Great Reading

Other great beach reads:

Turtle Moon by Belva Plain
Freakonomics (new book about strange statistics about everyday life - I haven't read it but I'll read it on vacation in a few weeks but my friends love it and say it takes only a day or two to read and is fascinating)
The Red Tent (about what the biblical story of Leah would look like if women wrote the first testament from their perspective - many women I know have read it and loved it)
Memoirs of a Geisha (both men and women would enjoy this book)

I'm looking forward to reading Freakonomics, the Nanny Diaries, and probably another Belva Plain book over vacation...

My daughter read James Patterson's Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas this afternoon. Now I am halfway finished with it and can't put it down.

One great quote from it: "This is the summer I'm getting all of the classics out of the way so I can finally concentrate on cheap summer thrillers."

I am slowly finishing "Along the Edge of America" by Peter Jenkins, because I don't want the journey to end! Only problem is...he didn't stick around our neck of the gulf long enough, but it's a great read.

I'm bleary eyed from finishing the latest Harry Potter last night. I never thought in a million years that I would get into these books, but became hooked when we started reading them to our son many years ago now. I always cry at the end of every one, from the disappointment that the book is finished and the author will make me wait toooooo long for the next one.

The Time Traveler's Wife is fantastic- a great story with an interesting structure.

But at our house Carl Hiaasen rules.

If you want to read a great book about Watermen, Crabs on the bay. Read "Beautiful Swimmers by William W. Warner" . It is about Chesapeake Bay
but tells you a lot about our local bay.

Thank you for starting this thread! We need a book lovers corner on this board. :clap_1:

Other great beach reads:

The Red Tent (about what the biblical story of Leah would look like if women wrote the first testament from their perspective - many women I know have read it and loved it)
...

I read The Red Tent several years ago and loved it. Really interesting book.

My daughter read James Patterson's Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas this afternoon. Now I am halfway finished with it and can't put it down.

One great quote from it: "This is the summer I'm getting all of the classics out of the way so I can finally concentrate on cheap summer thrillers."

I also read this one at the beach a few years ago. I could not put it down. They made a tv movie of it this year but I didn't want to watch. I loved the book so much I didn't want the movie to spoil it. I've read several James Patterson books like the Alex Cross novels and then When the wind Blows and now I'm reading The Lakehouse. I hope to finish that one and then take the one that just came out this summer to the beach with me.

Been reading a lot this summer.

Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim (or is it denim and corduroy?)
David Sedaris--fun dysfunctional family stuff

Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime Wow. Autistic kid solves a murder and his parents' breakup.

Running With Scissors like David Sedaris on steriods

Harry Potter and the HalfBlood Prince

Saturday Ian MckEwan. Beautiful prose. A day in the life of a London doctor and his family, echoes of 9/11.

The Time Traveler's Wife Just reread this. Terrible title. This is one of my favorite ever books, a real love story, very complicated, vivid characters.

Great suggestions, Cil. I read "Running with Scissors" and thought it was wonderful. But it's not for everyone and I wouldn't leave it in our cottage for guests to read because it could make many people uncomfortable. It's a true story about a very clever young boy/man (who decides early on in his life that he is gay) who lives with a crazy family (including a pedophile who takes advantage of him) and who somehow manages to write a wonderfully humorous and uplifting book. I couldn't put it down. I picked up the book because I grew up near Northampton, Massachusetts, where the book takes place. It's a fantastic town/city, but it doesn't surprise me that the family he describes lived there! I would definitely read all the other books you recommended, except Harry Potter (never got into those books, nor did our children).

I just started "Curious Incident" myself. And I love me some Sedaris.

The most enjoyable book I've read recently is a few years old, "The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay." Not beachy though--it's set in 40s-era NYC, about 2 young immigrants who become the writer and illustrator of a superhero-style comic book series. Very film noir, a great period piece, especially if you resonate with New York City. And the writing is sumptuous and awe-inspiring; every paragraph is like a full course meal. It won the Pulitzer, for good reason.

I also read this one at the beach a few years ago. I could not put it down. They made a tv movie of it this year but I didn't want to watch. I loved the book so much I didn't want the movie to spoil it. I've read several James Patterson books like the Alex Cross novels and then When the wind Blows and now I'm reading The Lakehouse. I hope to finish that one and then take the one that just came out this summer to the beach with me.

She read Patterson's Sam's Letters to Jennifer last night and loved it, too!

Thanks to everyone for the great book ideas.

I am thoroughly obsessed with A Song of Ice and Fire, by George RR Martin. It should be a seven book series when it's finished. Book 4 is coming out in a few months. It is brilliantly written, with intense, deep, realistic characters, and a plot so well detailed that readers have all sorts of great theories going on what is happening in the story. It's a thinking series. One of those you have to read a second time, with your highlighter handy.

