I read every night before I go to bed. If I don't, I feel weird. Bed and reading go together. Like peanut butter and jam. Salt and pepper. Wigs and kittens.
I used to read every book I picked up from beginning to end regardless of whether I thought it was great or not. I don't do that anymore. If I get ¼ of the way through a book and the only reason I want to open it is on the off chance the pages burst into flame like in a magic trick , I know it's time to take that magic course I always wanted to. Plus it's time to get rid of the book.
There are too many good books out there to read, to suffer through something boring, stupid, pretentious, bland or difficult. The odd time you get these things ALL ROLLED INTO ONE BOOK! For me that book is often written by Jonathan Franzen.
The stack of 5 books below are ones that I've read. It's a list that includes both the books I loved and one I gave up on by page 58.
The Rosie Project is a really fun little book about a professor who may or may not have Aspergers Syndrome. It's funny, thoughtful and an easy enjoyable read.
The Book Thief is one of the many books I've read that focus on the time during the holocaust. You need to read this book. Now.
Secret Daughter is also an easy read and engaging. The story revolves around a baby who is given up for adoption in India and the lives of her birth parents and adoptive parents.
The Casual Vacancy, by Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling was about something. I have no idea what. I couldn't force myself past page 58. J.K. Rowling is an incredibly talented writer whose book I was hoping would burst into flames.
A Week in Winter by Maeve Binchy sat on my desk for a year before I read it. I was a huge Maeve Binchy fan years ago because she is a true storyteller. But her more recent books seemed to be missing something. When she died I vowed to read her last story. And I did. It was a cute, story about a multitude of flawed but likeable characters. In true Maeve Binchy style.
These, on the other hand, are the books I'm going to read. And I'm looking forward to each and every one of them. Except one.
Don't Get too Comfortable by David Rakoff is a book I tried to read a year and a half ago but just couldn't get into. I didn't wish flames upon it, I just wasn't in the right state of mind to read it I think. Apparently if you like David Sedaris you'll like David Rakoff. I happen to love David Sedaris.
N-W by Zadie Smith will be the second novel I've read by this British author. The first was On Beauty which I really liked, but sadly can't remember a single thing about. I'm gonna be honest with you. Of the list of 5 books this one kind of worries me. Poof!
The Woefield Poultry Collective by Susan Juby is another bit of a risk. When a novel only has 6 reviews on Amazon despite being published 3 years ago ... you've gotta worry a bit. But an Art of Doing Stuff reader recommended it so I'm givin' it a shot!
We are Water by Wally Lamb will be the 3rd novel I've read by this American author. The other two, I Know this Much is True and She's Come Undone were both pretty darn good. Besides as a general rule any book with the word "water" in the title can't burst into flames. It's just common sense.
And the Mountains Echoed by Khaled Hosseini is the book I'm most looking forward to. Hosseini has authored two of the most remarkable novels I've read over the past several years; The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns . Like his previous two works, this story takes place in Afghanistan.
Books like any other form of artistic endeavour is very subjective. You may love it, I may hate it. But the odd time there are books that are almost universally loved. If I had to recommend 3 books from these lists they would be A Thousand Splendid Suns, The Book Thief and The Rosie Project.
I really can't imagine anyone not liking them.
Feel free to leave your comments now telling me all about how you got ¼ of the way through one of them before it burst into flames.
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Lindsay H.
I loved We Are Water. I can't quite explain why, but it stuck with me. It had just enough intrigue, plus Wally Lamb does what he does best: narrating the intricacies of families.
Janet
On your recommendation I read Night Circus. Absolutely loved it and passed it on to someone who also absolutely loved it. Now in New Zealand we have the winner of the Man Booker prize 2013, so to you and everyone else reading this, I recommend you read Eleanor Catton's "The Luminaries". [Warning it is long - 828 pages of clever clever writing]
Julie
I second The Luminaries, it took me a little while to get going but once I was in, I couldn't put it down! Great timing on this post; I've been trying to decide what to read next & seeing as we have a few favourite books in common, I trust your recommendations. Now to choose one...
