What to read next?

The Shadow of the Wind was one of my favorite books of all time! I have the next but am scared to read it, because I've heard it's not as good.

Just finished City of Thieves, which I loved, and am now reading Special Topics in Calamity Physics, which I'm really enjoying so far.

Night Film, by the same author of Calamity Physics- Marisha Pessl is one of my favorites

I'm in the middle of The Storied Life of AJ Pikry by Gabrielle Zevin. I really really like it. A lot of literary allusions, and funny too.

I've been on a graham joyce kick. Really love his work and sad that his recent passing means that I won't have any more to look forward to

leighan said:

I've been on a graham joyce kick. Really love his work and sad that his recent passing means that I won't have any more to look forward to

There is a new one out?

Yes, one came out in august. "The ghost in the electric blue suit"

Non-fiction, if you like US history and Nantucket, Away off Shore by Nathaniel Philbrick.

This is a bit more sci-fi than I usually go for, but I just read the first in Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach trilogy, Annihilation. It was a super quick read and reminded me of watching Lost. I liked it so much I immediately got the 2nd , Authority, from the library, but I haven't started it yet (had something else borrowed that I needed to get through first--not worth recommending here ;-) ). The 3rd just came out and I can't remember the name.

bookgirl said:

This is a bit more sci-fi than I usually go for, but I just read the first in Jeff Vandermeer's Southern Reach trilogy, Annihilation. It was a super quick read and reminded me of watching Lost. I liked it so much I immediately got the 2nd , Authority, from the library, but I haven't started it yet (had something else borrowed that I needed to get through first--not worth recommending here ;-) ). The 3rd just came out and I can't remember the name.

That series is on my to-read list

Oh and the third is "acceptance"

Just recommended Book of Matches by Nicholson Baker to a friend who loved it as much as I did. Told him to read Fermata next and Vox as long as he keeps it in a brown wrapper.

Oy Fermata!

I don't know if these have been mentioned over the 17 page course of this thread, but John Burdett's "Bangkok" books are crime fiction pitched with such a skew that they barely still hang in that genre. They are stuffed with Buddhism, Thai food, and the sociology, politics and psychology of the sex trade. Very well written, witty, human and exotic. Start with "Bangkok Eight" and you can thank me later, as I did the friend that tipped me off.

munchies said:

I don't know if these have been mentioned over the 17 page course of this thread, but John Burdett's "Bangkok" books are crime fiction pitched with such a skew that they barely still hang in that genre. They are stuffed with Buddhism, Thai food, and the sociology, politics and psychology of the sex trade. Very well written, witty, human and exotic. Start with "Bangkok Eight" and you can thank me later, as I did the friend that tipped me off.

These sound perfect for me. TIA.

Me too, thanks.

Loved the "MAgicians" trilogy by Lev Grossman..

Finished" Shadow of the Wind by Ruiz Zafon, and am now reading "Angels game" by the same author.

Read " Bittersweet". An uninteresting mess.

Looking forward to Perfidia by James Ellroy. Unlike anything I usually read.

I have a few friends who read and really disliked Bittersweet.

Has anyone read Bellweather Rhapsody? It was a really fun book.

I'm a little more than halfway through The Paying Guests by Sarah Waters and really enjoying it.

Really enjoyed a review copy of Vanessa and her Sister, the sister being Virginia Wolff. The Bloomsbury era of the early 20th century in London. Recommend it.

Just started Lila. Expect to love it as I did Home and Gilead.

munchies said:

I don't know if these have been mentioned over the 17 page course of this thread, but John Burdett's "Bangkok" books are crime fiction pitched with such a skew that they barely still hang in that genre. They are stuffed with Buddhism, Thai food, and the sociology, politics and psychology of the sex trade. Very well written, witty, human and exotic. Start with "Bangkok Eight" and you can thank me later, as I did the friend that tipped me off.

Love his books, they are very mystical and surprising.

If you like books about the Far East, check out:
Inspector Chang series by Stephen Leather, very enjoyable.
From India, check out author Tarquin Hall

If you are a fan of Lee Childs or Robert Ludlum- read the John Rain series

I just started The Secret Place by Tana French. I'm really liking it.

I don't read a lot of non- fiction, but just started "the short and tragic life of Robert peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy League". I can imagine it is going to be heartbreaking.

leighan said:

I don't read a lot of non- fiction, but just started "the short and tragic life of Robert peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy League". I can imagine it is going to be heartbreaking.

I read the review of the book and it looked excellent (and tragic).

leighan said:

I don't read a lot of non- fiction, but just started "the short and tragic life of Robert peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy League". I can imagine it is going to be heartbreaking.

That's on my list as well.

I just finished The Short and Tragic Life... It was very good and thought provoking but obviously a sad story. It has lots of local references like a dance they attended at CHS and a dinner at the Gaslight.

I just requested that book (Robert Peace) from the library today! Apparently we are not alone in wanting to read it - there is a bit of a wait.

leighan said:

I don't read a lot of non- fiction, but just started "the short and tragic life of Robert peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy League". I can imagine it is going to be heartbreaking.

Just as heartbreaking and confounding as I expected. I'm sitting on my couch, crying.

leighan said:

leighan said:

I don't read a lot of non- fiction, but just started "the short and tragic life of Robert peace: a brilliant young man who left Newark for the Ivy League". I can imagine it is going to be heartbreaking.

Just as heartbreaking and confounding as I expected. I'm sitting on my couch, crying.

I just finished reading it. It was so sad and so close to home.

caboose said:

I just started The Secret Place by Tana French. I'm really liking it.

Love Tana French.
My fave crime writers in random order: James Lee Burke, the best prose in modern crime fiction (with the exception being his ridiculously stilted sex scenes), Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell are phenomenal characters, and all that great Cajun food and setting.
Jo Nesbo, an absolutely deranged fiend of a writer, clever and twisted, yet with the profoundly grounded human Harry Hole at the core. A MILLION times better written than the Millennium Trilogy.
George Pelecanos, through an array of captivating characters he always makes D.C. the real star. Great music, rough and direct no frills prose.

munchies said:

caboose said:

I just started The Secret Place by Tana French. I'm really liking it.

Love Tana French.
My fave crime writers in random order: James Lee Burke, the best prose in modern crime fiction (with the exception being his ridiculously stilted sex scenes), Dave Robicheaux and Clete Purcell are phenomenal characters, and all that great Cajun food and setting.
Jo Nesbo, an absolutely deranged fiend of a writer, clever and twisted, yet with the profoundly grounded human Harry Hole at the core. A MILLION times better written than the Millennium Trilogy.
George Pelecanos, through an array of captivating characters he always makes D.C. the real star. Great music, rough and direct no frills prose.

Have you read James Ellroy? I read a couple things by Pellicanos but thought it was just OK. I am reading Perfidia by Ellroy, but have never read him before. I am having a bit of a hard time with the choppiness of the style and that there are so many plot threads going on.

I love Tana French because even though there are always lots of things going on in the books, they are easy to read because her writing is great,

LOVE Ellroy!!! Recently read Perfidia. I guess he is an acquired taste, he's so over the top hard boiled. His take on the JFK assassination, and the era, is astounding. Pulp on meth. Oh, and I forgot to add Dennis Lehane to the above list. The Patrick Kenzie/Angie Gennaro books are fantastic, the first one, A Drink Before The War, especially. Gone Baby Gone was horrifically miscast as both of the principles were nothing at all like Casey Affleck and Michelle Monaghan.