Comments on: What Book Would You Recommend for Summer Reading?

By: garner woods

garner woods — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 11:30:15 +0000

Usually I will find out what book famous people has read, what are their favorite books, hope that any book which bring influence on them, will bring good influence on me too.. also, as famous n successful people combined with their experience, I'm sure they have better taste on their choice too.

Stephen King's Favorite:
This Book Will Save Your Life by A. M. Homes
Saturday by Ian McEwan
The Mad Cook of Pymatuning: A Novel by Christopher Lehmann-Haupt
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson
The Tenderness of Wolves: A Novel by Stef Penney
When Will There Be Good News?: A Novel by Kate Atkinson

J.K. Rowling's Favorite:
The Five Red Herrings by Dorothy L. Sayers
I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith
Skellig by David Almond
The Woman Who Walked into Doors by Roddy Doyle

Jeffrey Eugenides, author, Pulitzer prize winner
"Herzog," by Saul Bellow
"Love in a Fallen City," by Eileen Chang
"The Lay of the Land," by Richard Ford

Oprah Winfrey's Favorite:
White Oleander by Janet Fitch
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith
The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz
To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
The Bluest Eye by Toni Morrison
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck

Recommendation website:
http://www.famouspal.com
( http://www.famouspal.com/index.php?node=110 )

By: Ditte

Ditte — Tue, 15 Jul 2008 14:11:02 +0000

I recommend the collection of short horror stories by Thom Olausson from Sweden. It is called The dead will inherit the earth and is brilliant! It feels fresh and I liked the dark sense of humor. Kind of reminded me of the old stuff Stephen King used to write...

By: dan.rosol

dan.rosol — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 16:16:43 +0000

do androids dream of electric sheep by philip k dick
or
man in the high castle by pkd as well

By: PaulVI

PaulVI — Mon, 07 Jul 2008 01:31:18 +0000

What's this!? Neatorama asking readers to provide *content*? Is this what I'm paying for? Oh yeah. Right.

How about Stephen Colbert's _I Am America (and So Can You)? Very truthy, very funny.

Novels? OK, I go "Vonnegut" as well. Read, reread.

By: Raul Briseno

Raul Briseno — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 16:46:18 +0000

If you want to read some military history, The forgotten soldier buy Guy Sager is a classic. Also, Streets without joy by Bernard Fall is a good read.
Maybe you want to read a western, but afraid what your friends will say? Try anything by J.Lee Butts. He only has a couple of books out there, but thay are a fun read. If you get caught with the book, say its for your nephew or something. Enjoy.

By: Yammo

Yammo — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 12:27:19 +0000

The Hitchhikers Guide To The Galaxy, by Douglas Adams.

I saw it already listed, but it's such a fantastic read I had to emphasize it. The text is so compact with linguistic somersaults that will keep you from putting the book down from page one until you are done.

-"The ships hung in the sky in much the same way that bricks don't." //THHGTTG

By: Jennie

Jennie — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 15:29:53 +0000

Any of the Mary Roach books but her new one Bonk is great & Stiff, her first is also great. Odd subject matter (not by my account) but very entertaining, even if only for the footnotes.

By: Jayde

Jayde — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:37:41 +0000

Oh and I also recommend anything by Marcus Sedgwick or Markus Zusak's "I am the messenger" (aka "The Messenger").

By: Jayde

Jayde — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 00:34:06 +0000

I recomed anything by Stepheie Meyer. Her Twilight series is aimed for Young Adults and is very romancy (which is a good thing) but also has lots of action. I highly recomend her adult book, The Host, which is very though-provoking. And has aliens. Taking over the world.

By: Alannah

Alannah — Tue, 01 Jul 2008 17:00:14 +0000

I just have to mention in the comics section" Y-The Last Man.
Also, Odd Thomas will be the father of my babies. Everyone should read those books.

By: natalie

natalie — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 06:13:59 +0000

Bound for Glory by Woody Guthrie

It's a hobo adventure for everyone!

By: Memo

Memo — Sun, 29 Jun 2008 05:12:52 +0000

I would start with John Connolly's Every Dead Thing for macabre & dark but compelling crime fiction. If surfing's your thing you might try Don Winslow's Dawn Patrol, also a great crime/PI fiction. And for epic storytelling and ripping good yarn of historical and stupendously gory proportions, I'd heartily recommend Tim Willocks's The Religion. Based on the 16th century Siege of Malta.

By: jeebs

jeebs — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 14:53:50 +0000

Join Me by Danny Wallace.

Yes Man also by Danny Wallace.

Both very funny books indeed. Yes Man is being made into a film staring Jim Carrey in the lead roll. How that's gonna work I dont know. I'm not a fan of Carrey, so don't think you have to be to enjoy the book.

By: T-dizzle

T-dizzle — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 00:29:41 +0000

"The Martian Chronicles"- Ray Bradbury
('Nuff said.)

By: lynne

lynne — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 22:11:48 +0000

The Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. Book 14 of the series just came out this week. Read them in order -they're short and quick. You don't have to think, just enjoy and laugh.

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. Time travel / historical fiction.

By: Broken

Broken — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 20:15:00 +0000

The Revolution: A Manifesto
by Ron Paul

http://www.amazon.com/Revolution-Manifesto-Ron-Paul/dp/0446537519/ref= pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1214597785&sr=8-1

America is in trouble and it's because the average person has no clue what is currently going on in America. The book is an amazing read and life changing if you realize what it's telling you.

