Who wants to recommend a book to me?

[Ensiform]

Have you ever wanted to help compile someone's summer reading list? Now you can!

As a summer side project, I'm going to read fifteen books not of my choosing. Who will choose? You will, if you're willing. Please comment to this thread with the title of ONE book. It does not have to have anything to do with historical fiction (though that's a favorite genre of mine, for sure). It could be fiction or non, an old favorite, what you're reading now, or whatever. I will take up to the first fifteen titles (fifteen replies, fifteen responders) listed as my summer reading assignment. (Only fifteen because I'll also do other reading, naturally.) Please don't give any thought to MY preferred genres or interests: this is an out-of-the-box exercise, and the point is to be exposed to books I wouldn't otherwise. Fiction and non-fiction, long or short: you list them, I will read them. I will ignore only children's picture books, technical manuals, dictionaries, and textbooks. If you list something I've already read, I'll read it again. This could be new and exciting. Thanks!

[Kimberly]

I recommend reading it's an excellent book though I've only gotten a third of the way through it!

[Becky, Moddess]

I'm going to recommend The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie. I loved this book. It's funny and smart. :)

[Ensiform]

Thank you both! Hope there are more... I have in fact already read The Gun Seller but am happy to read it again!

[Jayme(theghostreader)]

Breaking Night by Liz Murrary

[Becky, Moddess]

Ensiform wrote: "Thank you both! Hope there are more... I have in fact already read The Gun Seller but am happy to read it again!"

Ooh, isn't it good? I loved it. But I can totally recommend something else though if you want to read new-to-you books! That's just my go-to recommendation anytime I have a chance to push it on anyone. LOL

What about A Game of Thrones by George R.R. Martin as an alternate? I'm currently addicted to this series. :)

[Becky, Moddess]

And I'm definitely sure that you'll get your 15. This group is nothing if not willing to recommend some books! You've come to the right place. :D

[JC]

It's so hard to pick one, but I'll recommend City of Thieves.

[Candiss]

I'd like to recommend Embers by Sándor Márai. It's considered a masterwork of Hungarian literature, and it isn't well-known outside that country, except in certain circles. I really enjoyed it.

[Lesley]

My recommendation is A Fine Balance.

[Terri]

I'm going to throw a curly one out there as I enjoy a lot of non fiction as well as hf. I think this book is an important read.
To be honest, there are about 3 books I would like to recommend, but that wouldn't be in the spirit of things. :-)

by Jim Frederick

[Chrissie]

No Ordinary Time is my siggestion.

[Lasse]

I recommend Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill.

[Maureen]

I recommend Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand.

[Ensiform]

Thank you all for the wonderful selections! Many I've never heard of, some very much in on of my main areas of interest (military memoir).

You can recommend other titles if you'd like, but the official list is now complete! I will post all my reviews on this site, of course. Thanks for helping me with this experiment in unpredictability.

[Chrissie]

It sill be very fun to see how you rate the books. I could never do what you are doing. I have to choose my books myself.

[Donna]

Ensiform wrote: "Have you ever wanted to help compile someone's summer reading list? Now you can!

As a summer side project, I'm going to read fifteen books not of my choosing. Who will choose? You will, if you'r..."

I recommend a nonfiction "Confederates in the Attic: Dispatches from the Unfinished Civil War" by Tony Horowitz. I'm looking forward to getting some good reading recommendations vicariously from your list of 15.

[Donna]

Oops, I guess I missed the cut. Enjoy your summer reading project!

[Linda]

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

[Kat (A Journey In Reading)]

How creative Ensiform!!! I can't wait to see what you think of all the recommendations!

[Ensiform]

Thanks for the nice comments, people! I will definitely let you know how it goes.

[Terri]

I think it is an awesome idea, Ensiform! Good on you for throwing it all to the wind and letting others choose your reading list.

I hope you get as much out of Black Hearts: One Platoon's Descent into Madness in Iraq's Triangle of Death as I did. It is a well written and powerful story.

[Manybooks]

Doomsday Book by Connie Willis has always been one of my favourite time-travel/historical fiction books. It's not only an engaging story, it poses so,e pertinent questions about archaeological exploration and the potential danger (from microbes long buried) of unearthing ancient tombs. Highly recommended :-)

[[deleted user]]

Remarkable Creatures I love a story that is factual and centers around the lives of strong women in the 19th century.

[Kimberly]

Ensiform wrote: "Thank you both! Hope there are more... I have in fact already read The Gun Seller but am happy to read it again!"

I hope you enjoy it!

