Monday, 28th of June 2010 at 06:57:10 PM
I love old books so very much. They smell like secrets.
And Other Summer Business
Joshilyn’s book tour visit to the Bay Area and my house is over, and I am MISSING HER madly. We had super-fun, she worked like a dog, a very pretty and brave dog, and there might have been a bit more drinking than usual around here. She posted an amusing recap of some of her eating experiences here, and in the video at about 28 seconds there is a short cameo by my youngest.
On the Stelara front, I am now CERTAIN that it’s been working, because as my next Shot Day approaches, it’s wearing off. My hands are beginning to fall apart, and the arthritic part of this stupid thing makes walking a cranky business. But! Thursday is my next shot! (Oops, that reminds me to call the doc and make sure it’s been shipped to them, brb.)
The only side effect I’ve experienced so far from the med is head-smacking fatigue for a few days after the injection. I plan to spend the 4th of July weekend reading in bed while my family enjoys some seriously massive family festivities (cocktail party in the city, catered softball game, country-club dinner.) I don’t feel sorry for myself when there is such good news to report.
The Stylish Invalid Reading in Bed.
For those bed-days with books, I am begging for recommendations from you, dear readers, and in exchange, I’ll offer up some of my old favorites and a couple of new ones, too, in every genre that I enjoy.
1. The Little Friend and The Secret History, both by Donna Tartt. Brilliant literary fiction, the end.
2. Gilead, by Marilynne Robinson a slow, sweet gorgeous story. There is a retelling of the same story by another character, but I haven’t read it yet.
3. Backseat Saints, Joshilyn’s new novel, a fast, funny, and brutal story of a woman on the run, beautifully and tautly written.
4. Name of the Wind, by Phillip Rothfuss, a new voice in fantasy, his writing is a cut above the genre. (Ooh, when I went to Amazon for a link, I saw that the second one is out in hardcover. Squee!)
5. Lord of the Rings by J.R.R.Tolkien. If you haven’t read it, or started it and couldn’t finish, give it another try. Once you get used to the archaic form he (intentionally) uses, the language is lush and the story timeless.
6. C. A. Belmond’s A Rather lovely Inheritance, A Rather Curious Engagement, and A Rather Charming Invitation. They are all the story of Penny Nichol’s mad-cap adventures as a newly-made heiress. The style is reminiscent of a 1930′s screwball comedy film with Katherine Hepburn or Carol Lombard.
7. The Way of All Flesh by Samuel Butler, a biting satire of Victorian mores and parental repression that had me lolling for reals. A++, would read again. I have an ancient copy I bought at the White Elephant Sale.
A caveat: I went to the Dublin, CA Barnes and Noble this morning and marched up to a lovely, smart, and kind salesperson there by the name of Julie, and asked her “What is your favorite genre? What do you like to read?” I confess that I do that now and again, because why would one want a sci-fi rec from a romance reader, or vice versa?
She was very forgiving of my impertinence and saw a copy of Persuasion (Jane Austen) in my hand (our copy was loaned out and never returned. I actually like it when that happens. We’ve bought four copies of The Secret History.)
After the explanation of my stringent literary requirements, she presented me with a couple of Georgette Heyer novels (mysteries! Who knew? I haven’t read Heyer since I was thirteen) that I hadn’t even heard of, a couple of excellent YA novels and two retold fairy tales. And that will last me about two days. NOT ENOUGH.
Okay! What are your recs, plox! I’m in urgent need of FLUFF, fun but not crappy, luscious but not literary, something I can read with half a brain, because that’s the most I’ll have for a few days.
I can’t believe I’m recommending these two in the same breath, but you know … eclectic!
The Help by Kathryn Stockett – you will fall in love with these characters! Everybody says they didn’t want the book to end, and I agree.
Going Bovine by Libba Bray – YA, hilarious road trip with a sick kid, a dwarf, and a Norse god stuck in yard gnome form. The whole time I’m wondering, “Is this really happening, is it sci-fi, or is he hallucinating?” I finally decided: Who cares?! One of the best books I read this year.
Ooh, those both sound good.
Have you read Cornelia Read’s latest, Invisible Boy? There are two great books before it, too, so there’s three if you haven’t read any of them.
OH YES! We bought it in hardcover, and I love Cornelia. I miss her dreadfully since she moved back East.
Anything by Tamora Pierce or Diane Duane.
Both are YA fantasy … though the trickster’s series by Pierce and “To visit the Queen” and “the book of night with moon” by Duane are targeted at older teens.
