Does anybody read books here?

[CyclChyk]

And, amazingly, I really love Dean Koontz books. Despite all the depravity and violence, he has such a way of imbuing hope and a sense of the divine into his stories.

Ahh = Dean Koontz. Whispers and Phantoms were my favorites from him.

As well, Ann Rice's son, Christopher Rice, is now an author. I read his first novel, A Density of Souls, and was veryyyy impressed. No vampires, just modern day mayhem. His second book was very good also.

[latelatebloomer]

Some of us even write books! My second kid's book, Oscar & the Mooncats, will be out next fall. And I'm TRYING to wrap up my first fantasy novel before the end of the year.

Since I'm working a day job and writing (and cycling and taking care of the world's smallest farm), my reading is not what it used to be. I've even been known to call out sick to finish a book (that honor goes to MamaDay by Gloria Naylor.) I love fantasy but am very picky about it - I also am devoted to Thomas Hardy and Willa Cather.

I read Dune many moons ago, snowbound in a farmhouse high on a Pennsylvania hill. My 2 housemates were also reading it, and we tore the paperback into individual chapers so we didn't fight over it. Much.

[Selkie]

Claire Messud is a wonderful writer. Her novel, "The Last Life," is one of my all time favorites.
You can't go wrong with anything by Alice McDermott, Louise Erdrich (sp?), Elizabeth George (British Mysteries), Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell, Joyce Carol Oates, or Ann Beattie.
Jim Harrison's "Dalva" and the sequel, "The Road Home" are just wonderful books.

[mudmucker]

I love history and historical fiction. A couple of good reads recommended from a vietnam vet friend (in my personal attempt to understand and explore a few things), "The Long Gray Line" by Rick Atkinson follows five or so men from west point through the war. "Killer Angels" is about the 4 days at Gettysburg. "Kennedy Nixon" by Chris Matthews is an interesting read. I like Col. David Hackworth and have read his "Steel My Soldiers Heart". I've gone back to some classics, "On the Road" by Jack Kerouac (I work in Lowell and have lunch at his park), "Black Elk Speaks" by Neihardt, "Fools Crow" by Mails. I revisit Solzhenitsyn often (have many original books from the '70's). Robert Conquest is good for russian history. I'm going to read Ulysses next.

[Bad JuJu]

On the Road was enjoying a resurgence of popularity when I was in high school. My friends and I (remember the hippies?) were all quite taken with the Beats in general. I'd like to have time to revisit it one of these years.

Latelatebloomer--That's so exciting that you're writing. Be sure to let us know when your books hit the shelves.

Mudmucker--Enjoy reading Ulysses! It was a defining read of my life and changed me, in grad school, from an Americanist to a scholar of modernist Irish & English fiction.

[Trekhawk]

Latelatebloomer--That's so exciting that you're writing. Be sure to let us know when your books hit the shelves.

One of LLB books is on the shelves already - The Village of Basketeers.

It is a beautiful book and my boys love it. If you have children or you are looking for a lovely gift for a child take a look at this book. LLB is one talented lady. I cant wait for the next book.

[Bikingmomof3]

One of LLB books is on the shelves already - The Village of Basketeers.

It is a beautiful book and my boys love it. If you have children or you are looking for a lovely gift for a child take a look at this book. LLB is one talented lady. I cant wait for the next book.

Thanks Trekhawk for letting us know. I have nieces and nephews I need to find Christmas gifts for and I am known as the Aunt who always sends books.

[Lise]

I read Dune many moons ago, snowbound in a farmhouse high on a Pennsylvania hill. My 2 housemates were also reading it, and we tore the paperback into individual chapers so we didn't fight over it. Much.

Brilliant strategy. I read Dune during finals week, my last semester of college. It was my bribe. Every two hours I'd allow myself to go out on the lawn in front of Regenstein library at the University of Chicago and read Dune for 30 min. I was in a blind panic--what do you mean, I have to leave college?--Dune gave me relief. It's kind of a miracle I didn't just go to grad school, right? I started drinking heavily instead. Then got sober and went back to school!

