Read any good books lately? Tell us all about them!
Every once in a while, I like to take the Wednesday Question away from beauty and chat about books. I love doing this because it always gives me great ideas for future books to read, and I hope it does for you, too! I recently re-read Wonder by R.J. Palacio (probably my favorite YA ever). And now I'm gearing up to read Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Years of Pilgrimage by Haurki Murakami, which was just translated and released in the US last month.
These aren't particularly new, but recently I've read Barbara Kingsolver's High Tide in Tucson (essays on all kinds of subjects) and Jane Smiley's Moo (that last one is the funniest campus satire I've read since Straight Man by Richard Russo). And the best book I've read in years was Wolf Hall, by Hilary Mantel. The follow-up, Bring Up the Bodies, was almost as good. The third volume of her Cromwell trilogy is due out next year, and I can't wait!
ReplyDeleteOh how I adore Barbara Kingsolver! I'll have to check that out, for sure. Thank you for the other great ideas as well--especially the campus satires. Mr. G could really use a good one right about now. Are you a professor as well? :)
DeleteNo, I stopped after the master's degree and got a corporate job (what was I thinking?!!!) but having been a graduate assistant, I had a front-row seat for all the academic politics--and both Russo and Smiley have a field day with that in their novels: both are LOL-funny. Mr. G would enjoy either or both, I'm sure!
DeleteAaah, gotcha! :) I told Mr G about both, and I think he's ordering on Amazon now. Lol!
DeleteNot any good books, but I had to read Alice in Wonderland for my young & adult lit class. It was interesting to read it, and then we had a speaker who is a huge Alice fan and give some interesting insight behind Charles Dodgson. This was my first time reading Alice and it was interesting yet very very confusing.
ReplyDeleteI think I had to read it for a children's lit class many moons ago, and I remember being completely floored by the complexities of the story (filed with logical fallacies, etc.). I totally agree--reading it from an adult's perspective is quite challenging. Glad you got through it!
DeleteGreat question, G! Ok so I have three good ones I just read within the past month:
ReplyDelete1- Carsick by John Waters. He hitch hiked from Baltimore to San Francisco and he writes about the people who picked him up. Very good and funny.
2- The Disaster Artist by Greg Sestero. This is written by one of the actors in the movie "The Room" which has been deemed the "best worst movie ever made". If you have never seen or heard of "The Room", Google it. I watched the movie first then read this book. It was excellent. You will not be disappointed!
3- Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. I am just about done with this one, but it is a real page turner. It's about a murder at a Kindergarten Trivia Night. The author doesn't reveal who was murdered yet, but is leading up to it through three character's back stories.
I like to read a variety of non-fiction and fiction. I usually do more non-fiction but then every once in awhile throw in some fiction.
Carsick sounds very good to me! I know I'm not G but I'm gonna take that suggestion :)
DeleteI agree with Ashley! I looooove John Waters and must read this book! Actually, now I want to read all three :) Thanks for the great recs, Carol.
DeleteI'll recommend Outlander by Diana Gabaldon. Starz new series Outlander is based on it and I have being revisiting the entire book series because there are like 12 books (there are more than that) and it was first released late 1999s.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info, Diana! Will check it out!
DeleteJust finished Gone Girl. Sooo good.
ReplyDeleteOohll. I literally just started reading 'Gone Girl'. On page 30 or so. Can't wait to get deeper into it!! -Terese
DeleteOh yeah, Gone Girl was excellent. Read it last year when it came out. Anxious to see how the movie turns out. I did read that they changed the ending for the movie so we'll see. Books are usually better than the movies anyway!
DeleteAaaaah, I need to read this before the movie!
DeleteJust finished The Shining and Dr. Sleep its sequel by Stephan King. Loved! Also Rot and Ruin by Jonathon Maberry. Young adult zombie story with a lot of heart. My all time favorite book is Fight Club.
ReplyDeleteLove The Shining forever and always (and everything by Chuck P.).
DeleteI just recently read a book called Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell. It's a YA book about a college girl whose still in love with a book/movie series that she grew up with. It's an interesting novel that seems like it could actually happen in real life. I'd definitely recommend anything by Rainbow Rowell!
ReplyDeleteSounds interesting! Thanks for the rec!
DeleteIt's funny, because when you interviewed me for your reader series, I'd just finished a great book by Seanan McGuire, and I just read another amazing book from her, The Winter Long. Urban fantasy, just stellar!
ReplyDeleteI'm reading Sparrow Hill Road :D The Winter Long is on my list to get, but there are no (new book) bookstores where I live so I have to wait for the library to get it :(
DeleteWhy does it warm my heart that two longtime readers like the same author? #bookgeek
DeleteNot to be a total cliche, but The Fault In Our Stars. I hope you haven't seen the movie because as usual the book is better (to be fair though the movie was one of the best adaptations of a book I've ever seen). I read a TON of books and very few stick with me over time but that one, ugh, it just kills me.
ReplyDeleteAlso: My two all-time favorite books are The Art of Racing In The Rain and The Time Traveler's Wife. If you haven't read those you need to. I refuse to re-read books but those are the exception to the rule.
