Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Wednesday=Book Review Time--What's your favorite?

After last week's book, I'm not feeling inspired to review. I've been rereading The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and writing and editing (and for me it's hard to do a lot of reading when I'm writing) so this week appears to be a bust for anything new.  As I reread, though, I'm reminded that the beginning is not as funny as later, so don't give up early. Once you meet the Society members the story really takes off.

I'd love to hear what some of your all-time favorite books and authors are. What keeps your nose in a book like my daughter here? 

Leave them in the comments. I read and love a wide variety of books and there are so many out there that I still don't know about.

Here's my short list in addition to last week's new love.

Jane Austen: Persuasion/Pride and Prejudice
Fyodor Dostoyevsky: Crime and Punishment
Chaim Potok: The Chosen/My Name is Asher Lev
Leon Uris: Exodus
Elizabeth Gaskell: North and South/Ruth
JK Rowling: Harry Potter Series
Richard Peck: A Long Way from Chicago/A Year Down Yonder
Sarah Dessen: Just Listen/The Truth About Forever
Khaled Hosseini: A Thousand Splendid Suns
Orson Scott Card: Ender's Game
Shannon Hale: Princess Academy/Rapunzel's Revenge
Robin McKinley: The Blue Sword/Dragonhaven

I'm going to have to make myself stop. I keep feeling like I'm leaving something very important out. For those I included I wouldn't allow myself to list more than 2 titles per author so just know there's a lot more. 

Y'all had to know my short list would not be very short. I could also include all those Latin and French faves, but I will spare you. 

18 comments:

Marty said...

My favorite story is 'Les Misérables' by Victor Hugo.

My favorite novel is 'War and Peace' by Leo Tolstoy.

My favorite short story is 'The Wandering Jew' by Stefan Heym.

I hated Dostoyevesky and loved J.K. Rowlings. I wish I had a little more time to read and a lot more time to write.

Hannah Beth said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Hannah Beth said...

In addition to Ender's Game, I like Ender's Shadow. Have you ever read it?

If you have, you know that they're from the same time, told from two different perspectives. I like to read the two books at the same time. It's one of my favorite quirky things to do with those particular books. Most of the time I hate reading multiple books at the same time, but this is like one story in two books, so it's permissible... =D

PJ Hoover said...

I loved Ender's Game. And Hannah is right. Loved Ender's Shadow also.

Some don't want to put down books for me include
The Lightning Thief
City of Ember
Davinci Code
City of Bones

Michelle D. Argyle said...

It's hard for me to pick favorite authors and books. I'm not sure I can make a list quickly, so I might have to get back on that for you.

I can at least list off a few, but it's by no means inclusive: Tom Clancy, Dostoevsky, Annie Dillard, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Faulkner, some of John Grisham, and Lois Duncan from when I was in high school. Haven't read anything by her lately. Is she still writing?

Um, ya, think I like classics? Yeah, I do. To me, they are tried and true, and then there's my inner suspense/crime lover that likes commercial fiction.

Honestly, I haven't read much of anything lately. I've been too busy writing. So... when I'm done with Monarch, it's off to the library!

Rebecca Ramsey said...

You should try some Bailey White, if you haven't already. I just bought her compilation of holiday stories from NPR and I can't wait to dive in!

Anonymous said...

Love-The Chosen

A Separate Peace-John Knowles
The Septembers of Shiraz-Dalia Sofer
The Time Traveler's Wife-Audrey Niffenegger

lotusgirl said...

Marty, I do LOVE Les Miserables. I lumped that in with the French books though. Probably shouldn't have. I'm ashamed to say I've never read War and Peace. I'll have to look at it. I tend to like the Russian writers. Something in what they say speaks to me.

Hannah, I love Bean. I'm going to have to try reading EG and ES together that is a fun idea. I bet Elizabeth would like it too.

PJ, I loved City of Ember too and DaVinci Code. I haven't read the others. Thanks for the rec.

Glam, I almost put Faulkner and F. Scott on the list, but it was getting so long. In class I attending a lecture with Annie Dillard. She is sooo amazing. Her prose is lyrical.

Becky, I haven't read any Bailey White. I'll have to check that out.

lotusgirl said...

Meredith, I've been looking at The Time Traveler's Wife. Thanks for the other recommendations as well.

Jenni James said...

LOL! Jane Austen all the way! BUt my most favoritest modern author is Judith A Lansdowne. Nothing competes with her EVER!

I also enjoy Shannon Hale and Lucy Maud Montgomery,etc.. etc.. but judith and i just go way back! Sigh! i can reread her books a million times and still laugh and cry in the same spots!

lotusgirl said...

giddy, that's cool that she holds up over time. I'll have to check her out. I love LMMontgomery too. So many good authors out there.

Alyssa said...

You know me well enough to know that I can't choose just one. :)

Austen - Pride and Prejudice
Dostoevsky - C&P
Beckett - Waiting for Godot
Winters - Beyond Band of Brothers
Shakespeare - Othello
and most recently....
Vande Velde - The Rumpelstiltskin Problem

*You should come out to UT and get the real Taran to read that book to you! haha. But I'm sure I could maybe ship him to you. ;) jk

lotusgirl said...

Hello! Of course you couldn't limit your list. Neither could I. I knew we would have cross overs.

I'm definitely going to have to check out the Vande Velde book. Shipping Taran intrigues me. Would you do that in a box?

Unknown said...

Harry Potter for un-put-downed-ness; CS Lewis for being among the best books of all time!

Alyssa said...

I forgot HP! How could I do that?!? haha. I talked to Taran last night about shipping him to you. He said that he would prefer Fed-Exing himself. I would assume in a box? maybe. :)

Parkay24 said...

I love books by Elizabeth George Speare, especially The Bronze Bow. I also like books by Shannon Hale and Richard Peck.
I like Jane Eyre, The Scarlet Letter, The Chosen, To Kill a Mockingbird, and Little Women. The Giving Tree is a classic.
I really enjoyed The #1 Ladies Detective Agency serries and the Harry Potter Series. I enjoyed the Secret Life of Bees and hope to see the movie soon.

Cortney said...

I love books, love them all!! :)
(but you know that) I have you to thank for introducing me to the Richard Peck books.

lotusgirl said...

Beth, yeah, that HP is hard to put down and CS Lewis is great.

Alyssa, I'm thinking maybe he's gonna need a heavy duty snack pack to bring with him in that box.

MaryKay, I've been planning on reading The Bronze Bow. Maybe I should do it sooner than later.

Cortney, You're so welcome for the R. Peck intro. Grandma Dowdel is one of my most favorite characters EVER!