Yay for you for giving up all the extraneous TV! I gave up my TV months ago, and have never been happier. Really truely. I think there is a direct link to TV consumption and depression, cause mine got a lot better and has been easier to manage. Whee!!

Aw, don't hate on the reality TV! ;)

Anyway, I will warn you that I didn't like Prep much, but obviously your mileage may vary. I didn't hate it, I was just kind of ambivalent. Have you read The Secret History? Based on our mutual love of Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, I think you'd really like it. They have very similar feels. I also loved The Invention of Everything Else, which is the last novel I read before law school ate my soul again.

How did you like the ending to My Sister's Keeper?

Yeah!!! I grew up without TV, so the few brief years were an aberration that really served more to convince that I do NOT need TV than to make me long for it. I admit, I LOVE CSI (!!!!), but I get my fix from my brother's DVD collection on my computer. I know that if I ever did get TV my addictive personality would kick in and would get nothing done, ever, while watching shows I honestly could care less about. And the news just sucks. Full stop. NPS podcasts and the MSN home page are the only things that keep me in touch with the world, I'm afraid.

As for books.... I'm on a mystery novel kick right now, so Dorothy Sayers, Ngaio Marsh and Laurie King are my authors of choice. It's nice to see the bad guys get what's coming to them!

NPR, not NPS! Did you get that attachment??

Valerie -- along with the fact that I don't do Netflix and I am grammatically free with my way of spelling ya'll -- a whole new reason for folks to be irritated with me is that I skip to the back and read the ending. Yup!! :)

This drives some people insane.

But I am high-strung, and I can't calm down and relax enough to actually READ the book if it's stressing me out to know what happens. So I skip forward, read the ending, then I can go back where I was and really sink into the book, knowing as I do how it will unfold.

Having said that, I was only surprised about the ending in that an author would take that kind of risk. My copy of the book had author's Q&A and one was about the ending. I thought it was an interesting choice on the writer's part.

I am a little bit love/hate with Jodi Picoult, but Plain Truth was my favorite by her. Loved loved loved!

I also vividly remember loving Second Glance, a lesser known Ms. Picoult book. Whatever you do, stay away from The Pact. It's a gorgeously written book, but it's the most depressing thing ever.

Also, good on you for getting the hell away from the news! I never watch the news anymore and I find I am much less stressed because of it. The local news is particularly bad because it's always bad news... this person killed that person, there was a horrible car accident, let's talk about that huge fire, ick. What a downer. DO NOT WANT.

Have a good weekend! Filled with lots of bookwormery.

Melinda -- I grew up without a TV, too, so I have found I am way more susceptible to getting sucked into TV watching than some of my friends. It just sort of takes over my brain! I still watch TV but not nearly as much as I used to. Since I live alone sometimes it's nice to have the sound in the house at night, but I'm trying to make the rule for myself that if I want to watch TV I have to do it while on the treadmill.

Um, that totally hasn't stuck yet by the way.

"Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close" by Jonathan Safran Foer. How can a book about a kid who loses his dad in the World Trade Tour collapse be crazy-funny and uplifting? Read it and find out - it really is.

Since you have a Holocaust book on your list already... can I recommend Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer? It's sort of about the Holocaust, but there's so much more to it... it's also about following a family through generations and there's some fantasy thrown in and plenty of witty humor and each character is so unique and richly developed, and it's one of the best books I've read in a long time. (There's a movie, too, but it's not worth seeing. The movie is nothing compared to the book.)

Also, I hear you on the news. Can't do it anymore. But I'm such a sucker for the competition reality shows! American Idol, Top Chef, Biggest Loser... I <3 them all.

Heh. I only watch Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy. It keeps me balanced (Wheel makes me feel smarter, because I am a decent puzzle solver and Jeopardy reminds me not to get above myself because I'm not that smart), but is a relatively small amount of TV. Anything else I want to watch is on DVD.

I'm currently reading Silver Metal Lover by Tanith Lee and Wicked (rereading actually). I finished way too many books last week that I got behind on my knitting!

Ha! I didn't see the comment above mine before posting... but a double recommendation for the same author, how can you turn that down? ;)

I gave up TV entirely several months ago. But I do that every once in awhile. I didn't have any cable until I was 13, then I OD'd on it, then gave it up, rinse and repeat. I have always had a TV news aversion, upseting stories and freaky makeup on the anchors. I'm an NPR junkie instead.
Books, however, I never will give up. Having a bum wrist (meaning no crafting allowed) at the moment has pulled me back into the library more than normal. As for suggestions, I just finished the Sue Grafton alphabet series, it was pretty good. Caroline Negers has a good suspense romance series, too.

Love that! I will have to pick up one of his books, I am a huge history nerd, but especially anything in the European front 1938-1949ish. Jewish history is my fave. Mr. X used to complain that I was dragging him around Europe on the Jewish Tour of European History.... and I am not even Jewish. Maybe I was in another life...?

Also, just for the record: I haven't gone all cabin-in-the-woods and given up TV totally. I watch TV. I just don't watch as much, or start my day with, "Last night in Van Nuys three people died in a gang shootout..."

I Just picked up The Kite Runner & I am also currently reading A New Earth....which is not easy reading, btw!! For fun I recently read the Twilight series...brain crack! If you need easy-peasy reading that takes you away, I say check it out!

Well, like I said yesterday, I just finished YOUR book :) and am about to move on to Big Boned by Meg Cabot, A spunky fun read, like yourself, along with a Laurie Notaro (just finished,) who is absolutely adorable, in the smart, funny, wish she was my friend, kind of way.
Look at you plopped right in between Laurie Notaro and Meg Cabot, go you. It was like visiting a trio of really great gals, who I'd love to sit and knit with.

That is so funny that you read the end first - I usually do it to, so I can relax and enjoy the book without worrying about the ending (I thought I was the only weird freak who couldn't handle an ending!) but for some reason, I didn't on that book - and it totally caught me off guard!

Not that you're a weird freak or anything, just sayin'...

Reading is FUNdamental! Glad you're doing more of it.

I find TV so addictive that I cannot turn it off and will spend hours upon hours watching CRAP. So I stopped turning it on and don't find I miss it at all. I've pulled it out an plugged it in once in the last year, when Mom was visiting and had to watch "Dancing with the Stars."

I suspect you would like "Eat, Pray, Love" if you haven't read it already (I should check your archives, but I'm lazy). "Shantaram" by Gregory David Roberts is a huge TOME but a great read. "People of the Book" by Geraldine Brooks. Heck, even Harry Potter's fun.

Happy reading!

A Thousand Splendid Suns. Hadn't read a good fiction book in a long time. I LOVED this book.
Very well written. Same author as Kite Runner.
Hear they are making it into a movie also.
Can't wait!

Angie, that was an awesome compliment and I thank you for it.

I love TV!!! It's my favorite thing in the world and I would watch 80 hours a week if I could.

But I do also read like a fiend. Currently reading "In God We Trust (All Others Pay Cash," which is the book from which the movie "The Christmas Story" was adapted. It was written in the 60s, but is delightfully funny and sweet and very well-written. I've decided I like books written by columnists because--in addition to being able to tell a good story--they know how to Write. Just finished "Marley & Me: Live & Love With the World's Worst Dog" by John Grogan and it's fabulous (also written by a columnist).

Like you, I am more into the self-help books. They make me feel like I am bettering myself or accomplishing something in some way. But lately I have had a chance to do more reading than usual, and I have read Sylvia Browne (I've read most of her books) and John Grisham (just finished "The Rainmaker" which I highly recommend). Those are my easy readers. Then there is "A Reasonable Life: Toward a Simpler, Secure, More Humane Existence" by Ferenc Mate and "Last Night I Dreamed of Peace: The Diary of Dang Thuy Tram" which are more serious reads. I also have a Shirley MacLaine which I am working on too. I usually read more than one book at a time.

I loved "My Sister's Keeper" that is my fav of the Piccolt Books.

A second on "A Thousand Splendid Suns" another great book.

I also would recommend "The Other Boelyn Girl" by Phillipa Gregory and "The Red Tent" ..I can't remember the author.

I always and trying to balance my time between knitting and reading.....I usually toggle between one and the other.

Just finished reading: "Down the Garden Path" by Beverley Nichols. Gardening, gossip, houses, cats, food, etc from 1920/30's England. Lovely lovely book, easily read in bits and pieces.

Currently reading: "On architecture" by Vitruvius, translated from Latin. I know, I know, sounds bad - but this is a *GREAT* book! Humor, architecture, nature, culture, humanities, people, history - it's really fascinating.

Next to read: "The Prize of All the Oceans: Anson's Voyage Around the World" by Glyn Williams. Anson sailed around the world in 1740 while chasing after the Spanish treasure galleons. He lost 74% of his men to scurvy, lost 4 ships, but still came home a hero because he captured the Spanish ship. Talk about good PR work!!

'P.S. I Love you' or anything by Cecelia Ahern is an easy read for a sunny, breezy day. JD Robb's 'In Death' series is a good mystery/romance.

I have to recommend anything by Sophie Kinsella. Her books are awesome! She has a whole Shopaholic series that is to die for. Trust me!

Ha! Seanna, I know not to call my parents between 7:30 and 8pm because they are watching, as Mom calls it, "our educational TV". :) They adore Jeopardy and when I visit them, I get sucked into it too! "Dad, let's head home, with bad traffic we might miss the start of Jeopardy!" hee.

Yeppers. In fact, there is a theory that TV actively slows your metabolism and you're more likely to mindlessly munch crap while watching it too. (In point of fact, on this subject, Remotely Controlled by Dr Aric Sigman is well worth a read. Tells you what TV really does for you. Apparently scientists reckon adults ought not to watch more than 2 hours per day since they don't really know what damage it can do.)

Glad you got back into reading. I haven't done much since my daughter was born 12 weeks ago. All I've managed is half of The Last Girls by Lee Smith (which is fabulous) and some random book about the joys or not of flat sharing. (It's called 'I Lick My Cheese'. I kid you not.)

Congratulations on stopping the overly hyperbolic, depressing news. I just get a quick bite of it on the innernets if I feel the need.

