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"Beach Music" by Pat Conroy. Had no idea who he was at the time, had never heard of the book, of course - but I bought it and absolutely fell in love with the story. I'm now planning on reading Conroy's other stuff because I loved this one so much.
Twilight by Stephenie Meyer. It's a young readers novel and even though I'm 29, I am captivated by her writing style and have since gotten hooked on the series.
I'm 30 and I feel the same way....I got Twilight as a gift and thought, 'vampires? I don't read books about vampires!', but the book made me feel young again, or at least yearn for my youth. Once I finished Twilight, I went right to the bookstore and bought New Moon and Eclipse. Not as good as Twilight, but still really fun to read. Can't wait for #4!
It's the story of a coal mining family in Wales around the late 19th/early 20th century. It has strikes, the Boer War, troubles within the family and so-on. It reminds me a lot of "The Jungle" by Upton Sinclair (both authors were socialists).
Really good read, huh? I rented a beach house a few years ago and this was left behind. It was the best thing I read that week.
One of my favorite aspects of renting a beach house is finding the "book trade" shelf, looking for something I've never read, maybe even something incredibly dog-earred (of course, that could mean it saw some serious sand, sun and water time), and then leaving my own books when I'm finished with them.
S-h-a-l-l-o-w or not, I have been known to pick up a book based on what its cover looked like, or even if *gulp* just the title or the author's name intrigued me for some odd reason. Some books I have had to take on another's recommendation -- like A Confederacy for Dunces, which is one of my all-time favorites. Quirky story, even quirkier character.
Like some of you, I have been places -- usually in my travels -- and been desperate for something to read, so I'll pick up a book, often in a shop in the train station or airport, and sometimes in a place like a laundromat when my husband and I did some sailing years ago. I like to peruse the shelves of the 'bargain books' in the bookstores. Inevitably, I'll find several of interest.
I found the Harry Potter series on the 'new' titles' shelf at B&N years ago, long before everybody else stumbled onto Rowling's series, and carried it to school with me to recommend to another teacher. It had caught his eye, too. Occasionally, someone will turn me on to a whole new genre, or writer, or series, just because I like the person making the recommendation and will gamble upon his/her recommendation -- this is how I started reading contemporary horror and fantasy.
I don't think I've ever been the worse for anything I've read, and even the titles I put down, I eventually picked up again. It becomes a 'game' almost, to see if I can't make myself read the work.
Has anyone heard of her? I just finished Behind The Scenes At The Museum, a truly wonderful book. She won the Whitbread Award for it in 1995, I can't believe I've just discovered her, and by accident at that! I requested a book by an author with a similar name at my branch library - so happy they made a mistake!
Thanks for the suggestion, SSG II. I did enjoy Dunces quite a bit -- enough so, I've read it more than once, and often recommend it. Takes a bit of a quirky reader, though, I think, to get into it.
I am always looking for new books/authors to explore.
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Yes!! Kate Atlkinson
