Sunday, April 26, 2009

Book Recommendations Needed...

Hit me up with the book recommendations folks. I just finished Promise Not To Tell last night...meh. It was one of those books that I had pretty much figured out in the first 30 pages, and quite frankly, I just didn't think it was especially well written. Like I said, meh.

I've been trying to hit up some classics that I never read in high school and college. Of the list of the 101 Recommended Books For College-Bound Readers, I've only read about 15 of them. And I've already graduated. Nice.

I've been trying to work through Jane Austen's Persuasion, Tolstoy's Anna Karenina, and C.S. Lewis' Mere Christianity for the past 5 years or so to no avail. I just can't seem to get into any of them. I may give Persuasion another try...but I'm looking for something else!

10 comments:

  1. I read Persuasion, and it is my least favorite Jane Austen novel so far. I loved Mansfield Park and Northanger Abbey (both also by Austen). I would also suggest The Eight by Katherine Neville. It is definitely not predictable and will keep you guessing until the end.

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  2. hah! I've had Anna Karenina on my nightstand for the last year. Still haven't finished it.

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  3. I think that the translation matters a lot when reading Tolstoy. Anna K is, perhaps, my most favorite book of all time. But with the wrong translation, Russian lit just seems... long.

    The Picture of Dorian Gray is very good.

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  4. I loves me some Cormac McCarthy. Blood Meridian is his best that I've read, but it's also the darkest book I've ever read too, so be warned. I'm halfway through All the Pretty Horses and it's a lot lighter and still excellent.

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  5. Mere if you haven't read Kite Runner, read it NOW. Seriously--go to the library or bookstore and get it, and READ IT.

    I'm also wondering if you would like the Secret Life of Bees?

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  6. I am going to try and plow through some of the Jane Austen classics while on my trip this summer.

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  7. I just finished one calle Those Who Save Us. It was really good. I also really enjoyed The Thirteenth Tale. It had a great twist in the story. Devil in the White City is another good one.

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  8. The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns are both amazing.

    When We Were Gods is also great (it's about Cleopatra) and I enjoyed Red Tent, which tells the story of Dinah (daughter of Jacob, sister of Joseph). Both are fictional, but based on historical facts.

    I've also enjoyed all of Wally Lambs books (I Know This Much Is True, She's Come Undone, Couldn't Keep It To Myself, The Hour I First Believed).

    Currently, I'm reading Pushed, which is about labor and maternity care in the US. It's fascinating and infuriating, all at the same time.

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  9. If you are looking for light, fun reading I would check out the Twilight series (have you read it? I can't remember). Or anything by Sarah Dessen. Or a book called "13 Reasons Why." It is not so much light reading but it is really really good and touches are super important themes. Or the book "Before I Die." So good- I cried.

    These are all teen books. So you can read them pretty fast. I like to read fast- because I am actually a pretty slow reader . . .

    I don't know if you are into Rob Bell- but Velvet Elvis was a good read. Lots of think about. If you want something a bit more sophisticated that Rob Bell- check out McLauren's book "A New Kind of Christian." It was pretty interesting. I have also heard (but not yet read) that "The Shack" is amazing- but it will make you cry a lot.

    Also- check out "Behind the Scenes and the Museum" "Cherry" "Marley and Me" "Watership Down" Oh dear- I could go on and on! Good luck to you!

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  10. Oh! Persuasion is my favorite of Austen's books! I hope you try it again and LOVE it! If not though, I really like Barbara Kingsolver, particuarly "The Poisonwood Bible," about a missionary family living in the Congo. I'm getting ready to start a book called "Godmother," the story of what happened to Cinderella's fairy godmother than seems light, fun and promising. I also recently enjoyed "Rasputin's Daughter."

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