I’ve received my best book recommendations here on MOL- and I’m in need of a great vacation read. I have read some really heavy books lately with some tough and intense subject matters. I’d like something less dark and difficult to sit with. Need a really great story line. I’ll read for a few hours a day, so interesting or a fun read would be great. 

I too have read many lengthy books recently. Here are three great authors who tend to write shorter and interesting books. Donna Leon is a favorite author writing mysteries set in Venice. Good to start with one of her earliest but it really doesn't matter. Tracy Chevalier always includes some history in her novels and I do enjoy her writing style. Ann Tyler writes shorter books that are also entertaining.

birdwatcher said:

I’ve received my best book recommendations here on MOL- and I’m in need of a great vacation read. I have read some really heavy books lately with some tough and intense subject matters. I’d like something less dark and difficult to sit with. Need a really great story line. I’ll read for a few hours a day, so interesting or a fun read would be 

birdwatcher said:

I’ve received my best book recommendations here on MOL- and I’m in need of a great vacation read. I have read some really heavy books lately with some tough and intense subject matters. I’d like something less dark and difficult to sit with. Need a really great story line. I’ll read for a few hours a day, so interesting or a fun read would be great. 

 To clarify, the length of the book doesn’t matter, when I say “heavy” I mean the weightiness of the subject matter, not the weight of the book. I can’t read another incredibly sad book. I need a break from it. 

I took that into consideration. I think these are pleasant reads not like The Four Winds.I  think it was the saddest book I ever read but a wonderful read.

I see your handle is birdwatcher, so I suggest to you David Allen Sibley's WHAT IT'S LIKE TO BE A BIRD. It's full of fascinating bird facts, as well as Sibley's beautiful watercolor illustrations. I loved it.

My other favorite book recently was MUDLARK by Lara Maiklem. Despite the title, it's not about birds; it's about scavenging for treasure along the banks of the Thames. Amazing finds -- Roman roof tiles and coins, medieval shoes, Elizabethan garment fittings, interesting old bottles, clay pipes. Her writing is so satisfying, and her descriptions, explanations and histories of everything are completely engrossing.

Anything by Meg Wolowitz or Gail Godwin. 

Not Wolowitz. Wolitzer. I guess I must’ve been thinking of Howard on “The Big Bang Theory.” Sorry!

A Confederacy of Dunces, John Kennedy O'Toole

Traveler of the Century, Andrés Neuman

Loved News of the Day.  Paulette Giles. Recently made into a movie. 
Also Anxious People.  Lots of fun. 

Deacon King Kong.  Not your usual setting/characters (i think).  Intensely humane.

The Nightwatchman (Louise Erdrich).  Though some of it is pretty grisly, the primary characters left me missing their company at the end.

What You Have Left is an interesting novel by Will Allison who presently resides in South Orange. The chapters could be read individually as short stories. It’s fun to read local residents.

Early Morning Riser by Katherine Heiny. One of those rare books that pulls off being good while also being entertaining and on the light side. A lot like Anne Tyler for those who like her. (I do!)

I am also coming off a "heavy book" streak and looking for some lighter / less dark but good fiction, so will be watching this thread.

Catherine Ryan Hyde books

Anything by Elizabeth Strout; She wrote Olive Kitteridge.

I recently finished Obama’s A Promised Land. Some of it’s a little heavy but also there’s a lot of fun and lightness and overall I found it very well-written and interesting.

More applause for Anne Tyler and Elizabeth Strout.

A friend just recommended Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver. It is interesting and among other topics it is a novel about research on monarch butterfly migration.

Very much enjoying this:  https://www.nytimes.com/2019/10/29/books/review/nothing-to-see-here-kevin-wilson.html

Before Nothing to See Here, I finally read and enjoyed True Grit.

This book is from a Class of 1964 Columbia High School graduate and might be a help to someone experiencing grief  

Embrace Life Again - Follow the Path to Joy and Peace

Grief after loss is personal and painful. Most widows feel all alone, as they seek guidance as to what steps to take on the path to healing and happiness. A widow herself, Dr. Joan G. Jensen shares her honest experiences and offers encouraging advice to help those who are suffering to smile again.

Available on Amazon

Retail Price: $15.99 (Paperback)

About The Book

Navigating the sea of grief can feel overwhelming, leaving us lost in sorrow with no compass to guide us. GRIEF STEPS: The PATH offers a steadfast hand to lead you through the darkness and into the light of healing. With compassionate wisdom and practical advice, this book gently illuminates a path forward, providing solace and support to those grappling with the profound challenges of loss.

Drawing from both personal experience and professional expertise, Dr. Joan offers a roadmap for processing grief, helping readers to honor their emotions while discovering the resilience within themselves. GRIEF STEPS: The PATH is carefully crafted to provide comfort, understanding, and hope, offering guidance on how to cope with the rollercoaster of emotions, find moments of peace amidst the pain, and ultimately, embrace joy once more.

Drjoanjensen.com/thePath

(I'm a friend and classmate of Joan, that's why I'm letting you know about her book)