Holy booklist, Batgirls! This will take us every spring/summer for the rest of our lives, yes. It took me almost that long to retype it. Not really. But I thought it might be easier if I pulled all the books out of the comments and re-did the list -- voila, your suggestions. Thank you!
So, I thought about what it's like to actually go to the library or bookstore (not only would it have taken me a second lifetime to link all these up for you, but I also didn't want to deprive you of a happy afternoon cruising the aisles with the list in your hand -- this is part of the fun of reading, no? And who doesn't need to get off the computer raise your hand and we'll argue with you) and decided to alphabetize this list by author name only. No reviews, no influencing by telling how many times something was chosen, just -- alphabetical by author, so you can wander the stacks in order and pick and choose.
I'm going to Powell's today, and I'll let you know what my first choice is. I'm a little bit excited about this. We got Adirondack chairs for our front porch last summer, and I have a big plans for a dog trainer to get the dog to stop barking at everyone who approaches the property, and I tell you, if you want me on my days off, I'll be here, with one of these:
Behind the Scenes at the Museum, Kate Atkinson
Case Histories, Kate Atkinson
Arthur and George, Julian Barnes
A Year of Wonders, Geraldine Brooks
Wise Children, Angela Carter
Among the Missing, Dan Chaon
Edinburgh, Alexander Chee
The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chobsky
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, Susanna Clarke
Anything by Laurie Colwin
The Good Men, Charmaine Craig
Pope Joan, Donna Cross
The Red Tent, Anita Diamant
Rebecca, Daphne du Maurier
1000 White Women, Jim Fergus
Don’t Let’s Go to the Dog’s Tonight, Alexandra Fuller
Inkheart, Cornelia Funke
The Shadow Lines, Amitar Ghosh
Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
Three Junes, Julia Glass
Memoirs of a Geisha, Arthur Golden
The Other Boleyn Girl, Phillipa Gregory
The Queen’s Fool, Phillipa Gregory
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, Mark Haddon
The Line of Beauty, Alan Hollinghurst
The Woman Warrior, Maxine Hong Kingston
The Kite Runner, Khaled Hosseini
The Bone People, Keri Hulme
Never Let Me Go, Kaziro Ishiguro
Enemy Women, Pauline Jiles
Anything by Margaret Kennedy
A Girl Named Zippy, Haven Kimmel
The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara Kingsolver
Encyclopedia of an Ordinary Life, Amy Krous Rosenthal
I Know This Much is True, Wally Lamb
She’s Come Undone, Wally Lamb
Bitter is the New Black, Jen Lancaster
The Sisters, Mary Lovell
Life of Pi, Yann Martel
The Piano Tuner, Daniel Mason
Anything by F.M. Mayor
Saturday, Ian McEwan
The Pursuit of Love, Nancy Mitford
The Tender Bar, J.R. Moehringer
The Time Traveler’s Wife, Audrey Neffenegger
Wonderland, Joyce Carol Oates
London Holiday, Richard Peck
My Sister’s Keeper, Jodi Picoult
The Tenth Circle, Jodi Picoult
Hoyt Street, Mary Helen Ponce
Anything by Barbara Pym
Pobby and Dingan, Ben Rice
Change Me Into Zeus’s Daughter, Barbara Robinette Moss
How I Live Now, Meg Rosoff
Shadow of the Wind, Carlos Ruiz Zafon
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, Jonathan Safran Foer
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan, Lisa See
I Capture the Castle, Dodie Smith
On Beauty, Zadie Smith
Waste and Want, Susan Strasser
Amy and Isabelle, Elizabeth Strout
Manhunt: The Twelve-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer, James L. Swanson
The Little Friend, Donna Tartt
The Secret History, Donna Tartt
Anything by Elizabeth Taylor
A Complicated Kindness, Miriam Toews
The Gardens of Kyoto, Kate Walbert
Night Watch, Sarah Waters
Brideshead Rvisited, Evelyn Waugh
A Certain Slant of Light, Laura Whitcomb
All Maisie Dobbs books, Jaqueline Winspear
Elsewhere, Gabriel Zevin
And just because I couldn't resist adding my own favorite summer read, try Hens Dancing and Summertime by Raffaella Barker, and the wonderful though out-of-print French yummies about the Moreau family, A Matter of Feeling, A Time to Choose, Christmas Lessons, and Cecile by Janine Boissard.
good gosh, alicia, that's quite a list. I'm glad you asked people for their suggestions since I too can reap the benefits of their suggestions. I hate it when I finish a book and have no idea what I'm going to read next. Now, I know I can just look to your list.
And I just have to put in a suggestion for Life of Pi. It's a pretty quick read, a wonderful book, and I recently learned that the same people who made Amelie, City of Lost Children, etc. are making it into a movie, which I expect to be nothing short of amazing.
and one more...The secret Life of Bees. By Sue Mon Kidd. Wonderful book!
