Warning: as the title suggests, this is all about books. Not kids. Not me reading books to kids. Not naked kids reading books. Just books to myself, for myself.
This started as an email to Daniel and Talinn who graciously shared some recommended titles with me. They have excellent taste, and because I think I have excellent taste (after all, I like every book that I recommend), I wanted to return the favor.
Here is my measuring tape for good books—(1) great storytelling, (2) superb writing, and (3) the kicker, makes me feel good.
I actually have Love Walked In and Belong to Me because after checking them out of the library, I had to own them for myself. So far, everyone I’ve lent them to has loved them as much as I do. I want to be the main character’s friend.
This is the first of six books of a fantastic fantasy series. Each one is better than the last until the final book, which I suspect Butcher rushed. Like the two novels above, I have bought these so I can read them over and over. Everyone, except one scrawny little boy, has at least a little magical power in this ancient Roman-like world. Always makes me laugh and cheer.
Sara Gruen’s Water for Elephants was recommended by Sheryl in our book group. She is always right and I loved this book.
You will swear Jude Morgan is Jane Austin reincarnate, but with another century or two of experience under her belt.
Did you know there was a place called Guernsey? Okay, well I didn’t. This is this month’s book club book, and Juliet’s letters (written and received) make up this book about post-war London and Guernsey. Entertaining and educational, it made me feel good whenever I picked it up.
I listened to Magic Thief and its sequel as a book on CD while I was working on some projects last year. Excellent story-telling and I loved the main character. Truly worth picking up.
If you can skip one page early on (it deals with a particularly unjust tragedy that you can spot ahead of time), Prayers for Sale is an amazing book that deals with friendship, hardship, and impossible forgiveness. Like Help (blogged about March 2), the novel made me feel like I had a good understanding of its setting, the high mining country of Colorado in the 19th century.
I do actually read and enjoy nonfiction as well. SuperFreakonomics and books by Malcolm Gladwell are interesting, well written, and contain so many new (to me) ideas that I am energized just reading them. Nurtureshock (blogged on March 11) did this for me as well. Whether or not I agreed with the ideas, I certainly thought about them!
2 comments:
I loved, loved, loved _The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society_! Just absolutely delightful, top to bottom.
Your post also inspired me to go look up Sandra Dallas. Turns out she's the same Sandra Dallas who wrote _The Persian Pickle Club_. I'd read it many years ago in college and loved it (although also a bit sad). I saw another one of her books (probably _Prayers for Sale_) in the bookstore last week but I wasn't sure if it was the same author. Thanks for the tip!
Thanks for posting these Denise!!! Just in time to reserve at the library and have them coming after baby!
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