Sunday, June 22, 2008

Page-turners

I need your help. Remember how I'm going to get on a plane this Thursday in Salt Lake and step off the same plane in Paris? Yeah, so I need book recommendations. Now, I tend to be one of those people who rarely will sit down and read a whole book in one sitting. I just can't read for that long. There have been very few books that have captivated me enough to cause me to read for hours on end. It's not that I don't love reading--I just generally "snack" instead of "binge."

What book that you've read would you DARE me to just try and put down? If your comment is passionate enough, I will buy the book and if your glowing endorsement pays off, I will write a blog about how awesome you are as a prize! (I would send you a homemade gift, but I'm not very crafty.)

As a frame of reference, the books I have probably loved the most in recent memory are: The Road by Cormac McCarthy, The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield, and that seventh book about the magical kid with the glasses--heard of it, much?

I'll be waiting...

(Please don't say The Host by that Mormon chick, whatsername...)

19 comments:

Annette said...

Did you read The Book Thief then? Loved it! The Last Town on Earth was a good one too. I can't think of the other ones I've read lately but they're all listed on thebookbarn.blogspot.com! That wasn't very passionate I know. Paris huh?! I'm a lot jealous! Who are you going with if Ben's in Romania?

voyageuse said...

The Time Traveler's Wife. I think you may have read this, but if not, pick one up because I couldn't put it down.

His Dark Materials Trilogy. Sometimes people have a hard time getting into it, but once you're there it's totally absorbing. These are my favorite books of all time. Again, maaaaybe you've read these already?

I recently couldn't stop reading The Historian. It's not the most well-written book, but it is page turning. And has a lot to do with Romania. And traveling in general.

The History of Love is one of my favorite books. It took me a couple of chapters, but once in there enough I loved every moment of reading that book. I also love The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay, but again, it doesn't grip you right from the get-go, it takes a couple chapters.

A juvenile literature trilogy I really enjoyed which is very easy to get into, and very enjoyable and easy to read is The Thief, The Queen of Attolia, and The King of Attolia. I like juvenile literature on planes because usually it doesn't require too much dedication or concentration, it just takes you away into the story.

Shawn said...

Ok, you know most of my favorites---cause you have read them, but how about "Enemy Women" or "Nectar From a Stone", or "Year Of Wonders" or "Sweet Thames" or "Testimony of a Slave Girl"?

I have a whole list on my Facebook---on iRead, so check there for more ideas...

Happy reading---and wish me luck with the kids! (I get to watch them---yay!)

Hardin Family said...

Another plug from me for the Book Thief. I loved everything about it and it reads fast. I've always loved A Tree Grows in Brooklyn though it may be a little off the genre you coined and I found a lot to love in The Secret Life of Bees! A more humorous lighthearted read that I pick up when I can't think of something else to spend my time on is All Creatures Great and Small--it's a pass the time with a smirk sort of book! Enjoy the trip and I look forward to the pics and the book review!

Amelia Merritt said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Amelia Merritt said...

The Binghams would know the perfect book. Petey is now reading something called The Magician's Assistant. It looked good.

And sorry to hear about your "journeyman" that doesn't even know your kids. Sounds just like my older sister. if it's a sister of yours she should give my sister a call and they can go ignore us together.

Beeswax said...

You asked for it, Hailey.

First of all, you'll probly need a book assortment, because you don't know what your mood might be.

I like to bring books about the place I'm going. I'm assuming you are staying in Paris. I'm also assuming you already have Rick Steve's Paris 08 guidebook. The Left Bank Walk was great.

Parisian page-turners: Da Vinci Code (duh), Chocolat.

Parisian non-fiction: To the Scaffold (Marie Antoinette)

France classics: Count of Monte Cristo, Les miserable (get the abridged for both), Innocents Abroad (Mark Twain)

Haven't read but are on my to-do list: Paris to the Moon(heard was great), Le Divorce (heard was funny)

On planes, I get distracted, so I read things I wouldn't normally admit to: Secret History of the Pink Carnation (Bridget Jones meets history text: English/Parisian girl spy), Queen's Fool by Philippa Gregory (am reading right now), Shopoholic or shopoholic and baby (very embarrassing, and British, not French)

Non-euro-trach-reads: My favorite book of the past 6 months was The Book Thief. Also loved time traveler's wife. Love Life of Pi and Poisonwood Bible.

