O/T: Favorite Books?

Aquajock

Aquajock

Cathlete
Good morning, all! This is as far away from exercise as you can be, but I'd love to know what everyone's favorite books are.

There are a select few that I re-read at least once or twice a year:

The World According To Garp (John Irving), about a hapless writer in a crazy world

And The Band Played On (Randy Shilts), the definitive history of the onset of the AIDS epidemic

The Season (William Goldman), a journalistic view of the 1968-69 Broadway season in New York

Charlotte's Web (E.B. White) - everything I ever needed to know about empowered women I learned from Charlotte A. Cavatica.

What are YOUR favorites?

Annette
 
I love to read!!! Off the top of my head, books and/or authors:
(I'll update if anohter great one hits me after I've had time to think)

Fiction:
Memoirs of a Geisha
anything by Maeve Binchy
anything by Sandra Brown
Bridget Jones, The Diary & The Edge of Reason

Non-fiction:
Everything but My Life
Brother Iron, Sister Steel
Why We Get Sick: The New Science of Darwinian Medicine
 
I have to admit to being a pop fiction addict - Nora Roberts and Tom Clancy are my two current favorites. Just no lawyer books for me! Long term, my favorite author is CS Lewis. Katie
 
Hi Katie.....I really like CS Lewis too. I have read all the Narnia series a number of times as well as the Space ones. I have also read some of his 'more serious' works and have some I haven't read yet just waiting for me. He sure has a way of making things very clear....at least to me. I haven't read any Nora Roberts, maybe I'll look her up. I just love going to bed early with a good book.

Susan54 http://www.smilies-world.de/Smilies/Smilies_klein/otq.gif[/img]
 
This year my favorites are Jonathan Franzen's The Corrections, Richard Russo's Empire Falls (which took me back to Straight Man, hilarious, and Nobody's Fool, not as funny but wonderful), Anne Tyler's Back When We Were Grownups, and I am currently reading the new translation of Anna Karenina (it's wonderful, and I haven't read this since college).

For schlock, I read Sara Paretsky, Sue Grafton, Tess Gerritsen.

I intend to read Tolkien for the third time in anticipation of the films. Loved the Harry Potter books while on a long trip touring colleges with my husband and older son.

Poetry--Sylvia Plath, Adrienne Rich, and Louise Gluck are poets I return to every year.

Biography--just bought the one on John Quincy Adams, and recently read the one on Ted Hughes (filled with howlers and unintended ironies).
 
Some really good sci-fi I've read lately.

Orson Scott Card's
Ender's Game, and Speaker for the Dead (the other two were terrible)
Pastwatch

Mary Doria Russell's
The Sparrow, and Children of God
 
If you like Sue Grafton, you will like Janet Evanovich and her main character Stephanie Plum! Funnier reading than Sue Grafton and Kinsey. I can't believe I forgot to add both SG and JE to my lists! (probably because I finished "P" and "6" long ago.)
 
I bought the first two Evanovich books, but then my husband (who listens to audiotapes)warned me that they were goofy, and so I have not tried them yet. Two books I could not finish (the opposite of favorites)this year were The Miracle Life of Edgar Mint and The Last Report on the Miracles at Little No Horse. I just couldn't understand the characters--why they did what they did--and found myself rereading pages because my mind would wander far from the page. That's when I know it's time to move to another book.
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-17-01 AT 02:34PM (Est)[/font][p]Thank you Annette for starting this thread! I love to read and have no one to talk about my books with!

My favorite author currently is Andre Dubus, III. His "House of Sand and Fog" is amazing - one of the best books I've ever read. Right now I'm reading a collection of his short stories called "The Cage Keeper" and his only other novel "Bluesman". I, too, like John Irving, "A Prayer for Owen Meany" being my favorite by him.

Then there's Patricia Cornwell and Kathy Reichs - love those forensic thrillers. Anne Tyler (always wonderful!), Billie Letts, Andrew Klavan, Amy Tan, Ed McBain,.....my list is endless. I thought both Bridget Jones books were a hoot.

