<p>I got a bunch of titles off a list in New York magazine called ‘The Best Books You’ve Never Read’ </p>
<p>So far I’ve read three of them, and they were excellent:
The Wife, Meg Wolitzer
The Accidental, Ali Smith
THe Tender Land, Kathleen FInneran</p>
<p>next, I’ll be reading
Amalgamation Polka, Stephen Wright
San Remo Drive, Leslie Epstein
Master of the Crossroads, Madison Bell</p>
<p>mathmom, I’m not a big mystery fan, but do enjoy Donna Leon mysteries set in Venice.</p>
<p>Perhaps you need to try other mystery writers - a waste of time, indeed!</p>
<p>Try Dennis Lehane (“Mystic River”) or Geogre Pelecanos (wonderful writer!) And if you haven’t read any Kate Atkinson, well, she’s marvelous.</p>
<p>Yes, The Lucifer Effect is amazing - even if rather sickening. The worst part about it is not even the actions of the people assigned to prisoner status, but that of those assigned to guard status. They were incredibly cruel in a way that utterly predicted Abu Ghraib and similar. The difference is that this was just a group of randomly assigned Stanford students/volunteers. It’s incredibly frightening.</p>
<p>Several people here have mentioned Middlesex. I loved it.</p>
<p>Finishing up “The Murder Room” by P.D. James. In the middle of “How Doctors Think” by Jerome Groopman M.D.(writes medical articles for the New Yorker). Next week I reread Order of the Phoenix before the movie comes out. Then, reread Half Blood Prince before Book 7 comes out (J.K. Rowling said Books 6 and 7 are really one book split in two, so I thought reading them back to back would be a good idea).</p>
<p>I only see one other Potter fan on here, but just thought I’d throw out that I vote that Harry lives, winds up with Hermione, and Ron and Ginnie both die. My personal theory is that the chess game in Book 1 is a precursor of events in Book 7 and that Ron will sacrifice himself so Harry and Hermione can go on to defeat Voldermort (Ginnie’s almost dying in Chamber of Secrets, also a precursor). fwiw, jmho.</p>
<p>I just finished “A Thousand Splendid Suns” and thoroughly enjoyed it as much as I did the “Kite Runner.”</p>
<p>I’m almost through with “A Mission Song” from John le Carr</p>
<p>mercymom, I’m a potter fan. While I can’t say I agree with you about Harry and Hermione, I admire your passion about the situation. 
I’m actually re-reading HBP right now, but didn’t think to mention it in this thread. I’m sooo going to be at the midnight release of Deathly Hallows. I’ve mentioned to my boss that I need to be off work on the 20th and 21st because of “appointments”. heh.</p>
<p>Just read Lolita. It was pretty amazing. I highly recommend it, although if you can’t get past how dark it is you won’t like it. If you can get past it, it’s beautiful.</p>
<p>Now I’m reading Brave New World. So far it’s good. </p>
<p>I’m thinking I might do A Clockwork Orange next. Anyone read it?</p>
<p>Meant to say that the chess game was a foreshadowing, not a precursor (ditto the CofS comment). I thought for a long time I was in the minority about H and H, but my S tells me the latest Scholastic poll has 56% saying Harry and Hermione wind up together.</p>
<p>Brave New World was one of my favorite books in high school. Does that date me?</p>
<p>btw - the reason I picked up “The Way Doctors Think” is we have a very sick relative who’s having diagnosis problems beaucoup. I heartily recommend the book be read before you get sick, out of self protection. Doctors are a tricky lot apparently.</p>
<p>A Woman in Charge by Carl Bernstein (is it possible to learn enough about the continuing saga of Bill and Hill?).</p>
<p>Recently: Her Infinite Variety by Auchincloss, just okay, especially compared to Dawn Powell’s A Time to be Born, based on the life of Claire Boothe Luce, which was a really fun read.</p>
<p>Fraud by Anita Brookner (strange). Leaving a Doll’s House by Claire Bloom (you’ll never think of Philip Roth in the same way (whatever way that was) again.</p>
<p>Oops…also The Rector of Justin by Auchincloss–very good fun read.</p>
<p>Next will be The Gravedigger’s Daugher by Joyce Carol Oates (on reserve).</p>
<p>Loved Middlesex and did not want it to end!</p>
<p>Currently reading In the Lake of the Woods by Tim O’Brien - not too far along yet but already engrossed.</p>
