May 18, 2009

Books, Books, Books

Does anybody have any recommendations for reading material? I tend to like stuff that: -has a historical back-drop (not picky about where/when) -won't put you to sleep reading because it uses obscure words and difficult language (this is mostly older stuff which I try to be tolerant of, but you know). But I am open to pretty much anything. I'm going to have a lot of free time this summer at my job. I really don't want to end up watching youtube and gchatting the whole time (as fun as this is after about 2 hours, your head feels like the flux capacitor).

Any ideas about what to do to pass the time?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

1. "The Kitchen God's Wife" by Amy Tan, set in China during World War Two. Sobering story, but Tan's storytelling is amazing. The modern-day stuff at the beginning of the book isn't half as good as the 'real story', so don't give up too soon.

2. "All Creatures Great and Small" by James Herriot. Comedic stories about being a vet in England before World War Two. Nearly my favorite book on the planet.

Haught Fudge said...

Kitchen God's Wife is a really good book, I agree.

This book didn't fit your description of what you are looking for, but I love it and it is so insightful. i think you would appreciate it coming from a human behavior study type thing. It's called "Bonds that make us free". Brilliant.

Marcus and Cami Bluth said...

Carrie, I gave Dad book for Christmas a while ago that he should still have around there. I think it's called "On a Prayer" but I can't remember. It's an easy, interesting read about an LDS pilot in WWII. I really enjoyed it, and Dad should have it somewhere around the house.

Carrie said...

Thanks for all of the recommendations guys. I can't wait to check some of these out.

Ro Ro Riot said...

I just read Nick Hornby's newest called Slam. It is a book I enjoyed and that I will force all of my teenage children (when I have them) to read. It's funny and enlightening.
I would also suggest the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency books. Supposedly for kids, but I think good reading for adults as well.
Jordan would suggest A Confederacy of Dunces.

Carrie said...

Nick Hornby! Sign me up. I loved High Fidelity and About a Boy.

Mama said...

It says alot about your stiving personality that you want to read good books, Carrie...have you read the "Endless Steppe?" It's about a girl in Siberia during their revolution - really good.

Anonymous said...

For historical backdrops I recommend almost anything by Philippa Gregory, author of "The Other Boleyn Girl".

I like books by Shannon Hale -- my favorite being "Book of a Thousand Days", but she also wrote a series that starts with "The Goose Girl"

And I really recommend "The Host" by Stephenie Meyer. Much, much better than the whole vampire series.

My final recommendation being The Pellinor Series by Allison Croggin which starts with the book "The Naming".

Rachel Anderson said...

Your description: my favorite kind of book! Best book I read last year: Wild Swans. The family history of three generations of Chinese women in one family literally represent the country's convulsive political changes over the last century. Seriously brilliant. Won a British Book of the Year award or something along those lines. Read it.

Cassi Wood said...

Bear! You have lots of book help, so I will give you something to do to pass the time.

FAMILY HISTORY! I need your help. Are you interested? You were always really good at it. It requires a computer. I would need to talk to you about it sometime. Loves