I feel a little offkilter if I don't have a couple of books on my table lined up to read. I also keep a book in the glovebox of my car in case I'm stuck somewhere.

I'm reading "Pontoon" by Garrison Keillor. Good if you like tales from Lake Wobegon. Recently finished "The Omnivore's Dilemna," by Michael Pollen (who knew the whole dang grocery store is made of corn?). As far as light reading goes, nothing beats Janet Evanovich books -- they're like crack.

Love books- real books, not the funky electronic books that they keep trying to tell us are so wonderful.
Phillpa Gregory: "The Other Boelyn Girl","The Virgin's Lover",etc. All the historical Tudor stuff- I love it.
Recently read "The Double Bind" which uses "The Great Gatsby" in it's plot.
Just read a couple of books by Laura Moriarty who was a new to me author that I want to read more from.
And I just started "The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak for a book club
Happy reading!

I suggested to CK tonight that next time we need to replace the TV we just don't. He still isn;t talking to me!

Reading. Could we possibly live without reading? No way! Books rock.
I can't take the sad stuff, either. Ever since my mom gave me a book where a child dies in the first chapter . . . just can't do it.
Right now I'm reading George R. R. Martin's Fire and Ice series. It's sort of medieval fantasy/history. Long, too. If you like the medieval stuff, you might really enjoy these books.

I few years ago, when I pulled my head out of the sand and realized how much debt I was in, I canceled my cable and started reading library books instead. I also did a little netflicking.

It was the best thing that ever happened to me--I just wish I didn't have to get into debt to realize it!

When I moved to a place where cable was free, I was astounded at how much I was annoyed by commercials! I've learned to discipline myself with what I watch now (DVR helps--can fast forward thru commercials, etc).

I'll throw out the title of the book I'm currently reading, which I highly recommend: "A Complicated Kindness" by Miriam Toews. I heard her do a segment on This American Life and liked it so much I picked up her book. It's great!

Happy reading!

Hi Purl-

Reading is one of my favorite activities and if you want to know the truth, it is how I got interested in knitting! Monica Ferris and Maggie Sefton (and I think Nancy Fairbanks) write knitting mysteries and they just drew me in.

I know my recommendations might be a little lighter reading than some of the other suggestions, but for good, happy, escape reading, here are some of my favorites. Absolutely get Janet Evanovich for laugh out loud funny. NObody beats Jayne Ann Krentz for romance (also writes historical romance under Amanda Quick). And for just excellent story telling, check out Nevada Barr and Dana Stabenow.

Love you Purl! Love you Books!

Oh, yes! I have an "upstairs book," a "downstairs book," a book on my iPod for running, and some trashy paperback mystery that lives under my seat in the car "just in case." I am, FYI, totally a fiction girl. Just ... totally.

I second "Eat, Pray, Love" because as I was reading it I kept having to remind myself that YOU had not written it.

I love all of Chris Bohjalian's books (I also really like saying his name); he wrote Double Bind recommended by Patti in KS.

Elizabeth Berg writes wonderful novels that almost feel like self-helpy books and that ALWAYS make me happy to have read them.

"The Red Tent" did in fact totally rock.

Totally with you on the TV news. I'm so glad I don't live in the world they portray, with the DANGER and the BACTERIA LURKING and CHILDNAPPERS. I'd never *do* anything if I lived in that world.

Have you read any of the Stephanie Plum novels, by Janet Evanovich? Totally fun, and sexy.

I was recently very, very sick for several days, and all I did was lie in bed and read. That's when I read your book, which I completely LOVED. Since then, I figured - the house didn't fall down when I did that. So, I'm taking more time to read. Most of my usual reading tends toward the Buddhist, spiritual side. If you're interested, "Radical Acceptance" by Tara Brach is great, as is anything by Jon Kabat-Zinn. Cheri Huber's "There Is Nothing Wrong With You" is one I've read many times. And sometimes, I believe it!

I bought the original Harry Potter for my son, and I was completely taken in by that series. What wonderful writing of a great story. I cried when I finished the last book - I wanted it to continue!

Love Willa Cather, especially... all of her stuff. Death Comes for the Archbishop is perfect.

I love sinking into a good book. Holding it in my hands and feeling the weight of it. Putting it down to get a drink and then picking it back up.
I'm glad you've discovered Jodi...I really enjoy her books. You should sign up for Goodreads and you'll get tons of recommendations.

Oh, I forgot - I NEVER used to read the end of the book first, and was horrified when I heard someone did that. Then, after 9/11, I *absolutely* had to know that everything came out OK before I could read a book, and started reading the ending first. Even if it wasn't totally happy - I just wanted to know everyone was OK. I hadn't connected that to *stress*, but that makes so much sense. Thanks for saying that.

OMG how many librarians do you have reading this here blog of yours? And you're asking for book suggestions/recommendations?!?

Brace yourself. I will be sending you an email within the next 24 hours.

the book-Sharp Objects
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/2008/01/zyzygy-in-my-life-words-love-and-razor.html

David Lynch's- Catching the Big Fish
Has now become my personal bible.

I will also second the recommendation of The Red Tent

Stef
http://sweatersurgery.blogspot.com/
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http://www.crafttvweekly.com/
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(='.'=) This is Bunny. Copy and paste Bunny into your
(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination.

Now if you like light hearted, and you don't mind vampires I would recommend MaryJanice Davidson - but according to my sister these books can not be read outloud due to the use of the "f" word. However the main character in the Dead and...books does have a fancy shoe fetish which is always good. Marian Keyes also - all her books mostly take place in London/ Ireland and are wonderful. I did like Prep but hated the next book. I also loved The Divide by Nicholas Evans...He also wrote The SmokeJumper awhile ago another good book. And lastly - Stori Telling by Tori Spelling was gossipy and good.

Someone else recommended the Sue Grafton alphabet series, and I second that. Great character development, and it's great to have a smart female protagonist sometimes.

Also in the detective genre is my all-time favorite author, Robert B Parker. If he hadn't already found his one true love, I would camp on his porch until he adopted me. His Spencer novels are brilliant, and there's a lot of them. (Isn't it sad when you fall in love with a character and then you realize that you've already read all the books where they exist?).

I totally read the endings if the book starts to get stressful. And I haven't watched the news in years.

Full disclosure: I'm a librarian, so I read a lot. But I'm a medical librarian so it's mostly gross, medical related stuff. I did just finish "Miss New York Has Everything" by Lori Jakleia (rhymes with tequila). It's a funny book about growing up in the 70's-80's and dreaming of leaving small town Pittsburgh for the bright lights of NYC and becoming a flight attendant.

I also read 2/3rds of "Leaving the Saints" by Martha Beck. I just couldn't finish it - it was too raw for my taste.

Plain Truth is just the best book ever. You'll love it. I read My Sister's Keeper, too, and that one was a bit too deep for me. Painful. Plain Truth grabs you just as well and shocks you at the end, as all Piccoult novels do, but isn't so well, you know, at the end. (SO trying not to give away the ending!)

I gave up TV a while back, except for movies. I can't figure out how I had so much time to watch stuff back in the day!

Currently I'm reading "The Witch of Portobello" by Paulo Coelho. If you haven't read his stuff, I think you would like it. I always feel uplifted by his books, but not in any sappy way.

I'm also rereading "The Origin of Satan" by Elaine Pagels, because I'm trying to put off buying her new book on the Judas Gospel until next month.

Hi Laurie!!

I stumbled accross Jodi Picoult by accident. My Sister's Keeper was her first book I read as well, now i'm on book number 5 of hers. Salem Falls was a good one, and Nineteen Minutes...and Harvesting the Hearth...oh jeez...they're all good!

I LOVE them...and I LOVE reading. I llived with a roomie a while back and we didn't have TV ***Hi Rachel, hope school is going well!!!*** and I started reading a lot then...it was good..and still is.

And it's Friday...Happy Friday!!

I am a voracious reader and always have quite a stack going. I just finished "Certain Girls" by Jennifer Weiner (love everything by her) and actually started crying at the end, it was so unexpected. A book I've been recommending to anyone who will listen for the past year is "After Long Silence" by Helen Fremont. A true story of her parents survival of the Holocaust and how she was raised a Christian when, in fact, she is Jewish and didn't know it. An amazing book!

Yes to whoever recommended "Omnivore's Dilemma"! Love love love. Well written and entertaining as well as informative.

I too don't watch too much TV... don't think the cable company is going to extort THAT much money out of me! I do get network (well, ABC and PBS anyway) and I still watch Dancing and The Daily Show online. And Netflix. But I have a pretty basic plan, so I make my selections carefully. (Although, though I add titles to my queue I never seem to rearrange it or update it, so when that little red envelope shows up in the mail it is kindof like Christmas since I never know what it's going to be!) Thank god for the internets...

I usually run through about 3-4 books a week, but am strictly a sci fi/fantasy gal. I just finished "Small Favor" by Jim Butcher and "Magic Burns" by Ilona Andrews. Both excellent - Butcher's books were made into a TV series on the sci fi channel called "The Dresden Files" which, sadly, did not last, but he's still pumping out the books and they are great.

Hooray for no-more-'reality' tv which always seems so far from reality anyway....

Suggested book: I am reading the Daring book for Girls. Seriously it is so much fun! It's all about information for girls and it's empowering and informative and just FUN! It's very Daring and that's the truth. I wish I had a daughter to share it with :)

Oh, I could go on forever with book suggestions, but I'll try to limit it a bit:

The Secret Life of Bees - the audio version read by Jenna Lamia is my favorite! I've listened to it so many times, some of the CD's are scratched.

The Bright Side of Disaster (didn't think I would like this one, but I really did)

Eden Close

Love Walked In and the sequel - Belong to Me

Strange Fits of Passion

The Rock Orchard

Love and Other Impossible Pursuits.

