Speaking of my secret, I am publishing the start of my summer book list and I welcome and ask for any and all suggestions. I haven't read a serious adult book since last summer (Water for Elephants and that silly Twilight series don't count). Don't judge, people. I deal with hormonal little people who think I am at least 30 and tell me that they "gotta take a whiz" and I have come up with things to teach them each and every day. I ain't got time. Onto the list...
1. Hamlet - William Shakespeare
2. In Defense of Food - Michael Pollan
3. My Antonia - Willa Cather
4. Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
5. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini
6. Everything is Illuminated - Jonathan Safran Foer
7. A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius - Dave Eggers (for you, Am)
8. Mountains Beyond Mountains - Tracy Kidder
9. Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte (I haven't read it in many years and I love it!)
9. And I read The Hiding Place by Corrie ten Boom each and every summer. I might go start that right now, actually.
I will now wait for your suggestions. Beware that I have little patience for really beautiful writing. For Alissa, beautiful = boring. So don't go suggesting things like Tess of the D'urbervilles or The Grapes of Wrath. Not interested. And as a general rule, I don't do nonfiction (but am very interested in food, which is how #2 made the list). Suggest away!
13 comments:
These Is My Words: The Diary of Sarah Agnes Prine by Nancy E Turner.
I also liked Map of Love, Ahdaf Soueif
I'll keep thinking...
you have probably already read it considering it's a historical non-fiction book, but 1776 is a great book and it reads like a fictional story. if you haven't read it, i really think you would like it. unless you just want to get away from that genre altogether for the summer!
are you saying you did not like Twilight?! Hmmmm...too bad, I love the series!!!
I started Anna Karenina in Australia... still sitting on my bookshelf, alongside A Thousand Splendid Suns and Everything is Illuminated. Let's go on a reading schedule and we can have weekly update discussions :) A long distance book club.
Also, Jane Eyre, admittedly, is the ONLY book I actually didn't read that I was assigned to read in college. Freshman Year. Go figure.
I definitely think librarians can be sexy, but I can't think of any good books to recommend at the moment. These Is My Words is fabulous if you have not already read it.
I'm quite pleased that A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius made the list. I loved it. Another recommendation--Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (you do have Everything is Illuminated on your list, but I loved this one).
I'm a blogger! So excited I was able to find you guys on here. Hope all is well. Oh, and as my contribution, I just read "The Alchemist". Super short read (only a few hours) but a great story. Also, the entire Anne of Green Gables series. Matt, I'm sure it will be your favorite. =) Love to you both!
Have you read A Thousand Splendid Suns then? It was a really emotional book for me, as far as the history of the treatment of women. It shone new light on the Teleban and other terrorists / communists and the views of actual Afghan citizens. Just, fyi, I guess. And I read These is My Words a year ago. It's a fast read, but I would categorize it with the Twilight series--no offense Kate. The Persian Pickle Club was interesting--kind of different. I love The Hiding Place. I'm going to be reading The Color of Water, The House of Sand and Fog, Pride & Prejudice, Magic Study, Poison Study, & Fire Study. The latter were recommended by a friend who hates all sci-fi / fantasy, but I guess loved these and read them in book club. Anyway, hopefully that helps you. Oh, and check out my friend Dani's blog (under Kurt & Dani Vest). She's an avid reader. Go to my address: http://ryanandkeriallred.blogspot.com to get there. Keri
I thought of a book I read recently that I think you would like. The Secret Life of Bees. Also, you need to get on Goodreads it is such a great way to find good books.
I second the previous post about getting on Goodreads!! And her recommendation to read Secret Life of Bees-- the movie comes out in a few months so read the book before.
I am so glad I found you on here :-) I hope we can keep in touch as I head off to Germany!
BTW: My students still talk about how much they LOVED Li'l Abner. So go us ;-) Happy End of the School Year.
i'll sort of second liz and recommend a book by the same author of 1776: Truman. it's the biography of harry truman and it's so GOOD! like, surprisingly good. it's long, but it's very interesting and very relevant to our time because it covers the world wars and talks about how the cold war was set up and the great depression and on and on. i'm learning a lot, and i'm rushing to try to finish it before i leave the country!
So...I just finished the Twilight series and I have the same feeling: that didn't count and now I need to jump back into the world of great and serious books. However, Stephenie Meyer is making so much money on that series (which was gripping because of her characters and Edward's sex appeal) and she inspires me. BYU grad in English, few years older than me. I want to be a rich writer too.
My suggestions for you: Read A Thousand Splendid Suns first. Love it. Have you read Bee Season by Myla Goldberg? I actually read it when I was still in school and it's a favorite. Her characters are amazing. I love the clepto mother.
Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert is a good one. I made a goal to read The Hiding Place every year too. Puts me right back in my place.
Happy reading!
Janelle Phipps
So, I feel obligated to comment.
If you're not into beautiful writing, I'm not sure My Antonia or Anna Karenina are for you. But they are fantastic--in a Tess of the D'Urbervilles sort of way.
I'd second These is My Words by Nancy Turner (like the Twilight series? Ouch) and I'd add Wicked by Gregory Maguire. I don't think I'd recommend Wicked to everybody, but I think you're up for the scandalous sex.
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