I need your help.
I need to find some books to read. We're talking beach reads, summer reading, chic lit....guaranteed happy endings, all the knots neatly tied.
The books I am reading are too heavy for my current workload/stress level and I need to find something fast, easy and good.
I am also probably going to have to read it in Catalan.
I have been slogging away with Haruki Murikami in Catalan, he is a brilliant writer, but light easy happy fiction it is not. I am reading "Snow" by Orphan Pamuk, a Nobel prize winning story of religious conservatism/extremism and suicide in rural Turkey, "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by the author of the "Kite Runner", set in Afganistan, and "Tales of the Alhambra" by Washington Irving - not as grim, but a bit of a duty read.
So folks, help me out here, authors, titles...ANYTHING!
Gotta get some lighter titles in the lineup.
20 comments:
I'm going to work on this...I'll get back to you.
I don't think I'd be a huge help... If I'm not reading massive autobiographies of former world leaders, I'm going through business books!
Sound fun? I kinda like it...
Of course, you need to read about someone that is really interesting to you, and you can relate to on some level - which is not always easy!
Two set in Barcelona: Cathedral of the Sea, and Shadow of the Wind. Can't remember authors right now. Easy reads and great. I am not yet done C of the S so I can't vouch for the ending yet.
I loved the shadow of the wind: it's by Carlos Ruiz Zafon ! I read those 600 pages in about two days.
Jane Austen? Always a winner for me. Lots of the people I can think of probably aren't in Catalan.Do you like thriller?
Here’s a few titles:
Sing Them Home – Stephanie Kallos
Exit Lines – Joan Barfoot (a Canadian!)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Pie Society (I forget the author)
But would these be available in Catalan??
I can’t offer any more “light” ones – I’ve been doing “heavy” lately. I’m heading for the used book store this month to stock up on light summer reads. Hopefully, we’ll get together and I can pass them along to you.
A Recipe for Bees is great
Right now reading The Headmaster Ritual - which is certainly light - not sure if that good...
the light ones go straight outta my head. Try Michael Ondaatje - not light - my favorites - but not depressing either???
Wait - I've got it - HARRY POTTER!!!!!!!!!
J VLF
I'm not sure if they're available in Catalan, but a guaranteed not-total-fluff-but-great-light-reading series is the No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency series (with starts with the book of the same name) by Alexander McCall Smith.
They're WONDERFUL.
Life of Pi should have been translated.
Janet Evanovich is very funny in English
Nelson Mandela's autobiography is very readable and a happy ending.
I'll think somem more
Sea Dog
The Shadow of the Wind is fantastic, I haven´t read others by Ruis Zafon but I would recommend him. In Catalan, that would be L'Ombre del Vent, if it makes your search any easier.
Also, Albert Sanchez Piñol is fantastic. He has a book of short stories, Tretze Tristos Trángols, which are not the lightest reading topic-wise but are easy to get through and quite thought-provoking.
I've been reading "Six Months In Sudan" which is also pretty heavy, so I'm not much help. But I'm eagerly scanning the feedback from your commenters :)
OK, I'll send you a list... off to work on it, too
From a friend, by e-mail....
"Grave Sight," "Grave Surprise" and "An Ice Cold Grave" by Charlene Harris-
This was an interesting story line about a woman who gets hit by lightning
as a teenager, which then gives her insight as to how people died. Despite
the dark nature of the subject matter, it really is a light read.
"The Secret ingredient"
"Female Intelligence" Jane Heller
"You Have to Kiss a lot of Frogs"
"Looking for Mr. Good Frog" Graff
"The Time Traveler's Wife" by A. Niffenegger
"Life of Pi" Martel
"Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistlestop Café" Fannie Flagg
"Outlander" Gabaldon- classic time traveler story, though a bit high on the
sex scenes, which can be skipped over. LOL
"The Red Tent"- Anita Diamant
"Sick Puppy" Carl Hiasson
Twilight series by Stephanie Meyer
Candace Bushnell- she has several
"The Devil Wears Prada" Laurie Weisberger
"The Nanny Diaries" by Kraus & Mclaughlin
Marian Keyes- any title.
Jane Green, any title
Marc Levy- Just like Heaven
Sophie Kinsella- any title
"The Saving Graces" by Patrica Gaffney
Emily Griffin- any title
Christopher Moore- "Fluke"
Janet Evanovich- starts at "One for the Money" light mystery/humor fare
Thank you all so very much..... I'm off to the library.
You guys really are the best. Thanks.
I copied the list!
Lots of suggestions there. I just started The Red Tent after someone told me she read it in one day. Have you read Clara Callan by Richard B. Wright? Check out my list of books, can't see it at the moment but anything by Jodi Picoult might not necessarily be light reading but it's good vacation reading. I saw a few others suggested Janet Evanovitch - very funny lady and great beach books.
I agree with TeacherMommy that Alexander McCall Smith is great for light reading! I have only read the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series but he has other series, too.
Also you might try The Feast of Love by Charles Baxter or The Sixteen Pleasures by Robert Hellenga (but don't leave this one lying out for the kids to page through--it has its moments, if you get my drift). These are two of my very favorites ever. Serious, but not heavy. (I will mail you my copy of Baxter, if you want it.)
Thought of another one that I LOVED - not exactly "light" but one I could not put down and a great read.... "The Book Thief" - AMAZING. J VLF
Thank you all again...
JG...I would be delighted!
J-VLF, just read it, in English too. It was good.
Post a Comment