Have you ever gone to a reading by an author? Many times when an author has a new book out the publisher will send them on a tour of bookstores around the country. My friend, Sharon, and I, and also my Mom and I went to a lot of author readings over the past several years. So did my friends Kathy and Pat. If you get a lively author and a great book it can be so exhilerating! Usually the author reads from their book for a bit, takes questions for a while, and then signs copies of their book for you. We used to make an evening out of, you know, go out to dinner and then go to the reading. We would travel far and wide for certain authors, all the way up to Winnetka and into the city...... we have memories of great meals, lots of laughs, and meeting lots of cool authors....If you get a chance to see any of the following authors, run, don't walk to their signings:Elizabeth Berg
Jodi Piccoult
Rick Bragg
Phillipa Gregory
Lorna Landvik
Alexander McCall Smith
Ruth Reichl
Chitra Bannerjee Divakaruni
Jennifer Weiner
Nick Hornby
Jeanne Ray
Harlan Coben
Esme Raj Codell
Sandra Cisneros
Jim Kokoris
Each of these authors is totally passionate about their work, and besides that they are so extremely nice and friendly!!!
AND NOW FOR MY BEST FICTION LIST! Mike said my memoir list was too long, but I could not leave out any of those books......same here.......and as always, I would love to hear what you think.
1. Plainsong by Kent Haruf
2. Interpreter of Maladies Jhumpa Lahri
3. Every book by Elizabeth Berg (start with Talk Before Sleep)
4. The Kitchen God's Wife by Amy Tan
5. Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts
6. Cavedweller by Dorothy Allison
7. Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden
8. The Posoinwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
9. The Republic of Love by Carol Shields
10. The #1 Ladies Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith
11. Julie and Romeo by Jeanne Ray
12. Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi
13. Pay It Forward by Catherine Ryan Hyde
14. My Year of Meats by Ruth Ozecki
15. A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving
16. Patchwork Planet by Anne Tyler
17. A Mother and Two Daughters by Gail Godwin
18. The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken
19. House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III
20. I Know This Much Is True by Wally Lamb
21. The Rich Part of Life by Jim Kokoris
22. We Were the Mulvaneys by Joyce Carol Oates
23. Patty Jane's House of Curl by Lorna Landvik
24. Caramelo by Sandra Cisneros
25. Standing in the Rainbow by Fannie Flagg
26. Sister of My Heart by Chitra Banerjee Divakaruni
27. The Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
and, the BEST BOOK I EVER READ......................
A FINE BALANCE by ROHINTON MISTRY!!!!!
I know there are tons more great novels I have read, so when I come across another one I will let you know. Also, at the end of December, as I do every year, I will compile the best books I have read this year.
Hope you find something on this list that you really come to love!
7 comments:
Tully by Pullina Simons did not make the cut??I belive that back in 95 that was so much your favorite that you ran out and bought Bert and I are own copies! I was also a tad disappointed that there was no Jonathan Kellerman, James Patterson or John Sandford novels mentioned...and now you have my favorite authors.
I am apparently still intoxicated from last night...Tully is by Paullina NOT Pullina (who would name their child Pullina!). And you bought Bert and I OUR own copies. Crikies, a couple of Corona's last night and I am brain dead today!
Yes, Tully should probably be on the list Trish. I will have to look at it again. Thanks for remembering the excitement caused by that book!
According to your list I have ALOT of books to read. I am currently reading the Poisonwood Bible.. It was a slow start but now I am into it. I will report back.
One of my favs that did not make your list is The Secret Life of Bees. Have you read that yet??
Thanks for the list. I'll have to look into them!
I am a HUGE "Fine Balance" fan and spent an entire vacation in the Sierras a few years back GLUED thru this book.
It is so fun to read thru your list of books here and find some I have read and love too !
I think I have every Phillipa Gregory book there is
and shared them all with my Grandmother.
Sandra Cisneros is always a sure winner.
Any Amy Tan I will read and have loved.
Still have NOT read Poisonwood...I must be the only one that has not ?
Memoirs - goodness I was so immersed in Geisha after that I think I may have burned myself out on that subject for art projects. But what a great book.
They took so long to make that movie I thought I would go nuts. One director after another picked up the project and then let it drop. Finally ... we got it but it was not as spectacular as I had hoped in the beginning. Did you feel that way too ?
I am hogging all the blog space with this entry !
Where The Heart Is
The Giant's House
Stone / River
House of Sand and Fog
You see ? we have quite a few books in common.
but YOU ! You are really a book lover Deluxe and you read ALOT my friend !
Busy girl with the Stamping Room....
Ok, I JUST finished the Time Traveler's Wife! OMG.. it was amazing. Now I am out of books so I am going to pick up some of your recommendations. BTW I really like the Poisenwood Bible too!
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