Comments on: Time to read finally, but what will it be?

By: Elizabeth Lynd

Elizabeth Lynd — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:27:16 +0000

I realize I didn’t make this clear: these are definitely fiction, and I also forgot to mention the wonderful beauty of her prose and the excellent job she does with dialogue. I really think these might be perfect for your trip.

By: Elizabeth Lynd

Elizabeth Lynd — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 17:25:34 +0000

Hope I’m not too late to chime in. I am just now finishing up Sally Gunning’s three related pre-Revolutionary War tales, and they are exactly the kind of absorbing vacation fare you might be seeking. Just enough non-fiction (wonderfully researched history!) to satisfy your possible need for fact, but so much story and character and interest that whatever activities you have planned might have to wait an extra hour as you lounge in bed, unable to remove yourself from her wonderful characters and their lives. I read these three books in reverse order (oops), but you have the chance to start with The Widow’s War (I’ll finish this today, and lament I’m done), follow with Bound, and finish up on the plane home with The Rebellion of Jane Clarke. These are terrific, and I envy you them still in the future!

By: Kem

Kem — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 14:13:33 +0000

The Paris Wife is a great quick summer read. I just finished it on vacation and found it engaging because most of the book takes places in my favorite city and it’s set in the 20s and 30s–which is a time period I like to read about. You probably already know that the main character and narrator is Hemingway’s first wife, Hadley. I like the overall arc of the story and the characters you meet along the way.

By: DBurks

DBurks — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 02:29:11 +0000

I like to read something completely different as a change, and I have found that used bookstores have thousands of books by authors that had great success while they were alive, but when they are dead they get ignored. I suppose people always want something new, but there are lots of treasures in Goodwill and Salvation Army thrift stores and they never have any sort of order so it is much like beach combing: Any thing might turn up, and for $3 or less I am willing to take a chance.
One writer who turns up often is Thomas B. Costain who was for many years the editor of ‘The Saturday Evening Post’. He was a NY publishing insider of the first order, but he was plainly fascinated by historical fiction in many periods and locations. I have found his stories always interesting and meticulously researched. Of course, he had to be super accurate or his publishing friends were sure to notice. He did have one advantage since he could presumably use The Post’s staff to help with the research.
One of his books, ‘The Silver Chalice’, was made into a movie. The book was much better.
So, pick an old master for something completely different. I especially liked “The Tontine”, but they are all good.

By: Terri Gibson

Terri Gibson — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:43:49 +0000

Mr. Chartwell by Rebecca Hunt- crazy, dark, uplifting, and really, really funny.

By: Nancy Thompson

Nancy Thompson — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 22:05:43 +0000

Creep by Jennifer Hillier

By: Livia Blackburne

Livia Blackburne — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:42:58 +0000

On the YA end, Plain Kate by Erin Bow was beautiful.

By: Suma Subramaniam

Suma Subramaniam — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 21:38:55 +0000

Indu Sundaresan’s last book of the Taj Trilogy Series – The Shadow Princess. Have a good holiday!

By: Camille Kimball

Camille Kimball — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:43:49 +0000

May I recommend Kristy Kiernan’s MATTERS OF FAITH? The title is unfortunately, very bad and does not reflect the theme of the book. This is not a religious book.

What it is is a story of a marriage that cracks under the pressure of the kids’ issues. The college-age son comes home besotted with a fundamentalist girl who wants to apply her faith healing beliefs to the 12 year old daughter, who has life-threatening food allergies. Family catastrophe results as loyalties are divided and painful self-revelations ensue.

The prose is wonderfully crisp and the nuanced family dynamics, especially between husband and wife, including the hidden competition for “top-hero” status with the offspring, will resonate with anyone who has ever been in or near a family. Takes place in Florida, which becomes a fascinating setting as one character flees to the backwoods and others take a lot of the action to the sea.

By: Tamara

Tamara — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 16:23:46 +0000

Two short story collections I’ve loved recently are Shann Ray’s American Masculine and Caitlin Horrocks’s This Is Not Your City. Enjoy your reading time!