The GOTTA KNOW books
Is there anything better than a ‘gotta know’ book? I love the ones that induce hide-my-eyes fear because of some impending disaster; the ones that give me a stomach ache because my favorite character is in emotional jeopardy (leave him, no stay with him, no leave him . . .)
I love the books that make me stay up till two in the morning. The ones that make me wish I didn’t have TIVO, so I’d have a commercial break in which to read. (I know what you’re thinking—“perhaps you could turn off the TV, Randy.” But come on, Damages is on!)
I need some suggestions—and you probably do too. So, in no particular order, my here are six off-the-top-of-my-head Gotta Know books:
The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley: Just finished this! I cheated on my work-in-progress to get to the end, and I have a deep Puritan ethic when it comes to work—so what does that tell you? Very topical: what happens to ordinary people during a pandemic? Buckley wrote an incredible exploration of a mother’s fierce protectiveness slamming up against about civilized behavior.
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman: If you have not yet discovered Lippman’s stand-alone suspense books—get thee to a bookstore. They are all good. This one stood out for me for that awful sense of ‘your life can change so fast.’ Lippman builds worlds that reach out and pull you down under the surface in seconds.
Warday by Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka: How would a nuclear war change the world? This book is out of print—so get thee to a library or buy it second hand. Don’t ask to borrow my tattered copy. I still re-read it. I still get scared when I do. It could be retitled “Read this and become a pacifist.”
Gerald’s Game by Stephen King: If I tell you almost anything, it will be a plot spoiler. Look, I am not a horror fan, but King has some books that simply force your eyes open. I read this straight through in a night. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. Woman in danger. Marital games gone awry in the worst of ways. Nuff said.
Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux: Jeez, I put this on every list, don’t I? This is literary fiction cross-bred with the gotta know. Crazy-intellectual-invention-father drags his family to live in the jungle and live out his fantasy. Trouble ensues. Oh yeah.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty: I envy you if you haven’t read this yet–because what a treat you have in front of you! The west as it’s never written, a saga of terror, love of every kind, kindness where you wouldn’t expect it–and so much gotta that you may not sleep until you finish–and it’s a heck of a fat book. Another book I’ll never lend, because I gotta know it’s there when I need it.
We’re edging towards summer, when we simply must have some time in a lounge chair with a good ‘gotta know.’ What are your recommendations?
I love the books that make me stay up till two in the morning. The ones that make me wish I didn’t have TIVO, so I’d have a commercial break in which to read. (I know what you’re thinking—“perhaps you could turn off the TV, Randy.” But come on, Damages is on!)
I need some suggestions—and you probably do too. So, in no particular order, my here are six off-the-top-of-my-head Gotta Know books:
The Things That Keep Us Here by Carla Buckley: Just finished this! I cheated on my work-in-progress to get to the end, and I have a deep Puritan ethic when it comes to work—so what does that tell you? Very topical: what happens to ordinary people during a pandemic? Buckley wrote an incredible exploration of a mother’s fierce protectiveness slamming up against about civilized behavior.
Every Secret Thing by Laura Lippman: If you have not yet discovered Lippman’s stand-alone suspense books—get thee to a bookstore. They are all good. This one stood out for me for that awful sense of ‘your life can change so fast.’ Lippman builds worlds that reach out and pull you down under the surface in seconds.
Warday by Whitley Strieber and James Kunetka: How would a nuclear war change the world? This book is out of print—so get thee to a library or buy it second hand. Don’t ask to borrow my tattered copy. I still re-read it. I still get scared when I do. It could be retitled “Read this and become a pacifist.”
Gerald’s Game by Stephen King: If I tell you almost anything, it will be a plot spoiler. Look, I am not a horror fan, but King has some books that simply force your eyes open. I read this straight through in a night. Could. Not. Put. It. Down. Woman in danger. Marital games gone awry in the worst of ways. Nuff said.
Mosquito Coast by Paul Theroux: Jeez, I put this on every list, don’t I? This is literary fiction cross-bred with the gotta know. Crazy-intellectual-invention-father drags his family to live in the jungle and live out his fantasy. Trouble ensues. Oh yeah.
Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurty: I envy you if you haven’t read this yet–because what a treat you have in front of you! The west as it’s never written, a saga of terror, love of every kind, kindness where you wouldn’t expect it–and so much gotta that you may not sleep until you finish–and it’s a heck of a fat book. Another book I’ll never lend, because I gotta know it’s there when I need it.
We’re edging towards summer, when we simply must have some time in a lounge chair with a good ‘gotta know.’ What are your recommendations?
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message 1:
by
Irene
(new)
Mar 11, 2010 05:37PM
Oh, everyone in the world has seen the movie. But the book!!! I was on a loooooooong reserve list at the Wilmington, NC library (second best in the country), so I started at 9:00p on a Saturday evening and didn't stop until I finished on Sunday morning, around 3:00 or 4:00a. Gotta read the book first, I think!!
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