[Chinook]

I've been recommending Intuition to people lately - I loved it.

[Tom]

Candiss recommended Marais' Embers. Impossible not to love that book. It dropped me in my tracks. A different selection would be Takashi Matsuoka's Cloud of Sparrows: bloody, in a very Samurai way, and brilliant.

[Priya]

i am just now reading any human heart by william boyd. i wasn't sure as it is a fictional character inside a historical frame but so far i am really liking it! ooh i also agree--embers is beautiful!

[Shelley]

I can't resist adding (unless I already did??) the new book The Anti-Romantic Child. It's good for anyone who has tried (or left) the academic life, or anyone who has a special-needs child. This author writes really well, and she has a heart.

[Jayne]

I know it missed the 15 - some great books on that list that I really enjoyed, but would like to recommend Guernica by Dave Boling for a future read, I loved it although there was also a feeling of dread due to the awareness of events to take place.

[Danna]

Hello !

I have got some recommendations to you, you might really enjoy them !

[Jill]

Child 44 .

[Carolyn]

Soooooo, what does your final list look like?

I only counted 11 titles before you closed (10 really, since two suggestions were from the same person). The referrals get kind of confusing...

Would love to see what you're going to be reading! = )

[Ensiform]

Carolyn, thanks for asking. I appreciate the interest in this silly project of mine. I cross-posted this request on another group I belong to, Novella Club. The amalgamated list is (unless I can't readily acquire one of these titles)

1. Owls Do Cry, Janet Frame
2. Brave New World, Aldous Huxley
3. Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett
4. Sarum, Edward Rutherland
5. The Gun Seller, Hugh Laurie
6. Seance on a Wet Afternoon, Mark McShane
7. The Life and Times of the Thunderbolt Kid, Bill Bryson
8. The Seven Sisters, Margaret Drabble
9. City of Thieves, David Benioff
10. Embers, Sandor Marai
11. A Fine Balance, Rohinton Mistry
12. Black Hearts, Jim Frederick
13. No Ordinary Time, Doris Kearns Goodwin
14. Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption, Laura Hillenbrand
15. Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill

[Revital]

I know a great History Fiction book pretty well, but not sure i can recommend it here, since i wrote it...

[Kat (A Journey In Reading)]

I loved both Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption and Someone Knows My Name. The second being one of my absolute favorites. It was an amazing story. Hope you enjoy all your choices!

[Debra]

Revital wrote: "I know a great History Fiction book pretty well, but not sure i can recommend it here, since i wrote it..."

Well, then let me ask, what is the name of the book? :D

[Revital]

It is "Daughters of Iraq", a Historical women fiction, based on my family story. You can read more on my website.

www.revital-sh.com

[Babs]

Currently reading The Paris Wife and enjoying the writing tremendously. It is Hemmingway's life thru the eyes of his wife...about his writing and their love story.

[Carolyn]

Nice list Ensiform - thanks for posting it!

I love Brave New World - looking forward to seeing what you think of that, and of Sarum: The Novel of England - that one is on my bookshelf at home to get to someday... = )

[Beth]

Great list! Wow! Lots to discover. I recommend -- and am currently reading --

Daughters of Iraq. I'm really enjoying it: poignant and insightful about a group of people I knew nothing about: Jewish Iraquis immigrating to Israel.

[Ensiform]

I have already read A Brave New World, one of my favorites. looking forward to reading it again. I just got Sarum and see now that it's about ten thousand pages long.

Oh boy.

[Chinook]

It's a fairly fast read though.

[Terri]

I didn't like Sarum. At all. :) Just sayin'. lol

[Revital]

I am going to add The Paris wife to my list, thanks!

[Amelie]

my favorite really intense. 5 stars from Sarah Johnson, an epxert on historical fiction...

[Beth]

Maureen wrote: "I recommend Unbroken: A World War II Story of Survival, Resilience, and Redemption by Laura Hillenbrand."

That is the book I was about to recommend. It's excellent!

[Beth]

JenC. wrote: "It's so hard to pick one, but I'll recommend City of Thieves.

"

I read this, too, and it was good. But it wasn't a favorite.

[Shelley]

Best book I've ever read on aging. Not silly/cheery, not depressing/hopeless. Realistic, and strengthening: Margaret Gullette's Agewise.

Those of us over 40 don't have to surrender to this culture's negativity.

[Bonnie]

Try this for a "good read" -- so far five-star reviews for my dramatic thriller set in WWII: The Consummate Traitor by Bonnie Toews -- first in THE TRILOGY OF TREASON
http://www.amazon.com/Consummate-Trai...