Auntiepatch
I read 4-5 books a week. I get samples on my Kindle before I buy a book and that helps weed out the "dogs". The one time I got burned was when a new book came out by J.K. Rollins called "The Cuckoo's Calling". I LOVED the Harry Potter books so I figured what the heck, how could it be bad? I slogged my way through this murder/mystery and at the end I didn't care WHO killed the Cuckoo; I just wanted the book to end. Unless she does another HP, I'm done with JK.
If you want to get HOOKED on a series try Archer Mayor. His books all take place in Bellows Falls, Vermont and the Northeast. Mayor's hero is an every day cop with no budget, old equipment, and a love for law enforcement. I've read at least a dozen of his books and they keep me turning pages until the very end (usually at about 3 am). DON'T start one if you don't have the time to finish it! You won't be sorry.
Lauren from Winnipeg
How funny that The Rosie Project is on your list. I just finished it today. I also enjoyed Secret Daughter and I have to agree with you about Casual Vacancy. I finished it, but it was a struggle. Disappointing considering how much I love Harry Potter.
A couple of recent interesting reads were The Dinner by Herman Koch (very different and a little weird) and The Witch Doctor's Wife.
I have also been reading everything by Jhumpa Lahiri.
I read Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese a while ago, but it is excellent! Probably one of my favourites.
I also don't understand not reading before going to sleep.
Melissa L.
I echo just about everything you said... What was that Franzen horror eons ago? The Corrections? I absolutely forced myself to finish it. But, like you, The Casual Vacancy, alas, lies unfinished in my kindle library. Perhaps it's maturing, and stamping our little feet and saying, "Why should I waste my precious time on this drivel?" Read every Binchy starting when I was pretty young. Hosseini makes me weep. Love, love, love a good book. (Have you read The Far Pavilions by MM Kaye?)
Jasmine
If I don't read in bed before I go to sleep, I can't sleep. I have been married 26 years and two or three times a week my husband will say to me "Are you reading again tonight?". Sometimes when I have a really heavy book I will let it fall on him. I just finished a mother of heavy books 'Pillars of the Earth'. Very heavy. Great book though.
Noelle
I'm a sucker for Maeve Binchy, I'm not sure I have that one. Hmm
Stephanie
Dont know if this is your cup of tea, but try: The Good Good Pig, by Sy Montgomery
Sue
I haven't had as much time to read this past year as usual, but I did read "We Are Water", and I really liked it. "The Book Thief" has been on my list for a while. I hope I'll finally get to it this year. I'm also a Goodreads member, but I use it mostly to keep track of books that I want to read, or have read, even so, I'm behind. It's great, there's a phone app that can scan isbn codes so you can look up reviews wherever you are, and then it's an easy step to save the book to your "shelf", and you can set up all sorts of different lists.
Marti
I had to google Franzen and what comes up? "Oprah's Book Club" and "Chinese Author Guo says American Lit is 'MASSIVELY OVERRATED.' " Hahaha! I learn so much from your blog, Karen. Always such great insight!
Karen
Go ahead. Read a Franzen book. I dare ya! ~ karen
Marti
No, no, noooo! This is why I read you: I BELIEVE YOU.
Patti
I love Jonathan Franzen's books! I highly recommend Freedom (I think that was his last). I always look forward to a new Wally Lamb book, although it takes him decades to put one together. She's Come Undone is still my favorite read.
Karen
That's hilarious! Because I highly don't recommend Freedom, lol. ~ karen
Susan R
Karen, no Robertson Davies? My all time favorite author. Amazon just delivered The Accidental Anarchist, Night and I Am Malala. I'll let you know.
Karen
LOL. Well no, but these aren't the only 10 books I've ever read! I do love Robertson Davies. Always have. Ask my mom. She'll tell you. ~ karen
Tracie
Well, I found hard covers of The Kite Runner, and A Thousand Splendid Suns at a book sale my bank was having, for two bucks each! Great right? I lent them both to my mother, who was visiting a friend about an hours drive from me, as she really needed reading material. She found them boring! And then the friend picked up and moved away! I've been looking for Lonesome Dove in the used book stores, but no luck yet. Just finished Minding Frankie, by Maeve Binchy. Just starting Voyager of the Outlander series, third in. Need to write down some of these titles, Lord knows I can't rely on my memory these days....Thanks!
