Good books to read

StillHere · 08-25-2007, 07:39 PM

How about a thread about good books you have read and recommend to others. Her is mine
"Devil in the White City" by Eric Larson
It is about the first worlds fair in Chicago and the politics involved in getting it going. Eric also follows a real life serial murderer at the same time. He flip flops each chapter between the planning of the fair and the Murderer's life. I found if facinating. Maybe because Chicago is just 90 miles from Milwaukee. It is a non-fiction story. Great read.

Now do you have any referals for good reads?
I, myself love biography's and autobiography's - any suggestions in this venue?

BonnieR · 08-25-2007, 08:47 PM

Great idea for a thread!
Most women I know loved "Eat, Pray, Love". An autobiographical account of one woman's journey of self discovery that includes exploring her spiritual, meditative side. Entertaining. Very well written. Reads fast....

juanita · 08-25-2007, 08:52 PM

I can't remember the title, but it's by Kirk Douglas, about his stroke. It's called something lilke "Stroke of Luck". And any of the Janet Evanovich books are great.

RhondaH · 08-26-2007, 02:14 AM

I TOO love biographies and classical literature. Wow, if you like "heavy" biographies John Adams is good. "Wired" is WAY out there (or at least John Belushi was) and is good. Angelas Ashes is an AWESOME biography. I LOVE Founding Mothers by Cokie Roberts (about the WOMEN that helped make the country...nothing dainty about them). Right now I'm reading ALL the Harry Potter books to Tony (6yo). When he was 2 I bought the 1st Harry Potter movie and he became hooked (was Harry Potter for Halloween at age 3, had 2 Harry Potter birthdays, has a Harry Potter bedroom and while due to "peer pressure" for the last 2 years was OTHER than Harry for Halloween, is realizing that it's OK to be his own person and LIKE things other kids don't like, has announced he wants to be Harry again this Halloween...I'm glad. While he has always loved reading and us reading aloud to him(my mom and I will take turns reading outloud to him while he is playing), Harry Potter was one he couldn't get into. Because the LAST movie I felt was TOO MUCH for him, I "previewed" The Order of the Phoenix and told him that unless he read the book, he wouldn't understand what is going on, SO I have been reading The Sorcerers Stone to him and he is REALLY gaining an appreciation for the books and finding out that there is MUCH more in the books than in the movie (ie "That wasn't in the movie") and like I told him, as we continue reading the books ESPECIALLY 4, 5, 6 & 7 he will find out MUCH more). EVERY time I sit down to rest, I hear "lets read some Harry". Good idea for a thread. Take care and God bless.

Rhonda

sarah · 08-26-2007, 03:49 AM

I LOVE books (Fiction and non-fiction) and read constantly. A favorite from a few years back is Rohinton Mistry's "A Fine Balance"
sarah

Mary Jo · 08-26-2007, 04:42 AM

I, too, love to read. One of my favorite new authors I've discovered is Jodi Picoult. Love her books. She takes typical black and white scenarios (so called black and white) and makes them gray. You really question what you thought for sure was a black and white area. She is an excellent fiction author.

Mary Jo

Kimberly Lewis · 08-26-2007, 05:11 AM

Infidel by Ayaan Hirsi Ali is an amazing biography of a brave woman. I would highly reccomend this. It brings what Islam means in the life of some women to sharp focus. We are so comfy cozy here in the states we need a wake up call I fear....

A great light fare is "Can't Wait to Get to Heaven" by Fanny Flagg

VaMoonRise · 08-26-2007, 05:46 PM

I have been a book fanatic my entire life, since the time that I was first able to read a book all on my own I have not gone to sleep without reading at least a few pages. I love all books, doesn't really matter what the subject matter is, unless it is too violent/perverted or too far out there science fiction wise.

I have way too many that I absolutely love and want to recommend in this post but I will just list a few of my favorites to start with.

"The Highlander" by Diana Gibaldon. This is a series that takes place in Scotland. A Scottish woman is able to go back in time when she crosses through two stones at StoneHenge. She is taken back to the time when Scotland is fighting against England for it's freedom. She falls in love with a Highlander while back in time but she also has a husband and a daughter in current times. This a wonderful series that combines fiction with non-fiction. It is a real page turner as it truly has it all.

I also love anything by Nicholas Sparks. He wrote the book that you may all be familiar with because it was made into a movie called the "Notebook." All of his books are well worth the read and they all take place in NC where he lives.

"The Prodigal Summer" by Barbara Kingsolver is also one of my favorites. If you like strong women and nature you will love this book. It gives lots of great facts about wildlife and how to prevent insects in your gardens through natural means instead of through the use of insecticides. It is a fiction, nonfiction book with some really tremendous characters in it.

There is a great book out called "First Ladies" too. It gives a bio of all the first ladies and great photo's throughout. I can't recall the author at the moment but if anyone is truly interested just drop a line and I will get the book out and give you the authors name.

Another great read is "Chesapeake" by James Michener. It is a history of the Chesapeake Bay area from the time of when only Indians inhabited the area to current times. Very informative and well written, not a dry read by any means, very enjoyable.
Thanks for starting this great thread. I can't wait to read many of the recommended books listed on here. Let's be sure to write our reviews of any of the books we have read from the recommended reading list too. Should be fun.

