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Books

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:44 am
by naturegirl
The last book I read was Middlesex by Jeffrey Euphenides- what a great storyteller! Any suggestions for another great read while I'm in St John in November. There are so many mediocre books and I want to make sure I have a couple of GREAT ones to read there to make my trip absolutely enjoyable!

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:47 am
by mbw1024
Where's Liamsaunt when you need her? ;)
I'm in such a dry spell with books at the moment myself I'm not much help!

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:54 am
by flip-flop
I just finished "Into the Wild" by Jon Krakauer which I very much enjoyed. He also wrote "Into Thin Air" which was about an expedition to Mt Everest that went very wrong. His style is very journalistic and quick. I read it in a weekend, mostly on a plane.

I am currently reading "The Doctor's Wife" by Elizabeth Brundage. It started out fairly slowly but now is rolling. I am about 1/2 way through & enjoying it.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 9:58 am
by naturegirl
I read both Into the Wild and Into thin air long ago-both very good books.

One of my favorite, amusing, all around wonderful book from another great storyteller is "A walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson. Short but fantastic read! You will laugh out loud! Can be embarassing if you are in a confined space with strangers!!!

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:09 am
by PA Girl
I agree with the laugh out loud assessment of A Walk in the Woods. Neither Here nor There is another good, funny Bryson book. I have a paperback copy I would be happy to drop in the mail to you. PM me if you would like it. (I seriously need to clear off the bookshelf and don't want it back.)

I also read Into the Wild and Into Thin Air and enjoyed both. Another Kraukauer book that is very interesting is Under the Banner of Heaven. It is not light reading but I found the subject manner very interesting.

I just finished Driving Over Lemons by Chris Stewart about his life in Spain. Funny and interesting.

I am reading Don't Lets Go to the Dogs Tonight by Alexandra Fuller. Sort of depressing but well written.

My reading list for the next trip includes Me and My Beloved Virgin and Night of the Silent Drums.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 10:09 am
by Eric in NJ
Nelson Demille's "Wild Fire" Good read.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 12:30 pm
by jayseadee
If you're interested in light and laugh out loud funny, try Bitter is the new Black or Bright Lights, Big Ass by Jen Lancaster.

Gone Baby Gone by Dennis Lehane is my next one; want to read the book before seeing the movie.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:01 pm
by ScubaGirl
I just finished My Sister's Keeper and The Pact by Jodi Picoult. They were both good vacation reading.

I'm keeping the Plain Truth, and The Tenth Circle and nineteen minutes for my November trip.

Sydney

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:32 pm
by nothintolose
I am with NatureGirl - A Walk in the Woods has to be one of my all time favorite books. Into Thin Air is another favorite too.

Don't have any recommendations for light reading right now. Just finished Chris Rose's updated version of his One Dead in the Attic. Believe it or not, I actually laughed out loud at some of his stories.

Think I am gonna start The Kite Runner next. I am so behind the times on what is new out there. I still want to go back and read all of the classics I was supposed to read growing up.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:34 pm
by FlaGeorge
I’ve read both Into Thin Air and Into the Wild – both great books. Others that I like were the The Da Vinci Code and Angles & Demons – both of these I couldn’t put down.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 3:41 pm
by LysaC
The Kite Runner was VERY good. No bells & whistles, no fireworks, just a good story. But sad.

For light reading, try the Janet Evanovich Stepahnie Plum series. Metro Girl was pretty good too.

I just read In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick. This is a recount of the doomed Nantucket whaleship that inspired Moby Dick. Philbricks account is based on journals and writings of the surviving crew members. Lotsa whaleship history, Nantucket history, amazing survival story.

I also just finished Lisey's Story by Stephen King. It's quirky and icky like Stephen King should be but is also a very touching love story. I liked it!

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:35 pm
by sailorgirl
I took, "An Embarassment of Mango's". A travelouge about a couple who ditched it all and went sailing in the islands for 2 years.

Also, Ophrah's newest selection ( I know Oprah can be lame sometimes but in my defense Ive had the book on the night stand for a while anyway) "Love in the Time of Cholera" Gabreil Marquez.

When all else fails I love to take Vanity Fair magazine. Its great beach reading. Not taxing and the articles are just long enough.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:43 pm
by sapphirecat
Shadow Divers is appropriate and very interesting. It's about hunting WWII sub wrecks.

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 4:51 pm
by Neeners
Recently I read "Water for Elephants: by Sara Gruen. It was one that I couldn't put down. I read it in two nights.

If you like extremely light chick lit books, PM me. I've read way too many of them :D .

Posted: Tue Oct 16, 2007 5:17 pm
by naturegirl
PA Girl- I think I have another Neither Here nor Thereon my bookshelf somewhere. I think I started to read it and then never finished it. But thank you so much for the offer. Unfortunately, if I am not totally taken in by a book in the first few chapters, I kind of drop it for another. I don't have much patience and Life is to short for mediocre books particularly when I have dozens of other books on the bookshelf that I keep buying hoping to read them one day. How does it rate compared to A Walk in the Woods? I pretty much read 3-5 books at any time, mostly on food and nutrition which is my passion and (my business) but when I'm on vacation I try to read purely for pleasure.
It's funny that many of us read the same books and maybe tomorrow or this weekend when I have more time I will list all of them here and we can vote on our fav's. In the meantime, let the recommendations continue!