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Books
I Recommend
Jump
to a genre:
Serious
Novels
- Bel
Canto (Patchett) Guerillas take hostage a dinner party. During
the ensuing months of captivity, the party guests become friends
with each other and with some of their captors. The magic is how
well you know each character by the end--heck, by the end of the
first 20 pages.
- Crow
Lake (Lawson) A wonderfully written novel that keeps you reading
beyond your bedtime. Mary Lawson uncannily pegs people's emotions
and reactions to uncomfortable situations.
- The
Other Side of the Bridge (Lawson)As soon as I finished Crow
Lake, I looked to see what Ms Lawson had written next. This book
is as good if not better than her first.
- The
Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime (Haddon) An autistic
15-year-old turns detective to find out who killed his neighbor's
dog. During his investigation he uncovers the emotional crisis
within his family, which he dutifully reports as he sees it.
- Saving
Fish from Drowning (Tan) Amy Tan tells the story via a woman
who is dead. It's a classic Amy tan book, but I was intrigued
because she got the inspiration for the book when she came across
examples of automatic writing that were dictated but I woman she
knew who had died.
- The
Hundred Secret Senses (Tan) A sad and heart-warming story
about the relationship between two half-sisters, one Chinese-American
and the other Chinese with "yin" eyes, who can see people
who have died.
- The
Joy Luck Club (Tan) Amy Tan's first novel about several Chinese-American
families and what it means to grow up Chinese in America.
- The
Bonesetter's Daughter (Tan) An immigrant Chinese woman writes
her life story before she loses her memory to Alzheimer's. Her
Chinese-American daughter reads this memoir and begins to repair
their often stormy relationship.
- The
Kitchen God's Wife (Tan) At this point, I would just repeat
myself. Sure, another story about Chinese mothers and Chinese-American
daughter's. But, if you like Amy Tan, this is another wonderul,
powerful, and tough story.
- The
Poisonwood Bible (Kingsolver)
I was spellbound. Africa, obsessive religion, the kinds of choices
you don't want to have to make. It's a big book and I couldn't
put it down.
- Atonement(McEwan)
Maybe you've seen the movie. I haven't. Don't want to ruin my
memories of the book. A story about a young girl who doesn't understand
what adults do and puts several lives, including her own, through
the wringer. Ian McEwan's novels are dark, but he's a master of
stripping characters to the bone.
- Amsterdam
(McEwan)
The characters in this novel aren't likable. Following them through
their ethical choices was like watching a well-written train wreck.
- Saturday
(McEwan)
A novel that describes the thoughts and actions of a neurosurgeon
for one day of his life. I enjoyed the medical detail as well
as the typical McEwan dissection of the characters' pscyhes.
- Kite
Runner (Hosseini)
I am in awe of the masterful first novel. Khaled Hosseini educates
us about the reality of Afghanistan through a story that is as
powerful and hearthbreaking as anything I've ever read. Don't
start reading it if you have any deadlines.
- A
Thousand Splendid Suns (Hosseini)
Another heart-wrenching story about the lives of women in Afghanistan.
- The
Echo Maker (Powers)
Richard Powers researched brain damage and closed head injuries
and then wrote a powerful novel that is chock full of fascinating
medical information. My only dissapointment was the very end,
but that shouldn't stop you from enjoying the rest.
- The
Patron Saint of Liars (Patchett)
This novel takes place in a home for unwed mothers. I can't say
I understood what was going on, but I can't stop myself from enjoying
the way Ann Patchett puts words together.
- The
Magician's Assistant (Patchett)
Sabine is the magician's assistant, married twenty years to a
magician knowing all along that he loves a man. I was mesmerized
(no pun intended) with the characters and her writing until the
end, which I didn't get.
- The
Comfort of Strangers (McEwan)
A dark and disturbing story that drew me to the end I was afraid
to read.
- The
Innocent (McEwan)
Another of Ian McEwan's dark, disturbing, and fabulously written
novels.
