An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears

Empire Falls by Richard Russo

The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbery

In the Woods by Tana French

American Eve by Paula Uruburu

First Love and Other Sorrows by Harold Brodkey

The Gathering by Anne Enright

Savage Beauty by Nancy Milford

Columbine by Dave Cullen

Zazie in the Metro by Raymond Queneau

Jenn, I see Empire Falls on your list. That's also been recommended by people in another group I belong to. I'll have to add that to my list.

What did you like about An Instance of the Fingerpost? I remember wanting to read that years ago, but I never got around to it.

You have several other books on your list I'm interested in like The Gathering, Elegance of the Hedgehog and Columbine. If you had to choose one of these books, which would you recommend I read first?

Instance of the Fingerpost is a fave because it combines fiction and nonfiction, it takes place in Oxford, and it revolves around a conspiracy/murder. I was never a big fan of historical fiction, but I couldn't put this one down (despite the length). From what I remember, it is told from 3 points of view and all of the narrators are so unique from their accents/dialects to their backgrounds and (hidden) agendas. Pears has written many art history mysteries, his attention to detail in Fingerpost is mesmerizing. Read it if you like conspiracy theories, history, and great writing!
For the other 3, it depends on what you are looking for. I'd recommend The Gathering over Hedgehog. There is something about Irish writers (Enright) that I always go back to/recommend. They never disappoint me! :-)
It took Cullen 10 years to write Columbine... there are some interesting facts in there and apparently there are still files that are sealed and will not be open for many years. It's the best book on Columbine that I have read.

I love historical fiction and mysteries, so a combo of the two is just the ticket for me. Fingerpost sounds like something I'd enjoy.

You have several books on your list that interest me. Way to go on creating this thread, Lisa...my to-read shelf is going to grow even more!!! (Yet another reason not to waste time wading through the boredom of Gilead and the lack of humor I was expecting in Then We Came to the End!)

This is a great idea because we all have different tastes. I read a lot of bios and older fiction (I think I'm 15 years behind), but not a lot of "new" fiction, which is one of the reasons Bookmarks is so valuable to me. Hedgehog, In the Woods, and The Gathering are all works I consider "new" and I probably would not have come across them had it not been for people's recommendations.

Jenn, I have Hedgehog on my tbr list and bookshelf. It's been a book was passed around a book group I belong to because no one could really get into the story. I'm now feeling some trepidation about reading it. Why did you add it to your "Have You Read" list?

Hi Cherylann, I first picked it up because I am a huge fan of French fiction and film. So, it was great to see a French book getting so much attention in the U.S. It wasn't hard for me to get into, but it did go off on philosophical tangents once in a while, which can be like walking through knee-high mud if it's not your thing.

I loved it because of the many literary and film references, the depiction of class struggles, and as morbid as this may sound, the siutation of a highly intelligent 12-yr-old girl who wants to kill herself when she's 13. There is something heartbreaking about that, but at the same time comical when you listen to her reasoning. At the heart of it, it's really a beautiful story about friendship between 2 unlikely friends.

I recently finished listening to Hedgehog because of my bookclub. I loved it and found the vocabulary, literary references and philosophical discussion so interesting that I ordered a copy of the book as well so I can mark it up. Maybe it is better in the audio edition.

Thanks, Lynn and Jenn. You've given me motivation and incentive to pick up Hedgehog. It was sitting there on my shelf giving me stink eye because I was starting to reject it :)