For laugh out loud sillyness “Hamish X and the Cheese Pirates” … or anything by Terry Pratchett (one advantage of Pratchett, the older books in the series don’t really go in any order. Any of the ones published since 2004 or so expect a bit more interms of already knowing the characters)
LULZ! We love Tamora Pierce. I took my younger daughter to a reading some years ago for one of the Trickster novels, and we’re also enjoying the living hell out of the Beka Cooper series. Gonna go check Amazon to see if the new Dog book is out. Thanks for the reminder.
Here are some of my favorites:
1. Peter S. Beagle – The Last Unicorn (beautiful, melancholy, fantasy classic)
2. P.J. Tracy – Monkeewrench (first in a mystery series, written by a mother-daughter team)
3. Sparkle Hayter – (isn’t that a fantastic name?!) The Last Manly Man, Revenge of the Cootie Girls, Nice Girls Finish Last, etc. (irreverent mystery – although I see they’re no longer in print, you can still get them through Amazon sellers)
4. Richard Russo – Straight Man (NOT fluff, but an enjoyable and easy to read book)
5. Orson Scott Card – um, anything?! Ender’s Game if you lean toward science fiction, Enchantment for fantasy, The Lost Boys for thriller – really, they’re all wonderful
6. Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett – Good Omens (off the wall science fiction humor)
7. Dick Francis – anything (I don’t know why, but his books always suck me in, and I read them over and over)
8. Diana Gabaldon – Outlander series (historical romance with time travel – a cliche that I resisted for a long time, but eventually succumbed, happily)
9. Nevada Barr – Anna Pigeon mysteries (well written, with more character than most serial mysteries)
10. Jennifer Weiner – Little Earthquakes (I enjoyed Good in Bed and In Her Shoes, but Little Earthquakes was my favorite)
11. Sharyn McCrumb – She Walks These Hills, others (mystery with history)
I read the last unicorn a billion years ago and loved it. Didn’t someone make a weird cartoon movie of it? Have read all of OSC, will look for #3 and #4, have read all of Niel Gaiman (my dauher went to school with his daughter, trufax! She was a little ahead of my kid.) Have read all of Dick F. and flunked out of D. Gabaldon after the second novel. LOVE Jennifer Weiner and will try your others. We have a lot of favorites in common!
Any of Carol Goodman’s books. Okay, I’ve only read 3, and my favorite was The Night Villa so that’s something to get you started – it simultaneously takes place in a modern day archeological dig and in an Italian town during the days before the ancient eruption of Vesuvius, and it has a Pythagorean cult figuring heavily, with mystery and thrills and a bit of loveishness thrown in.
The whole Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, etc. series if you haven’t read those yet (I know Joshilyn also loves those) – dark addictive Swedish mysteries.
The Thirteenth Tale, Diane Setterfield – gothic and dark-rainy-night-British, a little spooky and a little weird, the only unanimously awesome 5-star rating ever from my entire book club, guys and gals alike.
Enchanted, Inc., Shanna Swendson – total and absolute chick-lit fluff, but with MAGIC! And there are sequels, but the first is the best.
hee those sound perfect for my needs. Making a list for future shots, too, you guys are very helpful.
I, um, don’t read fantasy (shhhhh) but I have to ask why is this tagged “panties”??? I LOVED Kostova’s Swan Theives and am now reading Bound South by Susan Rebecca White– quite good, I have to say. Best wishes for a luxurious weekend!
Because I like panties! They are silly! And I imagine that the sultry woman in the pic in this post might or MIGHT NOT be wearing any. I had panties on the brain, so to speak.
I second the Terry Pratchett Discworld books.
Anything by Christopher Moore (Lamb, Practical Demonkeeping, etc.)
Karen Abbot’s Sin in the Second City: Madams, Ministers, Playboys, and the Battle for America’s Soul. Non-fiction, but wonderfully gossipy non-fiction
Oh, I own Karen’s SitSC, and can’t WAIT for her new book coming this December: American Rose: A Nation Laid Bare: The Life and Times of Gypsy Rose Lee. Wewt! I’ll check out Christopher Moore, thanks.
Suzanne Collins’ Hunger Games trilogy (book 3 comes out in August) Love love.
Also, Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander series is great, though immense.
A previous commenter also recommended Diane Duane’s a book of night with moon – it goes along with her So you want to be a wizard series.
Enjoy your relaxing weekend!
Hunger Games sounds intriguing. Scribbling it on my list. Thanks!
