Halldór Kiljan Laxness's Iceland's Bell. It was published in three parts: Iceland's Bell (1943), The Bright Jewel or The Fair Maiden (1944) and Fire in Copenhagen (1946).

On vacation last week I read "Modern Lovers" by Emma Straub and really enjoyed it. Reminds me of Laurie Colwin. Just bought her previous book "The Vacationers" and am looking forward to reading it.

Also started "Eleven Hours," which is a recent novel about childbirth. So far it is very engrossing.

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Ugh! Why do I see Ferrante on this list? I found her book do tedious and boring .

Really? Tell me more. Her Friend books seem to be the rage.

I know and I don't get it. I couldn't finish the first book. Nothing happened and I didn't find it to be well-written at all.

I loved these. The first one was slow to start for sure. But it was basically a supercharged soap opera once it got going.

+1 It took me about 50 pages to get into the first book but then I was hooked. I raced through all four and loved them. Am sending them to my best friend for her birthday.

Anonymous wrote:I read a lot of fluff in the summer. Catching up on the Sandra brown stuff I haven't read yet and going to try some Mary Kay Andrews and the shopaholic books too

I really enjoyed Sandra Brown's Mean Streak. Total fluff for sure, but an easy, engrossing read

The Girls

I read a lot of fluff in the summer. Catching up on the Sandra brown stuff I haven't read yet and going to try some Mary Kay Andrews and the shopaholic books too

The Nest, by Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, engrossing even though all the characters are annoying

The Summer Before the War, by Helen Simonson. I heard her on NPR and just had to read this. Whoever mentioned The Nightingale -- you'll like this

I've read pretty much all of Jojo Moyes's books and I've liked them a lot. Good if you like Liane Moriarty

Alan Brennert's written three amazing novels -- Moloka'i, Honolulu, and Palisades Park

If you're in the mood for compelling nonfiction, check out Helen Rappaport. Both of her Romanov books and her book about Victoria were great.

Kevin Kwan for pure, unadulterated fluff. I loved both Crazy Rich Asians and China Rich Girlfriend. Another good, light-based writer is Sarah Pekkanen (and she's local, too)

I wholehearted concur with The Master and Margarita. Love Bulgakov.

I like Murakami, too, but I hated Norwegian Wood

Not all fiction, but books I've liked recently and older favorites.

Happy all the time, Laurie colwin
The songlines, Bruce Chatwin
Collected stories of Amy Hempel
Giovanni's Room, James Baldwin
The first bad man, Miranda July (but it's unusual)
Station 11, Emily St. John Mandel
Visit from the goon squad, Jennifer Egan
Clare Dewitt books, Sara Gran
Master and margarita, Bulgakov
Then most things by Roberto bolano and Haruki Murakami

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Anonymous wrote:I started reading books from this list to remind me of the places I visited during my childhood: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/08/08/lake-district-novels/

You grew up in the lake district? Wow. I'm so jealous! How amazing.

Yah, I feel pretty pretty lucky. We used to spend at least a month at a time around Windermere. I would love to go back and see some of these historic places such as the Bobbin Mill: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/05/16/stott-park-bobbin-mill/

How gorgeous. The english countryside and lake district in particular seems so bucolic, like heaven on earth. I have seen it in so many movies I think seeing it in person would almost be strange, lol

I guess we should add to the list the biography of Beatrix Potter. She had quite the imagination: http://www.bpotter.com/Biography.aspx

Anonymous wrote:+1 for The Two Family House - I read it in a day. It would be good for a airplane/beach or travel day.

Wasn't it good!?

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Anonymous wrote:I started reading books from this list to remind me of the places I visited during my childhood: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/08/08/lake-district-novels/

You grew up in the lake district? Wow. I'm so jealous! How amazing.

Yah, I feel pretty pretty lucky. We used to spend at least a month at a time around Windermere. I would love to go back and see some of these historic places such as the Bobbin Mill: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/05/16/stott-park-bobbin-mill/

How gorgeous. The english countryside and lake district in particular seems so bucolic, like heaven on earth. I have seen it in so many movies I think seeing it in person would almost be strange, lol

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Anonymous wrote:I started reading books from this list to remind me of the places I visited during my childhood: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/08/08/lake-district-novels/

You grew up in the lake district? Wow. I'm so jealous! How amazing.

Yah, I feel pretty pretty lucky. We used to spend at least a month at a time around Windermere. I would love to go back and see some of these historic places such as the Bobbin Mill: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/05/16/stott-park-bobbin-mill/

+1 for The Two Family House - I read it in a day. It would be good for a airplane/beach or travel day.

Anonymous wrote:I started reading books from this list to remind me of the places I visited during my childhood: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/08/08/lake-district-novels/

You grew up in the lake district? Wow. I'm so jealous! How amazing.

I started reading books from this list to remind me of the places I visited during my childhood: http://lakedistrictgems.co.uk/2015/08/08/lake-district-novels/