Ravelry Knitters discussion
Your One Must-Read book
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Jen
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Jul 03, 2014 06:20AM
What's your one must-read recommendation & why? Any genre! (but esp fiction). I'm desperate to escape into something fantastic. I've been reading a lot of non-fiction and a little blah fiction lately, so I feel like I've got fiction "reader's block." Thanks!
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The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern. It has magic and circuses and intrigue and a love story. I loved it.
Kate stole my post :) DEFINITELY The Night Circus. It's on my re-reading list for this summer. I couldn't recommend it more. Why? Because it transported me; I didn't want it to end; and I wanted to wake up in the morning with a magic circus in my yard so I could run away with it.
Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese. A colorful tapestry of cultures (Indian, Ethiopian, American), passions (the practice of medicine, unrequited love, the makings and ties of family, faith and religion) Verghese weaves a plot unlike any I've read in a novel in quite some time. Thoroughly enjoyable page-turner!
I would agree with The Night Circus; but also add the one I'm reading right now that in many ways reminds me of The Night Circus-- The Museum of Extraordinary Things. It has a New York setting that I fell in love with!
Try "Declare" by Tim Powers or "American Gods" by Neil Gaiman for fantasy. Both have fascinating plots and engaging characters and I reread both of them from time to time.
I just finished 'The Way of Kings' by Brandon Sanderson - on audio, so 45 hours' worth of magic! I'm looking forward to the next book, 'Words of Radiance'. Also voting for 'The Night Circus' and 'American Gods', and the Discworld series by Terry Pratchett.
Stephen King's Dark Tower heptalogy (or octology, if you count vol. 4.5).
Philip Pullman: His Dark Materials Trilogy (Northern Lights, The Subtle Knife, The Amber Spyglass) - the books are so much better than the movie!
...
Is it just me, or does this thread resemble the queue-enhancing project discussions on Ravelry?
Have to look up 'Cutting for Stone' and 'The Museum of Extraoridnary Things' now ...
Just one? Impossible!!I reread Stephen King's The Stand every winter!
a couple of recent reads that I really enjoyed :
Moloka'i, The Tiger's Wife
I re-read The Stan every year too... normally around February, to remind me of the first time I read it and I had a massive cold: I got more scared back then than watching any horror movie!
Virginia wrote: "I re-read The Stan every year too... normally around February, to remind me of the first time I read it and I had a massive cold: I got more scared back then than watching any horror movie!"Too funny it is my middle of winter read also, last year I was re-reading The Dreamcatcher was right in middle of one of the shit weasel parts, felt something creepy crawly on me, looked and I had a tick on my boob, needless to say i had the heebie jeebies lol
Thank you kindly for the suggestions!! The best part is my local library has many of them and I have checked out a few already. I agree with the comment that this is a bit like the queue increasing project posts on ravelry...none of us will ever get to all the patterns or books but is sure is fun to think about them all.I thought I'd share one book that I definitely got lost in, which was "Quite a Year for Plums" by Bailey White. Now, I think it's the kind of polarizing book folks love or hate. I lent it to a family member who just couldn't get into it. I will warn you it starts out kind of slowly and it can be tough at first to keep track of the various characters - but it was worth it. I adored the characters and felt it had such an amazing sense of place that I got sort of disoriented after reading it for a bit (I'd be ready to spot certain trees and then rezlie I don't live in the southern US, etc.). Still feeling tempted to try to grow moss on flowerpots too.
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Glad to see Brandon Sanderson get a shout out...he did a signing at my book store a few months ago, and I cannot remember a more gracious, kind, cool guy. I don't do a ton of fantasy, but he's on my list now!
I just read Winter People by Jennifer Weiner. It's a Ghost story told by multi characters and shifts to history and present times. I listened to the book and Enjoyed knitting on socks.
I am also listening to the Outlander series and have the last two books left to finish the series. There's just something about Scotland and those times that i love
Where do you get your audio books? I've joined Audible.com but I also get some from the library.
I get my audio books from my local public library. I go to the library website and request my books and place them on hold. I receive an email when my book is available. I go to the library and pick up my book, which is on the hold shelf with my name on it. I then down load them on to my iPod and listen.
I love my library and it's branch. I can ask for a copy of an audio book or any
Book I wish and they will order it. The staff is so helpful.
I also listen to audio books from the library. I get them on cd but they also have e-books you can reserve and read on your kindle or whatnot - I don't have an e-book reader though.Interesting to hear good feedback on the Outlander series, I have been thinking of reading it.