The Uglies, Pretties, Specials series by Scott Westerfeld. Fabulously wonderful YA.
Will buy. This is fun.
I just finished _Year of Wonders_ by Geraldine Brooks, and it was amazing. It is the fictionalized story of one town in mid-England that quarantined itself during the 1666 plague outbreak.
For the fantasy and fairy-tale lovers, Robin McKinley is awesome. _Sunshine_ is vampires. _Rose Daughter_ and _Beauty_ are “Beauty and the Beast,” _Spindle’s End_ is “Sleeping Beauty.” All with strong, female Women Who Do Things at the center of the books.
Year of Wonders sounds awesome. And one of the books I bought today? Spindle’s End. The other retold fairy tale I bought today is about the twelve dancing princesses, but I can’t remember the title.
That is one of my very favorites. I hope you enjoy it. Will you blog about some of the books you read?
Wow, I thought I was the only one that knew about “Year of Wonders.” Fantastic book…
Books are a terrible, wonderful addiction.
See my basement: http://www.flickr.com/photos/piece__of_me/3251435507/
More recommendations:
Elizabeth Peters – I didn’t get into the Amelia Peabody series, but I like her other books, especially Die for Love and Naked Once More. Funny mysteries spoofing historical romance. (Elizabeth Peters is Barbara Michaels)
Douglas Adams – The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy series (just really, really odd but funny science fiction. Also read Last Chance to See, a non-fiction account of his visits to several locations to observe endangered species.)
Gene Stratton Porter – A Girl of the Limberlost, Freckles, Laddie (all ages)
I have to throw in an odd one: John Marsden, The Tomorrow Series (beginning with Tomorrow, When the War Began). This is technically YA, but I read it before giving it to a cousin’s son for Christmas and loved the book so much I had to buy the other seven. It’s set in Australia, and is about a group of teenagers who go camping before school starts, only to find that the country has been invaded while they were gone.
And now I’m stuck thinking about my favorite YA books and authors, like Madeleine L’Engle, L.M. Montgomery, Cynthia Voigt, and the most adult of the YA genre, Julian F. Thompson (A Band of Angels, The Grounding of Group Six, A Question of Survival) and Rob Thomas (Rats Saw God). Rob Thomas is the guy behind Veronica Mars and a fantastic, though short-lived show in the 90′s called Cupid.
Sandi, I think maybe we’re the same person.
(And, I was just proselytizing Elizabeth Peters/Barbara Michaels to a friend for cruise-reading.)
And, OH! Duh! If you haven’t read it yet, you must read The Princess Bride, by William Goldman (or S. Morgenstern).
For mysteries, there’s always Ellis Peters. The Brother Cadfael books were set in the 12th century; there are 20 books in the series (plus a prequel). The first is A Morbid Taste for Bones but we (that is, my mother and I) always recommend starting with the second: One Corpse Too Many. After that it doesn’t really matter in what order you read them (although it’s best to read them in order if you can, mostly because of the history, but also due to recurring characters).
She also wrote contemporary mysteries. There are thirteen books in the Felse series and a few stand-alones. I think my favourite is Never Pick up Hitchhikers.
She also wrote historical fiction as Edith Pargeter. I think The Heaven Tree is one of the loveliest things I’ve ever read. The rest of the trilogy is The Scarlet Seed and The Green Branch.
Till We Have Faces by C.S. Lewis is a retelling of the Psyche myth.
Did you hear that there is a 6th Hitchhiker’s book? And Another Thing… is written by Eoin Colfer (who writes Artemis Fowl).
The Miss Julia series by Ann B Ross is delightfully light-hearted and laugh-out-loud funny, as are the Stephanie Plum books by Janet Evanovich.
I’ll be bookmarking this post for my next trip to the library!!!
Okay, for straight fluff, you need to read all of the Lee Child books. You will fall in love with Jack Reacher (the main character).
For fluff/literature, read “Belong to Me” by Marisa De los Santos.
The Maisie Dobbs books by Jacqueline Winspear are wonderful if you like period pieces and mystery. I’m pretty sure there are 7 books in this series. They are all on Kindle too if I remember correctly.
Also, all of Jaqueline Mitchard’s books are wonderful. Some of them are a bit racy, but since you tagged this post with “panties”, I don’t think you’ll mind!!
I also agree with the Outlander series suggestion. These books are all about 1000 pages each, but the story is amazing.
Enjoy your reading!!
