Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should make an account on Good Reads, spend a few minutes selecting books that you’ve liked, and getting recommendations based on your reading history. It sounds like you want absorbing literary fiction. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld is great, so is Prep. I just read The Significance of All Things (or something like that) by Elizabeth Gilbert and it was quite good. Many people love mystery thrillers like Girl on a Train — it’s not lit fic per se but it’s a page turner.

DP. If I haven't read any Curtis Sittenfeld, which one should I start with? Thanks!

Yes Yes Yes to Curtis Sittenfeld!! She is my favorite author. She is literary while also producing engaging page-turners.
I second American Wife (fictional take on Laura Bush!), then Prep (boarding school story).

My other favorite author is Jhumpa Lahiri. You should read the Namesake, if you haven't already.

And then, since I'm going old school....read Wally Lamb, She's Come Undone.

Yes, to She's Come Undone. A tie for favorite with Joan Didion's Slouching Toward Bethlehem.

A little off topic, but I just saw a trailer for the movie "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society." it reminded me of how much I liked the book several years ago. And the movie looks good.

Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes

Anonymous wrote:I made a similar post on my personal FB, and someone recommended A Man Called Ove, which did the trick for me Some other books that I also think might fit the bill: I personally, really enjoyed the Rosie Project. I liked the Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies, as well. Maybe Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, if you haven't read those. Also consider Me Before You, but it is sad. The Glass Castle, if you haven't read it, is one of my faves.

I did like Cutting for Stone too, though

Station Eleven and Tana French are on my Goodreads list of books to read. I'm currently reading A Gentleman in Moscow and REALLY enjoying it, but not sure I would recommend it to someone who I feel wants a quick / easy read to get back into it

I just finished The Wife Between Us, which is in the same category as these two. Not deep literature or anything even close, but solidly plot-driven with good suspense:

https://www.amazon.com/Wife-Between-Us-Novel/dp/1250130921

Anonymous wrote:Exit West

Yes!! Not light but easy to read. And excellent: https://www.amazon.com/Exit-West-Novel-Mohsin-Hamid/dp/0735212171

I also REALLY liked his previous book, The Reluctant Fundamentalist: https://www.amazon.com/Reluctant-Fundamentalist-Mohsin-Hamid/dp/0156034026/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Exit West

Rules of Civility and The Girl Before too

Manhattan Beach is my favorite book lately.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You should make an account on Good Reads, spend a few minutes selecting books that you’ve liked, and getting recommendations based on your reading history. It sounds like you want absorbing literary fiction. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld is great, so is Prep. I just read The Significance of All Things (or something like that) by Elizabeth Gilbert and it was quite good. Many people love mystery thrillers like Girl on a Train — it’s not lit fic per se but it’s a page turner.

DP. If I haven't read any Curtis Sittenfeld, which one should I start with? Thanks!

Yes Yes Yes to Curtis Sittenfeld!! She is my favorite author. She is literary while also producing engaging page-turners.
I second American Wife (fictional take on Laura Bush!), then Prep (boarding school story).

My other favorite author is Jhumpa Lahiri. You should read the Namesake, if you haven't already.

And then, since I'm going old school....read Wally Lamb, She's Come Undone.

Anonymous wrote:You should make an account on Good Reads, spend a few minutes selecting books that you’ve liked, and getting recommendations based on your reading history. It sounds like you want absorbing literary fiction. American Wife by Curtis Sittenfeld is great, so is Prep. I just read The Significance of All Things (or something like that) by Elizabeth Gilbert and it was quite good. Many people love mystery thrillers like Girl on a Train — it’s not lit fic per se but it’s a page turner.

DP. If I haven't read any Curtis Sittenfeld, which one should I start with? Thanks!

I made a similar post on my personal FB, and someone recommended A Man Called Ove, which did the trick for me Some other books that I also think might fit the bill: I personally, really enjoyed the Rosie Project. I liked the Husband's Secret and Big Little Lies, as well. Maybe Gone Girl or Girl on the Train, if you haven't read those. Also consider Me Before You, but it is sad. The Glass Castle, if you haven't read it, is one of my faves.

I did like Cutting for Stone too, though

Station Eleven and Tana French are on my Goodreads list of books to read. I'm currently reading A Gentleman in Moscow and REALLY enjoying it, but not sure I would recommend it to someone who I feel wants a quick / easy read to get back into it

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I would highly recommend "Station Eleven" by Emily St John Mandel. It's one of my favorite books in recent years. Beautifully written, and thoughtful but not plodding.

I would also recommend Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books. They are mysteries/police procedurals, and have gripping plots, but they are very character focused and are so well written. I believe the Washington Post had the most recent book (there are now six) on its list of the best novels of 2017. You can read them out of order, but I would recommend starting with the first novel (In the Woods).

PP I don't know if you previously mentioned Tana French, but I have read all of them based on a DCUM recommendation. If you made the recommendation. Thank you. They are page turners.

I just read a Jane Gardam book called "Old FILTH" - "Failed In London Try Hongkong" -- it is another page turner and a little different.

Tana French PP here. Glad you enjoyed them so much, PP! I have recommended these books on DCUM before, as have other posters. So, I'm not sure if the recommendation you saw came from me or someone else. Either way, I'm pleased that it was a success. This is why I love DCUM book threads so much - I always come away with a list of new books to try. Speaking of which, I'll check out "Old FILTH." Thanks for the tip!

Anonymous wrote:I would highly recommend "Station Eleven" by Emily St John Mandel. It's one of my favorite books in recent years. Beautifully written, and thoughtful but not plodding.

I would also recommend Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books. They are mysteries/police procedurals, and have gripping plots, but they are very character focused and are so well written. I believe the Washington Post had the most recent book (there are now six) on its list of the best novels of 2017. You can read them out of order, but I would recommend starting with the first novel (In the Woods).

PP I don't know if you previously mentioned Tana French, but I have read all of them based on a DCUM recommendation. If you made the recommendation. Thank you. They are page turners.

I just read a Jane Gardam book called "Old FILTH" - "Failed In London Try Hongkong" -- it is another page turner and a little different.

I would highly recommend "Station Eleven" by Emily St John Mandel. It's one of my favorite books in recent years. Beautifully written, and thoughtful but not plodding.

I would also recommend Tana French's Dublin Murder Squad books. They are mysteries/police procedurals, and have gripping plots, but they are very character focused and are so well written. I believe the Washington Post had the most recent book (there are now six) on its list of the best novels of 2017. You can read them out of order, but I would recommend starting with the first novel (In the Woods).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Hello OP, from another book quitter!

+1

I have a couple new paperbacks on my beside table from 4-5 months ago.

book quitters unite!
I remember when David Foster Wallace died, I bought Infinite Jest...got about 200 pages into that 1,000 page monster--makes a great doorstop!