I heart the library!
I love the Outlander series and can hardly wait until the television series starts in August!
Marymodavis wrote: "Where do you get your audio books? I've joined Audible.com but I also get some from the library."I do both of what Jen and Jeannie said. I get them on cd for my car and on Overdrive through the library to listen to at the gym. I've been thinking of trying podcasts also.
Hmmmm that is a tough one. I have a few series that I love, but for a single book it would have to be Phantom by Susan Kay. If you love the phantom of the opera, you may like this version. It is told from his point of view, and is heart wrenching at times. This book is what made me love the Phantom Of The Opera.I would love to see this on Broadway!
Great suggestions! I love Alice Hoffman so The Museum of Extraordinary Things is definitely on my tbr list, but I will add The Night Circus and Outlander books, too. I also second American Gods (love Neil Gaiman) and the Terry Pratchett Discworld series... I can't do 'one and only' must reads, but some recent favourites are The Inn At Lake Devine by Elinor Lipman (not recent release, but can't believe I haven't read any of hers before!), Lost by Sarah Beth Durst, and The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman.
Oh, I love Elinor Lipman - not every last one of hers, but when she's good she's great! Lake Devine is one of my favorites of hers. Also really liked Isabel's Bed. I got to see her do a reading in MA at a small local library years ago, she has a great sense of humor!
Jen wrote: "Oh, I love Elinor Lipman - not every last one of hers, but when she's good she's great! Lake Devine is one of my favorites of hers. Also really liked Isabel's Bed. I got to see her do a reading i..."Oh, I'm envious that you saw her in person! And I will seek out Isabel's Bed - thank you!
Jen wrote: "What's your one must-read recommendation & why? Any genre! (but esp fiction). I'm desperate to escape into something fantastic. I've been reading a lot of non-fiction and a little blah fiction ..."Okay....this may never have been a well known book but it is one of my top five, and maybe my favorite suspense book. It's called Vertical Run, written by Joseph Garber. He wrote another book that was sort of blah, but VR was impossible to put down! I was so sorry he didn't write more of this caliber. Let me know what you think if you can find a copy and read it!
I have to say I love fiction, but I really didn't like the Night Circus, her writing style drove me crazy. I have a really really hard time picking ONE book, so I'll give you my top three :) Rohinton Mistry - A Fine Balance
Will Schwabe - The End of Your Life Bookclub (Caution - will make you cry)
Ann Hood - The Knitting Circle
Dorthe wrote: "Is it just me, or does this thread resemble the queue-enhancing project discussions on Ravelry>..."LOL. Absolutely there's a resemblance. Pretty much most of the discussions I join or read here at GR add to my TBR/TBL (to be listened to) list.
And if this isn't enough, come join the Audiobook Knitters or 52 Books in 52 Weeks groups at Rav - more suggestions galore!
I have read a lot of the classics and my favorite is The Golden Bowl by Henry James.Also Practical Magic by Alice Hoffman.
I've never read any Alice Hoffman, but I do have one of her books on my Kindle. I guess for my one must-read book, I'd say
, but I'm a huge Stephen King fan.
Well, I can't truly pick one-must read book because my personal library has grown over the month from the free giveaways at my local library. "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins in is my 2 read pile, so I will choose this as my one-must read choice as an elimination to-read pile.
Heather wrote: "Just one? Impossible!!I reread Stephen King's The Stand every winter!
a couple of recent reads that I really enjoyed :
Moloka'i, The Tiger's Wife"
I don't know how many times I've tried reading THE STAND. I still have it on my shelf but every single time I start it, I get a cold. I have to put it aside to try again....
I have 2 must read books....1 is Mrs. Mike, a YA book that I first read when I was about 13-14 and have read at least 100 times, I'm 49 now and will pick it up when I'm in a rut. It's about a 16 yr old girl sent to live with her uncle in Canada in the early 1900's. She falls in love with a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police and the story is based on her life with him as he is based in the wild of uncivilized Canada.
My 2nd must read is Winter Garden. It actually has 2 storylines. The first storyline is about mother / daughter & sister / sister relationships; the 2nd story is about the siege of Leningrad in WWII. MUST HAVE TISSUES!!!
The Invention of wings is the most recent addition to my must reads list. Anything by Tamora Pierce. Ender's Game.
A coworker recently told me that The Giver by Lois Lowery was her favorite book ever and that it's not strictly YA, it's a great book for anyone. Has anyone here read it? Would you agree? I bought it yesterday at the school book fair. (:
Jen - THE GIVER is on my TR shelf, but I have not yet read it.
