OT: good books

[SadieKate]

Did anyone mention Terry Pratchett yet?

Sue Monk Kidd's The Secret Life of Bees. Incredibly powerful in a spiritual way without being religious.

[RoadRaven]

Yes... another vote for Philip Pullmans writing - my daughter has his books and I have borrowed them from her.

Another series about teenagers that is completely readable from an adult perspective is the "Tomorrow" series (by John Marsden)... it begins with "Tomrrow when the War Began" which is about an invasion of Australia and the ability of a group of friends to survive. Very well written.

I've always enjoyed Wilbur Smith novels as light and fun reading though "The Sun Bird" and "The Seventh Scroll" offer something a little different.

For humour - Douglas Adams "Hitchhiker's Guide" series are def worth a read - nothing like the movie or the series... ans also Ben Elton has some excellent satire and observations on humans.

For a slice of reality and critique down in an amusing and/or insightful way... my son is really enjoying Michael Moores books and I am about to begin on those (Farenheit 9/11, waiting for Columbine etc)

For something alternative (spirituality, feminism and awareness of the rhythms of our world) my fave books are;
"Celebrating the Southern Seasons" by Juliet Batten
"Embracing the Witch and the Goddess - Feminist ritual Makers in New Zealand" by Kathryn Rountree
"Book of Shadows" by Phyllis Curott
"Paganism - an introduction to Earth Centred Religions" by Joyce and River Higgenbotham

Also... Clare Francis is a brilliant murder-mystery writer... only a few books but extremely well-crafted... they wrap you right in and hold you close til the end.


<EDIT>
Oh! Just adding in two more books, both classics of their kind and timeless
"Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas" by Hunter S Thompson - avoid the movie like you would leprosy and read the book

"Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintainance" by Robert M Pirsig... a trip by a father and son on motorbikes across America with much reflection on life, quantum physics and quality... well worth perservering with!

Have fun... lots of great suggestions in this thread!

[bikerz]

The Sparrow - Mary Doria Russell. Takes place in the between 2016 and 2060, a story of first contact with extraterrestrials. A very compelling, and I thought tragic story..

Hey Snap - Did you read the sequel Children of God? If so, did you like it? I also thought the Sparrow was very provocative - and tragic - perfect word for it. Although, on a lighter note, I can't help thinking of it as "Jesuits in Spaaaaaaaaace...."

Why am I not surprised that there are so many excellent book recommendations from this crowd? I've already made a list of about 15 books to find and read this year. Thanks everyone.

[snapdragen]

Yes! I did like it, not as much as Sparrow though.

Hey Snap - Did you read the sequel Children of God? If so, did you like it? I also thought the Sparrow was very provocative - and tragic - perfect word for it. Although, on a lighter note, I can't help thinking of it as "Jesuits in Spaaaaaaaaace...."

Why am I not surprised that there are so many excellent book recommendations from this crowd? I've already made a list of about 15 books to find and read this year. Thanks everyone.

[yellow]

Hah! I knew this would happen! You gals rock. While I've read many of the books discussed in this thread, there is still a bunch o' stuff for me to dive in to. Before I started the thread, I searched for one similar as I figured this HAD to have been bandied about before...but I was surprised to find it hadn't. So now when any of us readers need something new, we can search for "good books" on this forum! I know I certainly plan to. I live 1.5 blocks from the library so I spend a lot of time there.

But fer now keep it going!

Gawd, we could almost start a TE Book Club. But since most of it isn't cycling related, I guess that maybe it would be too distracting.

(For the record, I usually only read for the first 20-30 minutes on the trainer while I get "warmed up" and for my usually-10-minute cool down. I find that it makes the time go by so much faster, and I get to read more than just before bedtime! And the most beloved fiction book on my shelf is Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame and the honor for nonfiction goes to all my John McPhee and Edward O. Wilson books.)

[Try-Chick]

Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen
Mystery
Recommended by a friend.
Couldn't put it down.

Anne of Green Gables is a good one

Pride and Prejudice is a good romance by Jane Austen. Acutally anthing by Jane Austen or Emily and Charlotte Bronte, their classics are good romance reads Wutering Heights Jane Eyre, etc.

All of the Harry Potter Books. We had to buy two sets because my husband and I and the kids were all trying to read them at the same time!