I also loved Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close

Linda in VA

My mom just lent me Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult. I have never read any of her books. Right now I'm finishing Shalimar the Clown (set in India, Pakistan, Kashmir) by Salman Rushdie. I just love him. I just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseni. I've also recently read Suite Francaise (WWII German occupation of France) by Irene Nemirovsky and 5 Quarters of the Orange (similar topic) by Joane Harris. My book club is reading The Freedom Writers. I guess I have to start that, too, since book club is Thursday!

As you can see I'm President of my bookclub and oh, so cool because of it : }

Anyway, I know you're into cost cutting and I wanted to tell you about Paper Back Swap . com .

Basically you just trade books with people all over the country - getting rid of your old ones and getting new ones in return.

PLUS: Who doesn't like a suprise package in the mail?!?

I just joined and I'm getting rid of all my weird gift books and exchanging them for ones I actually WANT!

It's the best-est!

I too just finished reading your book (yesterday actually) and I loved it.

The Secret History is one of my favorite books. I just re-read it a few months ago after 8-9 years and it's quite long but such an amazing, original story, you don't notice.
Also, The Power of One, by Bryce Courtenay.
These are both books I will read over and over.

You know when you've been reading a book and you find yourself driving down the highway or taking a shower or something and you find yourself thinking about the characters? These are that kinda book.

I second & third the Monica Ferris books! And the ones by Laura Childs. I started checking out books on CD for my commute. Charlaine Harris has a series that starts with Grave Like Gravesight. OMG good.

I am in the midst of a blissful Wodehousian frenzy. Honestly, anything by P.G. Wodehouse that I can get my hands on, I'm reading - and I may be a while, because the man was not just a genius, he was a prolific genius. So far my favorites are "The Tie that Binds" and "Hot Water" and "Leave it to Psmith" (the P is silent). I just checked "The Little Nugget" out of the library and haven't started it yet, so nobody tell me anything, I want to find out for myself! :)

Eat Pray Love. Strangely "Love" is the weakest part of the book...

The Mermaid Chair by Sue Monk Kidd

Almost French about an Australian woman who moves to Paris for a relationship

I love to read and copied titles from this great column which I will take to my local paperback book exchange! Lots of times I just don't know what book to buy or check out and this will be great.

I'm reading "Simple Abundance" right now and it's so frickin' accessible and digestible and actionable it's making my whole world over. LOVE IT.

Oh, and "Sunshine" by Robin McKinley. Cuz nothing goes better with amazing self-helping wonderfulness than Vampires. You know it.

For Jodi Picoult, try "Second Glance". It's my all time fav of hers because it's NOT a courtroom drama like all her others, and it's sort of actually UPLIFTING, which is rare for her.

I just finished Jonathan Tropper's "Everything Changes" and I liked it a lot. I suppose you could say that it is a romantic book from a guy's perspective. Actually I was looking for a new book by Joanna Trollope (she is good, too) and picked this up by accident because it was next on the shelf at the library. Now I am reading "Northhanger Abbey" by Jane Austen -- I know some people think she is boring, but she makes me laugh out loud.

I watch very little TV -- it makes me anxious -- so this entitles me to read lots of trashy books.

ok so since I have been in the same place as you (though still using the TV or Internet to numb my time more than you and using my time on the subway to read not knit...) here are my top 10 from my library thing (which I totally love!)

1. The Zahir (Paolo Coehlo) Brilliant man anything by him is worth the time.
2. Fountain Head (Ayn Rand- lots to read but love to read it!)
3. How Proust Can Change Your Life (Alain de Botton) This book and this author changed my life and has had me pulled into all his books!
4. Cod (Mark Kurlansy) any of the "food" as more than food books from Mark Kurlansy are worth reading and so damn interesting
5. Kafka on the Shore (Haruki Murakami) Liked it enough to get Norwegian Wood my current read
6. Lemon Tree (Sandy Tolan) An incredible book on a conflict that has been tearing a region apart for longer than I care to think... a region that has a special place in my heart
7. The Mandarins (Simone de Beauvoir) great to read about when I was living there, but it is still nice when you arent there.
8. Me Talk Pretty One Day (Dave Sedaris) I adore this man. Got to meet and have drinks with him. He makes me laugh inordinately.
9. I Am A Stranger Here Myself (Bill Bryson) Anything by the man is worth it! He often makes me laugh out loud and as a recent "re"patriate from the expatriate life this one totally touches me.
10. Stretching Lessons (Sue Bender) Whenever I feel myself a bit adrift or torn apart a bit... this book brings me a bit back together.

I really loved "Prep." The voice and characters were just astounding.

This is great...so many recommendations!
Ok, how many of you have read 1000 White Women.
I read it a long time ago and loved it.
I'm getting old so don't remember a lot about it other than that I loved it!
Now another voracious reader I'm friends with (and who I work with at the college library I work at) is loving it also.
We both loved your book you wrote "Crazy Aunt Purl"!She even said "makes me want to start knitting!" Made me laugh a lot and really sympathized with your situation though I had 2 children (with one just being diagnosed with diabetes) when my ex walked out the door.
I'm going to start Water for Elephants tonight.
Has anyone read it?

I'm a news junkie and LOVE to keep up with the latest developments, but mostly in terms of foreign policy. And you can't watch network to get that stuff. I mostly listen to the BBC and NPR.

I would recommend Prep, but that's already on your list. The other two books that I'm so in love with that I've recently read:

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (I think about the narrator ALL THE TIME)
The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri (slow, but so touching and lovely)

And thanks to all who have recommended books here. I've ordered a couple from Paperbackswap.com while reading the thread.

I love reading and I would say my all time favorite book is Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides. I just finished reading Julia Child's "My Life in France," which made me want to visit France and to cook a lot! She had such a great sense of humor and joy for life.

Teresa, I'm about 3/4 of the way through Water for Elephants and I love it so far. I've had a hard time putting it down! The setting is a depression era circus, which is different. I've been trying to read Wicked, but am finding it quite dense and difficult to pick back up. I've enjoyed hearing all the book recommendations and have compiled quite a list I'd like to read.

You're welcome. I loved your book. I even blogged about it.
I read it as part of the Twelve in 12, read one book a month for twelve months, that I started participating in October 2007.
Perhaps you could try something like that, with 2 small children (4 1/2 year old and a 4 month old,) I don't get much time for reading or TV, and this has helped me to find some relax time and a little personal time, (which is definitely needed!!!)
My TV time usually consists of the Food Network, I had to stop watching reality TV.

I have not read any of the 65 comments ahead of me yet. I just have to say that, as soon as I saw you ask for book recommendations, I thought "oh lord, people are going to talk about great books and my already LONG book list is going to get longer!"

p.s. this is a good thing :) and as soon as hockey season is over, I'm gonna get right on that reading bandwagon....

I was the weird kid in high school, because I was always reading things like Catch-22 by Joseph Heller, or (one of my favorites) East of Eden by John Steinbeck...oh, and another one by him was The Grapes of Wrath. and I wasnt reading these books for any school projects either, it was all for fun.

My English teacher apparently didnt think I was really reading those books, so during study time in his class when I would be reading one of my books, he'd start asking me questions about the story, and was surprised when I was able to answer him correctly. I lent him a copy of another book by Joseph Heller (cant remember the title now) and he never did give it back to me. Oh well. He was a good teacher, he deserved a reward.

I kind of got away from reading actual books when I started to read fan fiction on the internet...and also when I started to download books that are no longer under copyright from Project Gutenberg to my PDA. http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

I'm getting back into reading real books. Mostly historical mysteries and thrillers. (favorite author right now is Max Allen Collins, he writes some good historical fiction)

I second the emotion for Sophie Kinsella. Fun, fast reads that will absolutely crack you up! Her Shopaholic series is a scream.

As for Jodi Picoult, I used to love most of her stuff ("Plain Truth" was wonderful), but have to wonder if she hasn't gone perhaps just slightly insane lately (in the same way Dean Koontz did a few years ago). Her earlier books were powerful and effective because they were so REAL; you could truly believe everything that happened, because it really *could* happen. That's what makes a good story - believability; that is, unless you're deliberately seeking out a fantasy or sci-fi plot. But the last two books of hers I've read have plots that hinge on the frankly impossible (faith healing, resurrection, telekineses, that kind of thing). I mean, why not just give all the characters magic wands and be done with it?

OH, and Erin - I just read your comment. When I was a kid, we used to live about five blocks from Max Collins. He always gave the best treats at Halloween! :)

I hear you about TV. I don't really even read the paper anymore—I skim the headlines online and only read (glance at) the articles that catch my eye. Lately I've regained an old habit from childhood: visiting my library and returning with a tower of books over the top of which I can't see. Currently reading the philosophical classic "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" and wondering why I didn't read it 20 years ago!

Such an interesting list. I need to remember to mine it when I need a read. I just finished listening to Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follet. I really loved the characters and therefore was sucked into the story.

If you like the 1938-1949 period, you should look at the previously mentioned, The Book Thief. I found the perspective of an "ordinary" German family interesting.

Also, Gone to Soldiers by Marge Piercy is about the same period. It sucks me in and I lose at least part of a day every time I touch the book.

I also gave up television during the writers strike, and as a result, I read 17 books in January, which I think is a record. Sadly, March and April have not been so good -- and yes, I'm back to watching TV, though not as much as before.

You might be interested in my blog and podcast, which I do with a colleague. It's at www.booksonthenightstand.com
We both work in the publishing biz and our blog/podcast is us talking about books that we love and recommend. And the podcast is short (about 20 minutes). We talk about new books that are coming out, as well as favorites that have been around. You're sure to get some recommendations over there ... come visit!

Ann

I LOVE Jodi Picoult books!!! "My Sister's Keeper" was the first one I read and I was hooked after that. I also read "Plain Truth" and it was amazing. I literally could not put it down!!!

It's so good to hear that there are other avid readers out there. I've loved reading since I was four years old, but it seems I'm always surrounded by non-readers!

Best line in this post: "So I opted out of all reality"

Possibly best line ever.

Anyway, The Memory Keeper's Daughter was very very good.

Also reading World Made By Hand by James Howard Kunstler. Actually reading it again because I read it last week and it was just that good. And I also have The Long Emergency by the same author, which is non-fiction and a little scary.