<p>Hereshoping - I’ve been meaning to read the Claire Bloom book – what did you think of it? (Aside the ‘you’ll never think of Philip Roth the same way’) Interesting? Well written?</p>
<p>I second the Kate Atkinson recommendation! She’s terrific. </p>
<p>And Lolita (light of my life, fire of my loins) is one of the best ever.</p>
<p>I really enjoyed Middlesex when I read it a year or two ago, but I didn’t like his earlier book at all. Recently finished “A Thousand Splendid Suns and I thought it was a great book.” Now reading “The March” by Doctorow, which is interesting enough, but I find I can put it down so it is taking me a long time to get through it.</p>
<p>I’m currently reading A Walk on the Beach by Joan Anderson, which is the third in a series of books about her middle age life, escaping to live alone on Cape Cod for a year, the people she meets, etc. They aren’t my typical kind of reading material but I’ve enjoyed them a lot.</p>
<p>Just finished Possible Side Effects by Augusten Burroughs, which I loved. This man’s writing is fabulous. He’s the type I would love to meet and take to lunch. Running With Scissors was great but I loved this one even more.</p>
<p>On top of my ‘to read’ pile (which is about 50 books high!), is The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, which by the accounts of all I know who have read it, will be very good. Also have When Bull Elephants Fight, which, I believe, was written by the brother (?) of a CC poster who recommended it last year. My D who has been to Africa enjoyed it and passed it along to me. The March is also there!</p>
<p>When I finish Joan Anderson, though, I plan to reread HP and the HBP before July 21. I always do this prior to reading the new one, and I must say, that I’m looking forward to this 7th book with mixed feelings. I’m sorry to see the series end.</p>
<p>I read Middlesex last year and enjoyed it very much. I agree that it’s one of those books that you don’t want to end.</p>
<p>Wow, thought of posting then realized I was on Oprah! j/k!
I’ve been reading lots of books in the last 2 months or so, basically around the same themes of college admissions and sociology/economics. In the last six weeks or so I’ve read, A is for Admission, The Price of Admission, Race and Cultures, Black Rednecks and White Liberals(HUGE Sowell fan) and next is, The Chosen. I find the overlaps of attaining an elite college education and social dynamics facinating! When football starts, i’ll probably be less enamored with reading unless it’s sports related!</p>
<p>Just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns. I liked it even more than The Kite Runner. Before that I read The Reluctant Fundamentalist. I thought it was terrific. I also loved 19 Minutes by Jodi Picoult.
I’m starting Eat, Prey, Love tonight.</p>
<p>The Chosen is a great book. I am looking forward to reading A Thousand Splendid Suns.</p>
<p>Just finished In the Lake of the Woods - positively brilliant writing. Couldn’t put it down.</p>
<p>Am taking a break from novels for the summer. My attention span just isn’t once the sun is out so much. </p>
<p>I just finished The Selected Poetry of Yehuda Amichai - beautiful and deep, but too sad for my upbeat mood these days, so…</p>
<p>I’ve just started Jon Stewart, Naked Pictures of Famous People. Whip-smart essays and I don’t have to wait until 11 p.m. either.
LOL ROTFLMAO HAHAHA LAUGH LAUGH HAHAHAHAHAHA, I’m going back to it,
he’s too much!</p>
<p>I’m always way behind on the reading lists, so I’m reading a whole pile that I got at the used book sale that our D’s HS has every spring (largest sale on the east coast!)</p>
<p>Just finished An Unlikely Spy by Daniel Silva. I really enjoyed it, as I am such a history buff. It is about the espionage used by the Germans and the English with regard to D Day. I did not want to put this one down–I was a little surprised by the ending.</p>
<p>Now I’m in the middle of The Pursuit of Happiness by Douglas Kennedy. Tale of a writer’s romance with a particular man, starting at the end of WWII–set in NYC. Another one that’s hard to put down, though it started a little slowly.</p>
<p>Just finished “Year of Wonders”, which is fiction, but based on the true story of a community of plague victims in 1600’s England. Utterly fascinating, and a great read.</p>