Nonfiction
- Seabiscuit:
An American Legend This
true story of the race horse, Seabiscuit, along with his owner,
trainer,and jockey, is one you won't be able to put down. Read
it even if you've seen the movie.
- Endurance
The
story of Shackleton's voyage to Antaractica. Better than any fictional
thriller.
- The
Places In Between (Stewart)
Rory Stewart's walk across Afghanistan, shortly after the exit
of the Taliban. A well-written if sometimes harrowing travelogue.
- A
Short History of Nearly Everything (Bryson) Read an entertaining
explanation of nearly every field of science and follow the exploits
of those whacky scientists through the centuries.
- The
Mother Tongue (Bryson)
The English language as spoken by the Brits. Full of anecdotes
about the etymology of words. For example, the word threshhold
originates from the wood across a doorway to hold the straw
(thresh) inside a room. Of course, he makes it interesting.
- Made
In America (Bryson)
The English language as spoken, mangled, mutilated, butchered,
and bastardized by the Americans.
- The
Opposite of Fate (Tan)
I've heard Any Tan speak twice and she is quite funny. This memoir
of her writing career is funny, emotional, sometimes painful.
I love the way her mind works.
- High
Tide in Tucson (Kingsolver)
I had to read each essay at least twice. I still don't know how
she travels so far in so few pages.
- Truck:
A Love Story (Perry)
A year in Michael Perry's life, in which he starts a garden, rebuilds
a 1949 International Harvester truck, and falls in love.
I'm
hooked on John McPhee. He makes any topic fascinating: orange gorwing,
the merchant marine, physics, geology, the Swiss Army, you name
it.
- Control
of Nature (McPhee)
Three parts: the attempts to control the Mississippi River (written
in the 70s), stopping a lava flow in Iceland, and trying to control
mud flows in California.
- Basin
and Range (McPhee)
Geology. Rocks. Who would think highways and their roadcuts were
the geologist's best tool?
- In
Suspect Terrain (McPhee)
More fascinating explanations of geology.
- Rising
from the Plains (McPhee)
Wyoming geology.
- Oranges
(McPhee)
Citrus. After reading this book, you'll know to keep the blossom
end of an orange for yourself.
From this and other McPhee books, you will
learn things you never imagined about topics you never imagined
were interesting.
- The
Pine Barrens (McPhee)
I know that parts of New Jersey are beautiful. If you don't, read
this book. Half the state is covered with verdant forest.
- Irons
in the Fire (McPhee)
Learn about brands and cattle rustling.
- The
Curve of Binding Energy (McPhee)
Physics made
interesting.
- Heirs
of General Practice
(McPhee)
A book about physicians who chose family practices in remote areas
of Maine over ever more minute and lucrative specialties in the
big cities.
- The
Crofter and the Laird (McPhee)
This book describes the lives of people who still farm and raise
sheep on a stark and stormy island in the Scottish Hebrides.
- Levels
of the Game (McPhee)
A behind the scenes look at tennis and the pros who played it.
- Giving
Good Weight (McPhee)
Farmers' markets.
Funny
and Twisted
OK,
so I'm addicted to funny crime novels. Stupid criminals. Smart criminals
who kill people in funny ways. It does'nt matter to me. I even fantasize
about writing one of my own. Here are my favorites.
- Hammerhead
Ranch Motel (Tim
Dorsey) I've fallen in love with Dorsey's serial killer, Serge
A. Storms. He's charming and kills people in creative ways that
Pete would have thought of had he fulfilled his dream of becoming
a hitman. This book brings characters together at the Hammerhead
Ranch Motel, much like the classic scene in The Good, The Bad,
and The Ugly. Look for more Dorsey entries as I work my way through
his novels.
- Triggerfish
Twist (Tim Dorsey) Serge buys a house and the block in his
neighborhood will never be the same. The good news is Serge protects
his good neighbors and once again comes up with fascinating ways
to punish the bad ones.
- Torpedo
Juice (Tim Dorsey) Serge falls in love and gets married.
