Help me find some good books

[artgoddess]

My SIL gave me a $100 gift certificate to Barnes and Noble for Christmas. I am clueless about what to get. I am as far away from what you would consider a well read person as it can get. I don't want to go and just spend the whole ammount on books for DS, I want to get myself somethings too. What are your best recomendations? I'll list the only things I've read in recent years and tell you what I thought of them to give you some basis:

-Emma, Jane Bronte. I liked it, but I also really like masterpiece theatre type stuff.

-Under The Banner of Heaven, I found fasinating.

-Reading Lolita in Tehran, bored me to tears. I only got 2/3's of the way through it before the bookclub met and I never bothered to finish it.

-The Red Tent, Loved it, devoured it, wonderful book.

-Shopgirl, I liked this one, not life chaning or anything, but I liked it.

-Operating Instuctions, A Journal of my Son's First Year, by Anne Lamott - I believe this to be the most wonderful book I have EVER read. I keep buying new copies, cause I'll give my copy away to some new first time mom I meet, then I'll want to read it again so I have to get aother one. I know she is a novelist and if she writes her novels like she writes her journal I'll like them.

Valley of The Dolls, Im reading now for fun. it's total 1950 smut and trash, but it's fun. Not too great I suppose cause I'm able to put it down for weeks before picking it up again.

I don't do horror, so forget about recomending anything Anne Rice or Stephen King.

[cathe]

You might want to check out the book challenge threads (there's one for each month) we post books that we've read with a little description and how we like them. That's how I get all my ideas for books to get.

[bu's mama]

I don't know how good your local library is, but if they have NoveList on their computers (it may jsut be in the reference section) it'd be worth it to play around a little bit. (It gives reading suggestions based on certain criteria.)

Also, you don't have to spend it all in one trip (though I probably would, on knitting books ).

[jenoline]

Anything by Barbara Kingsolver!!!!!! Nak or I'd expound on how much I her and her writing.

Ishmael, by Daniel Quinn (his others, too, but ya gotta start w/Ishmael)

If you've got a bit of appreciation for dark/perverted humor try Christopher Moore. Practical Demonkeeping is his first, IIRC. It's "laugh out loud" funny. LOVE his stuff for when I just need something funny and irreverent.

might come back later w/more.

[swimswamswum]

My favorites include:

Zadie Smith is fantastic, I White Teeth (contemporary tale of recent immigrants in London)

Louise Erdrich is fabulous, Love Medicine (contemporary/historical Native American) is great as are the others in the series

Nick Hornby is really great How to be good and About a Boy are my favorites by him (contemporary British)

Roddy Doyle's Barrytown Trilogy is really sweet (contemporary Irish)

Neil Gaiman (contemporary British/American fantasy)

Amy Tan (contemporary/historical Chinese/American)

Also, not fiction but Zinn's A People's History of the US is an important read

[fluffernutter]

I just finished reading The Handmaid's Tale. It was terrific! I'd definately recommend it!

[bu's mama]

Margaret Atwood is great! I think I'm going to hear her give a reading tomorrow night at my college (if I think I can stay awake ).

[Teensy]

One book I could read over and over again is The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver. Another very good read is These Is My Words. Ohhh, and Memoirs of a Geisha.

For a light (beach or airplane type) read, I liked Bridget Jones' Diary.

Older, but good reads - Rebecca or A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.

[PancakeGoddess]

yep, agreed about:
margaret atwood
barbara kingsolver
amy tan (although her newest one was a snooze for me)

also try
jodi picoult
john irving (older ones are better, and hilarious)

amazing YA books I've loved recently:
A Northern Light
Under the Persimmon Tree
The Golden Compass

[swimswamswum]

So, reading through the other suggestions made me come back to second all of the calls for Kingsolver, Atwood and Irving. With Irving, be prepared for for bears, incest and wrestling

[cathe]

I'll second Picoult - especially "Her Sister's Keeper" and Loise Erdich.

I also read "Jesus Land" recently and it was really good. I'm also on a John Steinbeck kick right now. Grapes of Wrath, East of Eden, and Winter of My Discontent are incredible.

[kamilla626]

John Irving!!! And like swimswamswum said, there are some "themes" that arise in his novels. In all of his books there is some reference to inappropriate sexual relations, sports equipment, bears and deformity/dwarfism/amputation.

Hotel New Hampshire, and Prayer for Owen Meany are my favorites!

[bu's mama]

Oh, John Irving is hilarious! I first read him in college & it was the first time reading a book that I would laugh out loud hysterically (on the train, people thinking I was crazy).

[PancakeGoddess]

Yes, forgot Jesus Land - just finished and it was very good. As was Life of Pi.

[calynde]

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers is an excellent read....young and intelligent. Loved it!

[artgoddess]

You ladies rock. I'm going to see if I can use the gift card for on line purchases, and then get used books. But I'll have to see if the shipping cost isn't worth it.

Thanks mama, keep them coming!

[Kleine Hexe]

Originally Posted by bu's mama

I don't know how good your local library is, but if they have NoveList on their computers (it may jsut be in the reference section) it'd be worth it to play around a little bit. (It gives reading suggestions based on certain criteria.)

Wow. Thanks for this suggestion. I found several resources like this at my library.

[Traci mom23boys]

If you loved The Red Tent-(in my top 5) I would suggest:
Pope Joan
The Secret Life of Bees
The Mists of Avalon

YA section
Wise Child
Juniper
both by Monica Furlong

Happy Reading!
Traci
Mom to 3 incredible homebirthed boys -15, 13 & 10 years old

[jenoline]

I can't believe I forgot John Irving! A wholehearted YES! to that recommendation.