I love books! Every night I knit and read a book. I love murder/mystery books, and really seem draw to books that have females as their main characters. Any Janet Evanovich book with Stephanie Plum is a must! You will never laugh so much! A more serious book, "The Friday Night Knitting Club" by Kate Jacobs. Very serious and moving book. After reading all these I am going to have to buy "My Sisters Keeper"

If you haven't read Lamb by Christopher Moore, you haven't read...

Jodi Picoult is Amazing...With a capital letter.
If you want to read another of her books, check out Nineteen Minutes.

I really, really LOVED "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan". It's a fast, easy, interesting read.

I've been working on the "My Sister's Keeper" movie.

That's all I can say - I didn't read the book.

I'm currently reading "Three Cups of Tea" about a guy who's building schools for girls in Pakistan.

I'd also recommend "Privileged Son" about Otis Chandler and the LA Times - it's got a lot of interesting stuff about LA in there.

I have a feeling my lit tastes are NOT in line with most of the other folks who read here, so I'll leave it at that :)

I love reading anything by Barbara Kingsolver. Don't forget to read Sue Monk Kidd's, "Secret Life of Bees." I'm getting ready to reread that one.

This afternoon I finished Perusasion by Jane Austen. SO satisfying! Am listening to an audiobook of Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver, and Under the Net by Iris Murdoch is up next.

Btw, studies have shown that humans aren't really meant to multitask - we just don't do anything as well while multitasking as by doing each task separately...

Also, while I don't have tv, I probably spend the time that I don't watch tv on the internet instead!

Ha, ha, ha! We got another one! Jodi totally gets under your skin, doesn't she? I'm going to send her a link to this post. It will totally crack her up!

I have just starting reading Daphne Du Maurier - I can't get enough of reading her and have just finished Rule Britannia her last book.

I always have to have a book with me otherwise I get a bit stressed.

I almost only watch DVD's and BBC America at this point, though I will throw in one American reality show a season. Right now it's America's Next Top Model.

As far as books, I like "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger, anything by Christopher Moore, and anything by Augusten Burroughs - that last one, some of it is a bit harrowing, but he's a GOOD writer. His brother John Elder Robison also wrote a book called "Look Me In The Eye," about growing up with Asperger's in a time before anyone knew what it was.

Water For Elephants is fabulous as is The Curious Incident of the Dog At Midnight. Someone else mentioned Middlesex-unbelievable writing.

Oh, should also mention the wonderful www.librarything.com There are loads of recommendations on there, plus you get to be nosy about what everyone else is reading!

Books are amazing ... I can crawl into the story, and not remember I'm in Iraq until I close the book. Well, or there's an attack or something, I'm not comatose!
Anything by Bill Bryson. Any of the 'in death' by JD Robb, 3 Cups of Tea is VERY inspiring, if a bit depressing, currently re-reading the Gabaldon series about Jamie and Claire. "Look Me in the Eye" is really cool, who knew that he did the fancy guitars for that band!?! "Gender Warriors" made me realize I had not really thought out some of my preconceptions. Gotta have books!!

For non-sleezy, very humorous romance, you should try Jill Mansell. She's British. I just stumbled across her books recently, and they're great light, happy ending reading.

You should also check out Kate Atkinson. Another writer I recently stumbled upon (I come across interesting things in used book stores here in France). She's got a very intelligent, witty, quick-paced writing style I find irresistible. She's an American in Great Britain somewhere, so she writes in British English as well. This lady comes up with the best, quirky characters and they do the oddest things and have the funniest conversations.

Also, a little plug for something book-related (and free): www.bookmooch.com.

You sign up and list the books you don't want anymore and get points for sending them to others who want them. Then, you can search others' book inventories and mooch books you would like to have (paying with your points). It's a huge blessing for a person like me living in France when I mostly like to read in English. It's a great way to swap books wherever you are, though. They're trying to come up with a new plan for people to be able to meet in a location near their home for swapping in order to avoid using the mail system for everything. Being in LA, you could really take advantage of that part. Anyway, it's a great system. You should check it out and pass the word on. It's a very nice idea to avoid printing and printing and printing new books (not sure how an author would feel about that, though).

I love those kinds of book-feasts. Sometimes I spend entire semester breaks doing nothing but reading paperbacks just to give my mind a rest. Of course then the house is a mess and I realize I haven't changed out of my pajamas in four days and I might want to take a shower, too. But who cares? I just read LOTS OF BOOKS!

I have a couple of really good recommendations (I think) that are books _about_ books. The first is _The Uncommon Reader_ which is a novella about the Queen of England. Funny and delicious and it will make you laugh out loud-- and you won't put it down for a minute until you've finished it. The other is _Mister Pip_ which is much more serious. Both of these books are really about the transformative power of books and reading. Otherwise, my most recent favorite and powerful read was _The Time Traveler's Wife_.

I've really enjoyed seeing everyone else's recommendations here. I feel a trip to the library coming on! Some of my favourite books lately:
Left Bank (also set in Paris)
The Kite Runner
The Time Traveller's Wife
The Historian
Half of a Yellow Sun
White Teeth
No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime

I clicked on the link to My Sister's Keeper and found the premise reminiscent of an actual case several years ago when a family actually had another child in hopes of providing a bone marrow donor for their older daughter. The father had to have a vasectomy reversed and they had to go through all sorts of psychological evaluations and meetings with the hospital's ethics committee. THEN they had to wait until the little girl was 2 years old so she would be old enough for the procedure, but the transplant went really well and the whole family just doted on that little girl. But I think the family actually had to promise not to terminate the pregnancy if the amnio indicated a non-match.

Hey Laurie,

First--Festival of Books is this weekend at UCLA and it's a great place to grab up some good reads! I will be dashing around getting books signed for my hometownlibrary's silent auction fundraiser this summer. Saturday and Sunday--lots of authors! http://www.latimes.com/extras/festivalofbooks/

Book recommendations--this librarian doesn't know where to start but I could totally see you enjoying some of Sandra Dallas' works. She writes about women facing tough times in the Wild West during the 19th & early 20th Centuries. Mostly they are about friendships and how totally awesome women are and they involve some quilting. I have a few I can bring to Weho SnB, if you're interested! And if you feel like another helping of Low Country loveliness, check out some of Dorothea Benton Franks books such as "Plantation" or "Sullivan's Island." I also recommend "Metropolis" by Elizabeth Gaffney--sucked me right in and caused me to be late to work two mornings in a row from staying up to read it! Same with Barbara Delinsky's "Family Tree"--simply delicious!
Ciao! Lori

I don't have a book for you to read, I'm way behind on my reading. I just wanted to say that your blog is great, you rock and the cats are so cute! I found your site 100% by accident and I'm so glad I did, then I saw that you wrote the book (I'd seen a review in I think it was Cosmo and meant to get it... sounded so like me except I have 1 cat and it was an 8 yr break up not divorce but the rest it dead on) and I got all excited. I love how personal you are in your writing. Yay you!

I've always loved recommending Ann B. Ross, author of the "Miss Julia Speaks her Mind" and its 8 sequels. Miss Julia is a southern widow with a mind of her own, and now that her husband isn't around she can use it. Of course, he forgot to tell her he'd amassed a fortune (which the pastor of her church now wants her to "donate" to him) and that little details of his mistress and child. When the mistress, Hazel Marie, and Little Lloyd (named for his father) show up on Miss Julia's doorstep...well, that's just the beginning.

The characters are memorable, very funny, and unique, and Miss Julia's adventures--including racing on a NASCAR track and later riding with a biker gang--are definitely outside the typical realm of a North Carolina lady of a certain age. I recommend these books to women who either loved or would be shocked by Janet Evanovich and those who loved Jodi Picoult or Dorothea Frank, or many of the other authors listed above.

You know, Diane Johnson is not really so breezy. Or rather she is breezy with creepy undertones. But you already read the ending so I don't need to warn you. :-)
(I read all of her back catalog after Le Mariage. There's an evocative collection of travel pieces, and a great book about an American in Iran during the fall of the Shah.)

My Sister's Keeper was the first Jodi Picoult book I read, too -- loved it. I really need to get back to reading, too. Last year, I was reading a book every week or two, and now my reading time has been taken up by knitting! Some others I've enjoyed lately are The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger and Whistling In The Dark by Lesley Kagen. I also have to put in a plug for Amy Cohen's The Late Bloomer's Revolution -- hilarious. (Amy is the sister-in-law of my friend Elisa, but I'd still love the book even without that connection.)

I get my news online from BBC. Somehow that "world" seems bigger than the world presented by US television.

My mom was a big reader back in the day. She had the biggest collection of Harlequin Romance novels that riveled even the library. Some books were so good, she ended up having 2 or even 3 of the same title. Why? She had a home book, one for work and if she was at the Dr's office and had to wait, she would walk to the drug store and buy the same book and read it while waiting.

Harlequin Romances................they were so innocent.
Have a great weekend
Shari and the cats

I'd recommend Kathy Reichs' Tempe Brennan series -- it's like Patricia Cornwell, but so much better. (I gave up on PC in the middle of _Predator_, too disjointed and mysogynist.) Laura Lippman is great, and my all-time favorite police procedural writer is JA Jance (her Joanna Brady Arizona sheriff series is good, but the JP Beaumont Seattle cop series is the best). Michelle West's intricate Sun Sword series is great if you love fantasy.

I read a lot, and I do it for my own entertainment, not necessarily to learn something or be transformed by a book. And Jodi Picoult is definitely one of my favorite authors.

I see you already have Plain Truth on the list. I also really love Perfect Match and Salem Falls. I really love all of them, but those are at the top of the list. They are fantastic.

If you haven't already, definitely read Jennifer Weiner's Good in Bed. It's amazing, and I think you will like the overall message behind it.

I also really like Melissa Bank (The Girls' Guide to Hunting and Fishing and The Wonder Spot).

I also like some more fluffy stuff, like just about anything by Luanne Rice, Susan Wiggs, and Kristin Hannah.

