Any good book suggestions???

[Nic100]

Ok, so you are a smart, interesting, diverse bunch of people - I'm looking for book suggestions for my book club, and I know that some of you will have some great ideas.

My book club meets once a month. We're a small group, who rotate each month around eachothers houses for dinner, wine and hopefully some interesting chat about the book choice.

Personally I love books, even more than orchids (sorry everyone) and what I love about book club is the opportunity to read something I might not have considered otherwise. So bring on your suggestions - I'd love to hear about what you've enjoyed! And maybe other people here would too.

One of my favourite book-club books was The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini, if any of you have read it. This month we are reading An Equal Stillness, by Francesca Kay...

[kavanaru]

I would suggest:

The God of Small Thing by Arundhati Roy - Just fantastic!
An Umbrella for one day by Wilhelm Genazino - Great!
Mammon, Inc by Hwee Hwee Tan - If you want something light and fresh but still interesting and enjoyable...

[Nic100]

I've read the first - I agree, great book.
And thanks for the other 2! I'll definitely check them out!

[camille1585]

Don't worry, I love books more than orchids too! I can't go to bed without reading a few chapters, and my ideal weekend involves a few hours in the easy chair with a good book.

I just love the Kite Runner!! Have you read "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the same author? That one is terrific as well.

I'm a big fan of books with a historical basis. One of my favorites is "The City of Falling Angels" by John Berendt, who is the author of "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". (which is also a very good read!) "City of Falling Angels" takes place in Venice and is a story woven around the fire of the Fenice and it's aftermath.


Others I like:
"The Thornbirds" by Colleen McCullough, which another best selling book.
"The Remains of the Day" by Kazuo Ishiguro. (won the Booker Prize)
"The Color Purple" by Alice Walker (won Pulitzer Prize)
"Bridges of Madison County"
And this one is a classic: "The Grapes of Wrath". Amazing book IMO

You might have read much of those, they're all pretty much classics.

The past few weeks I've been reading mainly books by Bill Bryson, one of my favorite authors. He's mainly a travel writer and has an unbelievable sense of humor. I'm dead laughing half the time! My favorite is about his quest to hike the Appalachian Trail," A Walk in the Woods" But I don't know if that's the type of book you read in your club

[Nic100]

Fantastic suggestions, thanks so much! Yes I've read some of those but not all, and actually we've never chosen a travel book for book club so that could be very interesting!

Yeah I really enjoy books with a historical background - I'll check out your suggestion! I have read A Thousand Splendid Suns - I enjoyed it, but not as much as the other. You might like 'The Cellist of Sarajevo' (Steven Galloway) and also 'Pillars of the Earth' (Ken Follet) set in 12th century England.

Thanks so much Camille and Ramon - great suggestions - this will keep me busy for a while!

[camille1585]

Originally Posted by Nic100

Fantastic suggestions, thanks so much! Yes I've read some of those but not all, and actually we've never chosen a travel book for book club so that could be very interesting!

In Bill Bryson's travel books, he wrote one about the UK (He's an american who moved to the UK for 20 years, then back to the US) called "Notes from a Small Island". This book is about his final trip around the UK before moving back.
Notes from a Small Island

I will definitely check out the other books you mention, I'm always in search of my next book!

[Nic100]

Me too! Thanks Camille!

[Bolero]

I personally connected more with 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' which was written by the same author as 'The Kite Runner'. But I know there is division over that.

My recommendation would be 'On Chesil Beach' by Ian McKewen who in my view is one of the worlds finest writers at the moment. I think you would love it!!!

Another book worth reading is 'A Confederacy of Dunces' by John Kennedy Toole.

[Nic100]

Thanks for the recommendation - I've read some other Ian McEwan books which I enjoyed.

I read 'A Confederacy of Dunces' several years ago - really great book, and interesting about his mother publishing it 13 years after his death!

Thanks for the tips!

[miowntime]

My book club just finished The Help. We all really enjoyed it! I've been wanting to read The Orchid Thief but haven't gotten around to it

Beth