50plus-Club forum for seniors and for everyone over 50

[nicorraoffline]

I would love to get some tips from others on good books and authors to try. I do not like any violent crime or chick-lit.I do enjoy Fred Vargas as her books are who-done-its ,but her characters and plots are so quirky that she can also amuse and with her academic back ground historian and archeaologist there are also lots of interesting facts.

[ElliH123offline]

Blind Assassin, Margaret Atwood
I enjoyed the novel thoroughly - it was engrossing much of the time. Very interesting. Margaret Atwood is an amazing writer.

Three Cups of Tea,
An amazing book, very inspiring. In 1993 Greg Mortenson was the exhausted survivor of a failed attempt to ascend K2, an American climbing bum wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya. After he was taken in and nursed back to health by the people of an impoverished Pakistani village, Mortenson promised to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time—Greg Mortenson's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.

Prodigal Summer, Barbara Kingsolver
A wonderful read, well written. Peoples lives intertwine, their love and growth. I really enjoyed this book and would love to know what happened to these characters.

[mollydoffline]

The shadow of the wind by carlos ruiz zafon was very good. great quality writing thanks for new ideas on other books,

[Denise.mpoffline]

Hi Molly, have you read Carlos Ruiz Zafon's subsequent book " The Angel's Game"? I read both and just loved the second.

Nicorra, have you tried Maurice Druon's " The Accursed Kings" (7 vols !) and Philippa Gregory's "The Constant Princess" and "The Queen's Fool"? Her homepage is beautiful, by the way.

EliH - can't say how glad I am to have read you posting. I usually miss the characters terribly after I finish a book. It's comforting to know I'm not alone here...

[mollydoffline]

I couldnt wait to read it when it camre out. but am still not sure i liked it ,.i think i resd it too fast and promise myself to resd it again!!

[mollydoffline]

the new one is out may , The prince of mist . Cant wait!!!

[Anonymous]

I loved your book review and look forward to reading Three Cups of Tea, sounds great!

M

[ElliH123offline]

I am reading a really great book now called The Golden Mean ( that elusive balance between extremes) by Annabel Lyon. It is a story of Aristotle, historical fiction about philosophy, the power of ideas. Aristotle's genius touched the boy who would conquer the known world. It is funny, thought provoking and suspenseful.
Anabel Lyon is a young Canadian author, a great storyteller.

[silver60offline]

Books: Anybody like fiction?? I read a novel a week and love doing so. I like murder/mysteries, fantasy( ie Jordon), comedy, and read to get taken away.Can recommend some great authors, and am always looking any suggestions for new ones.
Music: I come from a musical family and grew up with it. I actually watch American Idol and they have a few very good people on there this year, a very diverse group.

Thanks,
Suz

[Honeykissoffline]

Hi I love to read fiction too, im reading a good mystery novel now by Claire Francis have read a couple of her books and she writes a good mystery.

[ascotgirlonline]

I love to read - just finished Anna Karenina - one I have been meaning to read for years - I loved it even though it was hard work at times - it really shows how men and women were treated differently if they embarked on an affair - men could go about their business as normal whereas the woman was treated like a social outcast - I am glad things have changed nowadays.

I have just started The White Queen by Phillipa Gregory - I have read many of her historical books and found them very entertaining if fairly lightweight. This one is about the mystery of the Princes in the Tower. Will let you know what I think when I finish it. May be a few weeks for although I love to read I also love to knit and sew - therefore don't get as much time as I would like!!

[Denise.mpoffline]

Good choice, Ascotgirl. In case you haven't already, I suggest you read the two Phillipa Gregory novels I mentioned on my previous posting.
On a similar line, you would probably enjoy ' Pope Joan', by Donna Woolfolk Cross.
I'm a big fan of historical novels, so please flip me any tips you might have.

If you enjoy Russion writers, try ' Brothers Karamazov' , by F. Dostoevsky. Not always an easy page-turner but definitely worth it.

Cheers.

[ascotgirlonline]

I have read both of those ones Denise.mp and really enjoyed them - she manages to incorporate quite dark parts of history with some light entertainment but she is usually historically accurate. She obviously does a lot of research. Have you read Mary Queen of Scots by Antonia Fraser - it came out in the 60/70s originally but I only got round to reading it last year - I think it is still the definitive book on her short life.

[friendlyheidioffline]

Hallo from friendlyheidi . Do you like other types of factual books besides archeology ?
There is a book by a neurologist ( like Oliver Sachs but funnier ) called "Phantoms in the Brain " by Ramachandran , it only cost about £5 on Amazon .
It is based on unusual patient case studies , such as phantom limb pain , unilateral neglect syndrome & coincidentally explains foot fetishes .
Almost everyone I've lent a copy to has either failed to return the copy (boo! hiss!) or brought their own . Even my library at work got themselves a copy .

[Denise.mpoffline]

Will check the Phantoms out, Heidi. Thanks!

As you are into Brains and similar challanges, try 'Descartes' Error' by Antonio Damasio. Quoting Amazon: "...Damasio combines an Oliver Sack-like reportage with the presentation of complex, theoretical issues in neurobiology."
It would be great to discuss just how how much we can blame the prefrontal cortical for our lousy decisions...