For the record, I hated Prep and am not a big fan of Curtis Sittenfield. That entire book, to me, smacked of "I'm better than you," and I don't really need to be talked down to by an author whose book I just purchased and am trying to give honest consideration to. I finished it, but it wasn't easy.

Patti Callahan Henry and Karen White write great novels with strong female characters that often take place in the Low Country of SC. I have really liked everything I have read by them.

I also have this book that I really like called Drunk, Divorced, and Covered in Cat Hair, by this lady Laurie Perry. But I think you already know about that one...

Did you know Jodi Picoult just wrote the new Wonder Woman graphic novel? My boyfriend just bought it for me, I haven't started reading it yet. I haven't read any of Jodi Picoult's novels, but I'm intrigued to see how she adapts to the medium and the subject matter. Should be an interesting read I think.

Another fan of "The Red Tent" here! If I remember correctly, the author's name is Anita Diamant. Also, Laurie, you should join goodreads.com! It's like Ravelry for readers!

I just finished the new Amanda Quick, Third Circle. I am always reading something by Jane Austen, right now that would be Northanger Abbey. Big Jane Austen fan. Terry Pratchett is always worthwhile as well.
I am also researching clothing worn in colonial America for my DAR chapter. We are marching in a parade in colonial period clothing, we will all be the women looking like a herd of cows...these women were brave to wear these clothes...and to think we complain about fashion now. It was far worse back then.

I just finished "My Sister's Keeper" two days ago, and I agree, it totally sucked me in! Even with work and school and everything, I managed to read it in three days.

I watch a lot of TV and still manage to read, some. I know I should probably sit down and read more but somehow I don't. I probably own more books than I should, and probably more than I can possibly read in my life time, but they are my favorite things.
Right now I'm reading "You Suck - A Love Story" by Christopher Moore. I just finished "Duma Key" by Stephen King.
I highly recommend "The Time Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Neiffenegger, but you must have tissues ready for the ending.

I read "My Sister's Keeper" last year and read it so quickly. A good, entertaining read.

I think that "Water for Elephants" is in a similar vein. I read it in about two days. It's really entertaining, touching, suspenseful, but not at all depressing. Plus, it takes place in a circus. What's not to love?

Also, I love ANYTHING by Tom Robbins. "Still Life With Woodpecker" and "Jitterbug Perfume" are two favorites. Fun, sexy, hilarious, smart books.

Hi all! My favorite kinds of posts! Reading and knitting. Although,I am a CSI and NCIS addict as well. The commercial breaks which seem to have increased drive me bonkers. Why does everyone have to scream? What did I do before DVR? As for reading, I too usually have an upstairs book (for going to bed, tends to be self-helpy), and a downstairs book. I love Jody Picoult and have read almost all of her stuff but after The Pact, I had to put her aside for a while. My daughter teaches Senior HS english and had her classes read the book and it generated a huge discussion for a long time. Laurie, try Water for Elephants, or The Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri, and now her follow up to that called Unaccustomed Earth. Also, I love Elizabeth Berg-she writes beautifully and her books are all totally different. I like Jennifer Weiner for what I call "beach reads" and I have Certain Girls ready to read next. Nothing is better than a dreary weekend, no one around and putting away the "to do" lists and just reading and knitting with a Netflix movie or two. Of course supplemented with comfort food. Definately some chocolate. My own version of Paradise. Sorry this got so long!

I have done a "fast" of all tv before 5 pm. working from home this is a major step for me. It came gradually, yet I'm enjoying it. I'm trying to use BBC News instead of the pap they give us in the US (most of the national/regional news is NOT news.)

Reading: The Kite Runner, Getting Things Done, And Crunch Time (making the right life decisions at the right time.) I'm on the library reserve list for the Jim Butcher novel (Dresden Files), and waiting for "walking on eggshells".

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon. There's even knitting in the books! I agree about The Time Traveler's Wife and anything by Bill Bryson.

I'm sure this will be controversial for these posts but there's an interesting discussion web around _Eat, Pray, Love_ that's worth reading before one decides to get into the book.

Check it out beginning here:
http://www.therevealer.org/archives/timeless_002936.php

I know that books like Gilbert's have been inspiring and life-changing for many individuals. That's great. I believe that there's nothing bad that can come with self-improvement and greater self-esteem.

The danger is in believing that simply changing ourselves will fix all that is wrong with the world. In other worlds, the danger is in helping the self and stopping there.

Just be careful in your own searches for inner strength that you also consider how your life (and success and happiness) as an individual is also tied into a social system. Not all women (or men or children) have the social and economic opportunity to even do self-help.

Self-help, personal maintenance, etc. is a great place to start improving our lives but I hope we can use what we're learning about ourselves, the world around us, etc., to help others improve their lives too.

Sorry to be so serious. I'm not trying to bash anyone's taste or preferences but to just offer a gentle reminder of things we may easily forget or overlook these days.

Peace.

I hardly ever comment, though I enjoy your blog, but this post was so thoroughly enjoyable that I had to make a couple of book suggestions for you. I love reading, and I always love to hear when someone else gets bitten by the reading bug. The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield just jumped into my head as a book I think you'd enjoy. For something lighter, you might like Suzann Ledbetter's Hannah Garvey series. You've got a small town, crazy old people (crazy ha ha, not crazy sad), and a fun romance. The first one is East of Peculiar, and you can find it used for cheap on amazon or in the library for free. Happy reading!

Oh! And Then We Came To The End by Joshua Ferris. I loved this book! Ferris really captures what it's like in The Land of Cubicles (in this case, a marketing company at the time the dot-com bubble bursts). He is HILARIOUS, and I never use caps in posting. Funny, uplifting, beautiful book. Okay, I'll stop commenting now :)

i'll try to think of suggestions for you when i have a minute, but i just wanted to add this site for you! http://www.whatshouldireadnext.com/search

There are many sites like this, just google "book recommendations," or "simply what should i read next!"

I tend to read mostly frivolous novels to balance out the often dry literature for classes, so we'll see what I can come up with!

Being a librarian I'm so glad to see this post and all the comments of people reading! I love, love, love to read and have pages and pages of a books-to-read list. I'm currently reading "The Day I Ate Whatever I Wanted" by Elizabeth Berg. Short stories and so far very fun. I highly recomend "Dream When You're Feeling Blue" also by Berg. And for a good audio book - the Harry Potter books are the best - I love Jim Dale!

Try Patrick Gale's 'Notes from an Exhibition', it's doing the rounds of the reading groups in the UK. He's a writer I like anyway, and it's a particularly good book. It's also set in Cornwall, so nice for a lover of far away places :).

Neil Gaiman, though very different, is pretty wonderful.

Oooh, Elinor Lipman's another favourite too

I love the recommendations you have received here, I'm making up my own reading list from them. Though I might leave out the Sue Grafton, I've never particularly liked her novels, but that's all a matter of personal taste

Have listened to "My Sister's Keeper" on CD while driving and liked it a lot. Am now reading, yes, reading, "Plum Island" by Nelson DeMille. And I'm on a roll with Greg Isles (read while doing cardio at the gym). Nelson DeMille... awesome sense of humor, sharp wit for his protagonist... I just discovered him and will read everything he's written. Greg Isles... love him! I'm reading everything he's written, too.

Also, "Sacred Rhythms: Arranging Our Lives for Spiritual Transformation by Ruth Haley". It's an amazing book.

You could join the rest of the crazies and read the Harry Potter series. My daughter thought I was nuts until she saw the first movie, and then she went out and bought the books.

She kept telling me they were childrens books, and I told her "A good story is a good story."

It's good for escapism. And you'll have so many people who will commiserate with you when you get to the last book and wind up crying.

My daughter was going to give me her copy of your book as a Christmas present, but I still haven't been able to pry it away from her. It looks like I'll have to buy a copy for myself. I can't wait.

You KNEW this one would get a lot of responses! :-p First, congratulations on cutting back the TV watching. We gave it up about 10 years ago, and have only missed it once or twice. And if you need a fix, there are always DVDs. Second, thank you for the pattern for the felted purse! I made one this week, and took it out with me on Friday night. Practical and pretty! Thank you, Laurie. :-)

Ah books, glorious books! They are the one thing I miss soooo much living where I do (in a small village in the Indian Himalayas.) I do NOT miss television (haven't had a set in years, even before we left the U.S.) I do not miss the reality tv trend that appears to have taken over people's minds. I don't miss the Ipod revolution or any of that. I have my computer and my (super slow but functioning) internet connection that enables me to read blogs and forums. I have my knitting and my spinning (even if I do mostly have to import yarn and fibre.) I have interesting work and good friends and neighbors (even if we don't always understand each other 100%) Life is good.

But, I miss books! I simply cannot get much beyond the occasional John Grisham novel left in a hotel room by a traveler and that just doesn't do it for me. Things we miss most are cheese and chocolate, bacon and books, all things for which there are no good substitutes!

So I'm back here visiting family in the U.S. Where there are those glorious, wonderful things: yarn stores and bookstores. Sometimes they're even in the same building! I get to do a bit of catching up on my reading while traveling. Books I've been waiting months to read.

Currently I'm reading two books. "Interpreter of Maladies" by the Indian author Jhumpa Lahiri, a collection of short stories that actually won the Pulitzer Prize. And this other one that I bought yesterday and stayed up waaay too late reading in bed. It's called "Drunk, Divorced and Covered in Cat Hair" by this chick name Laurie Perry who is both very funny and very honest. It's been on the top of my "must read in the U.S." list for a few months now. Well worth the wait. Good job Laurie!

A really great read---The Memory Keeper's Daughter by Kim Edwards. What a wonderful book and the beautiful detail paints fabulous mind pictures! I know you'll love it!

Right now I'm on campus at UCLA. Sadly I'm working but outside is the Los Angeles Festival of Books. It looks fantastic, all those piles of books at all the stalls. (on today and tomorrow only)

I've just finished reading Bloodline of the Holy Grail. It too received some poor reviews but in terms of blowing your mind it's quite a good read.

