I also enjoyed the End of Your Life Book Club and was thinking of reading Crossing to Safety because of its mention in the book. Thanks for reminding me to look for it, 1more mom!
Crossing to Safety is one of my all time favorite books, too! Iâve read it several times, but most recently, with my current small reading group. One of my friends actually threw the book into the garbage after finishing it; he was that disturbed. You are forewarned, YMMV!
I listened to People of the Book (Geraldine Brooks) after reading The End of Your Life Book Club. I liked that, as well. I believe the recommendation for Trevorâs book, Feliciaâs journey came out of that, also.
I guess we can see why Sayers is on the 2012 list. I am rereading âMurder Must Advertiseâ now so out of this random sample it appears that DL is still drawing quite a bit of action.
Oddly it seem to take me longer to read things on a kindle.
Havenât finished it yet, but enjoying Beautiful Ruins.
I find myself thinking about âThe Dog Starsâ written by Peter Heller, a book I got for Christmas and finished a couple weeks ago. In a post-apocalyptic world, a survivor with one dog, one friend, and one airplane searches for meaning. It doesnât have the grimness of âThe Roadâ or the general psychoses of Pahlaniuk books.
Maybe because I had just slogged my way through a Murakami book, I found his sparse prose poetic and the eulogy for âthe way things used to beâ thoughtful, despite the dark plot. I would be interested in opinions from people more literate than myself.
Itâs more for guys - planes, guns, flyfishing, solitude, a man and his dog - but has enough of a story that women may find it interesting.
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders, a book of short stories by Daniyal Mueenuddin.
Daniyal Mueenuddin is the son of an American mother and Pakistani father. He has lived in Pakistan for many years, but he also attended Dartmouth University and Yale Law School.
In Other Rooms, Other Wonders is a wonderful book by an amazingly gifted author. I first encountered Mueenuddinâs work in the pages of The New Yorker, where he has had five pieces published.
The book consists of eight interrelated short stories, all set in Pakistan and all derived from the authorâs personal experiences there.
Readers who admired the novel A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry would probably like Mueenudddinâs work also.
If you are not sure, get hold of a copy and read the story âLilyâ first. âLilyâ is a very affecting, nuanced love story. It will probably hook you on the magic of the authorâs writing and turn you into as big a fan as I am.
Just finished SILVER LININGS PLAYBOOK and really enjoyed it. Such a nice storyânow, Iâm looking forward to seeing the movie.
Also recently read and enjoyed Lisa Gardnerâs TOUCH AND GO. She writes gripping psychological thrillers told in first person by someone you are never too sure about (an âunreliable narratorâ).
For mystery readers:
[Edgar</a> Nominees](<a href=âhttp://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html]Edgarâ>http://www.theedgars.com/nominees.html)
Iâve read Gone Girl and The ExPats. I have The 500 sitting on a shelf, and I want to read Code Name Verity
Im currently re-reading To Play the Fool, by Laurie R King.
Its obstensibly a murder mystery/ procedural, but IMO to me it is more about how we change ourselves to cope with great tragedy and lengths our loved ones go to, to keep us tethered.
Its full of fascinating characters.
Im also reading The uncommon Reader by Alan Bennett and a free ebook on ibooks
[This</a> Is a Call: The Life and Times of Dave Grohl: Paul Brannigan: 9780306819568: Amazon.com: Books](<a href=âhttp://www.amazon.com/This-Call-Life-Times-Grohl/dp/0306819562]Thisâ>http://www.amazon.com/This-Call-Life-Times-Grohl/dp/0306819562)
well it was free on ibooks.
Just finished Ghana must go by Taiye Selasi - loved it !
next on my reading list -Eighty Days: Nellie Bly and Elizabeth Bislandâs History-Making Race Around the World by Matthew Goodman
Reading Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz and really enjoying it.
Iâm part of the way through * The Newlyweds * by Nell Freudenberger. Itâs about a Bangladeshi woman who marries a man from the US, whom she met online, and the resulting family drama. Itâs not the best book Iâve read in six months, but Iâm enjoying the story line.
emeraldkity, my Ds and I love Laurie R. Kingâs Russell & Holmes books (starting with the Bee Keeperâs Apprentice). In fact, D2 wrote her Common App essay about being introduced to Holmes from that first book and trying to emulate him throughout middle school & early high school. 
Also love âThe Uncommon Readerâ. D1 just started a book club with some friends, and she gave them all the gift of that book for Xmas as their first book to read.
I just finished âBrave Dragons: A Chinese Basketball Team, an American Coach, and Two Cultures Clashingâ. Non-fiction, and a very interesting book about China and the practical clash between NBA culture & modern China. This would make a good gift if you have a sports buff who is also interested in current events.
I recently finished The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver. Wow. It was great. The first few chapters were slow going but when it âtook offâ, I was hooked. Sheâs one of my favorite authors.
I am now reading Exodus by Leon Uris. I LOVE it. I cannot believe I have never read this. Itâs really, really good. My kind of book,historical fiction.
Just read âPersitent Rumoursâ by Lee Langley. It is a historical novel about an Englishman who returns to India, his birthplace, to learn of the disappearance of his mother.
I must be the only person who didnât care for Gone Girl. Others on the Edgar list that Iâve read: Jesse Kellermanâs Pot Boiler (heâs the son of mystery writers Jonathan Kellerman and Faye Kellerman), Dennis Lehane, Live By Night. Not a fan of Walter Mosleyâanother one that most mystery reads enjoy.
Really entertaining mystery that I recently read is P.D. JamesâDeath Comes to Pemberley. James takes the characters from Pride and Prejudiceâsix years after Elizabeth marries Darcyâand creates a believable whodunit at Pemberley, Darcyâs estate in Derbyshire, where Elizabeth and Darcy are living happily with two young sons.
Gone Girl is not a favorite of mine but I enjoyed it. I did not like the ending. I liked her two other books better.
Currently enjoying Tracy Chevalierâs âThe Last Runawayâ.
Have recently read and liked âThe Obituary Writerâ by Ann Hood as well as âMidnight in Pekingâ by Paul French. I see that the latter is an Edgar Award Nominee.
I thought of this thread in the past couple of days as I was struggling through what was the absolute worst book Iâve ever read! I had picked it up on the local authorsâ table at B&N, where I had had very good luck previously. Terrible writing, poor grammar, spelling errors, no consistency in the story details, cringe-worthy dialogue, and clearly no editor ever even looked at it. Ugh.
On a brighter note, Iâve read two more of Jennifer Haighâs novels. Iâve read four now and have enjoyed all of them. The most recent two are Faith, and Baker Towers. Very different in subject matter/locale/period but both good explorations of family relationships. Iâd recommend both!
My favorite one Iâve read recently was The Strangerâs Child by Alan Hollinghurst. A wonderful book with beautiful prose and a terrific story, told through five sections, each set in a different period. The characters appear at different ages and stages of life. Really a good read and set in Britain, so it was fun to read as I was watching the latest season of Downton Abbey.
Just read âBuddha in the Atticâ which I recommend and also both âThe Paris Wifeâ and âThe Lost Wifeâ.. recommend both but neither as outstanding as âBuddha in the Atticâ. I highly recommend.
I am also a big fan of Jennifer Haigh and look forward to reading more of her work, having read both âMrs. Kimbleâ and âBaker Towersâ.
My next book is a classic, âWashington Squareâ. Having seen âThe Heiressâ on Broadway last fall, Iâve been hot to re-read it every since.