What do you recommend?

[A Desert Rose]

Read any good books lately? What would you recommend?

For the second time, I just finished Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's nothing like his usual spy-thriller books (The Key to Rebecca, etc.) This is a great book if you like history and historically accurate fiction. It's about the building of a cathedral and takes place in medieval Enland. It spans the lifetimes of some characters and would make a terrific movie.

I recommend it.

 

[Limbhugger]

Also historical fiction but of the American flavor is one of my favorite authors: Terry C. Johnson

Is mountain man series is outstanding and the Plainsmen series is also very good. He places a fictional character into the real occurances that created the country. His research of details, specifics, and realities is incredible.

I can recall in one of his books he was laying out a brutal frontier massacre. He presented the scene with a real matter of factness. That scene disturbed me so bad I couldn't pick up the book for three days. Rare that an author can move me let alone move to that extent.

 

[catalina_francisco]

I agree that is a good book ADR. The latest one I finished which was also a great read was A Man Cannot Cry by Gloria Keverne. Like Pillars of The Earth it is a novel built around historical facts of Northern Rhodesia beginning in the late 1950's through to the mid 1960's and the push for independence. I found it one of those books you were planning when you could get back to it.

Catalina

 

[AnelizeDarkEyes]

I just finished a re-read of one of my all-time favorites, Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay. If you are into world-building fantasy, you'd probably enjoy this book. Don't panic, it is NOT a multi-volume troll and elf extravaganza. It is simply one volume. One perfect book.

The main theme is loss. Loss so incredible and deep that it spans an entire generation, and takes away what makes an entire country and people literally who they are. I don't want to give away too much, so I'll leave it at that.

I recommend anything by this author highly. But this book simply blows away his other works. I've read it over and over, and it touches me every time.

~anelize

 

[thegreenfairy]

Try Suicide Blonde, by Darcey Steinke. It's dark, it's sexy, it'll make you think...

 

[cellis]

Read any good books lately? What would you recommend?

For the second time, I just finished Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's nothing like his usual spy-thriller books (The Key to Rebecca, etc.) This is a great book if you like history and historically accurate fiction. It's about the building of a cathedral and takes place in medieval Enland. It spans the lifetimes of some characters and would make a terrific movie.

I recommend it.

A wonderful book, Rosie... I have read it more than once....

and if you have not read the Diana Gabaldon books I highly recommend them... start with Outlander. It is the first of 4 books... all historical in nature and a wonderful love story as well...

 

[landcruisergal]

My latest read was Alice in Wonderland and Through the Looking Glass Every so often I retreat into childrens classics.
A recommendation though is The Firebrand by Marion Zimmer Bradley. Its a novel about the fall of Troy.
Enduring Love by Ian McEwan a well written, disturbing thriller. The opening chapter is awesome!

 

[MissTaken]

Read any good books lately? What would you recommend?

For the second time, I just finished Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett. It's nothing like his usual spy-thriller books (The Key to Rebecca, etc.) This is a great book if you like history and historically accurate fiction. It's about the building of a cathedral and takes place in medieval Enland. It spans the lifetimes of some characters and would make a terrific movie.

I recommend it.

Excellent!

I have been telling scooter about this book.

 

[Krinaia]

I love this other... she has two series I enjoy... and I find her work gets progressively darker and progressively more bdsm flavored.

It isn't really deep reading but it's good fun if you're looking for something lighter.

I suggest starting with this..
http://www.laurellkhamilton.org/KissOfShadows.htm

And progressing - I like to find author's whose work is light and fun and enjoyable and devour everything they've done until I get bored with them. So far, she has yet to bore me. And she has a new book coming out in Feburary in this series.

If you're looking for something more serious... well ask the others, I'm not in mindset just now for something serious

 

[Desdemona]

I'm not into deep thought provoking reading. Give me a murder mysetery every day. Just finished BIG BAD WOLF by James Patterson. It was pretty good even though he went for the cliche of sadists being psychopathic killers.

 

[shaymless]

I just recently read The Five People You Meet in Heaven, by Mitch Albom (author of Tuesdays with Maury).

I read it while sitting at residential hospice with my mother, who was going through the process of dying. I thought it might be too close a subject, but it was oddly comforting (and eerily similar to the process that she was communicating to me).