And you know, this is not far from exercising - it's exercise of the mind! :)

Lorrie
 
[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-01 AT 04:47AM (Est)[/font][p]I love biographies, but can't think of many favorites. "Plain Speaking," an oral biography of Harry Truman, "Our Will Rogers" by Homer Croy, and anything by Doris Kerns Goodwin or David McCullough. I'm sure there's more, but I can't remember them.

A good way to "read" a book is to get books on tape from the library. I did that for a long time until my car tape player began to refuse to eject the tapes. No good. http://www.plaudersmilies.de/xmas/wmann2.gif
 
Goodness, what a great question! I love Patricia Cornwell, Amy Tan, Barbara Kingsolver, Margaret Atwood, Louise Erdich and Anne Morrow Lindbergh. For fun I like to read Sue Grafton and Harry Potter. In children's books I really enjoy Jan Brett because of her incredible artwork. I also like to read books that will make me cry or laugh. Remember Judy Blume books? I think I've read every one! Ohhh, so many books and so little time!
 
I loved Janet Evanovich's series, starting with One for the Money. Another favorite author of mine is Anita Shreve. But, what started my love for reading was none of than Judy Blume!! (I won't say how many years ago that was.)

Stacy
 
Just wanted to ask you about "Brother Iron, Sister Steel." I have
been contemplating adding it but was unsure whether I could deal
with his writing style. He appears to be wordy. I am interested
in variations on dumbbell exercises, such as the clean and press
with dumbbells, that could give me ideas to take to the weight
class I teach once per week. What did you like about his book?
What didn't you like? Were there enough illustrations? Helpful
ones? Anything you can tell me would be appreciated.
Thanks
Sheila Cote
[email protected]
 
Non-fiction:
The Bible
Eat Right 4 Your Type
Live Right 4 Your Type
Prescription for Nutritional Healing

Fiction:
anything by Jeffrey Archer

Fay
 
I forgot all about having read Sue Grafton and Barbara Kingsolver.

Now I have to add to my 'to try' list not only Nora Roberts, but Janet Evanovich.

I also like Philip Yancey.

Susan 54 http://www.sgtfuzzbubble99.homestead.com/files/Smilies/Hawk606/catinhat.gif[/img]
 
Hey Honeybunch--

[font size="1" color="#FF0000"]LAST EDITED ON Dec-18-01 AT 08:11PM (Est)[/font][p]Joining you as a huge fan of Doris Kearns Goodwin. Did you read her biography on FDR and Eleanor Roosevelt's WWII homefront? It is called "No Ordinary Time" and it's a page turner and was just wonderful, one of the best biographies I have ever read, and I love the genre.

Kathy S.
 
I love a good trashy novel! Judy Blum (Bloom ?) is wonderful for this. Also like Jackie Collins. Because I'm going to school for my MBA, when I read for pleasure the trashier, the better. Any suggestions?

GettingFit!
 
I am a huge fantasy fan. Some of my favorite authors are David Eddings, Terry Brooks, Robert Jordan, Mercedes Lackey, and Tad Williams.

I am always in trouble when I visit my parents as they own a used book store. I always have to leave room in my suitcase for a few books to take back with me. ;-)

Lorrayne
 
D(ick) Francis (the forum won't let me say his first name in its entirety -- too funny!) has to be one of my all-time favorite writers. I have read and re-read (and re-read) his mystery novels many times over. There's just something about the simplicity and succinctness of his language that I love. (I can't stand writers who take 10 pages to describe a room in the house -- just get on with the story!)And I just love his main (male) characters -- if I could find one of his heroes in real life I'd marry him lickedy-split!!! ##### Francis's novels are word candy to me.

I also love fantasy novels -- my favorite is trilogy by Guy Gavriel Kay called "The Fionvar Tapestry". If you like "Lord of the Rings", you'll like this as well.

My all-time favorite book was "The Black Stallion" -- you know, the one where the boy is stranded on a deserted island with only a black Arabian stallion for company. When I was young, I must have read that book at least 20 times! I was actually disappointed when the boy and horse were rescued off the island.

Happy Holidays, everyone! Hope you have a chance to just snuggle in bed with a great book!

Patricia
 
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