As far as classics, you can't beat Pride and Prejudice. I've read it three times in the last year, and each time it gets better.

Great reading list, Cil. We have enjoyed the # 1 Ladies Detective Agency series by Alexander McCall Smith, couldn't put any of the six slim volumes down. They are headed for a PBS special, a la "Upstairs, Downstairs." They are set in Botswana, Africa and make you want to go there ASAP. Good beach books are the latest Carl Hiassen, "Skinny Dipping" and "The Sunday Wife" by Pat Conroy's wife, name escapes me. Pat Conroy wrote "Lords of Discipline," "The Great Santini," "The Prince of Tides" and "Beach Music," among others and his wife writes in a similar manner. "Sunday Wife" is set at Grayton Beach and Point Washington. This book won't challenge you, but it is entertaining. For something more pithy, I liked "Krakatoa," which will make you feel a lot better about our hurricanes.

The Red Tent
Memoirs of a Geisha

these are two of my very favorites!

TOOTSIE'S ONLINE :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

OK, I haven't read this thread so pardon me if this is a duplicate, but I love anything by John Eldridge, especially "Wild at Heart". A must read if there are men (or boys) in your household.

TOOTSIE'S ONLINE :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1: :clap_1:

yes, I am! and so is Mrs. GB Otterwoman. tell us about your faves...

yes, I am! and so is Mrs. GB Otterwoman. tell us about your faves...

see above

The Red Tent
Memoirs of a Geisha

these are two of my very favorites!

Mine, too. Women seem to love The Red Tent and men and women seem to enjoy Memoirs of a Geisha.

I also just read The Nanny Diaries and thought it was great beach reading -- hysterical.

Just read James Patterson's mystery "The Beach House". I'm not a mystery reader in general, but thought this was a great book. It's about "rich people" versus "townies" in the Hamptons involved in a murder mystery -- and the ending is great -- clever and uplifting. I read it over about 5 days at the beach and enjoyed every minute of it. Also read Patterson's "Suzanne's Letters for Nicholas" as recommended on this thread and enjoyed that as well (read it all during a long flight).

Both are great beach reading.

just finished The Dogs of Babel that i picked up at sundog the other day....i dont read much fiction & this one was a little dark for me but i enjoyed it

I didn't like The Red Tent all that much; I can be a bit funny about books aimed at females, but I *loved* Memoirs Of A Geisha.

Two books I just read that I really liked:

The Known World A book about slavery. I had no idea that blacks owned slaves.
I guess this the kind of stuff that they didn't teach in elementary school back in the 60's. I could not put this book down. It sounds very depressing, and awful things do happen in this tale, but the characters are so human and the writing is so simple yet so lyrical.

1776 This is the first written material I've read that actually presented George Washington as a real human being. The author did tons of research, and all of the letters he found and shared present a personal and vivid look at this exciting time.

Just read James Patterson's mystery "The Beach House". I'm not a mystery reader in general, but thought this was a great book. It's about "rich people" versus "townies" in the Hamptons involved in a murder mystery -- and the ending is great -- clever and uplifting. I read it over about 5 days at the beach and enjoyed every minute of it. Also read Patterson's "Suzanne's Letters for Nicholas" as recommended on this thread and enjoyed that as well (read it all during a long flight).

Both are great beach reading.

Honey, you know how I love those James Patterson books! My daughter and I think that he writes like a woman - I don't know any man who thinks and expresses emotions like that.

I didn't like The Red Tent all that much; I can be a bit funny about books aimed at females, but I *loved* Memoirs Of A Geisha.

Two books I just read that I really liked:

The Known World A book about slavery. I had no idea that blacks owned slaves.
I guess this the kind of stuff that they didn't teach in elementary school back in the 60's. I could not put this book down. It sounds very depressing, and awful things do happen in this tale, but the characters are so human and the writing is so simple yet so lyrical.

1776 This is the first written material I've read that actually presented George Washington as a real human being. The author did tons of research, and all of the letters he found and shared present a personal and vivid look at this exciting time.

I've been reading The Known World for the past month. It's wonderful literature and gives a perspective on slavery I wasn't aware of (Black owners of slaves, as well as white owners of slaves, and the social hierarchies and how they mix). Exceptional writing, a slow read. Haven't finished it yet because I switched to some easy beach reading (and smaller books since I have The Known World in hard cover nd didn't want to pack it for a flight!).

Honey, you know how I love those James Patterson books! My daughter and I think that he writes like a woman - I don't know any man who thinks and expresses emotions like that.

I think of the Beach House as being engaging reading for men and women, whereas Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas may appeal more to women (my hunch only). Memoirs of a Geisha was also written by a man and it's amazing how he seems to get into the Geisha's mind and see the world and tell the story from her perspective.