It's a wonderful story about the way our lives touch each other, even without direct intent.

shay

 

[FungiUg]

I just finished a re-read of one of my all-time favorites, Tigana by Guy Gavriel Kay.

One of my favourites fantasy novels of all time! Although I don't think his other books (I own them all) quite live up to Tigana.

Some other fantasy novels I can recommend are:

Memory & Dream, by Charles de Lint. Basically about a Canadian painter who discovers her paintings can come to life... and all of the good and evil that can entail.

Kushiel's Dart, by Jacqueline Carey. Fantasy with a little BDSM, set in a magical version of France -- sort of parallel history, with some politics and sex. The sex is written rather tamely (it's not an adult rated book), but there are certainly some rather intense moments. I'm currently reading the second book.

For those of you who prefer more classic "Tolkein-esque" fantasy, I can recommend the Game Of Thrones series. Very intense, very sexy.

Don't get me started on science fiction though... that's my true love!

 

[catalina_francisco]

I'm on a reading binge. Just finished another....No Night Is Too Long by Barbara Vine (aka Ruth Rendell). Great mystery which first time I picked it up was obviously the wrong time as I only got a chapter or so into it...this time it kept my interest in many ways.

Catalina

 

[A Desert Rose]

Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs is a really fun read. The fact that he is gay is really not relevant but the story of his growing up years is totally hilarious. I read this one several months ago (recommended to me by a good friend.) He has a couple of other books out that I want to read one of these days, too. Burroughs is definately a funny writer.

 

[Zaudika]

I just finished reading the Rigante series by David Gemmell. I've never really been into the more fantasy based series, but these were absolutely excellent books. A very good writer.

 

[fille]

I have recently finished two books that I really loved: Life of Pi, and Belle Canto by Anne Patchett. Both are wonderful, atmospheric reads that I had a hard time putting down. I'm now in the middle of House of Sand and Fog, and it's quite good too, but not in such an overwhelming way.

 

[fille]

Running With Scissors by Augusten Burroughs is a really fun read. The fact that he is gay is really not relevant but the story of his growing up years is totally hilarious. I read this one several months ago (recommended to me by a good friend.) He has a couple of other books out that I want to read one of these days, too. Burroughs is definately a funny writer.

I squealed with laughter over this book, and my husband thought I was out of my mind. I'm not gay but many of his growing up experiences hit home with me.

 

[rubymyst]

have any of you read
The vinci Files by
dan brown

absolutely marvellous for those who enjoy leonardo da vincis art

 

[Ezarc]

George R. R. Martin has written some excellent work in the fantasy genre. His new book should be out shortly. Can't wait.
Game of Thrones
Clash of Kings
Storm of Swords
Don't remember if that is the right order.

 

[cellis]

I'm not into deep thought provoking reading. Give me a murder mysetery every day. Just finished BIG BAD WOLF by James Patterson. It was pretty good even though he went for the cliche of sadists being psychopathic killers.

I like anything by James Patterson... one of my all time fav authors...

I also like JD Robb aka Nora Roberts... She has a series of mysteries set in the future with a wonderful cop Eve Dallas and the most dashing Rourke.... Even Himself likes those...

 

[esclave_PP]

The Lexus and the Olive Tree -- Thomas Friedman -- about globalization. That and Sun Tzu's the Art of War. But the psychiatry of the imagination by Satre is kinda killer -- if you need something to fall asleep to.

 

[fille]

"Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides.

 

[A Desert Rose]

If you liked The Da Vinci Files...

check out The Dante Club by Matthew Pearlman. It's a pretty good read.


Lots of great recommendations here... thank you all for your input. I'm sure others thank you, as well.

 

[rubymyst]

If you liked The Da Vinci Files...

check out The Dante Club by Matthew Pearlman. It's a pretty good read.


Lots of great recommendations here... thank you all for your input. I'm sure others thank you, as well.

thanks desert storm..shall look for it this weekend.
some very intersting leads on this thread

 

[Dionysus2003]

If you want excellent crime-novels I would recommend a Swedish author by the name of Henning Mankell. I am sure his books are translated to English - so go look for them, you won't regret it.

Also try to find an author by the name of Lars Saabye Christensen, who writes amazing novels about growing up and human relations, love, life, lust, desire, sadness, tears and laughter. Everything.

My favorite book of all times, I think must be John Irving - A Prayer For Owen Meany - highly recommended.