I am ecstatic because the little community that I live in has the teeniest library with very little resources, but a nearby city has just ok'd it for us little people to use their library, too. So today I'm heading to the "big city library". Anyone got any suggestions for me? Poetry, fiction, non-fiction: old and new? What have you read lately or long ago that I should read?

The life of Pi by Yann Martel is definately worthwhile. I'm now reading Dan Simmons' Ilium, which is great so far.

I'm fond of nearly all the books by Iain Banks.

Also, if you can get your hands on a good translation of the books of Barjavel. They are great.

Oh, and les fourmis (the ants) by Bernard Werber.

In children's literature- the Swallows and Amazons series. Science Fiction/fantasy- anything by Lois McMaster Bujold or Connie Willis. Try Connie's To Say Nothing of the Dog- it's wonderful and funny. (Lincoln's Dreams is also great, but heartbreaking) Mystery- I like humorous or cozy- try Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum mysteries (Jersey girl turned bounty hunter), or Patricia Wentworth's Miss Silver books (former governess who knits her way through solving mysteries- set in 30's and 40's).

pam

Terry Pratchett for silliness.

my suggestion is to promote a "donate a book" programm . . .

Ooooh yeah- I've got Thud preordered already.

pam

More fantasy: I also love Weis and Hickman books, and David Eddings, and Marion Zimmer Bradley (especially the darkover series).

And I completely agree with Linda and Pam, Terry Pratchett is really nice.

I started with Faulkner's "The Sound and the Fury" and "As I Lay Dying"...Oprah pciks some good ones, don't ya think? And to think as many followers as she has...all those people reading those classics! Thanks for the suggestions. I'm keeping a running list. How about classics?

I found that my students generally enjoyed the Newberry Award winners. Here's a list of same:

[www.ala.org]

and a link to other award categories:

[www.cde.ca.gov]

These lists provide a good cross-section of literature for children and they fill most of the cross-cultural biases of our selection committees.


Les

For humor, all of P.G. Wodehouse's books, especially those in the Jeeves the Butler series.

For suspense I prefer Michael Crichton's writing: intriguing, informative, easy-to-read page-turners, especially "Time Machine" and "The Great Train Robbery."

For poetry, you might begin with a good anthology, discover some poets you like, and then concentrate on their writing. I'm also a huge fan of former US Poet Laureate, Robert Pinsky's Favorite Poem Project Anthology, which provides a rich cross-section of poetic style.

JoeT