Book recommendations

[Robert the Red]

The Thursday Next books by Jasper fforde (starting with The Eyre Affair).

 

[Jake46]

The Nine by Jeffrey Toobin.

 

[Zoocat]

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Fabulous story of a woman's travels in Italy, India and Bali.

"Saving Fish From Drowing," by Amy Tan. Tourists get kidnapped by the Karen tribe of Myanmar. Great story, not heavy, not light. Just right!

 

[justin]

"Eat, Pray, Love" by Elizabeth Gilbert. Fabulous story of a woman's travels in Italy, India and Bali.

I read this for my book club. It gets a big "pass" from me, unless you like reading memoirs of self-absorbed individuals who I would describe as "shallow". Very little of cultural value in the book (a decent amount about Bali, a little about India).

 

[Sarah in SC]

Well, Justin it is a total "chick-lit" book, not surprised you didn't like it.
I thought it was passable, and gave it to my mom to read. It is definitely not a dude book at all!

DH is reading Hunters Moon, the latest Randy Wayne White mystery and says it is awesome--great Florida mystery writer who occasionally channels my beloved John D. MacDonald.
I myself am reading about Estate Planning, which I do not recommend to anyone.

 

[bright eyed]

I read this for my book club. It gets a big "pass" from me, unless you like reading memoirs of self-absorbed individuals who I would describe as "shallow". Very little of cultural value in the book (a decent amount about Bali, a little about India).

i just picked it up at the airport and LOVED it - i think if you can relate to her story than it is a great read...if you're an outsider looking in, you just think she's crazy!

maybe you're her ex husband?

 

[Joss]

If you like Robert B Parker (Spencer, et al), you might also like:

Jonathan Kellerman (Alex Delaware) and
Michael Connelly (Harry Bosch).

I also highly recommend Peter Bowen (Gabriel DuPre, Montana).

 

[Jake46]

If you like mysteries and sports, give Harlan Coben's series featuring Myron Bolitar - several paperbacks available.

 

[justin]

Well, Justin it is a total "chick-lit" book, not surprised you didn't like it.

Can't argue with that! So maybe my advice only applies to men... No wonder I can't understand women! So complicated...

 

[tangomonster]

Actually, Justin, you get a couple of points for just being in a book club as a guy!
I thought the book in question was entertaining but not as profound as the author thought it was (and I do think her travels were done with an eye to a book and movie deal, and not true spiritual seeking).

 

[justin]

Actually, Justin, you get a couple of points for just being in a book club as a guy!

I'm new to it and not sure I'll stick around for long. If it weren't for another guy being in the club, I probably would not have returned after the 1st meeting. My biggest problem is that there always seems to be one loud mouth domineering woman that somehow takes any subject and turns it into a 10 minute (extremely boring) personal story about her and how great she is or how much she knows.

Before any of you man-haters ( ) attack me, let me say that I'm not saying that "that is how women are", just that 90% of the group is female, so the odds are that the loudmouth attention-seeker is a female.

The book was entertaining in a voyeuristic kind of way - like reading someone's diary. And she has some funny one-liners/imagery in the book.

 

[Moemg]

I just returned from three weeks in PA. and I read four of his books .Great mystery reading !

 

[Ronstar]

I loved "A walk in the woods" by Bill Bryson - his story of hiking the Appalachian Trail. Also cant go wrong with any of the Dirk Pitt adventures by Clive Cussler.

 

[happy2bretired]

I finished Water for Elephants (Sara Gruen) the other day. For a female author I was amazed at her ability to write from a male perspective. There were some really graphic type male stuff in there but the book was an amazing read for me. The sad but very thought-provoking theme was about the life, an amazing life, of a nursing home patient that everyone had dismissed because of old age. Just remember that the next old person you meet on the street may have lived one hell of a life.

 

[TromboneAl]

Water for Elephants is the top requested book at PaperBackSwap.com.

I read half of Kite Runner, another current favorite, but did not like it. If I summarized the plot in 25 words or less, you would understand why I didn't like it.

 

[happy2bretired]

I read Kite Runner and it is really hard getting thru parts of it. I read that the little Afganistan boy that was chosen for one of the main characters for the movie is being shunned (not a very good word) for taking the part in the movie. I don't think that the movie should even be made. It's way too controversial.