Thanks, Ladies,
Nicola

Becky · 08-26-2007, 06:11 PM

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. The Good Earth by Pearl Buck (my all time favorite). Cold Mountain is also great.

mamacze · 08-27-2007, 07:26 PM

Oh, I have read some great ones this summer...Animal Vegetable Miracle by B. Kingsolver is a great, earthy back-to-nature one...

sassy · 08-27-2007, 09:01 PM

The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, both by Hosseini; The Glass Castle (strange but true).
________
VAPORIZERS VOLCANO

Leslie's sister · 08-28-2007, 02:17 AM

I am an avid reader and could recommend a whole list of books, starting with classics such as To Kill A Mockingbird, The Picture of Dorian Gray, A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, anything by Jane Austen, anything by John Steinbeck, etc. To me, nothing beats classical literature. It is timeless. I will say in reading this list that The Kite Runner is an absolutely awesome book. I just read it and listened to it on tape. It is powerful. I read it for a book club in conjunction with Snow Flower and the Secret Fan which is also very good. Start with the Kite Runner.

StillHere · 08-31-2007, 07:15 PM

Thanks for reminder about "A Tree Grows in Brooklin" I loved that book as a teenager. I also gave it to my daughter when she was a teenager. My father was an alcoholic and my husband has a drinking problem. I but for the grace of God do not, but my sister is also an alcoholic. Unfortunately my son (Randy 29) also is an alcoholic. All are very fuctioning members of society, but struggle with their addition. Strange as it may seem, my husband has been trying even harder than before to be more responsible now that I can't handle the stress involved with his drinking. I never fully understood drinking to excess as a disease until my son had issues. When you see your own child struggle with this demon it puts the addition in a whole new light. I forgot to mention that my father-in-law was also an alcoholic, so my son has the bad gene funneled in from both parents.

All my family history aside, it is a great read. I plan on reading it again some time soon.

StephN · 08-31-2007, 10:28 PM

There was a thread started by Juanita in June where a few more books are mentioned.

http://her2support.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=28472

I got two books today by Anne Rice because we are going to New Orleans and I have heard her books are worth the time to read. Hope so. Ready to start one as soon as I sign off!

Leslie's sister · 09-01-2007, 08:37 AM

Wow, Still Here, you have really lived "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn". That is when a book really comes alive to us, when we can pull things out of it that are real. I read it as a young girl and though we didn't have alcoholism in our immediate family, we were poor and I literally felt like I was Francie. I loved to read and actually wanted to follow Francie's plan of reading all the books in the library. I had my daughter read this book over the summer and she enjoyed it as well. It is a magical story and if a person hasn't read it, it is a "must read".

Val Pfeiffer · 09-02-2007, 09:29 AM

I'm looking for some good ones that aren't overly religious, but concentrate more on finding inner peace, which I think is so important to fighting cancer and its return. Any recommendations?

thanks :-)
Val

Val Pfeiffer · 09-02-2007, 09:41 AM

I have read many of the books listed here--there are some really good ones (Marley & Me should be read by anyone who has or have had dogs, especially labradors -- it's very funny)!

Some others I've read this year are:

Montana 1948 by Larry Watson
Water for Elephants and Riding Lessons by Sara Gruen
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon (read a couple years ago)
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Body Surfing by Anita Shreve
Windchill Summer by Norris Church Mailer (she also has a new one out that I will be reading next--she is coming to my book group's meeting in October)

Val

BonnieR · 09-02-2007, 10:37 AM

Val, I am reading a book that may fit the bill. "The Journey Through Cancer" by Dr. Jeremy Geffen. It offers a seven-level program "for healing and transforming the whole person". It is certainly not a light "beach book" (lol) but it is very sensitive and spiritual. As well as practical. I am getting great comfort from it. And it is making me introspective.
Also, I do recommend "Eat, Pray, Love" which I mentioned earlier in this thread.

Andrea Barnett Budin · 09-02-2007, 11:43 AM

I am never without a book or two. And I seem to have the need to underline and put stars and arrows beside especially poignant phrases and concepts. My husband says I can't read without a pen in my hand. (I used to think it was sacrilegious to write in a book, but now I see I simply must!)

A great biography was Love Is Eternal about Abraham Lincoln and Mary Todd and the pivotal time in America's history, emancipating slaves and the differing views of families that lived in the South vs. the North. I found it riveting. Irving Stone is the author.

As for spiritual inspirational books about life and the discovery of Self -- this is my bailiwick! I devour them word by word. Any of Wayne Dyer's book will do. My favorites are The Sacred Self, You'll See It When You Believe It, Manifest Your Destiny.

Also in that vein, Gary Zucav's The Seat Of The Soul was life-altering.
The Power Of Now was a tough read but worth it, by the brilliant Eckhardt Tolle. The Four Agreements was good and I must say I enjoyed James Redfield's Celestine Prophecy, The Tenth Insight and The Secret of Shambala. Good stories with truths about our personal empowerment woven in. They are parables that resonant deeply.

The Power Of Your Subconscious Mind (Joseph Murphy) was interesting.

Happy reading...
Andi

Andrea Barnett Budin · 09-02-2007, 11:52 AM

Oh, I forgot. The Power Of Myth, Joseph Campbell. So intriguing. Makes you see the world differently.

ANDI