OT - nonparenting fav books

[KristyMum]

after some of the books mentioned in the 'vegetarian' thread, thought maybe people might like to share favourite (non-parenting - seeing as there's a thread on that atm) books, and perhaps why it's a favourite...
?


Enders Game Orson Scott Card (and most, but not all of the following books)
Say Goodnight Gracie Julie Reece Deaver
Angela's Ashes
Noonkenbah
On the Crest of a Wave Tom Carroll
Those Who Remain Will Always Remember - An Anthology
&
X-Files series, John Grisham, and used to read Patricia Cornwell, but not any more
I dunno there's more, but there's some to get the thread going

[tikki]

I am a big Tim Winton fan, and love anything he has written ~ evokes beautiful images of the coast esp. in WA and has awesome character development. Every child should be read BlueBack

Thea Astley ~ Drylands gosh, it's just a beautiful tale of small country town.

Murray Bail ~ Eucalpytus lovely fairytale meets Australiana

[KristyMum]

Have read one of Tim Winton's books, can't remember which.
Quirky story about that one, but another time.

I did read Patricia Cornwell, like I said, but just can't anymore. I still like the 'knowlege' ie the general knowlege/life things you learn, despite the not nice bits, and I like how there are so many twists and turns, but just don't need the imagery any more.

oh and forgot reasons
Enders Game Orson Scott Card (and most, but not all of the following books in that series) I'm not usually one for Sci-Fi, but this is an excellent book.

Say Goodnight Gracie Julie Reece Deaver
read this book before it happened to me. just amazes me when I re read it that I never know how 'true' it would become... so it's a 'sentimental' one I keep, I guess, more than anything.

Angela's Ashes
makes you pee your pants laughing and the next page tears your heart out - a real real life story

Noonkenbah
absoloutely to your soul story - some of what's in it is just mind-blowing.

On the Crest of a Wave Tom Carroll
just because Takes me back inside my surfing days too I think... miss that.

Those Who Remain Will Always Remember - An Anthology
just some amazing stories, writing, and generally just such a varied collection of work.

[Emjay]

In order...

The Red Tent - Anita Diamant
I LOVE this book. To me it's just a very empowering story, i love the mother/daughter connections. It just spoke to me. *is also quoted in my sig*

Angela's Ashes - Frank McCourt
Brilliantly written and seconding Kristy with the great mix of humour and saddness.

What Looks Like Crazy on an Ordinary Day - Pearl Cleague
Fantastic story that makes you think. The main character is handed a death sentence in the form of HIV and instead she finds out how to LIVE. I cannot recommend this book highly enough.

Plain Truth - Jodi Picoult
I love the look into Amish life and the courtroom dramas.

White Oleander - Janet Fitch
There is such great music to this writing.

Mother of Pearl - Melinda Hayes
I really don't know exactly what draws me to this. I do like the southern feel to it, the story isn't typical, the characters are so raw and alive.

I Know This Much Is True - Wally Lamb
For all those people who ever had a complicated relationship with their parents or their siblings, who ever wondered about their ancestors, who ever loved and lost. Brilliant.

[~kate~]

I'm with Melissa on The Red Tent. Powerful, moving, amazing writing.

Will think about what else I love and come back to this

[lincolnsmum]

hi have just started reading a book by LIAN HEARN it part of a series of three books
Across the nightingale floor
Grass for his pillow and
Brilliance of the moon
so far its amazing, my younger brother lent them too me he never reads books but he loved these books so much that last yr when he was backpacking overseas he took all 3 to read again.
Was going to say tim Winton is a great aussie read his book dirt music is one of my fav books also for people who like patrica cornwell you would like all of kathy riesh(SP) books they are great too

[kyton]

I once loved Patricia Cornwell and James Patterson but soon starting thinking "How many bad things can happen to one person?" so gave up on them. My all time favourites are:-

A Prayer for Owen Meany - John Irving. I have reread this book over and over. Love, love, love.

Julie & Julia - Julie Powell

50 Things You Wanted To Know About World Issues....But Were Too Afraid To Ask - Keith Suter

Scar Tissue - Autobiography by Anthony Kiedis of Red Hot Chiili Peppers

Jenny McCarthy's 3 books - Belly Laughs, Baby Laughs & Life Laughs. Laugh till I pee'd myself!

The only book I really wish I liked and could get into is the Bible but always get bogged down. I will try again soon but this time I might start at the New Testament.

[becboo]

My all time fav:

The Chronicles of Thomas Convenant by Stephen Donaldson (7 very thick books!)
Just incredible series of books about a writer, who develops leprosy, facing his inner demons by escaping to a fantasty world - definately a 'grown-up fantasty novel'

Bec.

[Fimail]

I love to read and have just joined a book group so that I read more often as it can be just easier to sit on the 'puter!

Captain Corelli's Mandolin - Louis de Bernieres a great great read and much better than the movie

Anything by isobel carmody, margaret atwood (especially loved cat's eye and the blind asassin), geraldine brookes (loved Year of Wonders, just starting March now).

The Disposessed - love Ursula LeGuinn, have done for years! Anything by her.

Non fiction -

Anything by peter singer makes you think - loved 'rethinking life and death'
Growth Fetish by Clive Hamilton
Why warriors lie down and die - Richard Trudgeon about Arnhem Land communities
and is fabulously interesting and challenging
Anything by Inga Clengdingen (Tigers Eye and Dancing with Strangers especially but love her work)
Reading Lolita in Tehran
Guns, germs and steel by Jarred Diamond


just started motherhood by Anne Manne but think that's not part of this thread

Mmmm bookies My favourite all time book is The Mists of Avalon (Marion Zimmer Bradley). Mild obsession with anything Arthurian, love the woman centred spirituality, just yummy. Has been read at least every 6 months since I was about 13

That's the stand out, other than that I tend to have favourite writers rather than books iykwim?

I love Nick Hornby - High Fidelity, About a Boy, How to be good

Andrew McGahan - amazing Australian writer - Praise, 1988 etc

James Elroy - Fairly full on, a couple are fairly violent/gross, but I like his style, and he's a fairly interesting character himself.

I'm a sucker for a good auto/biog too Maybe I'm just a voyeur