Amy is a girl after my own heart…I second all her recommends and add…
I LOVE REACHER. Just read 61 days and this series never falters—-I usually tap out of series at about book three series because they go stale on me, but Reacher is awesome. AWESOME. Read in order for maximum pleasure, though most stand alone just fine. I also rec the series books by Michael Connelly and Laura Lippman —they have stayed fresh and yummy, and PS Lippman’s stand alones are on my keeper shelves forever—if you want an excellent place to start, I pick What The Dead Know. It’s currently my favorite, although this is probably because I just reread it.
Marisa de los Santos is a poet, and it SHOWS in her language. Her books are GORGEOUS, each sentence is a sparkly pleasure, but she isn’t afraid of plot and her books are page turners. You will like, Gray, trust meh. A+++ would read again.
Goodness me, Jack Reacher is the most dreamy man I have ever encountered in a book probably in my whole life! He is just amazing.
Also, Michael Connelly has a character, Harry Bosch, who is probably one of the most decent men ever to be written about. He has this line,”Either everybody counts or nobody counts” that I just love.
Marisa de los Santos stole my heart with “Belong to Me”. I have “Love Walked In” to start just as soon as I finish my book club book (which I wouldn’t recommend to anyone, yuck) and then of course my very new copy of “Backseat Saints”!!
I’ll third the Lee Child recommendation. Reacher is like CRACK — and I have Joshilyn to thank for originally turning me on to those books, so THANKS!
What else? Well, I love Mary George’s historical novels, in particular I enjoyed the Memoirs of Cleopatra and Mary, Called Magdalene. I dived into both of those books and they enveloped me like cool water. Reading the Magdalene one, I nearly missed my bus stop every day because I fell so deep into the book. And it wasn’t a long bus ride. Ooh, and also in historical fiction, Sena Jeter Naslund’s “Abundance.” It’s about Marie Antoinette and it’s so rich and fascinating.
If you haven’t read the Stieg Larsson books, I just finished the third one and they are SO good, completely riveting. Lisbeth Salander is a character for the ages.
For mysteries, I like Elizabeth George’s Inspector Lynley novels. They’re meaty but not overly taxing.
Outlander Series is wonderful! The Amelia Peabody books by (argh… blind spot in the brain) are ok, but when the kids grow up and are portagonists they get really good!!) Cannot recommend highly enough anything by Laurie R. King, especially her Mary Russell books. Just snapped up the newest last night and it is WONDERFUL!!!! I have read and reread hers many times. Her modern books are every bit as good as the period stuff. For “cozy” mystery, Carolyn Haines and the “bones” series.
I have to second the Carol Goodman book recs (Lake of Dead Languages is my personal favorite), as well as the Outlander series. One of my recent favorites is Bloodroot by Amy Greene. Set in Appalachia, it follows the stories of three generations of women tied together by a supposed family curse. This book is, in a word, beautiful. One of those books whose haunting descriptions and perfect phrasing makes you ask out loud “HOW did the author come up with this?”
Ok, I am de-lurking to 1) absolutely second the recommendations for The Help by Kathryn Stockett (DID NOT want it to end) and the Stieg Larsson series and 2) thank you for starting this because I am always looking for recommendations and thanks to you I now have a very very long list!
“Priceless” and “Brilliant” (I can never remember which is the first novel and which is the sequel) by Marne Davis Kellog. It’s got a great lead character who you will absolutely fall in love with. Aaaand…she’s a jewel thief!
I have just discovered Adriana Trigiani. I am a recorded books fiend, so I am “listening” rather than “reading,” though I’m not sure the difference. Anyway, loved Lucia, Lucia (wonderful details about Italian culture in the 50s and also about fashion). I am now listening to Rococo, which is about an Italian male interior designer (not gay that I can tell so far), in New Jersey, in 1970. The period details are just delicious, and it is read by a guy (sorry can’t remember his name) who gets the Jersey sound just perfect – not Goodfellas, not Jersey Shore, a little more refined, but still Jersey. Peppered with funny and so beautifully drawn characters, I have chuckled out loud a few times, not because it’s a comedy, but I can almost see the people as though I’m watching a movie. Trigiani uses words like paint on canvas, her metaphors are so lovely and lush and rich, and yet not over the top. I am delighting in this little book and I know I’ll not want it to end . . . I will be looking for her other writings, no question.
Oh, and I did read the Outlander series and adored it, but again, I “listened” with an amazing narrator who did all the beautiful Scottish accents and really brought the characters to life. Same with the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters and the Nevada Barr series about Anna Pigeon (both read by Barbara Rosenblat, who is so skilled at both English and American accents that I really have no idea what her native accent is).