Fantasy: Anything by Marion Zimmer Bradley or David Eddings (Belgariad series) or Ann McCaffery's Dragon Rider series, Amber series by Roger Zelazny. Also anything by Piers Anthony, Barbar Hambly, Philip Jose Farmer, Christopher Stasheff, Clifford D. Simak, Julian May.

If you like current thrillers try Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton. Everything I've read of theirs is great too.

A lot of them I read in college and with 2 small kids, it's hard to find time to read except when they're in bed and by then I'm just exhausted and want to veg these days.

[nuthatch]

This is great! I'm writing all these down.

I'm just crazy about Patrick O'Brien (Master & Commander, et. al.) Twenty books in the series, or "canon" as the devout would say!

[RoadRaven]

If you like current thrillers try Tom Clancy and Michael Crichton. Everything I've read of theirs is great too.

Yes, Michael Crichton is a good read... though at times I find him dry. However, his research into getting details accurate is impressive

[jobob]

Great thread !
(OK, I'll fess up, at one point I was grumbling about OT posts. I'll stop grumbling )

Lee & I are heading off to the used bookstores in Mountain View - that's our idea of a big night out - and I'm bringing a list !

Here are a few of my faves that haven't been mentioned yet:

Rosamunde Pilcher - I especially enjoy Coming Home, that's a big favorite of mine, one of those books that I pull out & re-read at least once a year. I love her characters. The Shell Seekers is really good too. Her most recent book (the name of which I've forgotten) was a big disappointment, but, she's getting on in years.

Tracy Chevalier - she wrote The Girl with the Pearl Earring (I never saw the movie) and I also enjoyed Falling Angels and The Lady and the Unicorn

I think one of my all-time favorite books is Welcome to the World, Baby Girl by Fannie Flagg, who also wrote Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Cafe.

[snapdragen]

Tracy Chevalier - she wrote The Girl with the Pearl Earring (I never saw the movie) and I also enjoyed Falling Angels and The Lady and the Unicorn
[/U].

Girl with the Pearl Earring! Another good 'un!

Dang, I've got a stack of books already that are waiting to be read. Must not buy more books......

[allabouteva]

Tracy Chevalier - she wrote The Girl with the Pearl Earring (I never saw the movie)

Hey jobob, I read the book after I saw the movie. I LOVED the movie, became an instant fan of Scarlett Johansson, and equally LOVED the book. One of the few movies that do justice to the book.

I just finished an Anita Shreve omnibus which I thoroughly enjoyed.

Have started reading some Alexander Mccall Smith of the Botswana Ladies Detective Agency fame.

And to be totally obvious Lance Armstrong's Its not about the bike (sorry haven't read the whole thread to know if this has been mentioned before) is a classic and must read for all cyclists!

There's a young Australian writer called Matthew Reilly, who writes FAST paced action novels, that are absolutely not-put-downable. His latest book is Seven Ancient Wonders.

And if you want to read a trashy novel or two, you can't go past Sandra Brown and Linda Howard. (ok, my rep is gone forever! )

[SadieKate]

Dang, I've got a stack of books already that are waiting to be read. Must not buy more books......

I'm very afraid to read this thread in detail. I've got two stacks of books each about 18" tall beside the bed starved for a little attention.

You know the 3 monkeys? See no evil, hear no evil, etc.? That's the way I'm treating this thread.

SK

PS - I'm blaming the evil on yellow. Hmm, interesting that you like my favorite "messing about in boats" novel also.

[Trekhawk]

This is great! I'm writing all these down.

I'm just crazy about Patrick O'Brien (Master & Commander, et. al.) Twenty books in the series, or "canon" as the devout would say!

Got to love Jack and Stephen. Many a night have I spent with these two wonderful men.

[margo49]

Oh yeah...what a thread!

My small contribution: The Red Tent by Anita Diamant

Also second Barbara Kingsolver, Karen Armstrong and Marion Zimmer Bradley

Suggestions for re-reading from childhood: AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh series and Joy Adamson's Born Free and Living Free

[snapdragen]

Have started reading some Alexander Mccall Smith of the Botswana Ladies Detective Agency fame.

Ladies Detective Agency books got me through three weeks of jury duty!