I just finished 'The Fault on Our Stars' also. Cliché or not.....that book was EXCELLENT!! Loved it. I still think about Augustus and Hazel Grace. Looking forward to seeing the movie! -Terese
DeleteI will have to check out your all time favs. I haven't seen the 'The Time Traveler's Wife' yet so I will definitely read the book first. -Terese
DeleteI've resisted TFIOS for so long, but you two are about to make me cave! ;)
DeleteDesert Flower by Waris Dirie. It's the autobiography of a Somalian nomad who runs away and becomes a supermodel. She's also a UN special ambassador for FGM. I strongly believe that every woman should read this.
ReplyDeleteI was just reading about this! Thanks so much for the rec. Definitely on my must list.
DeleteI'm reading right now Damien Echols and Lorri Davis' book called "A death row love story told in letters" and I'm enjoying it for sure. I don't know if you've ever heard of the west Memphis three but it's a very long story...anywho if you're interested in the story google some then read his first book "Life After Death" it's also very good but you must read it first :) Another book I'm reading (I have a terrible attention span so I read a couple books at a time lol) is called "Folklore, Myths, and Legends A World Perspective" by Donna Rosenberg. It's a bunch of short stories of...well the title says it all! I'm enjoying reading a few a day...but I really love legends, myths and folklore ;)
ReplyDeleteAshley, I have read everything about Damien Echols. I've seen every documentary too. His story is unbelievable!
DeleteAshley, I had to read your comment to Mr G. When I was done, he said, "Oh if she only knew." We were both obsessed with the WM3 case and have probably watched all three parts of the HBO documentary 100 times. I have not yet read any of Damien's books but they're definitely on my list. Thanks for the rec!
DeleteBtw, did you watch the WM3 movie starring Reese Witherspoon? It wasn't as good as I had hoped, but still worth a watch if you were a follower of the case.
G, I, too, am obsessed with the WM3. I've never heard of a movie made about them with actors in it. What is the title of it?
DeleteHey Carol--it's called Devil's Knot and it came out last year. I paid for it when it was on-demand through my cable company, but I don't know if it's on Netflix/Amazon as of yet. It's told through the perspective of one of the investigators--I was really hoping it was going to be told through one of the boys' perspectives. Reese is really good in it though--she plays Pam Hobbs.
DeleteHere's the IMDB page:
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0804463/?ref_=nm_flmg_act_6
Kind of off topic--I was talking to a friend of mine who's an actor in Hollywood (not name-dropping, I promise!) before the movie came out and he was like, "I'm not watching this unless Jack White is cast as Damien." I about died because OMG WOULDN'T HE PERFECT? It could never have happened because I don't think he could have been made to look so much younger. But if they were to do a modern day movie about Damien, Jack White all the way! lol.
Omg! Haha no I had no idea! I feel like an idiot trying to "educate you" on something you probably know more than me on! But I definately recomend both books :) I haven't seen the movie with Reese in it but I have to say Jack would have been perfect! Hahaha I actually howled when I read that line...what a missed opertunity ;) I totally back jack! Ps...sorta off topic, have you heard his new album? It's divine!
DeleteI agree Carol, the story is just...unbelievable...I really like the second book they wrote because I've always been curious about Lorri because I could never find much info from her and her letters helped me "get to know her" (hope that didn't sound strange lol)
DeleteI read Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty last month, and honestly, it was okay. Not as good as I'd hoped but still worth a read.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite of the year is Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, but I've been reading the throne of Glass series recently (I'm on the 2nd book) and it might be in contention!
You're the second person to rec that book here! :) Thanks!
DeleteI'm in the middle of reading Someone by Alice McDermott and loving the beauty of her narrative about a woman's seemingly ordinary everyday life.
ReplyDeleteOh that sounds wonderful. Thank you for the rec, Lisette.
Deletethis is a great opportunity for me to plug my good friend Emmie Mears, who just had her first novel published by Harlequin. it's a tough one to describe, but it's fantastically entertaining! do yourself a favor and check out "The Masked Songbird." it's only available digitally, but it's worth a read!
ReplyDeleteYay for author plugs! :) Congrats to your friend!!! How exciting for her!
DeleteI've got tons of ideas to add to my to-read list. I just finished White Oleander and loved that. Recently finished Bill Bryson's book about the summer of 1927 (I love the 1920s), Now I'm reading Michael Pollan's Cooked and Vampires in the Lemon Grove by Karen Russell. I read Gone Girl last year. (I'm curious how they're changing the movie, because I hear the ending is going to be different.)
ReplyDeleteCan you believe they are changing the ending for the movie? I hate it when they do that. I liked the way the book ended. Why do movies always seem to "ruin" books?
DeleteI like the 1920s too, so I'll have to check out that Bill Bryson book. ;)
YES! I just finished a (so far) trilogy by indy author Keith Houghton; Killing Hope, Crossing Lines and Taking Liberty. Once you learn to ignore the grammatical errors, especially in the first one, these book are freakin awesome! I'm more than sure there will be a 4th one in the series. I'm currently reading Jigsaw by Ed McBain.
ReplyDeleteI'm currently reading All The Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr. It's about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France during World War ll. Next on my list is Festive In Death by JD Robb. I'm a mystery buff and l love her "Death" series.
ReplyDeleteI just discovered an author named Sarah Rayne. I'm almost finished with her book "The Silence" - very spooky and engrossing ghost story. I would definitely recommend it. I'm going to read "Property of a Lady" next. I would also recommend "The Virgin Cure" by Ami McKay and "Mistborn: The Final Empire" by Brandon Sanderson. I love book recommendations - thanks, everyone!
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