Hi Gray,
Have you noticed how many “Amy’s” you have commenting here? I’m new – I read FFP becuase I’m a friend of Kira’s but I enjoy all of the posts by you gals.
For fun, Sharyn McCrumb can’t be beat – just the titles alone are fab. Elizabeth George writes the best, twisty, get-in-your-head, turny English mysteries out there. Susan Howach and Anya Seton are both old favorites. Miss Fannie Flagg will make you laugh out loud. But of course, you’ve read Ms. Flagg so this suggesion is moot. Ummm, let me see….if you haven’t read Mary Webb’s “Precious Bane” it is a lovely tale. Finally, I picked up a book in the Atlanta airport called “Little Bee.” I was unable to put it down for the four hours it took to fly from there to Los Angeles and finished it in that time. If I hadn’t I would have sat in the LAX terminal until I did.
Hope my recommendations spark something for you as I love, love, love to have someone read a book I’ve told them about and enjoy it.
BTW, I’ve bought “Good Omens” at least 6 times and have given it away as many – I have to buy it again as it is a book I re-read all the time.
OMG are you in my head????
But I didn’t know about McCrumb–I’ll have to reserve those.
My favorite fluff is anything by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Jennifer Cruisie, or Lani Diane Rich.
I also love all of Sarah Addison Allen’s books- she is like a southern Alice Hoffman. Love Alice Hoffman.
Love, love, love Marisa de Los Santos. She is one of those authors who I wish had more novels so I could read them.
Also love Tana French (start with In The Woods) and Kate Atkinson (start with Case Histories) more in the vein of Tartt. And have you ever read Sarah Dunant? She is famous for her fabulous period novels (In the Company of the Courtesan, for example), but her contemporary Mapping The Edge had me on the edge of my seat. So good!
If you like British fluff try Madeleine Wickham.
And I know you said you have read all of dreamy Neil Gaiman,but I can’t hp putting my 2 cents in for my favorites by him: The Graveyard Book and Stardust. Man that guy can write!
Argh! So many awesome book suggestions, and making me need to say more! The Eyre Affair, and all subsequent novels in the series, by Jasper Fforde – these are a hoot. Imagine a secret literature detective force to combat all crimes against literature, set in England, with a Doug Adams-type humor.
Speaking of Douglas Adams, I think his Dirk Gently books are even better than the hitchikers series. Plus, “The Long Dark Teatime of the Soul” is one of myfavorite titles for a book ever. I can’t bear that he is gone. I just can’t.
Jill W — our tastes intersect quite a bit.
For some more Southern stuff—
Try Susan Rebecca White or Kathryn Stockett. Both awesome.
loved, loved, loved The Help;)
I completely forgot to mention Lee Smith and Margaret Maron. Couldn’t do without either of these in my library.
@ Joshilyn- I read and loved The Help, and A Soft Place to Land is on my “to read” list.
. I always welcome your suggestions. I start to feel all hivey if I don’t have at least 10 books lined up to read.
I see no one has mentioned the Flavia DeLuce novels by Alan Bradley, so I’ll toss ‘em in. Mystery series, set in postwar English village, written for adults but the heroine/detective is a precocious 11-year-old girl with an interest in poisons. Fabulous and fun. First one (in paperback now, I think) is called The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie; second is The Weed That Strings the Hangman’s Bag, and there’s a third coming soon. I can’t wait.
For YA fantasy: Shannon Hale. I just finished her Book of a Thousand Days and loved it. Her first book, The Goose Girl, is set in the same world. She has a gift for fantasy world-building that feels real and doesn’t make you want to tear your hair out keeping track of imaginary places, and for smart, grounded, kind, heroines who triumph over fairy-tale-scale awfulness using common sense and grit. (She’s written some adult novels too, but I haven’t read them.)
More YA (realistic, mostly): Anything by E. Lockhart, but especially The Disreputable History of Frankie Landau-Banks. Should be required reading for every 15-year-old girl in the Western world. Funny and wicked smart.
Also seconding The Hunger Games series. It is highly addictive, though; prepare for late nights.
p.s. Glad the Stelara is working!
Hope Was Here- Joan Bauer. . .told in first person, snappy voice. Loved it.
Among the Hidden series- Margaret Peterson Haddix–short but GREAT READS.
The River Between Us- Richard Peck (actually, ANYTHING by Richard Peck)
The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney- Suzanne Harper, YA fantasy ghost story with a twist.