When I was a little girl my dad used to bring me a new book home almost every single day. I was his favorite. (If Sassy was proofing this right now she would be rolling her eyes.) (I'm sure there has been the collective eye-roll among all seven of my siblings.) (They're jealous.) I would sit on my dad's lap each night after the evening news and he would read to me. Thus began my love for all-things-books.
When I was in third grade, my teacher Miss Tuttle noticed how much I loved to read and bought me my very own copy of Little House in the Big Woods. I was her favorite as well.
Almost nothing makes me happier than a really good book. I get GIDDY when I receive an email from my library letting me know a book I reserved is ready to be picked up.
I devour books. And I like all kinds. Since I am my husband's favorite, he built me a pine bookcase in our family room so I can gaze lovingly at my collection whenever I want to. I'm more than a little annoyed that he took over a couple shelves for his Cd's. But, whatever.
You will usually find me reading one fiction book and one non-fiction at the same time. Some people don't get how I can do this, but it works for me. I don't have a problem shifting gears between learning about how toxic and nuts Tom Cruise or Rosie O'Donnel is and reading the latest Stephanie Plum craziness. Or reading a book that will help me become a better wife and then picking up my book about some southern drama by Dorthea Benton Frank.
I usually have a pretty decent list of books ready for me to read. Except this week. I've got nothing. And it makes me feel like something is missing. So, help a sister out. I want your recommendations.
What are you reading right now? AND, What is the best book you have read in the last year?
Here are some of my all-time favorites:
What's that? You want to comment? Just click on the itty-bitty words below that say "Gimme Some Sugar". Can you see them? Good. We can't wait to chat with you.
Monday, April 14, 2008
Books Are Your Friend
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
27 comments:
Wow, I have not read a book in months. Seems I have been too busy reading blogs. Or something. My favorite books are the Stephanie Plum novels. Other books I enjoyed are books by Celia Ahern. She authored PS I Love You, which turned into a movie. Her other books are great, too.
I'm a fellow bookworm and also a big fan of Water for Elephants. I also love Good Omens (by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett) and anything by Dean Koontz, Tom Robbins, Toni Morrison, or Mark Twain. There's nothing like a good book.
I meant to include P.S. I Love You as one of my favorites. Great book.
I devour books as well; and I am often reading more than one fiction at a time. Mainly because I have one in the car (for when I have to wait) and one on the nightstand.
Let's see, right now, I am rereading Enchantment by Orson Scott Card (The Dark And Stormy Online book club is reading that next); the best thing I've read in the past year is Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Darn it, I was going to suggest Water for Elephants, which is definitely the best book I've read this year.
I also teach American Lit., and have had some "rediscoveries" - two I would recommend are "The Great Gatsby" and "The Joy Luck Club" - you've probably read both, though.
Anything by Jane Austen is always worth re-reading, as it Jane Eyre.
I really, really like Karen Olson and Alison Gaylin but some of the language and subject matter is... um... rough.
The Goose Girl, by Stephanie Hale, is simply wonderful, even though it's a YA book. And I also love anything by Carl Hiassen.
Cheers - from one book lover to another!
ok, first- p-sha, I bet there were fairies and unicorns too. And Mrs. Tuttle was an alcoholic. You and sister seven lived for books.
Mostly I remember you as a teen reading all the romance novels. You didn't list Jude Deveraux on here (I spelled her name wrong). Knight and Shining Armor was my fav.
I need to read Water for Elephants.
My FAV FAV FAV is Time Travelers Wife. LOVE it. ANd of course the Harry Potter books.
Jen-I just started reading The Wyrd Sisters, a Terry Pratchet book. I think I want to check out Omen.
Oh, Seester- I think I said before that I love Orson Scott Card. You've read the Ender Wiggen series, right?
JenA2Eat- I LOVED Jane Eyre. I had an awful American Lit teacher. She'd sit us in front of a movie and call it good. Can you reccommend some great American Classics?
I LOVE the Stephanie Plum books. So much fun!!
I don't really like sappy romances. I did though back in the day. The closest I get to them now would be chick-lit which are such fun reads. I guess PS I love You would be a romance, but it was so so so much more.
I love reading books too, but with 2 youngins (almost 5 and 2 1/2) I read a lot of kids books. I actually did a post about library's! So check out L is for... on my blog. (Shameless plug over)
Soon I'll be able to read for me again and then I'll read John Grisham, the Celeste Prophecy & the 10th Insight again. I'll be able to check themout at the library and have them done before they are due. I can't wait.
If I may suggest... Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. It has been the best book I've read in five years.
Although not a sister, I am a member of the "Fellowship of the Book."
I just finished another book last night. My hubby is not a reader and laughs at me over my obsession. I stay up late reading to get through a good book. I love the ones you just can't put down. :0) The best books I have read this last year were the Stephanie Meyer books. I know that they are not for everyone. I have a friend who said the whole vampire aspect turned her off. BUT! It was different than all the other stuff I had read, so I enjoyed it. The Kingdom and the Crown Series is wonderful too. It's the New Testament stories of Jesus' life, but the author made up a fictitious family that "lived" in those times. The books are based on the events that happen to this family as they experience what happened in that time. I bawled through all three books.
