What books do you read on island?

liamsaunt · Post by **liamsaunt** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:35 am

I could have sworn that we already did a thread on this, but I am not coming up with anything when I search.

I am looking for recommendations for books to read while we are on island. We are going for 20 days so I need lots of suggestions! I read really fast, and spend lots of time reading while on St. John. I need to get the selections soon since I am going to ship the books down to me in advance rather than hauling them all down with us in our already overstuffed luggage. So, what books have you all read and enjoyed? I like everything except romance and science fiction/fantasy. I'll admit that I probably won't be reading War and Peace on the beach either...

To get things started, here is a list of books I have really enjoyed reading while on island:

A Trip to the Beach, Bill and Melinda Blanchard
Desiring Paradise, Karin Schlesinger
Possible Side Effects, Augusten Burroughs
Don't Stop the Carnival, Herman Wouk
Heat, Bill Buford
A Walk in the Woods, Bill Bryson
The Making of a Chef, Michael Ruhlman

So far, this year's book box contains:

Glass Bottom Days, Willie Wilson
St. John People
St. John: Off the Beaten Path (I've never read this! I don't know why)
Beneath a Marble Sky, John Shors
The Feast of Roses, Indu Sundaresan
Nineteen Minutes, Jodi Picoult

I need about 10 more books. Thanks in advance for your suggestions!

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:39 am

have you read the Janet Evanovich series? I fly through these books. Funny.

I am reading a book now that I am enjoying. It is called The Sunday Wife by Cassandra King. Previously read Same Sweet Girls also by her.

Also love Dorothea Benton Frank.

flip-flop · Post by **flip-flop** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 11:46 am

I agree with Mary Beth about Janet Evanovich's series. Very quick fun reads.

I also adore Sue Graphton's A-Z mystery series (I think she's up to S). A is for Alibi. etc.

If you can't tell I like a light mystery.

If you are looking for more serious books, Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini is amazing. I also enjoyed Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls. (She is a gossip columnist for MSNBC but writes about her very difficult childhood with basically gypsie parents, her mother is homeless to this day).

I am in a book club and we have this one coming up - I haven't read it yet but it looks very interesting...
Brazzaville Beach.
http://www.amazon.com/Brazzaville-Beach ... 0380780496.

Thanks for starting this thread. I am always on the lookout for good Summer/Pool/Beach/STJ reads. Though the days of endless reading are replaced by "MOM, LOOK AT THIS and waaaaaaaaaaaa" for now.

silverheels · Post by **silverheels** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:16 pm

When I'm on island I love to read the Nora Roberts trilogies, especially those written with a setting in Ireland. I'm not really a fan of Janet E. but will read anything I can get my hands on. Just finished reading Doris K. Goodwins book on Lincoln and the new Madeline Albright book. I'm a history/politics junkie so some of my reading gets a little heavy. Have you read "Secret Lives of Bees?" It's one of my favorite books. If you go to Skinny Legs they have a used book case. It would save sending down so many books. I have a library card so when I'm there for an extended period of time I use the library. Not sure if they still have a selection of paperbacks for 25 cents but you might want to try that.

mbw1024 · Post by **mbw1024** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:21 pm

I read "bee's" and loved it. monk's chair by same author was good too. but bees much better.

ScubaGirl · Post by **ScubaGirl** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:46 pm

Have you read the Outlander Series? Not an easy read, but good and very looooooong. 7 books now?

Sydney

PA Girl · Post by **PA Girl** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:52 pm

Tales of St. John and Pete Muhlenburg's Adrift on a Sea of Blue Light are fun, breezy reads if you haven't read them.

Augusten's Magical Thinking is good.

Peter Mayle's books about life as an expat in France are entertaining.

Betty · Post by **Betty** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 12:54 pm

One of my favorite current books is Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See, it was excellent, I passed it on to my teen daughter and she loved it too!

Laura T · Post by **Laura T** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:27 pm

Scuba Girl - I was going to mention the Outlander series. I loved these - they are long (about 1200 pages), but I thought they went fast. Liamsaunt - not sure if these would be a good fit for you or not - they definitely have the romance element - and while not "fantasy" per se, you have to buy-in to a key element of the book, which is unrealistic. The books are written by Diana Galbadon. The first book is Outlander. I think the second is Dragonfly in Amber. There are literally thousands of reviews for these on Amazon.com (but be forewarned, a lot of the reviews give away a lot of the plot).

I also agree with Flip Flop. Kite Runner and Glass Castles are two of my recent favorites.

Twenty days...sigh....so jealous!

nothintolose · Post by **nothintolose** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:40 pm

I LOVED "A Walk in The Woods"...laughed my a$$ off so many times during that book - may bring it to read again.

Flip-Flop - just bought "The Kite Runner" - didn't know if I'd want to read that while on island though - just want something easy. What do you think?

Wish the last Harry Potter was out for the trip but it won't be - those books are AWESOME!!!!

nothintolose

howie's sunshine · Post by **howie's sunshine** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 1:41 pm

I read only Danielle Steel. she is my most fav. and I also read alot of mary higgin clark .

cindy

silverheels · Post by **silverheels** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:00 pm

I loved Peter Mulhenbugs book. A good read especially if you've ever sailed on Breath. Has anyone read the Shopaholic books? A fun light read!

Laura T · Post by **Laura T** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:17 pm

nothingtolose - Kite Runner is not an "easy" read - there are some disturbing parts and not necessarily uplifting. It is a true story. I liked the book, but it is not light - and may or may not be good beach reading depending on what you like.

liamsaunt · Post by **liamsaunt** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 2:39 pm

Lots of great suggestions so far, thanks!
I have read the Kite Runner. Amazing! (It's a novel though, not a true story FYI, LauraT.) Nothintolose, I don't think I'd read it on St. John. It is beautifully written, but very, very sad.

I will second the recommendation for Glass Castle. I loaned that book to a bunch of people, and everyone loved it.

I am with you on Harry Potter, NTL! John actually talked about changing our trip dates so we could read it on island!

Silverheels, thanks for mentioning the shopaholic series. I haven't read the newest one--can't get much frothier than those books.

Now I am off to amazon to check out all the books you guys recommended. Keep the suggestions coming!

nothintolose · Post by **nothintolose** » Mon Apr 02, 2007 3:01 pm

Thanks for the recommendations for the Kite Runner to stay at home.

Liamsaunt - seems like every time we head to STJ, a new Harry Potter is being released and it is ALWAYS after we return )O:

A light but funny read is "Plane Insanity" by Elliot Hester written by a flight attendant that tells stories of things that happen while in the air.

Even though I HATE flying, I liked this book.

nothintolose

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