Amazing reads

I'm afraid I can't contribute much to a discussion of recent fiction. I haven't read a fiction novel in 16 years: since the birth of my oldest child. Before that I was a voracious reader, as I suppose all writers are. I read everything from the classics to science fiction to biographies to horror.

Just recently I have begun to read fiction again. I have started with authors from my homestate: Kentucky. I am reading literary novels by Silas House who lives in and writes about Appalachia and the esteemed Bobbie Ann Mason, whose latest work is An Atomic Romance.

I can't really say, though, that either is a "blew me away" read. I can't remember the last one that was. I would be interested in hearing from others, though.

A few that I've enjoyed recently:

The Girls - Lori Lansens
Middlesex - Jeffrey Eugenides
High Fidelity - Nick Hornby (Not a recent book, but one of my favorites. I loved the movie, but the book is pretty good, too.)
A Long Way Down - Nick Hornby
The Hours - Michael Cunningham (the movie was so-so, but the book is better)

My friends absolutely *love* Michael Chabon, but I'm neutral about him.

I really enjoyed Mystic River. Unfortunately I saw the movie before I read the book, so I had Sean Penn's face in my head.

I will definitely check out your recommendations.

These are all books I've read in the last year or so that I loved. Some of them got a lot of positive buzz, which actually made me reluctant to read them. When I did, I felt they deserved the praise. I press them on my friends. I'll read them again.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon -- This is a murder mystery. The POV character is autisic and the writer did an great job of capturing his unusual approach to the world.

Life of Pi by Yan Martel -- This is a book about a boy who is afloat on a raft in the ocean for most of a year - with a man-eating tiger...or was he? I couldn't put this book down.

The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold - This is a murder mystery told by the deceased. As a writer I love it because the story is told backwards, and very well done. It really challenged me.

Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver -- I love love Kingsolver's writing. The prose in this book is lush and beautiful.

Happy reading!

I read The Hours a few years ago, and thought it was beautifully-written, though I know of others who found it difficult to get into.

My favorite recent reads have been:

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, by Gegory Maguire

I'm currently reading Son of a Witch, the sequel to Wicked, and plan on reading Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister next, also by the same author (Gregory Maguire). Other recommendations that I'm looking forward to reading are: Between, Georgia and gods in Alabama (both by Joshilyn Jackson).

I cannot even begin to say how much I adored The Secret Life of Bees. It was nothing like I expected, and it completely blew me away! The characters, the writing, the imagery... everything! It was one of the best books I've ever read.

I can only sit and envy all the reading you all are able to do. With a wife, teenager, tweener, and a demanding job, I have to choose between reading and writing. For the last several years I have chosen writing, but really not much of that. Time will tell if I made the right choice.

I did love the movie Mystic River, though. I compare it to another of my favorite movies: Fargo. I love the way both introduce seemingly simple, but ultimately complicated and interesting, characters and then gradually show the connections among them that result in a self-contained story. I wish I could write like that.

TemlynWriting said:

The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd

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I have to agree. I completely loved this.

For sheer enjoyment of style, I really loved The Gun Seller,by Hugh Laurie. I'm not sure I've ever laughed so often (and out loud) while reading a book. Cracking plot too.

Perks said:

I have to agree. I completely loved this.

For sheer enjoyment of style, I really loved The Gun Seller,by Hugh Laurie. I'm not sure I've ever laughed so often (and out loud) while reading a book. Cracking plot too.

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I absolutely cannot wait to read this, either! I've heard nothing but great things about Hugh Laurie's writing.

Methinks we've quite similar reading tastes, Perks.

"Coal Tattoo" and "Clay's Quilt" by Silas House

"The Time Traveler's Wife"

Adriana Trigiani's Big Stone Gap books "Big Stone Gap", "Cherry Holler", "Milk Glass Moon."

Those are a few that come to mind; I read a great deal but unfortunately a large percentage of contemporary novels are dreck to me.

I think I've mentioned this before, somewhere else, but 'Norwegian Wood' by Haruki Murakami. It's brilliant and one of the best books I've read in a while.

For sheer enjoyment of style, I really loved The Gun Seller,by Hugh Laurie. I'm not sure I've ever laughed so often (and out loud) while reading a book. Cracking plot too.

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I had no idea he wrote. Now I'm going to have to check this out.