Hopefully there are some Ron Paul supporters here that can comment on the book. I highly recommend it. RE-LOVE-UTION

By: Paul T

Paul T — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 19:57:02 +0000

Saw Shogun mentioned above, but i just read James Clavell's King Rat a month back. Really enjoyed it.

Another " Road " to try would be Jack Londons.

Also P C Doherty Did an awesome series of medieval mysteries with Bro Corbett I believe.
Cheers to Ya

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:34:37 +0000

"Devil In The White City" - great story about the Chicago World's Fair and America's first serial killer H.H. Holmes.

By: Johnny Cat

Johnny Cat — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:39:13 +0000

Van said "Replay" by Ken Grimwood. Yes! Just the perfect summer read! I can't believe there hasn't been a movie yet.

By: Tim

Tim — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:21:01 +0000

Well...sci-fi = Richard K. Morgan's Altered Carbon (cyber-noir!!)

The Road by Cormac McCarthy
anything by Kurt Vonnegut
One Hand Clapping by Anthony Burgess
Anything by Peter Hamilton (sci-fi)
Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson (contains the most detailed description of Cap'n Crunch fetishism ever)

Happy Reading!

By: sw

sw — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 17:07:51 +0000

I can't believe no one mentioned TC Boyle! I've enjoyed just about everything he's written, but my favorite is Drop City, about hippies trying to move back to the land and failing.

Into the Wild is also a great quick read. It's also about a kid trying to move back to the land and failing, though this is a true story.

Roddy Doyle is a fun read in Irish brogue; I especially liked Patty Clarke Ha Ha and the Barrytown Trilogy (the latter was made into second rate movies, but the book's worth reading)

Try a more obscure Vonnegut, God Bless You Mr Rosewater is hilarious.

And for a really light yet entertaining read, #1 Ladies Detective Agency is a hoot, about a woman in Botswana who starts a detective agency and the odd, small incidents she investigates.

i love this thread! i already had my summer reading picked out, but now I've got another whole list!

By: Adam Stanhope

Adam Stanhope — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:32:14 +0000

The Yiddish Policemens' Union by Michael Chabon was the best piece of fiction I've read in years. Superior!

By: ripper

ripper — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:20:05 +0000

A few I always recommend

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand
all about the famous racehorse.

Angela's Ashes: A Memoir by Frank McCourt
an irish boy growing up in extreme poverty- makes you realize how fortunate you really are.

Holy Blood, Holy Grail by Michael Baigent, Richard Leigh, and Henry Lincoln
what is the mystery of the Holy Grail?

and
The Holographic Universe by Michael Talbot
discusses whether the universe is a giant hologram and what is conciousness.

By: Alex

Alex — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 16:02:58 +0000

I've read Clive Cussler but all I remember from it was how he liked vintage old cars, expensive cigars and single malt scotch. Can we say, tax write off for "research?"

Dune - now that's a book! The first one was awesome, but I haven't kept up with the subsequent books in the series. Come to think of old sci-fi novels that I've read, I really liked Rama and other books by Arthur C. Clarke, and Hyperion (the first one) by Dan Simmons.

@onecrazymomma: Nothing by Albert Camus belong in anyone's summer reading list, except maybe a masochist.

I started "Spook Country" by William Gibson but couldn't for the life of me finish it - I know he became a legendary author for Neuromancer (read that too) but I couldn't understand a sentence he wrote ... (happened when I was reading Neuromancer too)

By: AGarren

AGarren — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:47:08 +0000

I just finished off "Jonathen Strange & Mr Norrell" by Susanna Clarke. I'd highly recommend it. I also agree with Hezzawezza - Dune is a fantastic read. I'm currently reading "Spook Country" by William Gibson.

By: Mike Horton

Mike Horton — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:22:00 +0000

I recommend anything from Clive Cussler, but start with "Sahara" (don't watch the movie because they ruined the whole thing, Penelope Cruz not withstanding). Also, try Nelson DeMille (read the various series in order) and any of Bill Bryson's work. These collections should get you through the summer. Good Reading!

By: Kathleen

Kathleen — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:15:59 +0000

Since gas is so expensive, why not read about someone else's travels instead of spending the money to take your own trip. I personally love comedic travel stories. My favorite are by J. Maarten Troost. His two books are "The Sex Lives of Canibals: Adrift in the Equatorial Pacific" and "Getting stoned with Savages: A Trip Through the Islands of Fiji and Vanuatu". Don't let the titles scare you, his experiences will have you laughing out loud while you read (better take these out of the library).

By: Cindy

Cindy — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 14:10:35 +0000

Any of the Odd Thomas books by Dean Koontz:
Odd Thomas
Forever Odd
Brother Odd
Odd Hours

By: Hezzawezza

Hezzawezza — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:28:30 +0000

If you haven't, you must read Dune (Frank Herbert). If you have, read it again.

By: Brian Elig

Brian Elig — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 13:21:33 +0000

Geeklove, by Katherine Dunn
Every page holds a treasure in this weird story about sideshow freaks. It invokes Todd Browning's Freaks and questions the nature of family. Even if it is unnatural.