On my trip to Paris last year I took Shopoholic, Rick, Suite Francaise (didn't love it).

Check out my Shelfari Shelf if need more ideas (can't imagine this could be case!) Please disregard most of above if not going to Paris. I just spent 30 minutes on this. I am so lame and bookwormy.

Jenny Donna said...

I really do love Eat Pray Love. You can borrow my copy. Amelia gave it to me, and I love it. Plus you like self deprecating humor and this lady is full of it.

East of Eden by John Steinbeck is another one of my favorites.

Elly said...

Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clark. Think adult Harry Potter's fantasy meets Jane Austen's social comedy. And at about 1000 pages, it'll last through even the longest plane trip to Paris. The hitch is you have to get through the first couple hundred pages before it really becomes a page-turner. But by the time you reach the last few hundred pages, you don't even eat because you have. to. know. Plus also, there are footnotes (pages and pages of them) detailing the hilarious history of magic in England and by the end of the book you have to stop and remind yourself that there really isn't such a thing. Fairies aren't real...right?

April Fossen said...

I'll add votes to Eat Pray Love and The Time Traveler's Wife. EPL is one of those books I think I'll read once a year for the rest of my life. The Uncommon Reader is another one that is charming and wonderful and easy to read right through. I read the whole thing on a flight to San Francisco, so it's short and you'll need others.

voyageuse said...

Well since everyone else likes The Book Thief I'll put add my two cents on that one too. I really liked it, but it's kind of about sad things... just to warn you...

Hailey said...

Wow guys! I am honored that everyone has taken the time to rave about their favorite reads! I will save this list for the whole next year! (Let's be honest, five...) I have The Book Thief, but I have not had time to read it yet, and I am very interested in many of the others listed--thank you!!

(Jenny, I love East of Eden!!)

Also, I feel bad for making fun of Stephanie. I seriously have nothing against her and many people who I ADORE love her books--she's just too much of an easy target, being as famous and popular as she is...

Rachel said...

Ok so mine is like younger version of Bridget Jones' Diary...the first one in the series is Angus, Thongs and Full-Frontal Snogging. Great title, no.....I absolutely love these books. They are clever and hysterical and it's a nice easy read. Perfect for a long tedious flight. :)

Brillig said...

re: Stephanie. yeah, I read the Twilight series, and that was fun (but Holy Over-Hyped, Batman!) but The Host? HORRID! Avoid at all costs! (Sounds like you were planning to...)

And WOW! How exciting! Get on a plane in Utah and get off in Paris? Woohoooooo!!! I secretly hope that you don't get to read at all, because you're stuck next to some stinky, drunk, insane person who hits on you the whole time. Sure, it'll suck for you, but what an awesome blog-post it would make!

Betina said...

Life of Pi is one of my all time favorites. Another great classic that is really good is East of Eden.

I also really loved There is no Me Without You, it's about Ethiopia's orphans, though, so I had pretty specific reasons for reading it. Everyone who has read it has loved it, though.

Brad said...

OK. I have to pitch in. Even though I might be the only boy to offer a suggestion. Now don't brush me off for that. Celeste loved the book, and my Mom did too. And I was the one who wanted Thirteenth Tale and got Celeste crazy hooked on it. I loved that book a lot and this one is in a similar vein.

So, the book is called "Shadow of the Wind". It is by Carlos Ruiz Zafon, who is a Spanish author. The book takes place in old Barcelona. It is one of my favorite books of all time. I think if you loved Thirteenth Tale, this is the book for you.

Amelia Merritt said...

Have tons of fun! We'll see you when you get back, beautiful girl. Tell Shawn if she gets over-loaded they can come over here and hang in the kiddie pool for a few hours!

Xo

erin said...

I'm so jealous you're going to Paris! Have tons of fun!!!
I'm almost done with a childrens literature class... so I've got recommendations for Mila! haha... For you, not so much! Sorry. Let us know which books were good! :)

Lindsay Adamson Livingston said...

So, I missed the cutoff for book suggestions, as you left two days ago, but I hope you have the most wondrous Parisian trip ever! Can't wait to hear about it.