I just started reading a biography about Jennie Churchill, mother of Winston and a pretty cool lady in her own right. I love biographies, especially when they're about feisty women who made history. ;)

I totally agree with the "a good story's a good story" philosophy. In that vein, the "Lionboy" trilogy by Zhizou Corder is brilliant (just remember to look in the children's section!) and kept me up until the wee small hours finishing the first book!
I'll second the Tempe Brennan books - compulsive reading - and would add the Lincoln Rhyme novels by James Patterson. His "Maximum Ride" series is also good mileage.
Anne McCaffrey fits the bill if you're into sci-fi/fantasy. I loved the Dragons of Pern series, and also her "The ship who sang".
Non-fiction: the Barefoot Doctor is an easy-to-read self-improvement book; sits well alongside Dr Tom Mulholland (see him at www.healthythinking.biz) he's a funny New Zealander who talks self-confidence and sense.
Happy reading!

Hi Laurie,

I love reading your blog but never comment. The need to give book recommendations has made me overcome my shyness.

"Julie and Julia" by Julie Powell is the one book that I've recommended to tons of people and has been enjoyed by everyone. It's the story of a woman who decided to cook all 524 recipes in Julia Child's "Mastering the Art of French Cooking" in one year. She blogged about the experience and her blog was so popular that she was asked to publish the book. Her writing is really funny and introspective, it's like spending time with a friend. It's going to be a movie at some point too.

"My Family and Other Animals" by Gerald Durrell. It's the memoirs of a man who grew up in the early 20th century in different European countries and had lots of different pets. It's completely charming, and great for armchair traveling.

Thanks for writing your book and your blog!

I noticed the same thing as you, I was knitting way more and reading way less, and as a fast reader, I can't STAND the pace of audiobooks, so I just don't do it (plus, to me, for some reason, listening to a book isn't really reading, you know?) I know you said you wanted to read positive things, but I see you're reading a book about the Holocaust, so I figured I'd throw this out there: "The World Without Us" by Alan Weisman. It's a book that imagines what would happen to the environment (as well as man-made things like the Panama Canal) if all humans disappeared tomorrow. It's an oddly hopeful book, since it makes you realize that we're just a blip and the Earth will go on without us. A GREAT read!

This is interesting. I grew up without TV most of my childhood and when we had one we didn't watch it much.

My DH grew up with the TV turned on all the time and it's just background noise for him, but apparently necessary background noise, because the silence of no TV drives him nuts--the constant noise of the TV drives me equally nuts! Plus, if it's on, I watch it, I can't ignore it.

It's a big issue for us.

Love the Harry Potter series - read twice, and will start to read again soon.

I don't get much reading done any more - way too much TV. But the tube is great to have on while knitting - especially late at night. Almost have my 540-yd snarl of yarn untangled - lots of pilling by now, BTW; but I shall prevail - oh yes I shall! Then I can get back to finishing my socks.

Anyway, I also like the Jim Butcher Dresden File series - much better than the TV series. And the old classic English women mystery writers; in addition to Christie, Sayers, and Marsh (NZ), who've been mentioned, there's Margery Allingham, with her wonderful Albert Campion series. How many of the rest of you found a wealth of British authors by watching the old "Mystery" series on PBS? I also like mystery short story anthologies.

Loved "The Nanny Diaries" a few years ago; much deeper story, IMO, than T"he Devil Wears Prada". But I tend to stay away from ChickLit and romance novels - a little too much like junk food for the brain for me. And that's what TV is for! ;->

Hi Lori! I have read every one of Jodi Piccault's books and I love them all, but I have to say that The Pact (even though it is sad) is just an amazing book. It really started my love affair with her books!! But Jennifer Weiner is a hysterical author and just has a new one out "Certain Girls".

We have no tv, but watch movies on the computer. It gives you so much more time to read!
I read Prep last week, and now I'm on Wicked. I'm loving it!

One of my favorite authors is Patricia Briggs. She writes fantasy and modern fantasy books. I particularly like the Mercedes Thompson series The first book is "Moon Called".

Two books on must must read list this year: "The Omnivore's Dilemma" by Michael Pollan AND" "Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln" by Doris Kerns Goodwin. The first is about the food we eat, the second about the amazing political campaign and then Civil War presidency of A. Lincoln. Sound dry and boring? Not so! Both are beautifully written, engaging page-turners with so many "ah ha!" moments, with much to learn and grow wiser and informed, and you will quickly see how both are so relevant and inform today's news. Don't worry about the Lincoln book length...a big amount of the page-length is from footnote pages at the end. I read these books because I joined a book group - which I highly recommend. It got me reading, and reading books I would never have gotten to otherwise, enriching my life tremendously with reading, thinking, discussions, and book friendships....a whole other story.

Right now I'm on a bit of a Joyce Carol Oates Binge. I love her style of writing. I think my favorite of her books that I've most recently read is "Because It Is Bitter, and Because It Is My Heart."

I do also love Jodi Picoult, I've read nearly all of her books. My favorite by her is "The Pact," but as I believe another commenter said, if you want to stay away from depressing..probably not the best choice. It's heart-wrenching.

Oh, and I'm all for the giving up of TV. I watch maybe an hour a week, if even that. And that's mostly from glimpses of whatever the family's watching or tidbits with my coffee in the morning.

If you are looking for good, funny, easy read, guaranteed to get you in a good mood book/series I will say one author only....Janet Evanovich. Her Stephanie Plum novels are faboo. I own every book she wrote (expect the one on how to write). I must warn you, they are addictive. I re-read them they're so good. Laugh out loud good.

Anything my michael pollan. Ulysses by James Joyce changed my life (seriously. I am getting a tattoo of the word "yes" because of the last chapter. I do not lie.) TO read ulysses though, seriously, get the cliffs notes to read along at the same time. joyce is crazy.

I read "The Very Busy Spider", "The Very Quiet Cricket", "Goodnight Moon" and "Baby Beluga" every day. As much as I love them, I wish I had a recommendation for grown-ups.

My reading tastes vary wildly, and I never lack for a book that suits my mood. Recently began reading the classics, starting with Madame Bovary, Great Expectations, now on to Jane Austen. Anything by Flannery O'Connor or Faulkner--love the Southern Gothic writers. Loved the movie "Miss Pettigrew Lives For a Day" and the book, written in the 1930s, is an all out delight. One of the best historic potboilers is the 1940s book by Kathleen Winsor, "Forever Amber"; almost as long as "Gone With the Wind", enormously absorbing, fabulously detailed and much more racy, or, as racy as it could be for the 40s. If I'm feeling noir-ish I drag out a Raymond Chandler, Dashiell Hammett or a James M. Cain. The latest by Ann Packer, "Songs Without Words" is excellent, as was her previous novel "The Dive From Clausen's Pier". Love the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series, Cara Black's Aimee Leduc series and the Maisie Dobbs series by Jacqueline Winspear. Don't miss "Suite Francaise" by Irene Nemirovsky--the possibility of what she would have created if she had lived boggles the mind. I'm also a fan of historic foodie writing--MFK Fisher, Elizabeth David, anything by or about Julia Child. For contemporary women writers I read anything by Kaye Gibbons, Elizabeth Berg, Anita Shreve, Margaret Atwood, Anne Lamott and Sue Miller. I used to eagerly snatch up the latest by Jodi Picoult and then it seemed that she became another of those writers that predictably churns out a book every 8 months or so and I lost interest in her. If you want a book that is a bit satirical and pokes fun at the world of books and authors, read William Kotzwinkle's "The Bear Went Over the Mountain"--absolutely hysterical. For reassurance I have childhood favorites always at hand, sometimes nothing will do but to revisit them--the Little House series, anything by Elizabeth Enright, the Paddington books and Beyond the Pawpaw Trees. Sorry for the length, but I am a dyed in the wool bibliophile and love to talk about books and find out what other people are reading--thanks for asking!

I second the Wodehouse recommendation. Also several other authors (one specific book each only to give a starting place): Terry Pratchett (_Feet of Clay_), Connie Willis (_To Say Nothing of the Dog_), Diana Wynne Jones, and Lois Bujold (_Warrior's Apprentice_).

Dreamers of the Day by Mary Doria Russell -- a wonderful read!

I don't know if someone mentioned this already, but I try to read a chapter in whatever I'm currently reading before I go to bed. It calms me down enough to actually just roll over and fall asleep, and you may need a couple weeks to finish a book that way, but at least you're working on it.

Easily my top 3

Tender at the Bone - Ruth Reichl.
Peace Like a River - Lief Enger.
Ava's Man -Rick Bragg (and his other books. Southern journalist.

Laurie,
If you read all these comments- I'd say you are already kicking it old school! I gave up Tv indirectly b/c of the kids, it was animated or nothing- 8 years later I watch law and order,SVU on tivo. and maybe occasional movie. I never know what the weather is but it is goign to happen with or without me knowing-
Books- loved Plain truth- actually i like a lot of her books but after a while they do seem to follow a formulakinda the same as romance novels- but I devour all of them anyway! As much as I love Oprah I stay away from her list- can never find them in the library- I like the color of water but I read it about 15 years ago and I think he has a second ot now- also- THe red Tent!! it was perfect for where I was at the time but the last 1/3 I could have done without.Im a rotten reader- if I get into it and it doesn't grab me I stop- this happens rarely b/c I like to give every book a chance to redeem itself, and I've never written one so I have no idea how hard. Hey why don't you come to MD sheep and wool?

I decided to read 25 books before the end of the year ... not sure if I'm going to hit that mark, but I hope to get close.

Some recent faves:
East of Eden - never did read it when I was younger, glad I finally did.

Special Topics in Calamity Physics - totally engaging, a murder mystery written with a unique structure.

100 Mile Diet - about eating locally and very inspiring, made me decide to live off farmer's markets this summer (well, at least try to. ahem.).

And tracking them all on my new fav, LibraryThing.com ...

I posted then went to read all these comments and compose a list of one's I want to read- wow- so many people like Red Tent- didn't know about the paperback swap site- goign to try it-anybody try the book crossing? kinda similar- random leaving and finding of books!

I posted then went to read all these comments and compose a list of one's I want to read- wow- so many people like Red Tent- didn't know about the paperback swap site- goign to try it-anybody try the book crossing? kinda similar- random leaving and finding of books!

