Last night I finished Stewart O'Nan's Emily Alone and I'm sad because there's no more. I really fell for the Maxwell family over the course of the two books about them, and that's no mean feat considering they're all pretty irritating. It takes a major talent to write a story with absolutely zero action about a cast of very flawed human beings and leave the reader wanting more when it's over. I hope he writes more about the Maxwells, any of them, but I'm guessing O'Nan never intended Wish You Were Here to spawn a series, more likely he just couldn't get his characters out of his head. Understandable.
Anyway, this leaves me virtually bookless for my vacation. Not that I'll have the time to read that I used to thanks to my friend the baby, but just the idea of striking out for two weeks empty handed is unacceptable. The two books I'm co-reading right now are behemoth hardbacks that I can't justifiably pack into our already maxed out car. And I refuse to bring my Kindle on a camping trip on principle. Sooo... any paperback suggestions? I'm not against bringing something serious to the beach (this is the scene where I read Roots and Helter Skelter in my adolescence), but unless it comes with an emphatic, must-read endorsement, I'm leaning toward lighter fare. Maybe even the literary equivalent of this:
Thanks in advance!
Room, if you haven't read it, counts as both literature and summer reading to me. Don't read the plot though if you haven't heard of it... you won't want to buy it, it sounds kind of canned.
ReplyDeleteI second the recommendation for Room. Also, I don't recall if you like fantasy, but I'm reading The Name of the Wind right now and am enjoying it immensely. I'd list a bunch of my fave YA books, but there's pretty much no chance you haven't already read them all.
ReplyDeleteRoom is a great suggestion, however that's one current book I've already read. Thanks though guys - keep 'em coming!
ReplyDeleteI loved The Illumination by Kevin Brockmeir (sp?)
ReplyDeleteFavorite thing I've read in a while.
You have probably already read them all, but here are a few suggestions:
ReplyDeleteThe Hunger Games series is total brain candy.
When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
Hotel on the Corner of Biter & Sweet
The Guernsey Literary & Potato Peel Pie Society
The Art of Racing in the Rain
Moon over Manifest
have you read anna and the french kiss by stephanie perkins? it's YA and probably one of my favorite books that i've read this year. since we are same-same, i'm sure you'd dig it. my current fun reading (versus review reading) pile is maine by j. courtney sullivan, then came you by jennifer weiner, and the uncoupling by meg wolitzer. all grown up books, gasp! my tbr library hold pile includes sweet valley confidential by francine pascal and attachments by rainbow rowell. if only there were more hours in the day dedicated to reading....
ReplyDeleteSome author suggestions: Bill Bryson, Ruth Reichl, Allegra Goodman, Calvin Trillin. Also, my boss at work recently told me about George R. R. Martin's series of books (A Song of Ice and Fire). She said she and her daughter have gotten completely sucked into them for this year's summer fun reading. I have not explored it yet, but it may be worth a look.
ReplyDelete