Jen wrote: "A coworker recently told me that The Giver by Lois Lowery was her favorite book ever and that it's not strictly YA, it's a great book for anyone. Has anyone here read it? Would you agree? I boug..."I love The Giver series. But I think the 2nd might be might favorite. Most people don't even know about #2-4.
Jen wrote: "A coworker recently told me that The Giver by Lois Lowery was her favorite book ever and that it's not strictly YA, it's a great book for anyone. Has anyone here read it? Would you agree? I boug..."Jen, The Giver is a Newbery Award Honor Book. These books are specifically researched and the topic is unique and has never been previously written about. I haven't read it as yet but I currently read and collect Newbery Books. I heard it is good. They also made it into a movie.
Wow what great suggestions. My TBR list is growing again. If I had to pick just one it is:The Historian by Elizabeth Kostova
I have read it a couple of times and listened to it on audio. It is a Dracula story that is riveting, but there is so much more. Even if you don't like vampires it is a good book.
I want to give a shout out to some of the others I saw.
The Night Circus
Outlander the whole series
The Giver Quartet by Lois Lowry
Neil Gaiman any book
If you like audio books but don't want to lug around CD's Overdrive.com is a great source, or your local library may have other sources. If you want to own the audio book and not pay as much money Audible is good.
Hands down All But My Life by Gerda Weissman Klein. This book is the only I can reread. It's a true story about a girl during the holocaust (the author). I've never been so inspired and saddened by a book. By the same book. It was an assigned read as a Freshman in college. I'm 30 now and will always claim this as my favorite.
I can't say enough good things about Andy Weir's The Martian. This is science fiction with an emphasis on believable science.I have talked friends and complete strangers into reading this book. It is the most memorable book that I've read in a very long time.
The opening of the movie has been pushed back to October, so there's still time to read this first.
I have a lot of "runner-up" books, but since I have to pick one, this would be it.
I completely agree with you on this. I thought mine was going to be "Ready Player One" - but then I read this one. They are both awesome books - but I think "The Martian" wins.
The Book Thief has been a favorite of mine for a few years. Set in WWWII Germany but focuses on two children in the story. The first 20 pages are unusual but keep reading. It is actually an YA book.
Julie wrote: "I can't say enough good things about Andy Weir's The Martian. This is science fiction with an emphasis on believable science.I have talked friends and complete strangers into read..."
I loved it too and I can't count the number of times I've recommended it now.
It's hard to have just one. I'd say either To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee or Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen. Both are riveting novels that make deep comments on life and the things that happen in it.
Karen wrote: "It's hard to have just one. I'd say either To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee or Water for Elephants by Sarah Gruen. Both are riveting novels that make deep comments on life and the things that ha..."I enjoyed reading both of these books too. Just finished "Go Set a Watchman" by Harper Lee and enjoyed that book too but "The Kill A Mockingbird" was the better written story/book.
I would have to say the Game of Thrones Series. They have it all and I am hoping the sixth book will be just as good. The author is under a lot of pressure because of the HBO Series which is also very good.
I want the buttons from Ravelry! I love finding a new series that I can devour for weeks/months of reading. A recent favorite was the Louise Penny Three Pines mysteries. I recently listened to Station Eleven for an unprecedented third time. I re-read only one in fifty and then generally after a decade has passed.
Elaine Cook wrote: "I want the buttons from Ravelry! I love finding a new series that I can devour for weeks/months of reading. A recent favorite was the Louise Penny Three Pines mysteries. I recently listened to Stat..."I just read the first Three Pines mystery and really liked it, but I am hesitate to keep going because I am always annoyed by mystery series that take place in a small town that suddenly has an annual murder mystery. It just seems weird. But everybody keeps raving about her books, so I at least have the second on order.
Put that way Three Pines does seem like a less desirable place to retire! But the characters that do survive are well developed and very likable. My only problem with the series is the change of narrators. There was no choice but since I listened to the whole series in a few months, the last volume was a jolt. I'm hoping it will be less shocking when the new one comes out next month.
Ravelry Knitters
Books mentioned in this topic
Harry Potter Series Box Set (other topics)To Kill a Mockingbird (other topics)
The Princess Bride (other topics)
Zen and the Art of Knitting: Exploring the Links Between Knitting, Spirituality, and Creativity (other topics)
The Martian (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Elizabeth Kostova (other topics)Lois Lowry (other topics)
Neil Gaiman (other topics)