What a lot of books! I can't believe no one listed Stephen King. I know a lot of people thing he writes trashy bloody books but he has written some wonderful novels also. Did you know he wrote Shawshank Redemption and The Green Mile and Stand By Me, all made into good movies.
Mark Spragg is an incredible author. Gods In Alabama by Joshilyn Jackson you'd probably enjoy. I love Robin Hobb books if you want a great fantasy series. You already have enough of a list to last you a lifetime, and now so do I. Thanks for a great reading morning.
Jan

I only read for pleasure - Penthouse Forums, etc.... I kid! I kid!

My favorite author is Jennifer Crusie. Romantic fiction. Funny as hell.

some writers i have enjoyed lately:

Tawni O'Dell
Greg Hurwitz
Kat Richardson

i could read forever.

glad to hear you liked 'my sister's keeper'- it's one of my favorite books! it's true that the blurb on the back of her books always are a bit of a downer-which is why i like to read a few pages before i decide 'go' or 'no-go' with a book.

'piece of cake' by cupcake brown was a awesome book you might want to pick up...

Hi Laurie!

First of all, I read your book. It was wonderful. You are awesome.

I also just read "Women's Work: The First 20,000 Years" by Elizabeth Wayland Barber. It is really excellent - I enjoyed it quite a bit.

And I still say "kicking it old school". And most people either don't know what I'm talking about or can't believe I dated myself like that. But I don't care! Woo!

I absolutely LOVED "Schuyler's Monster", written by (one of my favorite bloggers) Robert Rummel-Hudson. I'd also recommend "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb. It's long (around 900 pages) but it's so good I've re-read it multiple times.

I gave up TV almost a year ago and am happier for it. I did that several years ago for a few months and that time was one of the best in my life. I think it's the lack of guilt for sitting and watching the trash I was watching. It's good to get that TV monkey off my back. I have Netflix and use that for knitting time and get a lot of documentaries in with the movies. My news is NPR or Democracy Now on the college station. (Now THAT can be depressing.)

Okay, BOOKS!!!
Hope in the Dark by Rebecca Solnit
Just finished it...excellent makes you think and not depressing at all.
Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortensen and David Oliver Relin
Just started it and love it so far.

my bumper sticker..."Mass media is mass deception" Think about it and get out and live. (I do miss the TV some though but I'm better off without it.)

i like patricia cornwell, jude deveraux, & fannie flagg (the book fried green tomatoes is so much better than the movie)

Congratulations on discovering Jodi Picoult. She's my absolute favorite, ever. I started with My Sister's Keeper as well, and thought it was positively riveting! Have fun reading her wonderful writing! Speaking of that, lemme go see what's still on my bookshelf . . .

For contemporary mystery writers, I like:

Elmore Leonard. He's so prolific, not everything's great, but by and large good quality - especially "Get Shorty".

Karl Hiassen (sp?), does wild satirical novels set down in Florida. He sometimes goes a bit too far, but he's hilarious. Try "strip Tease" - I know the movie is supposed to be terrible (never saw it) - but the book is really good.

Edna Buchanan sets hers in Miami. I went to Fla. once and HATED it(flat and humid - 2 of my least favorite things), but some good writing comes outta there.

I just read My Sister's Keeper and loved it. I'm now reading J.D. Robb's Creation In Death and loving that too.

"Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons" by Lorna Landvik (following the lives of a bunch of neighbors in suburban Minneapolis) and "Traveling Mercies" by Anne Lamott -- or anything by her really (who knew being alcoholic and a single mom and trying to find religion could be sad, funny and uplifting all at once).

Plain Truth is an amazing book, I read it in about six hours. My sister's keeper is a great one as well.

I'd thoroughly recommend "The Lost" by Daniel Mendelsohn, which is his story about searching for the truth about what happened to six members of his family during the Holocaust. It was one of those life changing books - after reading it, you'll never look at the world in quite the same way again.

After I finished it, in February, I wrote a review on my blog: http://pipneyjane.blogspot.com/2008/02/book-review-lost-by-daniel-mendelsohn.html

- Pam

Word on not watching the news. I started not-watching when I moved and missed my old newscasters. Then it evolved to just not-watching because all the news was so negative. I read it online, but it's like you said, there you are sort of in control over what you take in.
Also, on the book reading front, I just finished "On Hitler's Mountain" by Irmgard Hunt. It's a true story about a little girl who grew up in Bertchesgaden during WWII in the shadow of the Eagle's Nest. I really enjoy reading about other people's real lives, and this one I could hardly put down.

Glad you are happily reading! I have a pretty little English Lit minor from good ole MTSU but I decided a few years ago after a particularly long run through the classics that I was tired of reading made-up stories and that real people were more interesting. Not that you have to agree-my recommendations are non fiction, that's all.

The City of Falling Angels by John Berendt is a love letter about Venice, with interesting, kooky characters and a great story.

The Devil in The White City by Erik Larson = fantastic story of an architect and a serial killer in 1880s Chicago. They never meet, but both drive an interesting and sensational story of the Chicago World's Fair.

Anyway. In case you wanted some history recommendations. I just did a bookshelf application on Facebook and it's got me in
love with books all over again.

Laurie,

Enjoy those paperbacks while the gettin's good. As soon as you turn 43 ,you won't be able to see them any more. :0

Yay for Jodi Picoult! Though I didn't like Plain Truth as much as some of the others (but that could've been just me in the wrong frame of mind). I don't know if you like mysteries, but I love love love everything by Laura Lippman. And, she's just as great in person at book signings. I like hearing about what you're reading--maybe you could keep a "currently reading" list on the sidebar?

Just finished "Love, Rosie" by Cecelia Ahern this morning. Ohmygods, what a good book! I was sucked into it 100 percent, starting it and finishing all 400 or so pages in a 9-hour marathon. (I would have been faster, but I was also at work... 911 dispatchers on night shift have lots of time to read, especially on Sunday nights... usually.) Perhaps you should take that as a warning that it's gonna be hard to put it down once you start, so time that carefully?
I also gave up TV news. I listen to NPR news sometime, if I'm in the car when it's on, and I am a devotee of Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Otherwise, I get my news from the New York Times online.
Oh, and as someone who works in a 911 center and has been in on some of those big local stories that the local news stations like to sensationalize and replay, I can tell you that those news stories are rarely more than half accurate. If that.
If you're looking for some other titles (like there aren't enough in these comments??), you can check the sidebar on my blog. I've read 35 this year so far and they're listed and commented on there.

I couldn't read all of the responses so don't know if these have been mentioned yet or not, but, I'd like to recommend:

* Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

* Saving Graces by Patricia Gaffney (great book about friendship)

* Butterfly by Kathryn Harvey (GREAT trashy novel along the lines of Jackie Collins, but much better written -- I read this over two days--great beach read)

* Sellevision by Augusten Burroughs (hilarious spoof on home shopping channels - I'd also recommend Augusten Burroughs' memoirs Running with Scissors and Dry)

* High Fidelity by Nick Hornby (even better than the movie, which I thought was great--gives great insight into MEN.)

BTW--a couple weeks ago, I found myself up until 3am finishing YOUR book--it was great! Thank you!

I love you even more now!! I always skip to the back and read the ending first :-) Makes people crazy that I do it!

I'm late to comment, but have to say I LOVE, love love, the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon for really entertaining romance/history and even, yes, time travel. (This is really MUCH better than it sounds; really great for travel reading, it just sucks you in and she does great research!) Also liked "The Thirteenth Tale" by Diane Setterfield. Great if you're a fan of Jane Eyre, and Jane Austen. A really good story and not depressing; just keeps you guessing. You could read the ending, but you wouldn't get it. Just take my word that there will not be an unpleasant surprise, and go with it! I could go on, but these are both fun, engrossing and not depressing! Warning: you may stay up too late reading!!

I see hours of reading your blog in my future.

D

www.twobarkingdogs.wordpress.com

Something true with a happy ending, Escape by Carolyn Jessop. She got out of the Fundamental Mormons with all her 8 children. Fascinating stuff, and a good read.

Now that is odd. I posted a comment under my name and it came up under someone elses! Thank goodness I said nothing controversial.

Here's my comment:

I see hours of reading your blog in my future.

D

www.twobarkingdogs.wordpress.com

I just bought two books about the TV show Deadliest Catch. "Time Bandit" by Andy & Johnathan Hillstrand and "Deadliest Catch: Desperate Hours" by Larry Erickson. I haven't read them yet, so I can't vouch for content, but I figure if you can get your reality TV fix AND reading done all at the same time it can't be bad right?

I read about a study once that said watching the news increased your stress level. Something to do with the images and audio and the shock factor they try to add to it.

It is much better for you to read the newspaper. i quit watching the news years ago. Mostly because I have enough stuff to handle in my own life and a girl can only cry so much without getting all dehydrated and raisin-y.

No time to read all of the comments above, but wondered if you've investigated shelfari or library thing. I surf them both in hopes of finding the next great book to read.

I have been in book clubs for at least 15 years so I have a LIST! I won't bore you with that but I do have a couple authors that I love from Minnesota. One is Lorna Landvik (also a comedianne)writes of small townfolks and their great personalities. Her first was "Patty Janes house of Curl." Another Minnesotan is Stanley Gordon West wrote "When they bring the Streetcars Back", a mystery. And, Jon Hassler's "Grand Opening" 1940's midwestern family saga. I agreen, there is nothing better than a good book to get totally lost in. I love the development of characters and all three of these people do that stunningly! I have more, if you want them. Bonny from Minnesota

I read about 300 books a year - Jodi Picoult is one of my fave authors. Her new book is one that I can't put down - Change of Heart. I am loving the way the story is going just when I thought it would be predictable. The Thirteenth Tale, very good. Anything by Lisa Scottoline...

"The Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. Probably my all time favorite book (aside from Pride and Prejudice). It was orignally written in spanish and then translated to English. Mystery, exciting, and a real page turner.

I know I am a few days--and a few hundred comments--late to this party, but here's my comment anyway.

