Will dance for books

[katiefoolery]

Welcome back and congratulations to everyone on surviving Christmas. I hope it was fun/crazy/lovely/hot/snowy/filled with family/filled with friends/filled with food/tick whichever apply. Now you can all rest in preparation for doing it all over again next year.

But now, we must move on to real life. And in my real life, a terrible situation is enduring: I do not have a book to read.

I need a book to read.

Neeeeeeeeeeeed.

Therefore, I am turning to my ever-reliable and intelligent and gorgeous and wonderful and have I flattered you all enough yet? flist. Please, recommend me a book. Recommend more than one book. Any genre, any style, old, new, fiction, non-fiction, one you wrote yourself... I don't care. Feed my need for books!

There'll be some left-over chocolate-coated peanuts in it for you all. :D

Comments

[everydayjoy.livejournal.com]

Quite possibly you have read these a thousand times over, but Roald Dahl's autobiographies, Boy and Going Solo, are enchanting.

Also: Rosemary Sutcliff. Everything from her pen. Everything.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Actually, I haven't read the Roald Dahl autobiographies, so I shall add them to my list. Thank-you!

I have to agree with you about Rosemary Sutcliff - I love her books! She has a real talent for making you feel as though you're back in the past, living along with her characters. Love them.

[kwalktown.livejournal.com]

My next book to read is Ishmael by Daniel Quinn - it comes highly recommended!

Also, reading this book called Regeneration, I've only just started it, it's on my reading list for next year, but it's fantastic so far! It's by Pat Barker, and yeah, while I've only read a little bit, it's fantastic. About war poets - there's bonus homoerotic relations!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Oooh, a bonus! :D Thanks very much for your recommendations - they're going right onto my list.

[rhianon76.livejournal.com]

Well... I can pimp my book to you once I finish the dang zero draft.
But for immediate enjoyment, may I recommend John Ringo's The Last Centurion (specfic, futuristic). Or Kim Harrison's series The Hollows (urban fantasy, with a light splash of romantic and political entanglements). Or Elizabeth Bear & Susan Monette's Companion to Wolves (straight fantasy w/ a Nordic flair, homoerotic).

Those are the ones I've enjoyed this past year. Or, enough to read more than once, or remember with clarity.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Fantastic! Thanks for that - they all sound great. And I'll definitely be reading your book once you finish it. I don't think I even know what it's about, but I don't care - I like your style so I'm sure I'll enjoy your book.

[starlingthefool.livejournal.com]

I picked up Bonk by Mary Roach the other day, and like it a lot. It's about sex, and OMG PEEING MY PANTS funny. She's got two other books out as well: Spook, about scientists understandings of the afterlife, and Stiff, about what happens to human bodies after death. Not biologically, but to the actual cadaver before it's buried or burned or whatnot. It's morbid, but it's fascinating stuff.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Heheh! They sound like fun!

*adds them to the list*

Wow, my list's getting quite long already. Is good.

[nesmith.livejournal.com]

U.S. Grant's memoirs (I know, totally boring, but he's actually a very good writer), and Confessions of a Yakuza are the two I'm working on.

Also, The People of the Book is really good.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thanks for those! They sound different from the stuff I normally read and that's a very good thing.

[gogosama.livejournal.com]

You might have read this already, but gogo 150% recommends Good Omens by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman. Hilarious, brilliant, witty, and wonderful.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Yes, I have read it but it was quite a while ago. Might be time to re-visit, so thanks for reminding me of it. :D

[joyinthedance.livejournal.com]

If you haven't read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay (http://www.amazon.com/Amazing-Adventures-Kavalier-Clay/dp/0312282990/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1230441834&sr=8-1), you must. It's so good on so many levels. It's got comic books, escape artists, New York, Antarctica, Prague, World War II, romance of multiple orientations, and some of the most lifelike and endearing characters I've seen in a long time. It's not short and takes a few chapters to get into, but it's worth it.

As for me, pretty much all I got for Christmas was books, so I'm set for awhile!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

That sounds like so much fun - and it also sounds as though it might be good inspiration for my getyourwordsout project, too. Definitely going to try and get hold of that one!

You're so lucky, getting books for Christmas. No-one ever buys me books (or even book vouchers) despite my very, very broad hints...