Not the most cohesive of Dorsey's novels, but when you have a
crush on Serge you'll take whatever you can get.
- Big
Trouble (Dave Barry) Dave Barry's spoofs on topics like guys
and fitness are top-notch. This stupid criminal novel is right
up there, although I find the movie
made from the book even funnier (Tim Allen, Rene Russo, Tom Sizemore,
Stanley Tucci, Janeane Garofolo, et al).
- Double
Whammy (Hiaasen)
My introduction to Carl Hiaasen's stupid criminals. Near the beginning,
someone is buried in his bass fishing boat.
- Tourist
Season (Hiassen)
A guerilla group called Las Noches de Diciembre begin taking out
tourists in Florida.
- Lucky
You (Hiassen)
A not-so-well-organized militia attempts to find the other winning
lottery ticket, which JoLayne picked based on the dates that men
dumped her.
- Stormy
Weather (Hiassen)
This book combines a Florida hurricane, a former governor who
grabs roadkill for dinner, corrupt insurance agents (of course),
and sundry other entertaining characters.
- Skin
Tight (Hiassen)
No surprise, this book features a plastic surgeon who bungles
jobs, which doesn't go over so well with the Mafia.
- Native
Tongue (Hiassen)
Hiassen takes on environmentalists versus developers, which is
serious stuff, but the book is still hilarious.
- Strip
Tease (Hiassen)
The main character might sound trite, the stripper with a heart
of gold, but she's just one of the usual hordes of "interesting"
characters in a Hiassen novel.
- Cat's
Cradle (Vonnegut)
I recently reread this book from my college days and realized
I had forgotten how funny it is. Ice-9 and bokomuro, combined
souls by pressing the soles of your feet against someone else's.
Now bokononism is a religion to reckon with.
Fun
Novels
- Sight
Hound
(Houston) The story is told by one Irish Wolfhound who has lost
a leg to cancer, a girl Wolfhound who is a dog's dog, a cat who
complains about what he puts up with from the dogs, oh yeah, and
a couple of humans. Trust me, it's a keeper.
- A
Spot of Bother (Haddon) If you like British comedy, you will
enjoy this peek into day to day life for a raft of interwoven
lives.
- Julie
and Romeo (Ray) A middle-aged man and woman find themselves
in a romance, but their familes are feuding and their children
are determined to keep them apart.
- Straight
Man (Russo) A funny/serious look at the perils of life in
academia. My favorite scene is when the English department chair
threatens to kill a goose every day until the school approves
his budget.
- Special
Topics in Calamity Physics
(Pessl) The narrator is a birght young woman who tells her story
as if it were the curriculum for an English lit course. It even
has a final exam. Fun to read, but made me wish I had time to
read everything Marisha Pessl apparently has.
Travel
- Notes
from a Small Island (Bryson)
Read about Bill Bryson's travels around the British Isles. You
don't want to sit next to me when I reread this book. I laugh
out loud and read passages to whoever is nearby at the time.
- A
Walk in the Woods (Bryson) Mr. Bryson hikes a good part of
the Appalachian Trail. If I remember correctly, he has walked
250,000 steps before he stopped.
- I'm
a Stranger Here Myself (Bryson) What happens when Bill Bryson
finally returns to America after 20 years in Britain.
- Neither
Here Nor There (Bryson) More funny and sometimes disturbing
memoris of Bill BRyson's travels around Europe.
- In
a Sunburned Country (Bryson)
Australia turns out to be fertile territory for Bill Bryson's
comical plights.
- La
Place de la Concorde Suisse
(McPhee)
Behind the Swiss Army knife is a robust Swiss Army, to which the
Swiss attribute several hundred years without fighting a war.
Reference
and How To
- On
Writing Well (Zinsser)
After I started earning some money by writing, I heard about this
book. As soon as I read the last page, I reopened it and started
back at the beginning. The book earns its list price in the bibliography
alone -- decades worth of fine reading.
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