I, Claudius Robert Graves – if you haven’t already?
Artmommy-
You may like Colleen Mccullough’s Masters of Rome series
Biography: Bess of Hardwick, empire builder. (1527-1608, England)
For historical fiction: The King’s Daughter by Sandra Worth about the wife of Henry VII, for you watchers of the Tudors to better understand Henry VIII !
Paul Scott’s The Raj Quartet is one of my favorite series of books. And I was glued to PBS during the airing of The Jewel in the Crown. Now that I htink of it, I should add them to my NetFlix queue.
the glass castle, edgar sawtelle, a thousand splendid suns, the house at riverton…
Artmommy, historical fiction lovers should at least try Dorothy Dunnett’s Crawford of Lymond or House of Niccolo series. She is/was an amazingly erudite historian, and her books make for some dense reading - how’s your French and Middle English? - but they are great reading.
I second I, Claudius. I read it years ago and also loved the BBC miniseries.
Has anyone read Zoe Heller’s new book— I think it’s called The Believers. I loved What Was She Thinking? which was made into the move Notes on a Scandal.
Artmommy…
historical fiction…David Liss has written some books that I am currently enjoying.
The Whiskey Rebels and also The Conspiracy of Paper… both start slowly and I find myself thinking about the characters as I do other things…
I have not read The Raj Quartet but like others here, I LOVED the television series from BBC. It was magnificent…if Netflix has it, I would watch it if I had never seen it.
I have a new secret interest…I like to go out to the accepted students web site and see their books and movies lists… definitely fun to see what books kids profess to love… I saw someone who mentioned Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close…and that book has one of the best visual images ever…a kid whose dad died on 9/11 and he comments about having on his “heavy boots” on the bad days…it is one of my favorite, though sad, examples of powerful writing/imagery…
David Liss’s(that looks funny) Coffee Trader was also interesting.
I’ve fallen in love with a book.
Netherland, by Joseph O’Neill.
This novel, released just a few months ago, l lives up to all its acclaim & raptuous reviews - and more. Beautifully written, exotic, moving. Google it and if it sounds like your cup of tea, get it right away.
Books this good are few and far between, even to this voracious reader. The last novel I felt this strongly about was ‘Atonement,’ and that was years ago.
i love ‘outliers’
Just finished Loving Frank by Nancy Horan. Excellent! Makes me want to go on a tour of Frank Lloyd Wright houses in Oak Park, IL.
The Elegance of the Hedgehog, by Muriel Barbery.
French fiction, exquisitely translated. My entire book group enjoyed it – a rare occurrence.
Katlia-- I read and enjoyed Netherland immensely a couple months ago. The writing is just beautiful; I was continually stopping to reread some lovely passage.
“A Madman Dreams of Turing Machines” by Janna Levin - a very strange, interesting and beautifully written book.
After reading John Updike’s obit, I picked up “Rabbit, Run” and am in the middle of “Rabbit Redux” - enjoying these books immensely. I think I had to get to middle age to really appreciate Updike.
Yes! I found this book recommended earlier on this thread and have just finished it. Heartbreaking and exquisitely well-written.
I’m currently reading “Midnight’s Children” and, though I am enjoying it, I can only read small bits at a time. Has anyone else read this book? Any tips?!
I loved a new contemporary fiction book titled, “Replay” I’m now reading a new one that all my friends loved,“The Piano Teacher”. I am enjoying it also.
“Loving Frank” was remarkable. After reading it I visited Frank Lloyd’s school,Taliesin in Arizona, but I’d love to see his work in Oak Park, even more. I think everyone who reads that book wants to know his work better.
I will read Netherland and The Elegance of the Hedgehog. Thank you
I liked Outliers too, though Blink even more.
Let’s see, I recently enjoyed:
Sing Them Home, by Stephanie Kallos (I LOVED her first novel, Broken for You);
American Wife, by Curtis Sittenfeld
Songs for the Missing, by Stewart O’Nan
and am in the middle of the Little Giant of Aberdeen County by Tiffany Baker.
I recommend all of them.
I get a lot of ideas for new fiction from the Indie Next list over at indiebound.com, which is an association of independent booksellers.