Julie
You must, I mean absolutely must read Goldfinch by Donna Tartt. It is dangerous because you will not be to turn out your light and go to bed!
Karen
It's been on my list so I guess that confirms it. Goldfinch it is! ~ karen
Valerie
I am also a voracious reader. If I happen to get a book that I am having trouble getting into I go to a site called Goodreads.com. It is so very tempting to go there before I start a book but I resist. That site reviews countless books and gives an overall synopses. What follows is a one to five star rating from their various "readers" and if there are "spoilers" that give too much away by the reviewer then that fact precedes their review. To be a good bed reader one MUST have a perfect light source - a little from the left if you are right handed and a little from the right if you are left handed.
Besides Scandinavian mystery writers whom I adore, one of my favourite authors is Ian McEwan. He wrote Atonement and his latest is Sweet Tooth with which I was intrigued. He always plants a tiny bomb early on in his novels and although he has prepared you it is always a surprise when it finally explodes.
Sara
The Book Thief is in my top 5 books of all time! I am a very picky reader, probably because I have read sooo much. The other 4 of those 5 are: City of Thieves (David Benioff), The Secret History (Donna Tartt), A Reliable Wife (Robert Goolrick) and The Power of One (Bryce Courtenay).
Very nearly making the top 5 are: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn (Betty Smith), Perfume (Patrick Süskind), Anna Karenina (Leo Tolstoy), The God of Small Things (Arundhati Roy) and Rules of the Wild (Francesca Marciano).
Looks like maybe I have a top ten. My top twenty really are all stellar books. I am very picky, so you should really consider all of these as potential time-eaters. I can't wait to get my hands on a few of your rect..it's so deliciously escapist!
Karen
I've read many on your list and especially loved The Secret History and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. My time devoted to Russian authors began and ended with Crime and Punishment I'm afraid. Never, ever, again. Ever. Again. ever ~ karen!
Sara
Well, that's why the joke, right? To recommend is the crime, to read is the punishment. That's a rough one. For sure read the City of Thieves and A Reliable Wife if you haven't yet!
Becky
City of Thieves was very good!
Bols
I have to admit that Crime and Punishment is not an easy read but it IS an excellent book. You will miss out on a lot if you exclude all Russians based on innocent Myshkin (well, Dostojevskij - whatevere the English transcription of his name is).
You may find it hard to believe but War and Peace (all thousand pages of it) is a stellar book.
Karen
My judge of whether something is an excellent book for me is whether I think at the end, "I'm glad I read that". I was not glad I read Crime & Punishment. I was glad it was over. ~ karen
Monica
Just wanted to say I am shopping on kobo right now for your recommendations, since I loved 'Perfume', 'The Secret History', and 'The God of Small Things'.
I'll also add my voice to all the fans of 'The Goldfinch'. That's my audiobook right now, and I'll admit to lingering over washing the dishes and sitting in my parked car just to hear more.
Pat
I just finished reading "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee which I read way back in high school. I think it is an important, thought provoking book to read because of it's social commentary which still applies today.
Karen
Yup. Plus it's just a plain old good read. :) ~ karen
Maggie V
I belong to a book club and The Book Thief, Secret Daughter, The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns as well as And The Mountains Echoed were read by us and I loved each and every book. Good Picks Karen.
Nancy Blue Moon
I read at bedtime too which is about to happen now..nite nite and thanks for the book suggestions..
Barbie
YOur such a crack up! Isn't "The Book Thief" out in theaters / theatre soon? I thought I heard that from my daughter the other day. I want to SEE it so bad. Now if I read the book the movie just won't be good to me at all though.
Karen
No. You have to read the book. It's SO enjoyable. READ READ READ. ~ karen!
Dana
I loved The Book Thief, and The Rosie Project is up next for my book club. We'll be discussing The Curiosity this week-- should make for some heated discussion about science and morality.