[bethamphetam1ne.livejournal.com]

Inspired by TV, I've been reading lots of blokey books lately. All the Top Gear boys have books - I've got Jeremy Clarkson's column collections, Richard Hammond's autobiography written after his near-death crash, James May's Magnificent Machines etc.

Long Way Round and Long Way Down by Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman are also really interesting.

And for light bubbly fun, Sophie Kinsella's "Shopaholic" series is addictive!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

More non-fiction - lovely! They're all going on the list. :D

[moonlitpromise.livejournal.com]

Um... Keri Arthur's Riley Jensen series? Prince of Twilight by Maggie Shayne is my favorite. Hide and Seek will fulfill your perverted reading needs. (Don't ask. haha) Idk...When you find something good, let me know.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Thank-you muchly! Heh, I definitely have to read Hide and Seek now just to see exactly what you're talking about....

[naelany.livejournal.com]

Twilight series? ^_~

The Time Traveler's Wife

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Ah, The Time Traveller's Wife - you're about the third person to recommend that now. Thanks.

[rilla06.livejournal.com]

The Inkspell Trilogy by Cornelia Funke is great, if you haven't already read it :P

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I've only read the first one in the trilogy, so maybe it's time to look for the others. Thanks! :D

[frohike.livejournal.com]

"The Long Walk" by Slavomir Rawich. True story of an escape from a soviet labour camp near the Arctic circle, down through Mongolia, the Gobi, China, over the Himalayas and into India. I recommend this book to absolutely everyone. It's not that hard to get a hold of (my local library got it in from another library for a small fee).
"I, Robot" by Isaac Asimov. Short sci-fi. Nothing like the movie.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I, Robot is something I've always intended to read but never have. The other one sounds fascinating, too. Both on the list! Thank-you.

[emmaketurah.livejournal.com]

Read Twilight yet?

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I haven't - I kept meaning to when I noticed it was becoming insanely popular at work... but then I was exposed to all the mocking and parodies on the internet and I'm not sure I could take it seriously. Unless it's not meant to be taken seriously, of course...

[alankria.livejournal.com]

Book recs, eh?

The Orphan's Tales by Catherynne M Valente: a duology of nested fairy tales, told by a girl banished to the sultan's garden. Beautiful throughout and snarkily feminist.

The Fox Woman by Kij Johnson: a slow but really, really wonderful story of a vixen who becomes human to woo a man in historic Japan. Told from the POVs of the vixen, the man and the man's wife.

Couch by Ben Parzybok: three guys move a couch, save the world. Its quirkiness might appeal to you. =D

I have many, many more fictions recs if you want them.

You mentioned below that you've been enjoying some non-fiction recently. I've been trying to branch out that way too. One I enjoyed recently is The Scent Trail by Celia Littleton. Apparently there are some factual inaccuracies in it, but it's a very interesting read nonetheless.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Three guys move a couch, save the world... I am powerless to resist such a description! Definitely going to have to find that one. The Fox Woman sounds vaguely familiar, althogh I don't think I've read it.

Thank-you for your lovely list of books!

[lizzyrose89.livejournal.com]

I've just finished The History of Love by Nicole Krauss, as recommended to me by my dad's stepmum. It's an excellent book.

I'm also half way through Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell, which is quite entertaining and full of pompous Georgians being silly.

A really enjoyable book is Making History by Stephen Fry. It's very easy to read, with an interesting premise and highly entertaining style.

Ooh, a fairly thought-provoking book is The Forever War by Joe Haldeman, a sci-fi novel which is sort of a Catch-22 for the Vietnam War, but with time-dilation :-)

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Lizzie! It's great to see you around again! :)

I loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, although it's such a huge book - I couldn't take it with me when I was travelling to work because it wouldn't fit anywhere. Thanks for your recommendations - they're all going right onto my very long list of books to read.

[the-wanlorn.livejournal.com]

Empire by David Dunwoody! Maybe not the best book ever, but there are zombies and engaging characters and an A+ plot.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Heheh - there's a teacher at my work with exactly the same name! I most certainly need a zombie book on my list.

*adds it*

Thank-you!

[elfie-chan.livejournal.com]

I am utterly in love with The Historian, for old-fashioned vampire goodness (and I am very old-fashioned about my vampire preferences). I highly recommend it.

I also loved Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell--Magic and Drawing Room Drama, as well as some wonderful pseudo-scholarly writing. I am enjoying this book even more now that I am listening to the audiobook.