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0142001740/qid=1144864881/sr=2-1/ref=pd_bbs_b_2_1/102-5098893-0706523?s=books&v=glance&n=283155
That's quite a list - I'm shamed to admit that I've only read one of the books. How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff is one of my favourite books. I had the pleasure to hear the author speak at a conference and she was marvellous. I shall refer to this list next time I'm at a loss for reading ideas.
I loved "Don't Let's Go To The Dogs Tonight"--- I have a feeling you will, too.
What a list! You are a reader, damn.
Veronica, by Mary Gaitskill is quite good-- fyi.
oh wow alicia.
my mouth is just watering reading this list. and missing the time to spend lazy sundays curled on the couch, or when spring finally arrives, out by my favourite weeping willow tree by the stream, have a picnic with just me and the pup and a good book and spring lazy afternoon.
i do believe i need to endulge in a few of those books. the day dreams, the inspiration alone in simply reading!
oxo
angela
www.omondieu.blogspot.com
This is a great list, I've read several of them already and it's hard to pick a favourite but I'll second "The curious incident ..." or "The other boleyn girl". And your post made me want to buy one more book today, so I've started reading "Prep" at lunchtime ;-)
My goodness Alicia, that is a list. Hope you don't mind, but I was thinking I would read along - I've read a few but this sounds like such a great list. I'll let you know how it goes. Oh, and by the way, I can't wait for my package - I just know it is going to be full of beautiful beautiful things. You are wonderful wonderful wonderful. And one more thing ... I am taking a "Crochet 101" class so that one day I can make your lovely cardigan pattern (the one with the ribbon) but in my size.
Thanks for the list. While I've read several books on the list, I look forward to reading something new. Now I need to decide what to read next.
what a wonderful list! makes me want to go and curl up with rebecca right now... I love du maurier. my parents live fairly close to jamaica inn and I always get shivers driving past it.
Yikes- you better get crackin'!
I've read several on the list- just finished The Red Tent for my book club. It was great.
Good luck!
Hi Alicia,
Just to say that Peachy arrived today, she must be exhausted after flying all that way in just two days. She is even more beautiful in person. As for your reading list Wow! I have read a lot of those, and will be back to find which ones I haven't as I am always on the look out for a good read.
Also to suggest, The Five People You Meet in Heaven and The Lovely Bones. Don't think I saw those two on there. Both interesting and thought provoking but enjoyable reads.
Yowzers. Reading? I should get on that.
(I've actually got a couple of those if you want 'em. Let me know.)
Excellent! I plan on walking to the library, on Saturday, just to take a look at the books on this list. Thank you for setting it up in alphabetical order. :)
Oh this list reminded me of some wonderful books I've read, but had forgotten about. The Poisonwood Bible is great...long, but worth the read. And Wally Lamb's books are very good. Enjoy!
Try reading something by Barbara Kingsolver. She is an amazing author! You must read The Prodigal Summer and Animal Dreams! Absolutely the best! Also Angle of Repose by Wallace Stegner and The Ice Queen by Alice Hoffman. Good Luck!
I know this is a day late and a dollar short but your list inspired me to clean up my bookshelf and offer a few suggestions too...
Sarah Dunant - In the Company of the Courtesan and The Birth of Venus
Kent Meyers - The Work of Wolves
Sena Jeter Naslund - Ahab's Wife
I would offer many more but I know your list is already very long. I'll be using it to help me find some new reading for the summer too. Thanks so much for compiling it.
Good list. Those I've read on it have been some of my favourites, and there's nothing on it I've hated. Will look for some of the others!
whoa. That's a list!
What a great list - I'll definitely be saving a copy! Quite a few have been read & discussed by my book club in recent years. :)
Ohhhhh! Powells is your local bookstore?! ... ::wistful sigh:::
Wow - what results! Book lists are so much fun. I think I'm going to enjoy mining this one for new reads. The book I'm currently reading is on there. And I see a few I was planning on reading soon. And quite a few that I've read and loved. And only one that I disliked (disliked intensely, in fact, though I know many loved it, so I think it's a love-it-or-hate-it kind of thing).
Thank you for the literary encouragement. And finally you have reminded me of good books I've read (I can never remember names for my profile).
Can I at this point say that for those with no time to read them all I heard the most FANTASTIC reading of The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nightime as an audio book read brilliantly by Ben Tibber.
It's one of those occasions when you feel the reader is doing it more justice than you could yourself. He was wonderful. Find it on CD & tape at randomhouse.co.uk
I have a book list somewhere - Im going to print yours out to add to mine!!
inspiring posts about books!!!
Copied, pasted, printed! Thanks!
what a crazy list! love it!