I honestly think that you and I were separated at birth.
The best book I read last year was one of the best books I've ever read: The Book Thief by Markus Zusak. I've also loved Stephanie Meyer's vampire love stories. They are young adult books, like Harry Potter books are kid's books, but my adult friends love them as much as I do.
For nonfiction, I recommend The Omnivore's Dilemma, The Devil in the White City, and The Year of Magical Thinking. If you've never read the Maus graphic novels, I recommend those too.
Oh I love books - they are my friends as well. Thanks for some recommendations.
Sassy - I loved ender's game and the next one. If you like Terry Pratchett, try The Hogfather. LOL!
I just finished reading a Jodi Piccoult book My sister's keeper. Very thought provoking - I cried quite a bit through it. It was so good I couldn't put it down and read it in a day.
I also finally finished Eat Pray Love by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I recently joined a book club for the experience, and I am a free spirited type of reader and am finding it a bit of a grind to read books that others have selected for me. I'm sure that once I get into the groove I will enjoy it.
Best fiction book I have read in the last year is Twilight. Best non-fiction would be How to Elevate a Cow, by a local author named John Gladden. Best book I have ever read is Time Traveller's Wife, followed closely by The Stolen Child. I have to read Water for Elephants... it's on the list!
Do you all even realize how happy this is making me? I have reserved so many books based on your recommendations today. I'm up to my limit of the allowed 10 at my library, so I'm going to keep making a list.
You DO realize, HB, that that will cause another knock down drag out with Library Nazi. How are you gonna get your ass out of the library when she has to physically get up and hand you 10 books that are sitting behind her.
You better call ahead and make sure she isn't working before you go pick them up!
OH! I have to say David Sedaris Me Talk Pretty One Day made me laugh my butt off! I would literally follow people around at work trying to read passages aloud to them. Its great!
I'm reading one of your selections - Bitter is the New Black. I also picked up Jen's second novel as well - although the name escapes me at the moment. I needed some easy reads. The last book I read was The Book Thief - it was very good -and it made me cry. I can only think of one other book that made me cry - Sassy's favorite The Time Traveler's Wife. I also finished Cormack McCarthy's The Road not too long ago. I'm still pondering that one. It's one of those books that you keep thinking about after you've finished. Partly wondering what was that - and then it comes to you....Odd in a way.
Happy Reading - I too love Books. You know how you get those silly e-mails listing your favorite things? My favorite smell(s) are: Bookstore and Sheets fresh off the line.....just being in a a bookstore chills me out!
Ohh...
And, I forgot to add that I totally loved the book Wicked (like the musical).
Good picks Gardengirl, I need to check out some of those.
I cried like a baby during Time Travelers. Didn't we read that for our short lived book club?
Books are the best. I am a big lover of fantasy and you seem sadly lacking of that in your list. I am half way through the Death Gate cycle (again), I just re-read a Pratchett book (Witches Abroad), Robert Jordan's The Eye of the World, and started the Darksword series. I am not sure if I like it though. If fantasy really isn't your cup of tea you should at least read the Artemis Fowl books because they are funny and well written and eventually your kid will probably want to read him. There is quite a bit about farting so it is probably right up his alley. Someone else mentioned Ender's Game but it is too awesome to not mention again. Also Seventh Son also by Orson Scott Card. Oooo, also if you like sci-fi at all you should read some Kim Stanley Robinson. Start with Red Mars and if you groove it keep going. I LOVE that book. I should just shut up about fantasy now because I know Sassy could hook you up.
If you haven't read The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver I highly recommend it. Also if you like detective stuff at all the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency is very funny. I can't remember who wrote it and I can't look it up because I am too lazy. Hmm...how about Cold Sassy Tree? Excellent read. I also periodically re-read Angela's Ashes and love it every time.
Oh I love this book too...Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. It is sort of a fantasy book in that it is about magic but it is very much a period book in the style of Jane Austen. It had too much manners in for Thad.
Ooops. I will shut up now. You couldn't have asked me about something I liked to talk more about.
I could probably get HB to eat glass before I could get her to read Sci Fi/Fantasy, she won't even watch LOTR!
I have been meaning to read Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell. My BFF loved it and told me all about it.
I should also check out Seventh Son. Ok, no one seems to care that I'm in love with Ender Wiggin from Speaker for the Dead. ANYONE? Seriously, who wouldn't want to marry that guy?
I started #1 detective but couldn't get into it. That was during my time of wanting to stick my head in the oven, so I probably didn't like much of anything.
Good lists ladies!
I meant to say that you can watch the documentary Maxed Out on Netfix watch it now. Its super good and should be REQUIRED watching for any teenager before they head off into the real world.
I just finished The Count of Monte Cristo. I've been all about some classics lately. What should I read next?
Post a Comment