You might like Anne Lamott. Operating Instructions is my absolute favorite, but I like Bird by Bird too, and it is about writing.

Gee, 4/28/08 comments are closed due to wackos! I just wanted to say the word "stank" cracks me up and whoopsee! no comment section. So I came over to yesterday! You go girl!

Dr. Zhivago by Pasternak
In Siberia by Colin Thubron
The Second Book of Running by Jim Fixx

Wow I got a lot of great ideas for stuff to read this summer. My next read will be "Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea" by Chelsea Handler. I'll be buying it mostly for the title. I work weird hours and laugh like an idiot at her show when I get home.

Try the book Folly by Laurie R. King. It totally sucked me in and I loved it. She writes several series but this is a beautiful stand alone full of gorgeous descriptive phrases and it almost feels lush. Such a fantastic novel.

Oh my goodness, I have a whole page of notes from reading these comments. Mostly book ideas. I LOVE to read. Also LOVE tv and I didn't grow up with it either and find myself addicted (my husband just smirks when I say we need to get rid of it - he knows of my addictions).

Like Laurie, I like reading European history - especially stories of the survivors of WWII. Like Laurie, I often read the end first (my husband's face changes from smirk to shock and disgust); Jeannie's idea of Paradise sounds good to me - no one around while I read and snack all day; maybe some television, too, though. I too liked Anne Lamott and Nick Hornby (re-read High Fidelity and saw the movie again recently).

Got my first iPod for my 48th birthday in September and a couple months later figured out how to put podcasts on it and THEN how to download books on CD from the library to the iPod and I am LOVING THIS. Mostly listen while working out on treadmill but my most recent discovery was: "reading" from the iPod (headphones) while husband sleeps with peaceful, undisturbed-by-reading-light look on his face.

I asked at the library about web sites for free book uploading to iPod and was told there is something but not for iPod brand????? Surely this is coming...some day? In the meantime, I can burn them from CD, I guess.

Other recent fave books: Kabul Beauty School, Fieldwork. Nicholas Sparks. I love Maeve Binchy, Roseamund Pilcher, Jan Karon. Lots of non-fiction, esp about cross cultural things. Dang, I'm forgetting all the recent stuff I've read, which is mostly more literate than the above - haha.

Tried Picoult and got depressed with 19 Minutes and never got around to Sister's KEeper (afraid it would be depressing too?) so took it back to libe; maybe some other time. I live for inter-library loan - frugal people, never buy another book - just get the library to borrow them for you! OK, maybe some books are worth buying. (reference books? books so good they must be loaned out?)

Anyone read Mary Stewart back in the 60-70's? Her heroines were very smart gals visiting Europe. Nine Coaches Waiting was my very best favorite. SO romantic. I need to buy that one. Hm, I just looked it up on amazon and it's still in print with several others of hers, including The Ivy Tree, which I had forgotten and is really good too.

Thank you for this chance to talk about books on a blue Monday. How do you get paragraph breaks in here?

Oh! There they are (paragraph breaks). Whew!

In case you make it down here to comment #283549, I highly recommend "Selected Topics in Calamity Physics" by Marisha Pessl. For intelligent chick lit, anything by Marian Keyes is great. James Hamilton-Paterson's "Cooking with Fernet Branca" and "Amazing Disgrace" are both hilarious, and they're set in Italy, which is a bonus. Love me a good book--I learned to read when I was 3 and haven't stopped since.

I cancelled my cable over a year ago, after I realized that I was seriously addicted to tv, loved the reality shows so much it was affecting my sleep. Anyhow its been OK, we are surviving without it and don't miss it. My kids and I read alot and get outside more, so that's good. Some recommendations for Authors/Books from me are:
Outlander Series - Dianna Gabaldon
House of Spirts - Isabel Allende
& any others of hers, Portrait in Sepia, Paula, eva luna, of love and shadows, daughter of fortune, zorro
Barbara Kingsolver - any of hers
Anyhow sorry you had to close 28th's comments due to unappropriate comments...Have a Maniac Monday and a Terrific Tuesday. Cheers

I love to read, excellent post, and I've enjoyed reading the comments, have gotten some ideas for some more books to read myself!

I second the recommendation of "Shantaram" I think it's one of my favorite books, and I read A LOT.

Sidebar: I know you've read "Eat, Pray, Love" and I'm quite frankly surprised at the number of people recommending it for you. I thought the author's behavior was very similar to your (and my) ex-husband's. Self involved, narcissistic ("I'm just *not happy*","find myself" etc. What crap.). Full disclosure, I read the book about a month before my divorce was final, so probably too soon. But I certainly didn't get as much out of it pre/post divorce as those who recommended it to me thought I would.

Your book, on the other hand, did wonders for me. Thank you for writing it, I truly laughed out loud when I needed to the most.

Jen

Does this mean I'm not the only one with an Amazon Wish List (aka books-to-read list) with 265 items on it, some of which have been there since 2003?

I loved The Time Traveler's Wife also. The Life of Pi shook me to the core. I sat in bed sobbing, not crying, sobbing, at the end of it. I can't say I was sobbing in a good way, but it wasn't necessarily in a bad way either.

Barbara Kingsolver's Animal, Vegetable, Miracle was a nice break at the end of the day from my daily grind. Very restorative.

Black Like Me by John Howard Griffin was an eye-opening look at race relations in America and the prejudices that we'd all like to think don't exist anymore. Even though the research for this book took place in the mid 20th century, it's still relevant today.

The Wild Trees by Richard Preston is about people who climb trees...big trees, like redwoods and Douglas Firs, and the ecosystems they discover in their upper canopies. If you're a nature lover, you will dig this book!

The Gift of Fear by Gavin De Becker is a must-read for every woman, parent or employer. The author is a security advisor and he lays out, very clearly, how to predict violent behavior.

And not to try to derail your TV will power, but I think Dancing with the Stars is totally worth watching this season. Marlee Matlin has done a kick-@$$ job. Watching her dance when you know how hard everyone in the competition is working and then realizing that she is doing it all without even being able to hear the music is truly inspirational.

Reading is so wonderful, I agree! I love to knit anything in the round or garter stitch so I can read and knit at the same time.

I just read "Shadow of the Wind" and it was awesome! Very suspenseful. I also love anything by Kate Atkinson. If you like mysteries, read "Case Histories" by her. If you like character-driven psychological studies, read her book "Human Croquet". She's awesome!

Lord knows, you have enough books listed above that you'll never get this far, but my dear Aunt Purl, the book "A Spot of Bother" by Mark Haddon is uproariously funny, particularly for someone who stays awake at night praying that her family is not - please oh please - *the* craziest family in the world (I don't know anyone who does that, do you?). The whole action sequence (the back two-thirds of the book) takes a bit of setup, but the payoff is huge. The book, while deliciously rich in plot, also has a beautiful added benefit; it is built on fascinating, funny sentences. I noticed the sentences in the best way possible. Not everyone wants to notice sentences, but I do, and they were wonderful. The word choices were perfect; the pacing was perfect.

Now, have I revealed myself as being crazy too? No, I think my cover is still safe (or maybe I've just pulled the covers over my head - they make a nice tent). Can you tell that I've been waiting for someone to ask about that book? Thank you for asking.

Water for Elephants. It's a fabulous book - I'm not sure how someone above can say it's not at all depressing, though. Also - The Secret Life of Bees, by Sue Monk Kidd, and I Know This Much is True, by Wally Lamb. Love those books.

oh wow, laurie, i was in b&n yesterday and i picked up my sister's keeper for the 1,000 time and put it back down again. i have wanted to read it for a while, but i'm with you, i can't deal with depressing stuff in my spare time. so, ok, i will go ahead and get it from the library and read it - the laurie stamp of approval is good enough for me.

what i did get at the bookstore was my life in france by julia child. it has 1. life in france 2. stories about cooking 3. her witty observations on life. i think it will be a good read!

also, i'd like to share with you my cat pic on flickr - the kitties are making peace with each other but this picture cracks me up. it sums up where they are in their relationship right now.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/bookdesigngirl/2445379493/

You should try reading "Those Who Saved Us" by Jenna Blum. A lovely book and a great read.

I joined Peace Corps in 2003, so I gave away my TV and I have never asked for it back. I like living without it, but I do cheat every now and again and go to the 'rents house and watch a whole day of CSI (Vegas and NY) and NCIS and then I have my fix and I'm good for a while.

As for books, I love the Janet Evochvich number series, starring Stephanie Plum. If you need a good laugh, start with number 1 and work your way up. Also, Isabel Allende's books are wonderful and definately will take you to another world.

Enjoy your books!

Hi Laurie-I just finished a really sweet book, The Penderwicks by Jane Birdsall. I hope the author's first name is Jane. I was surprised to find that it was written only a year or so ago because it felt like a book I might have read on a summer day when I was 12 or 13. Other than the mention of Cheerios and a computer, the writing is timeless. One of those books that makes you feel good reading it.

Hm, I may be just a tad late in commenting here. ;)

Your post struck a nerve with me as well as some of the comments. I used to read alot but since I met my husband several years ago my reading has been sidelined. I miss it so much and am getting quite perturbed at sitting on the couch and watching as much tv as I do. I love tv but can do without most of it. Problem is hubby loves it and watches hours and hours. We have a small place and a big tv and it's distracting if I'm in the same room. You've inspired me to get some new books and read the ones I've put off for so long!

I'm reading While I Was Gone by Sue Miller, who I just recently discovered and who you might like. Also, I'd recommend anything by Chris Bohjalian because he is awesome.

I liked Prep a lot!

Heart of Darkness?

Petite Anglaise by Catherine Sanderson, coming in June. English girl goes to live in Paris, starts blog, is discovered by her employer, gets fired. Meets French man, then meets English man...

The one that turned me on to Picoult is The Pact. Also great: One True Thing and Black and Blue, both by Anna Quindlan; Tara Road by Maeve Binchy; PS I Love You by Cecilia Ahern; Falling Leaves; The Pilot's Wife by Anita Shreve; Little Earthquakes by Jennifer Weiner, books by Elizabeth Berg...