There is something about the approaching summer that always makes me want to read more. I think it must be the summer book clubs that I used to join in the library when I was a kid. Mix that with the fact that I need to make some room for more yarn with my upcoming trip to Maryland Sheep & Wool and I’m having a little bloggy contest.
Tell me three books that you think I should read this summer. They can be from any genre whatsoever. On Wednesday, April 30th at 5 p.m., I will draw a name of a person who will receive a box o’ yarn (good stuff, I promise!).
The last time I made this request, I got some great suggestions so I’m looking forward to hearing from you!!!
PS This little monster is ready for summer, too!
onestitchshort 
Hmmm, three books, eh?
Candy Girl by Diablo Cody
Bento Box in the Heartland by Linda Furiya
and . . .
The Book Thief (sorry, I don’t remember the author’s name).
Also, we gotta meet up at MSWF!!!!
Wish I could come up with something new, but I have a sad feeling that the same books I recommended last time were the last books I read! I have had no time for reading in the past year. Guess I’ll toss some out there again…Nanny Diaries. Rise and Shine by Anna Quindlen. Anything by Maeve Binchy.
What a cute dumpling you have there! =0)
These aren’t new but I loved them all…
“The Time Traveler’s Wife”
by Audrey Niffenegger
“Life of Pi,” by Yann Martel
“A Girl Named Zippy” by Haven Kimmel
The last is especially good if you grew up in a small town, although I don’t think that’s required to enjoy the cast of characters.
hmm…. I would recommend all the books Cecilia listed. Also, I particularly love The Secret History by Donna Taratt, Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell, and Elinor Lipmann books (funny, sort of grown up chick lit).
Not sure yet if I will be at MSW this year, but if I am I can’t wait to see you there! 🙂
A Prayer for Owen Meany
To Kill a Mockingbird
Tess of the d’Urbervilles
My favorite standbys of literature. 🙂
Water for Elephants :: Sara Gruen
Never Have Your Dog Stuffed :: Alan Alda
The Partly Cloudy Patriot :: Sarah Vowell
1) Marley and Me – John Grogan
2) My Sister’s Keeper -Jodi Picoult
3) Remember Me – Sophie Kinsella
4) (bonus) Nineteen Minutes – Jodi Picoult
**I just read 2-4 they are awesome. Marley and me is an awesome read about man’s love of his dog. Which just happens to be a Lab, wonder why I picked that one?
Super Super Bonus – The Cat in The Hat for little man! You have to read it when exhausted and see how those little rhymes go!!!! My kids used to crack up at that.
Born on a Blue Day: Daniel Tammet – really interesting as it is written by an autistic savant and tells about his life from his perspective.
Latest fav Christian author is Karen Kingsbury – the Redemption Series (5 books) about the Baxter family was an easy read, hard to put down, and also inspiring. And, if you fall in love with the characters, there are two follow up series about the same family!
Here’s my local food list:
The Omnivore’s Dilemma by Michael Pollan
Animal, Vegetable, Miracle by Barbara Kingsolver
Plenty: One Man, One Woman, and a Raucous Year of Eating Locally by Alisa Smith and James McKinnon
I haven’t read “Plenty” yet, but it’s next after I finish the Kingsolver book!
ooh boy!
Twilight, by Stephenie Meyer. but only if you’re into teen novels about vampires. (I loved it.)
Special Topics in Calamity Physics by Marisha Pessl.
The Other Boleyn Girl, by Philippa Gregory. if you haven’t already read it.
I loved A Girl Named Zippy, too. Haven Kimmel is really funny.
Into the Wilderness by Sara Donati
Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts
Watchers by Dean Koontz
And the standbys: The Outland Series by Diana Gabaldon
“e” by Matthew Beaumont – hilarious book about a British ad agency written all in e-mails
“Live from New York – an uncensored history of Saturday Night Live” by James Miller and Tom Shale
Janet Evanovich – Stephanie Plum series
Books! To read – for pleasure. What a great concept. I remember doing that.
The three books:
The classic:
Pride & Prejudice – Jane Austen.
And two books by the same author:
Sally Hemings and The President’s Daughter
by Barbara Chase-Riboud.
Sally Hemings is a fictionalized account of the life of Hemings and Jefferson. The President’s Daughter is a kind of sequel that follows Harriet Jefferson as she passed for white but someone in her inner circle discovers who she is.
I may have to read again myself!
Blessings by Anna Quindlen
Summer Sisters by Judy Blume
A Soul on Trial by Robin Cutler
Here are two on my summer list :
19 Minutes – Jodi Picoult
Wolf at the Table – Augusten Burroughs
and one i just finished:
History of Love – Nicole Krauss
Happy summer reading… my favorite time of the year!
A Prayer for Owen Meany is -excellent- and I wholeheartedly second that recommendation.
I also enjoyed The Time Traveler’s Wife and Life of Pi, both I read over the summer one year.
Have fun reading!
Delurking to add my picks:
The Time Traveler’s Wife – Audrey Niffenegger
Smell, the Secret Seducer – Piet Vroon
The Birth of Venus – Sarah Dunant
Bring on the summer weather! It’s about time!
Ditto on Summer Sisters by Judy Blume — it’s excellent!
Here’s my top picks from recent reads:
Garbage Land by Elizabeth Royte
Listening is an Act of Love by Dave Isay
Detour: My Bipolar Road Trip in 4-D by Lizzie Simon
Hope I get to see you over S&W weekend!
Books I’ve read recently and really enjoyed (no authors – too tired to look them up):
1 – The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
2 – Run by Ann Patchett
3 – Bridge of Sighs by Richard Russo
If you’re looking for lighter fare (beach reading):
1 – The History of Love
2 – Gastronomical Me by MFK Fisher
3 – Grace Eventually by Anne Lamott
4 – My life in France by Julia Child
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood (distopian)
A Game of Thrones by George RR Martin (excellent fantasy)
The #1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith (set in Africa)
These are all fantastic and some of my favorites.