Sunday, June 3, 2007

Book Suggestions Needed

I am in the need for some new mid-weight novels. Surprisingly, most of my reading has been non-fiction, or at least non-novel for some time. The Mister and I leave tomorrow for our eight week mid-country tour and I realize that I have packed three "fun" plant and ecology books, one depressing (but allegedly funny) memoir, a ton of field guides, and perhaps a few trashy romance novels if I can dig them up. I'm looking for a novel thats a really good read (authors I consider in this category: Amy Tan, Barbara Kingsolver, Vonnegut, Austen, Tom Robbins . . . ). Suggestions?

2 comments:

Debbie said...

Orson Scott Card has become my favorite! If you want sci-fi, try the Ender's Game series, and bring the 1st three books, they're addicting. If you want alternate US pioneer history, with Native Americans in touch with nature, try the Alvin Maker series, bring the 1st 3! They don't get much into Native Americans until the 2nd book. Now I'm glues to a Death in Kenya, about a murder in a game park, but the 1st qrter is about the victim's 6 mon. trip across Africa from England, and Kenya's white/recent political history. Riveting!

Jenny said...

I recently read "Saving Fish from Drowning" (Amy Tan) and really (wish I could underline this) enjoyed it. "All Passion Spent" by Vita Sackville-West is a lovely book too. Have you read "A Year in Provence?" I think you would really like this book. Other non-fiction suggestions are "American Stories" and "Travels with Alice" (Calvin Trillin), books which would be appropriate for summer travel, or "It takes a Village Idiot" by someone I can't remember. I recently saw a book that looked potentially good called "The $46 Tomato" but haven't found it at the library yet and can't speak to its readability. Hope this helps a bit.