Books PS Not just for the Girls. Anyone can post!

[Laurie Pope]

I love James Patterson.  I love Dr. Cross, although was disappointed with Morgan Freeman playing him in the movies, and I love the Women's Murder Club series.  1st to die, 2nd chance, 3rd degree, all the way to 7. A female sheriff, ME, reporter, and assistant DA work together to solve crimes.  An old die hard is Mary Higgins Clark, stong willed single woman, plays detective gets into trouble but figures out the "who done it"

And because of my dad I have read a few clive clusser books also.

[KellyP]

Next up for me is "A Brief History of the Anglo-Saxons: The beginnings of the English Nation" by Geoffrey Hindley. Since I expect to take a while parsing through the early history of the U.K. I will be mixing it up with Walter Burkert's "Greek Religion". My brain will surely explode before I am finished.

[Shauna]

I just finished Wicked by Gregory (?) Maguire.    It's the story of the Wicked Witch of the West from the Wizard of Oz.  It was excellent!  It talks about the political history of Oz, Munchkinland, the Emerald City, etc.  I am usually not into fantasy-type stuff but I loved this book.

We are going to New York City next month, and I think we are going to see Wicked on Broadway too!!  Yay!

[Kim Lee]

Shauna,
I didn't love Wicked the book, but I did love the musical!  I hope you get to see it!  I read the book first and then saw the musical.  It will be interesting what you think.

[Jeff Linger]

I've been watching this subject for a while waiting to see if anyone plopped down any books that I like but finally decided that I'd drop mine down and see if anyone reads the same stuff. Although I loved the LOTR series and read them numerous times, my true favorite genre is counter-culture. I love Henry Miller, Charles Bukowski, Anais Nin, Louis Ferdinand Celine, Richard Braughtigan. I also enjoy the Russians, especially Dostoevsky. I have a number of favorite books: Henry Miller's The Rosy Crucifixion (all 3 parts), Charles Bukowski's Post Office and my all time favorite Louis Ferdinand Celine's two part series Death On The Installment Plan and Journey To The End Of The Night.

[Kelli]

Peace Like a River by Leif Enger is a great one.  It is one of the few books I have ever reread!

Other than that, all of the books I like are children's books (well, teenagerish).  I taught 6th grade in my former life, so those were the books I always read and they are the ones I have come to love!  That, and Nicholas Sparks---but that has already been mentioned.  I am a sucker for a great, easy to read love story!!  Any of you who like him and have not read The Wedding, it is one of the best!  Great advice on marriage!!

Oh, and I really like Give me a Break by John Stossel.  If you have ever watched his segments on 20/20, it is just a bunch of that but it was really interesting and FRUSTRATING!

[Shauna]

Michelle, have you read David Copperfield?  I think the only Dickens book I have read is Hard Times.  And that is very sad, because I have a BA in English!

I also love the Thomas Hardy novels.  Jude the Obscure was absolutely haunting.

I have read The Fountainhead.  I enjoyed it, but I also agree with the other posters who didn't agree with objectivism.

I recently finished a book about people who died in the Grand Canyon.  It sounds horribly morbid, but it was fascinating, and I learned a lot.  Note: ALWAYS wear a life jacket on the river, and NEVER get in the river past your knees or you will be swept away and drown!  Right now I am reading Sons and Lovers by DH Lawrence.  I like it so far.

My vacation starts this weekend, and I will have LOTS of time to read!  Has anyone read the Chronicles of Narnia?  I read them as a child and might reread them next week.  I loved them, but it's been so long that I don't remember anything.

For all you Twilight fans (I haven't read any of her books), there was an interesting article on msn.com about the heroine (Bella?) and whether the books are good for teens.  One person thinks she is the greatest, and the other thinks she has no identity outside of pursuing and being with  the guy/vampire/werewolf.  I have no idea...but maybe you fans could debate this issue.  I'd be interested to hear other points of view!

[Michelle Lowry]

I feel the need to confess:  I have read 4 books in the last 8 days, but the last one I finished is the only embarrassing one:  I just read my first Danielle Steel book.  I was upset about being laid up and thought what the heck, how about some mind candy.  It was sweet and nonnutritional as expected.  I am afraid my brain is atrophying with my legs.  I just started a new book by Thomas Hardy, "Far Fromt he Maddening Crowd".  I'll let ya'll know how I like it.

I read "Mutant Message from Down Under", one of the suggested reads on this thread and I thought it was good, but I did have a hard time believing some of her story.  I also read Dinner at the Homesick Restaurant (just ok) and I can't even remember the last book, so I guess it couldn't have been too good or bad.

[Michelle Lowry]

Ok the 4th book I couldn't remember was actually good, it just slipped my mind Brave New World.

Since last post I have read Far From the Maddening Crowd (Harding, same author as Jude the Obscure and Tess D'Urbervilles, all excellent books), and reread My Antonia (Willa Cather) - its a great book.  I am now reading a book about a christian missionary God's Smuggler.  It is cool.