Beach reading?

[merchimerch]

I am taking a vacation, a whole 5 days that are going to be just about me eating nice food, drinking nice drinks, and plopping myself on the beach to read and occasionally cool off in the ocean.

It is the first time in my life that I've planned a vacation just for myself, not visiting family, not going somewhere with a partner whose needs/whims I will have to consider (my Bosnian may join me for a couple days, but he knows that this is MY vacation--luckily we seem to be pretty compatible in terms of activities).

I'm really excited to have time to relax and recharge. The only thing missing right now is a delicious reading list.

So tell me, flist, what should I read?

I usually favor science fiction (especially Orson Scott Card, Isaac Asimov, and Octavia Butler), historical fiction, women's fiction, and biography/memoirs, but feel free to suggest something out of left field if you think I'd enjoy it.

Comments

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

I don't know how you feel about fantasy and magic, but Charles de Lint is quickly becoming a favourite author of mine. He writes fantasy fiction, but it takes place (mostly) in This World, and not in some medieval/renaissance world with candles and horses. The book I'm currently reading (Spirits in the Wires) uses the Internet as a plot device. It's really interesting stuff, and he has an amazing cast of characters. It's fantasy and magic without feeling like high fantasy and magic. (on the plus side too, I'm finding REALLY interesting quotes in this book that can be used as chapter breaks in my thesis so I can argue that I'm DOING WORK! while reading for fun ;))

[extraspecialk.livejournal.com]

check out my facebook page - i have that iRead application which shows books i've recently read - I like cruising around my friends' to get ideas. I also use amazon a lot - look at books i like and it gives me suggestions. That being said:

If you like sci fi and haven't read Elizabeth A Lynn's Chronicles of Tornor, Different Light or Sardonyx Net, YOU HAVENT LIVED. (sardonyx net especially)

Aforementioned Omnivore's Dilemma. Kitchen Literacy another really good one in the same vein, more history.

I like historical biographies, and Alison Weir is one of my favourite authors, as is the Grande Dame of the genre, Antonia Fraser.

Guy Gavriel Kay writes these 'alternate universe histories' set in quasi historical periods, but fantasy. He is an ass-kicking writer. Lions of El-Rassan, Tigana and a Song for Arbonne are the best imho.

have fun!

[sasha-khan.livejournal.com]

Blue Highways

by William Least Heat Moon.

One of the most engaging travelogues I've run across. I reread it at least once a year.

Since I experienced quite the Read-O...

[bettybaker.livejournal.com]

...have some bleach reading:



My rec? "Blankets" by Craig Thompson. It's a graphic novel that deals with nothing supernatural or fantastic; it's all good old human interaction and psychology. I dig it, especially the bits about religion and the relationship between brothers.

[nonseqmenagerie.livejournal.com]

I'll second the Charles DeLint recommendation, although I've found myself preferring his short fiction for the most part - I like his longer works, but something about his short stories resonates better with me. I also liked The Little Country. Kind of a story within a story, lots of music talk.

I gave you Lamb by Christopher Moore, and I could recommend Island of the Sequined Love Nun, Lust Lizard of Melancholy Cove and Practical Demonkeeping from his other works. Very funny, but often thought provoking - Island for example, deals with Micronesia and the idea of cargo cults and organ harvesting, Lust Lizard with the idea of psychiatrists who medicate their patients without necessarily listening to them, and Demonkeeping about faith.

Dan, Colin, and I have been reading a series called The Dresden Files by Jim Butcher - kind of detective novel with a wizard as the lead, told in first person, very funny, interesting to see a series done with a male lead (since a lot of the works that are similar are written by women and have a female lead). The first book in that series is called Storm Front.

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

I'll second Lamb (and densaer will third it, I'm sure)... that is a kickin' book. I snickered my way through that whole blessed book :)

[merchimerch.livejournal.com]

yeah Lamb is amazing - I spent a summer reading through a lot of Moore's books after you gave it to me :) I haven't read Practical Demonkeeping, however and might want to add that to my list.

I've never gotten into detective novels, don't know why...

[mehitabelmmoss.livejournal.com]

Kate Atkinson 'Case Histories' - literature and detective story. Excellent english author.

I highly rec CJ Cherryh for sci fi with political/psych/anthro bent. 'Cyteen' was excellent and the current Foreigner series is breathtaking. She also writes great space opera in a well-organized universe and fantasy. She is great dealing with how cultures evolve and dealing with alien or very different human cultures.

And if you haven't read the Ken Follett's Pillars of the Earth, he waited 17 years to come out with the sequel, which I hope to read. Pillars of Earth is about the bulilding of a cathedral in 12th century England. 1000 pages of action and history.

[sps.livejournal.com]

Tepper, Cherryh, Connie Willis [The Doomsday Book is heavy but excellent], LeGuin [Always Coming Home, of course], yes?

[sps.livejournal.com]

Whups, and Janet Kagan's [who I just learned died this year, sniff] Mirabile, of course, assuming you can find a copy.

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

LeGuin's The Telling is wonderful as well as short. It's a great anthropological novel, really. (no surprise coming from her)

[merchimerch.livejournal.com]

I'm in the middle of a LeGuin novel now, the one with ambiguous gender on the planet "Winter." I only read it at the Bosnian's so it's slow going, but very good so far. The Telling sounds interesting indeed.

[kethryvis.livejournal.com]

Oooo The Left Hand of Darkness... that is a *great* book.

I love LeGuin because of the anthropological/ethnographical nooks and crannies she fits into her work (considering her father was Alfred Kroeber that's no surprise!). Have you read much of her stuff? I think I love every single thing of hers I've ever read. I started with the Earthsea cycle and haven't looked back! I think The Telling, tho, is my favourite so far.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

Read "To Say Nothing of the Dog" if you haven't yet - it's the sequel to Doomsday Book, and in my opinion much better (not that Doomsday Book wasn't a brilliant novel, but Dog was simply scintillating)

[calialleykat.livejournal.com]

Spider Robinson
Robert Heinlein..of course.

In the company of the courtesan by Sarah Dunant is a fantastic historical fiction about a Roman courtesan who survives the Sack of rome and sets herself up in business in Venice with the help of a dwarf. set in the early 1500's it's fascinating.

[hitchhiker.livejournal.com]

I've been getting better acquainted with William Tenn lately - great stuff, and readily available in used bookstores. Also, if you like mysteries at all, check out Kemmelman's Rabbi Small series - they're outstandingly good.

[ktvet06.livejournal.com]

I you haven't read any Books by Mary Roach, I hightly recommend them. My favorite is Stiff. You can preview her style at salon.com. Also Neil Stephenson. My fave of his is Cryptonomicon.

Enjoy your vacay!