begging for book recs!

[evergleam]

It has recently come to my attention that I own a working Anne Arundel County Public Library card, and, um, I work in a bookstore, wherein I get discount.

It's also come to my attention, not so recently, that the last book I started and finished was Half-Blood Prince. And that's a little depressing. However, I bought a bunch of books from the store the other day with a gift card, and Racheal gave me a couple of books for my birthday. Currently, my reading list looks something like:


The Year of Magical Thinking - Joan Didion (I'm about 3/4 of the way done)
A Man Without a Country - Kurt Vonnegut
Naked Pictures of Famous People - Jon Stewart
Long Way Round: Chasing Shadows Across the World - Ewan McGregor & Charley Boorman
Interpreter of Maladies - Jhumpa Lahiri
The Robber Bride - Margaret Atwood
Neverwhere - Neil Gaiman


The last three are ones that I've picked up and read the first few chapters of, but never finished. Point being, I don't think it'll take me long to get through the list.

So! What are you guys reading? Any good book recs? I'm in to short stories and memoirs lately, but I'd be interested in hearing about new authors of any kind.

Comments

[madmoisellestar.livejournal.com]

I loved The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, and in the memoir vein, I'm excited to read Red Azlea by Anchee Min, I'll let you know how it is...

[madmoisellestar.livejournal.com]

Red Azalea - like the flower. It's about growing up in Mao's China, joining the red guard and such...

[evergleam83.livejournal.com]

Hmm, have you recced me that before? It sounds familiar.

Also, Red Azalea sounds interesting. Thanks. :)

[sihaya09.livejournal.com]

Aphrodite by Isabel Allende
Mortal Love by Elizabeth Hand
Finding Serenity edited by Jane Espenson (which I will put aside for you)

And if you get distracted like I do, try shorter books or short story collections

Smoke and Mirrors by Neil Gaiman
Girl Goddess #9 and Rose and Beast by Francesca Lia Block

[evergleam83.livejournal.com]

I do get distracted a lot, which is where the problem comes in, I think. Hence my love for short stories these days. :p

I went looking for Finding Serenity in the store the other day and the didn't have it. They did, however, have only one copy of The Official Visual Companion, and I almost bought it. :p

I'll have to keep the others in mind when I'm in the store next week. I'm pretty sure I did see that Neil Gaiman book.

Thanks!

[grass-stained.livejournal.com]

Memoir: Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Amy Krouse Rosenthal

I'm glad to see Jhumpa Lahiri on there. I really love Interpreter of Maladies. Her novel, The Namesake, isn't as strong, but still good.

[evergleam83.livejournal.com]

I read the first few short stories in Interpreter of Maladies a couple years ago and really liked them, and then I put it down and never finished it. I saw it in B&N the other day and just bought it. I keep seeing her novel around, but I haven't picked it up yet.

[kurosawa.livejournal.com]

If you've never read any of Roald Dahl's short stories, I suggest picking up a collection. Not kid's stuff and very, very good.

Otherwise I will now list some of my favourite books in case you haven't read any of these:
The Time Traveler's Wife, by Audrey Niffenegger
The English Patient, by Michael Ondaatje (alternatively, my second favourite book of his is Anil's Ghost)
Pillars of the Earth, by Ken Follett
One Hundred Years of Solitude, by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
The Joy Luck Club, by Amy Tan (which reads kind of like a short story collection)
The Club Dumas, By Arturo Perez-Reverte

[madmoisellestar.livejournal.com]

And if you're up for reading exceptionally well written short stories that border on being horror fiction, (but Poe style not R.L. Stine style) you're welcome to borrow the Roald Dahl Omnibus from me.

[evergleam83.livejournal.com]

Oooh. Yes, please. :)

[evergleam83.livejournal.com]

You know, I think one of these days I'm going to have to get around to reading The English Patient. Everyone recommends it.

Also, I've tried to read One Hundred Years of Solitude a whole bunch of times, and it still hasn't worked out yet. :p

[emulsion-lift.livejournal.com]

read the Bible. it's hilarious.







*gets struck by lightning*

[heatherosa.livejournal.com]

Muahahaha!

*collects ticket straight to Hell*

[evergleam83.livejournal.com]

I tried once. I fell asleep. :p And I'm not actually making a joke.