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The two gifts that got me reading again.

My reading boycott after college graduation lasted a lot longer than I had intended. Thanks to my mega-bookworm best friend, I jumped back on the wagon, and this time as a hobby. The Time Traveler's Wife (Audrey Niffenegger) and Wicked (Gregory Maguire) started off slowly, and by the end, I was completely obsessed. So what are some other great reads? I'm new to books...and to blogs.

Tags: book suggestions, bookworm, great books, reading

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Permalink Reply by Bogart/Mozart on May 28, 2009 at 9:02pm: Seems to me you would like short stories.

I recommend Vonnegut's Welcome to the Money House

Heck, read McCarthy's The Road. Everyone seems to like that one.

If you can, read some Hesse, Hemingway.

My favorite might be Sherman Alexie.

I expect a three-page response to each text and I want these papers by tomorrow.

Thanks in advance.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by summer of like on May 28, 2009 at 9:43pm: I've read a ton just in the last year. Amongst my favorites, and ones that were easy to get in to:
The Last American Man (Elizabeth Gilbert). Excellent non-fiction. A quick and easy read. Think Into the Wild or Grizzly Man...except this guy actually succeeds....or does he?
Lolita (Nabokov- a reread, and totally worth it).
In Cold Blood (Truman Capote): The original historical crime novel. A classic.
Geek Love (Hooray for circus freaks!!!)
Water for Elephants (Barely remember this to be honest; another circus book.)
Lullaby (Chuck Palahniuk). Strange & wonderful, this guy wrote Fight Club.
Don't Stop the Carnival (Wouk?): good beach book.Takes place in the caribbean.
Special Topics in Calamity Physics (NOT what it sounds like): fiction/mystery/loves being intelligent
Boomsday (not great, but entertaining): political satire from the guy who wrote Thank You for Smoking
Poisonwood Bible (Barbara Kingsolver): great fiction, told from different first-person narrators
Also Stephen King's Gunslinger series is easy and fun.
I know I'm forgetting some, but that's a good start! Right now I'm reading Kon Tiki- similar to Last American Man, it's based on fact...these guys are crazy! But - it was about 70 pages before I was intrigued. Happy reading!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Ron Da Bomb on May 28, 2009 at 9:51pm: I feel like amazon dot com here.... If you liked The Time Traveler's Wife, you might like....

Check out The Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. I connected with the characters of this book (and it's sequel) in a similar way.; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Annemarie on May 29, 2009 at 9:18am: OK, I'm officially intimidated. I have quite the reading list. Thanks for your suggestions!; ▶ Reply to This

Permalink Reply by Jo LaMore on June 30, 2009 at 6:51am: Be not intimidated, Annemarie!

Like most beloved topics, your new fellow booklovers will lead you down paths you might never have considered otherwise and maybe introduce you to your next favorite author/character/series!

I am currently in a light mystery gear right now and will recommend books by Shirley Rousseau Murphy, Rett MacPherson, Laurien Berenson and Diane Mott Davidson for some fun, fast and (in the case of Davidson) fattening mystery reads.

Jo; ▶ Reply to This