Thursday, August 5, 2010

More summer reading (or five fabulous book finds)

First off, thanks for all the great book recommendations you all have left in the comments or emailed me since I started these book posts (just click on the link to see a list of my book posts and favorite books). I really appreciate you sharing your favorite books on the blog (and via email).

I also know that some of you are a bit offended or perturbed that I have not read and/or listed some of your recommendations on the blog. That is because I am a notoriously picky reader (as the spouse will happily attest to), prone to depression, and cannot read deeply depressing books or books about miserable, unhappy, or unlikeable people right now (which is why I couldn't get through Olive Kitteridge or The Imperfectionists, even though both are very well written and have received all sorts of acclaim and awards, nor have read The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo).

That said, please do NOT stop recommending books on my account. But, if any of you know of any light-hearted and/or funny books, books that make you laugh instead of cry, bring 'em on! I could use a good chuckle.

In the meantime, I wanted to share five fabulous recent reads with all of you (presented in the order I read them). To learn more, click on the link, which will take you to a description on Amazon.

Map of Love by Ahdaf Soueif

The Gift of Rain
by Tan Twan Eng (This was one of the most beautiful, powerful books I have ever read.)

Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen

A Vintage Affair by Isabel Wolff

Romancing Miss Brontë by Juliet Gael

Happy reading!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Glass Room by Simon Mawer still haunts me.

Paula said...

I'm enjoying Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain. He tells great stories.

J. said...

@Paula: LOVED Kitchen Confidential. Great book - and very eye opening.

Another David S. said...

A YEAR IN THE MERDE
Stephen Clarke

PRAGUE
Arthur Phillips

FLYING LEAP (short stories)
Judy Budnitz

All three have their share of laughs, each in its own way. The first is the funniest, the second is the best-written, and the third is the most original (and bizarre). If you enjoy short stories, then FLYING LEAP will definitely have you smiling in unexpected ways.

None of these is depressing--unless you get depressed laughing at the imperfections of your fellow man. ;-)