<p>Alumother, various recent posts of yours have made me think we are twins separated at birth. (The only WASP sin is bad manners, the Georgette Heyer memories…) I liked Grimes very much until I read two in a row where I couldn’t figure out who the murderer was at the end of the book. My favorite GH? Venetia where the heroine and hero trade Shakespeare barbs. And yes I was a big Patrick O’Brian and Dorothy Dunnet (great while nursing!) fan too.</p>
<p>Haha mathmom. Do you know SBmom? She is a triplet…</p>
<p>It’s possible you went to college with my sister and brother you know. However we shall never know because I am odd and persist in anonymity here:(. Oh well. Leaves more to the imagination.</p>
<p>Best wishes to mathson at CM BTW. Here at my company with all the software guys we like CM.</p>
<p>Of course I know SBmom. 
Maybe I’ll run into you sometime visiting my brother in law in Northern California and I’ll never know it’s you. :(</p>
<p>Mathson is definitely getting excited in a low key way.</p>
<p>I have always read. I only have a few on my top list (for fiction)
The Good Earth
The Great Gatsby
A Tree Grows in Brooklyn
And more recently-
Children of Men
Second Glance by Jodi Picoult</p>
<p>But, those are my top five-
If one wants to be truly well read, in my humble opinion, read a few classics (the Greeks)-read a bit of Shakespeare, definitely read some 19th century Russian, British and American-Gogol, Bronte, Dickins, Alcott.
Toss in a bit of poetry as well-T.S. Eliot, William Carlos Williams, ee cummings.
And Vyse-while Atlas Shrugged is not my favorite-I agree it is worthwhile reading!</p>
<p>Alumother: I have taught Indian literature and I actually think modern Indian literature started with Tagore. I chose Rushdie for my list because I think he is extremely influential. The God of Small Things is a stupendous recent Indian novel by a woman. Complicated issue because Indian writers write in so many languages and represent so many cultures. When I taught the course (of mainly south Asian students) English was the only common language.</p>
<p>padad: For your gender survey I much prefer Marquez.</p>
<p>TuitionDad: I really enjoy reading all the material I posted. Can’t read “junk literature”. My husband adored THE DA VINCI CODE. I couldn’t read one page of it. We do get along, and like the same movies. (Much more important. Joint activity.)</p>
<p>Myth-
The Da Vinci Code was fun-a one sitting reading -
Summer reading as I believe it is called.
Wow, How could I forget the South American writers!
So much to read and such little time!
Truly, I am so grateful for all the books in my life.
I read constantly for enjoyment and knowledge and often for solace. When I am at my deepest end, I go into my room and read.<br>
I believe that might give me “nerd” status. Good, I welcome it!</p>
<p>Loved God of Small Things but loved The Namesake even more…</p>
<p>I found The DaVinci Code to be far inferior to all the Robert Ludlum books. But I grant everyone their preferences without prejudice.</p>
<p>Go mathson. Tell him if he can also learn User Experience, known as UX, he will be truly madly deeply employable and also be qualified to become an Architect. Also known as Software God.</p>
<p>Another vote for The Satanic Verses here. It’s a stunning book, the many merits of which were obscured by the sensational extra-literary events around its publication. Also, it was THE book that broke through and got my son reading ambitious literature that wasn’t sci-fi or fantasy. He was familiar with Rushdie and his themes from many readings of Haroun and the Sea of Stories when he was younger, and identifying them in the larger context of The Satanic Verses really lit a fire under him.</p>
<p>Tale of two cities, 1984, Farewell to arms, Catch 22 (if you can stand it enough to finish, i couldnt), etc…</p>
<p>As for more modern authors, I recommend Grisham, and le Carre</p>
<p>{WashDad puts on his false mustache and wig}</p>
<p>Am I the only Terry Pratchett fan in the house? Guards! Guards! is a true work of great lit-e-ra-chur.</p>
<p>I couldn’t stop turning the pages of The Da Vinci Code, all the while marvelling at how poorly written it was. I don’t read too many thrillers. Back in the day I read all of Alistair Maclean’s books and I read a bunch of LeCarre - I thought they were excellent, but too convoluted and too depressing to make a habit of. I do think a well-read person ought to read a few best sellers. :)</p>
<p>Thanks for all the ideas mentioned here, I have several ideas of books to read in the future. Maybe I’ll even throw in a Steinbeck novel or something similar for entertainment purposes.</p>
<p>While I will never be accused of being a well read person, I feel like I have read well over the years.</p>
<p>Washdad:</p>
<p>S owns all the Terry Pratchett books! I’ve read a couple and they are truly funny.</p>
<p>Another I loved, Rumpole of the Bailey, as a book.</p>
<p>Washdad, both my boys and husband have read Terry Pratchett, I haven’t gotten around to it. They looked too much like Hitchhiker’s Guide. Guy humor. :)</p>
<p>My son is a big Terry Pratchett fan, too. He shares it with his best girl-buddy, so it’s not entirely guy humor. The two of them met him at a reading and were thrilled beyond measure.</p>
<p>I tried to read one of the books once – I got ten pages in and nothing clicked, so I dropped it.</p>
<p>The Bible
The Qur’an
The Bhagavad Gita</p>
<p>alumother and mathmom - it’s quads! My mother, sister and I used to spend time “on the sun porch” writing plays which we would put on with the young girls in the neighborhood (all in Lily Pullitzer clothing, of course). My mother would then dress as Georgette H. and we would have lovely tea parties… on the lawn… afterward. My poor brother had to play all the male parts - we’d have none of that!</p>
<p>One book I loved in my sr year of high school, Stranger in a Strange Land (Heinlein), I re-read with my eldest S 2 years ago. YUCK! It was awful! How did I ever think I loved it?</p>
<p>Has anyone mentioned To Kill a Mockingbird? I have always loved that book. I also loved The Great Divorce, by CS Lewis. My son and I also read Nelson DeMille in the summers - that’s our “lemonade on the porch” respite.</p>
<p>I love this thread. I’ll be at the library for about 8 hours tomorrow.</p>
<p>fencersmother: It sounds like the March family Theatrical Society in LITTLE WOMEN, which I must admit will always remain one of my favorite books. Whenever I needed to cry as a kid I reread the chapter in which Beth dies.</p>
<p>Annie Proulx, particularly The Shipping News and Accordion Crimes. I just love how she writes. She has a rare talent for describing characters and setting that is rich and deeply moving. She’s a love her or hate her type of writer it seems.</p>
<p>For airplanes and beaches, I love David Baldacci. He’s the opposite, not much character or setting development, but lightning fast plots. Fun stuff.</p>