LLB, I'm excited to check out your books! My mom's a children's librarian. Sadly for me, this means that she deluges my nephew and niece with books. I slip one in here and there, too.

[eclectic]

I too love to read - I cut cable TV this summer (the day after the Tour de France ended) and haven't missed it.

I don't know what reading genre I fall into, I am pretty diverse (hence the name eclectic

First of all I must admit I LOVE the Harry Potter books #5 is my favorite followed by #3. Anyone else out there closet Harry lovers?

Currently I am almost finished Undaunted Courage by Stephen E Ambrose - It is the story of the Lewis and Clark expedition, I don't really like his style of writing but the content is very good

For light fast reading I really like Dan Brown and Michael Crichton - I call them airport reading, quick and easy to get into, keeps you interested and they don't require much thought to follow. Angel and Demons has been my favorite

My all time favorite book is Giants in the Earth by OE Rolvaag. It is about Norwegian immigrants to the Dakotas in the late 1800's. It in no way romanticises the experience like so many other books do. It was originally written in Norwegian in 1921 and translated to English in 1924. Just an all around great read and I highly recommend it.
(I may be a little biased as in 1898 my Great Grandmother from Sweden lived alone for 2 years in a sod house on a claim in Roberts Co SD with 2 children under the age of three while my grandfather went to the gold rush in the Klondike - it wasn't a romantic era)

[RoadRaven]

Books, huh?

Think I mighta read one of those once...

CyclChyk - have you read Nelson Demille's "The General's Daughter"? Charm School was a well written book - but dare I say that Generals Daughter is even better?

Lise - His Dark Materials trilogy is big in this house too - several fans...

LBTC - my 18 yr old daughter is a huge fan of Ann Rice and is consistently at me to read some of her books... on the "to do" list.

Currently I am reading "Romanitus" - a book about what the world might look like if the Roman Empire never fell. My daughter thinks it was great (and she is a very good judge of books) so I perservered through a slow first chapter - I'm up to chapter 5 and it seems that it was worth perservering.

[Lise]

Currently I am reading "Romanitus" - a book about what the world might look like if the Roman Empire never fell.

What an interesting concept. I'll have to add this to the list, too!

[fatbottomedgurl]

Maybe this doesn't count but I am going to Bible college and am currently reading 150 - 200 pages a week for school. Right now I am reading books on worldview/ culture, apologetics, science/ biology/ astronomy/ Darwinism/ intellligent design plus of course commentaries on scriptures. I wish I had time to read for pleasure, the last novels I read over the summer were The Fountainhead and We the Living by Ayn Rand.

[Lise]

IMy all time favorite book is Giants in the Earth by OE Rolvaag. It is about Norwegian immigrants to the Dakotas in the late 1800's. It in no way romanticises the experience like so many other books do. It was originally written in Norwegian in 1921 and translated to English in 1924. Just an all around great read and I highly recommend it.
(I may be a little biased as in 1898 my Great Grandmother from Sweden lived alone for 2 years in a sod house on a claim in Roberts Co SD with 2 children under the age of three while my grandfather went to the gold rush in the Klondike - it wasn't a romantic era)

This is one of my favorites, too. It's sort of the antidote to Little House on the Prairie. Don't get me wrong, I read, re-read, and loved all of Laura Ingalls Wilders' books. But Giants in the Earth is a much more realistic portrayal of the pioneer experience for many immigrants. The final scene is seared in my imagination. Eclectic, I'm glad your g'g'ma survived, and the kids, too! My Swedish/Danish ancestors never made it to the plains--they settled in Michigan and were iron workers.

[Brandi]

I do a lot of reading with all my traveling and free time in airports. my book pick for this summer was a book called "The lobster chronicles" by Linda Greenlaw. She wrote an book on fishing as well which is really good. She was a captain of boat from the same place " A perfect storm" was from and about.
The book "The lobster chronicles" is about life on a very small island. I think there are less then 50 people living on this island. Linda talks about lobstering with her dad and just what it is like to come home and try to start a new life. It is very funny I thought. I come from a small town and can relate to it. Oh and it is a true story. I think it just came out in paperback.