Sorcery and Cecelia by Patricia C. Wrede and Stephanie Stevermeyer is lots of fun, and rather similar in style to Jane of Letters. It's the first (and best, in my opinion) of a trilogy. (The other two books are quite good, just not as good as the first one.) I love both of these authors. My favorite Patricia C. Wrede book is The Raven Ring, which is sadly out of print but can be scored at Amazon for a pittance. Stephanie Stevermeyer also wrote A College of Magic, which is a wonderfully fun book.

Also, I forget--have you read anything by Jasper Fforde? His Nursery Crime Series is delightful.

Let me know if you've read all of these, as well. ^_~ Happy Reading!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I started reading The Historian a while back and just couldn't get into it. It was fascinating and mysterious but something about it just didn't grab me. However, Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is a splendid book! I might mark that one for a re-reading once I'm done with all of these new books.

Thanks for reminding me about Sorcery and Cecelia - that's another of those books I keep wanting to read and then forgetting about. Well, this time I'm writing it down and I'm not going to forget it!

Jasper Fforde's books are pure awesomeness, although I must admit I haven't read the Nursery Crimes books yet.

[crazedturkey.livejournal.com]

just reminding you of the recs I have already madeto you (just in case you forgot):

the lovely bones

the time traveller's wife.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I definitely haven't forgotten them. In fact, I just finished reading The Lovely Bones (which I ended up being able to borrow from work) and that was the last book I had to my name. And The Time Traveller's Wife is on my list, too. If you come across any more good books, I am trusting you will tell me all about them. :D

Have you had a look at The Book Thief yet? I think it's written in a very interesting way and it's just a great book.

[vegetachik.livejournal.com]

Hmm...books eh?

Angst: The Kite Runner, A Thousand Splendid Suns

Drama: Little Children, The Curious Incedent of the dog at Midnight (I can't remember if this is the title exactly. It's so long I always say it wrong), A long way down (this one might is a bit humorous, too), The Scarlet letter, the Giver, Fahrenheit 451

Action/Adeventure, fantasy/sci-fi: Timeline, The Animorphs! Hary Potter

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I saw The Kite Runner in the bookstore today and it made me remember you saying how much you enjoyed it last year or whenever. There's a copy at work, though, so I might pick it up when I go back.

Thanks for your recs! :D

[vegetachik.livejournal.com]

Ooo! Fight Club and A Clockwork Orange; almost impossible to read but worth it.

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

*adds these ones too*

Thanks!

Books

[bathmat.livejournal.com]

My favourite books this year were those written by Evelyn Waugh ('Handful of Dust' and 'Decline and Fall' in particular). And Lolita. Totally awesomeness. Read them when you're feeling a little nasty. Timetraveller's Wife was a nice senssual piece of sexy timetravelling. That's always fun.

Re: Books

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I've always meant to read something by Evelyn Waugh but never got around to it - now is my chance to remedy that! Thank-you muchly for your offerings, good Clare. :)

[gwencameron.livejournal.com]

Gosh, you've already got a goodly stack going, but I'll add one more to the pile.

Have you heard of the Jane Austen Mysteries by Stephanie Barron? I know they're not real Jane Austen, but they're a light read, and actually better than you'd think. It's sort of a series (THE UNPLEASANTNESS AT SCARGRAVE MANOR being the first), but you can jump in anywhere.

I've only recently found them for myself - got one for Christmas, even!

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

I think I've vaguely heard of them but I don't really know much about them at all. They'll be added to the list. :)

Thank-you.

[surferartchick.livejournal.com]

Katie, Twitter will be our friend for GYWO and FiveDotNerds. What day do you want on FiveDotNerds? I'm on Monday, katilara is on Thursday. and the others have not gotten back to me yet. (I only tweeted this morning about it) Let me know so I can get things a moving before the Fifth of Jan!

Email me if you like hart (dot) jeannie (at) g mail (dot) com

[katiefoolery.livejournal.com]

Friday might be good, since it would pretty much technically be Saturday for me. I'm not on Twitter yet (although I've been wondering if I should be - I guess this is the answer) but I'll be hoping to get the same username. I'll email you later on and let you know how it's all going. Oh, and I'll be asking you a million questions while I'm at it. :D

Well, maybe one or two.