nice post-apocalyptic fun, though the author is a huuuuuge nerd and you can totally tell

. I enjoyed it though, and the sequels too (A Meeting in Corvallis, The Protector's War etc.)

Poison Study by Maria K. Snyder was fun, kind of light reading. Definitely liked it better than the sequel though. It's more fantasy though, I'd say.

The first Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton are pretty good- again, fluffy, but at least not as... shall we say, graphic... as they ended up towards the latter books in the series. (I'd say the whole series goes to hell, and not in a good way, right about at Narcissus in Chains).

I'd highly recommend anything by Caitlin R. Kiernan. She is a fabulous writer, her work is a bit sci-fi-y, a bit horror, and all around awesome. If you especially like Sci-Fi, I'd say Dry Salvages is a good one to start with. Anything of hers though- Silk, Murder of Angels, Low Red Moon, Threshold, Daughter of Hounds and most especially her harder to find short story collections like From Weird and Distant Shores.

Dean Koontz's book Odd Thomas is an excellent one, and I don't love all his work.

Oh! Here's a good author for a sci-fi fan: anything at all by Joan D. Vinge. The Snow Queen is really excellent, I believe it won some award or other. I also absolutely adore her Cat series: Psion, Catspaw and Dreamfall. Really good reads. The sequel to Snow Queen, Summer Queen, is not bad but is probably the weakest of her books.

Peter Straub's In the Night Room is fabulously creepy.

Memoirs of a Geisha was fun.

The Lovely Bones is one a friend made me read, and it was very memorable, it stuck with me- very interesting premise.

I'm sure there are others I could come up with but I reaaaallly ought to go to bed now!

ETA: Sunshine by Robin McKinley was one I really enjoyed recently too. It is a bit horror, but not too much.

 

[coatimundi_org]

By Edith Wharton:

The House of Mirth
The Age of Innocence
The Custom of the Country

By Henry James:

Washington Square
Portrait of a Lady

By Margaret Atwood:

Alias Grace
The Blind Assassin (this one has an interesting Sci-Fi element)

Good books!

 

[DianaBanana]

I''m new to PS and would love to give you my recommendations as well. I wholeheartedly second the recommendations for the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon...you will go into mourning once you''ve gone through all the books and there isn''t another one left to read....seriously.

I was never able to put my finger on my all time favorite book until I read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - an awesome read. I can''t remember who told me about the Kushiel''s Dart series by Jacqueline Carey - they are a little risque but definitely enthralling.

Enjoy your trip!

Diana

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/14/2009 1:03:34 AM
Author: Cind11
I just finished Water for Elephants. I wasn''t too sure about this book in the beginning, but ended up liking it a lot. It has to do with the circus during the depression. I don''t have the book in front of me, but I think the author is Sara Gruen.

You know that''s another book that I''ve picked up and put back down more times than I can count. I''ve been meaning to read it for a while now, so maybe I''ll give it a try soon!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/14/2009 4:43:33 AM
Author: LittleGreyKitten
Definitely will be trying a few books on this thread!


Um. Sci-fi... how about Dies the Fire by S. M. Stirling? Nice post-apocalyptic fun, though the author is a huuuuuge nerd and you can totally tell

. I enjoyed it though, and the sequels too (A Meeting in Corvallis, The Protector''s War etc.)


Poison Study by Maria K. Snyder was fun, kind of light reading. Definitely liked it better than the sequel though. It''s more fantasy though, I''d say.


The first Anita Blake books by Laurell K. Hamilton are pretty good- again, fluffy, but at least not as... shall we say, graphic... as they ended up towards the latter books in the series. (I''d say the whole series goes to hell, and not in a good way, right about at Narcissus in Chains).


I''d highly recommend anything by Caitlin R. Kiernan. She is a fabulous writer, her work is a bit sci-fi-y, a bit horror, and all around awesome. If you especially like Sci-Fi, I''d say Dry Salvages is a good one to start with. Anything of hers though- Silk, Murder of Angels, Low Red Moon, Threshold, Daughter of Hounds and most especially her harder to find short story collections like From Weird and Distant Shores.


Dean Koontz''s book Odd Thomas is an excellent one, and I don''t love all his work.


Oh! Here''s a good author for a sci-fi fan: anything at all by Joan D. Vinge. The Snow Queen is really excellent, I believe it won some award or other. I also absolutely adore her Cat series: Psion, Catspaw and Dreamfall. Really good reads. The sequel to Snow Queen, Summer Queen, is not bad but is probably the weakest of her books.


Peter Straub''s In the Night Room is fabulously creepy.


Memoirs of a Geisha was fun.


The Lovely Bones is one a friend made me read, and it was very memorable, it stuck with me- very interesting premise.


I''m sure there are others I could come up with but I reaaaallly ought to go to bed now!


ETA: Sunshine by Robin McKinley was one I really enjoyed recently too. It is a bit horror, but not too much.

LGK I looked up Dies the Fire and it sounds right up my alley (I''m a huge nerd too!

) I liked Memoirs a lot - one of my classmates is actually the DIL of the author, lol. I''m going to check out John Vinge too - thanks!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/14/2009 10:26:10 AM
Author: coatimundi
By Edith Wharton:


The House of Mirth

The Age of Innocence

The Custom of the Country


By Henry James:


Washington Square

Portrait of a Lady


By Margaret Atwood:


Alias Grace

The Blind Assassin (this one has an interesting Sci-Fi element)


Good books!

I liked Age of Innocence a lot! And LOVED Portrait of a Lady - one of my favorite books from my undergrad classes. I need to read more Margaret Atwood - I''ve only read The Handmaid''s Tale by her. Thanks!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/15/2009 5:54:08 PM
Author: DianaBanana
I''m new to PS and would love to give you my recommendations as well. I wholeheartedly second the recommendations for the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon...you will go into mourning once you''ve gone through all the books and there isn''t another one left to read....seriously.


I was never able to put my finger on my all time favorite book until I read Shantaram by Gregory David Roberts - an awesome read. I can''t remember who told me about the Kushiel''s Dart series by Jacqueline Carey - they are a little risque but definitely enthralling.


Enjoy your trip!


Diana

Hi Diana, welcome to PS! And thanks for dropping by with your recommendations!

I think I"m definitely going to get Outlander - I''ve seen so much praise for it here, on this thread, and on previous ones. I''ll check out Shantaram too!

 

[Porridge]

My most memorable books from the last few months were We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Glass Castle, and The Thirteenth Tale. Links to Wikipedia sites for descriptions!

 

[Brown.Eyed.Girl]

Date: 2/16/2009 3:05:40 PM
Author: Porridge
My most memorable books from the last few months were We Need to Talk About Kevin, The Glass Castle, and The Thirteenth Tale. Links to Wikipedia sites for descriptions!

Thanks Porridge! I apparently spend a lot of time in bookstores (I''m sitting in my campus bookstore now, lol) because I''ve definitely seen The Thirteenth Tale around a lot - I was waiting for the paperback version like a year ago, but never got around to buying it when it did come out in paperback. I''ll go look now

 

[Diamond*Dana]

I am not sure these fall into your categories, but I have just started reading The Hour I First Believed by Wally Lamb. I am a little over 100 pages in and I cannot wait to read further.

My favorite book of all is She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb...love that book so much I have read it twice!

 

[makemepretty]

I just started the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. It''s funny and entertaining. I never thought I''d enjoy a book about a lady skip tracing agent(bounty hunter) but since she doesn''t really know what she''s doing it''s a good read. Luckily for me, there''s lots and I''m only on book two.