Favorite books, bump when you read a good book |
Favorite books, bump when you read a good book |
Jan 10 2009, 11:12 AM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
Have you read any good books recently? Here's a roundup of my favorites that I read in 2008:
General fiction The Gone-Away World In the near future, much of the world has been rendered unhabitable, thanks to the effects of a great war and some unusual weaponry. Human society limps along in a narrow Livable Zone. Then the pipeline keeping that area stable catches on fire. Uh oh. A dark, comic, conspiracy-laden, epic debut that unfolds slowly in unexpected directions. Plenty of plot twists kept me involved in the story. Pirates? ninjas?? mimes??? It's a love-it-or-hate-it book, and I'm firmly in the love-it camp. The Art of Racing in the Rain Enzo, a lab-terrier mix and the narrator of this novel, is the companion of Denny, a struggling mechanic/racer. Enzo is a wise and philosophical dog who hopes to be reincarnated as a human (he saw a documentary on tv that suggested this was possible). In the meanwhile, he is a steadfast friend to Denny and Denny's family, and is witness to some of the darkest times in Denny's life. It's hard to describe this book without making it sound like a melodramatic mess, but it's an emotional, compelling look at the human--and canine--condition. (Edit: forgot the following) Last Night at the Lobster Manny is the conscientious manager of a Connecticut Red Lobster. He's committed to his job and should be the envy of any corporate restaurant chain. Despite his efforts, however, he's been informed that his location is performing below expectations and will be closed. He wants to have a great last day and lock the restaurant up with some sense of dignity and accomplishment. But fate intervenes in the form of a northeastern blizzard, keeping much of his crew from coming in and making customers few and far between. This novella deals with the mundane, but provides rich characters, good dialogue, and a pitch-perfect feeling of everyday life. |
Apr 11 2009, 01:11 PM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 195 Joined: 30-May 08 Member No.: 793 |
This is my second time responding to this thread. It would be really scary if I ever became technologically savvy. As it is, I stay mildly confused.
The book suggestions are wonderful! You've really enhanced my reading. Thanks everyone. I have a couple of suggestions that weren't mentioned. They were my favorite reads for this year. The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. This is about the 1893 Chicago World Fair. Great book! Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. This is about the circus during the Depression. Another great book. And last, The Power of One (I can't remember the author's last name; and I've loaned it to someone.) Probably my favorite book for the year. It is about a white boy growing up in Africa. It begins during WWII. The first 50 pages are brutal reading; but then it is wonderful! I also want to mention books by Jodi Picoult. Wonderful writer. Her books all deal with social issues. She explores all sides of the issue. Good reading. |
Apr 14 2009, 09:16 AM
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Advanced Member Group: Members Posts: 336 Joined: 26-April 08 Member No.: 787 |
The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. This is about the 1893 Chicago World Fair. Great book! Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen. This is about the circus during the Depression. Another great book. I'm excited to read both of those, but they've been checked out constantly. Very popular I've heard nothing but wonderful things about Jodi Picoult too. I don't think she's ever gotten a bad review. Generally, I don't like hot-topic "issue" books, but I do like psychological stories, unreliable narrators, and books with a twist... What book do you think I should start with? |
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