Books I have liked: Life of Pi Razor's Edge Time Traveller's Wife I'm looking for books that aren't too easy too read, but not too hard. For example, Razor's Edge was an awesome read because his words flowed so well, the author has some serious writing skills. Also, I'm not interested in Dan Brown books or vampire books or children's books and neither Harry Potter or Twighlight books. I'm looking for books that can enlighten me, make me feel refreshed and where I can say myself, "wow that was a good book". I researched around the net and I thought these were interesting. Anyone read them already and would like to provide their input? pride and prejudice and zombies lovely bones the shack the last lecture outliers final crisis I'd prefer fiction, but if it's a good non-fiction book, I'll read it. Thanks!
Just a few very entertaining/thought provoking books I enjoy- Cat's Cradle - Kurt Vonnegut (anything by him really) My Friend Leonard - James Frey The Stranger - Albert Camus Confederacy of Dunces - John K. Toole The Unbearable Lightness of being - Milan Kundera edit: wanted to add: The Plot Against America - Phillip Roth and Jesus' Son - Denis Johnson
Just finished The Road by Cormac McCarthy. pretty ****ing disturbing a brief discription Cormac McCarthy’s tenth novel, The Road, is his most harrowing yet deeply personal work. Some unnamed catastrophe has scourged the world to a burnt-out cinder, inhabited by the last remnants of mankind and a very few surviving dogs and fungi. The sky is perpetually shrouded by dust and toxic particulates; the seasons are merely varied intensities of cold and dampness. Bands of cannibals roam the roads and inhabit what few dwellings remain intact in the woods.
I'll second final's Vonnegut recommendation. Cats Cradle is great (but short). I found his books both light and easy to read, and deep and thought provoking at the same time. I'm currently reading Conspiracy of Fools -- which is non-fiction, but reads like fiction. I think it's really well done --especially if you're into business and understand a bit about SEC and accounting rules. Plus it's set in Houston, and you may have heard the of the players involved .
Yeah, I've only read that book twice. What can I say, I have an Enron fetish. What else can I do but feed it?
Avoid the Lovely Bones. The ending blew serious chunks. The best book I've read the past 5 years is Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. The tale is amazing, and the writing is beautiful. It's a dark, haunting tale set in Barcelona in the 50's. Other notables: The Book Thief - Markus Zusak (phenomenal book about a girl growing up in Munich with a foster family during WWII. It's a travesty that it's classified as young adult) The Historian - Elizabeth Kostova (you mentioned beautiful writing style, and Ms. Kostova's writing is lush and gorgeous. It's also a very interesting tale. Imagine Dracula meets Memento set in vintage European settings) Johnathan Strange & Mr. Norrell - Susanna Clarke (this is where adult Harry Potter fans should go. The Jane Austen style takes a bit to get used to, but the story is amazing. An alternate history set in 19th century England and featuring 2 magicians and faerie magic) Pastwatch - Orson Scott Card (Card's best novel about Christopher Columbus, and if we could go back and change time, should we) Water for Elephants - Sara Gruen (A traveling circus in the Depression, and the story is told really well) Speaks the Nighbird - Robert McCammon (the first book of a series chronicalling an American Sherlock Holmes. It's a gritty story, but is a very lushly told tale. Sometimes this first book is split into 2 paperbacks. The third book comes out in January. Each book is a self-contained story, but McCammon clearly has a direction for the whole series) Pillars of the Earth - Ken Follet (An addictive, epic book about the construction of a cathedral in 11th century England. The sequel is just as good, but you don't need to read it to enjoy PotE.
Follet made his reputation (well deserved) writing superb thrillers. For entertainment, try Eye of the Needle (made into a great flick!), The Key to Rebecca, and Lie Down with Lions. The last takes place in the early '80's, mostly in Afghanistan during the Russian invasion, so it is especially topical. A terrific historical novel, and first in a series, is The Last Kingdom, by Bernard Cornwell. I thought of this novel last night while reading about the huge find of Anglo-Saxon treasure in north-central England that was just reported. Cornwell is one of the best of the genre.
good list. I would also recommend: Trainspotting by Irvine Welsh Catch-22 by Joseph Heller Jitterbug Perfume by Tom Robbins Everything's Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer Atonement by Ian McEwan Perfume by Patrick Suskind The World According to Garp by John Irving
