Need a Good Book? (2009 Edition)

I am officially the unofficial historian of my book club, and it is time for another reading list update. The titles at the top are the most recent books that we have read. Go on, take a browse. If you've read any of these, I'd love to hear your comments about them. And if you have any great recommendations, I'd love to hear them, too.

Looking for a good read? Your search has come to an end. For the past five years I’ve been in a book club, which is something that I had always wanted to do. We meet once a month for dinner and to discuss the book of the month. It has been so much fun. I have enjoyed most of the books, some more than others. One of the best parts of the book club is that it guides me into reading things I would never choose on my own. In my pre-book club years, I was stuck in a rut, reading only a certain kind of book, which usually fell into the category of trashy supermarket novels. Now, my horizons have been expanded! I’ve rated these books on my own very exclusive 5-star scale as well as offset in red my favorite reads:

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Shadow of the Wind****

by Carlos Ruiz Zafon

This story of murder and suspense takes place in Spain. Artfully written.

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Three Cups of Tea****

by Greg Mortenson and David Oliver Relin

This is the true and inspirational story of a man who dedicated his life to building schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

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The Friday Night Knitting Club****

by Kate Jacobs

Looking for a good chick book? This is it--with much commentary insight on friendships, relationships, assumptions, perspective, and lost time.

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The Shack***

by William P. Young

Some of us approached with this with much trepidation, as it is the story of a man who spends the weekend in a shack with God. However, it had many vital life lessons and a not-so-traditional perspective on God and love that I found thought provoking.

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Still Life with Crows***

by Douglas Preston and Lincoln Child

This was a good mystery involving a recurring character in these authors' novels.

The Historian ***

by Elizabeth Kostova

This was a vampire story with a more realistic, historical approach. Very interesting, and very long.

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The Other Boleyn Girl*****

by Phillipa Gregory

Fascinating, entertaining, and historical! I avoided this book for a couple of years, but then it was chosen as a book club read, and I'm very glad.

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What the Dead Know****

by Laura Lippman

This book is a twisty, turny mystery that will keep you guessing til the end.

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No One Belongs Here More Than You***

by Miranda July

If you like quirky short stories, this book's for you. I do, and I liked it.

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Water for Elephants****

by Sara Gruen

I never imagined I would love a circus story so much. But this story had it all, mystery, intrigue, passion, and murder.

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The Tortilla Curtain***

by T.C. Boyle

This is the story of illegal Mexican immigrants living in a a dry river bed in Topanga Canyon, just a mile away from a prestigious upper scale community. This story is too close to the truth.

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Shattered Dreams****

by Irene Spencer

Ohhh, boy. Ready for an amazing true story written by a polygamist's wife?

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Notes from a Small Island*

by Bill Bryson

Okay, I have a confession. I ordered the wrong book for this particular month's book club, so didn't really read this one. I tried, kind of, but I couldn't get into it.

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The Glass Castle: A Memoir *****
by Jeanette Walls

This book is one of the best memoirs I have read. Loved it!
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The Barrytown Trilogy **
by Roddy Doyle

Very Irish, very funny, when you can understand it.
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Mirror, Mirror ***
by Gregory Macguire

This author also wrote Wicked. His style is very weird, yet enjoyable.
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A Long Way Down ****
by Nick Hornsby

A funny book about people who want to commit suicide.
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My Sister’s Keeper ****
by Jodi Picoult

Gut wrenchingly sad, but a great story.
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The Five People You Meet in Heaven ***
by Mitch Albom

A nice little story, but I was a bit bored.
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The Year of Magical Thinking**
by Joan Didion

Another memoir, about grieving , I didn't love it.
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The Memory Keeper’s Daughter ****
by Kim Edwards

Interesting story about a doctor who gives away his Down's Syndrome baby.
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In Cold Blood*
by Truman Capote

The true story of multiple murders.
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The Davinci Code *****
by Dan Brown

Very famous book, and for good reason. If you haven't read it yet, get on board, it's exceptional.
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Naked *****
by David Sedaris

By far the funniest book I have ever, ever read. Also a memoir.
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The Birth of Venus *****
by Sarah Dunant

A captivating tale about renaissance Florence and a woman who wants to be an artist, which was unheard of at the time.
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The Thirteenth Tale *****
by Diane Setterfield

Ohh so good! Suspenseful, interesting, "ghost" story.
If you don't read anything else on my list, read this one.
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The Family Tree ****
by Carole Cadwalladr

A story about a dysfunctional family and depression. Very insightful.
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Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books **
by Azar Nafisi

This book was written at a post-doctorate reading level. It was very high quality, great story, but I had a difficult time understanding it.
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The Kite Runner ****
by Kahled Hosseini

Sad historical fiction about Afghanistan. Great story.
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Other People’s Dirt: A Housecleaner’s Curious Adventures ***
by Louise Rafkin

The title says it all. Mildly interesting and funny, but nothing remarkable.
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Little Children *****
by Tom Perrotta

Fascinating! The movie was equally so.
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Love in the Time of Cholera *
by Gabriel Garcia Marquez

Yawn. I did not join the book club to read classics. I'm sorry. Too hard to follow.
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Breathing Lessons *****
by Anne Tyler

My most treasured author, and one of her best books. She takes the every day and turns it into something amazing.
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The Great and Secret Show **
by Clive Barker

The most memorable book we've read, simply because of its truly bizarre nature. Science fiction.
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The Secret Life of Bees *****
by Sue Monk Kidd

Wonderful, meaningful story.
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The Life of Pi ***
by Yann Martel

Great story, fiction. One of my book club friends read the whole thing thinking it was true and was sooo bummed when she found out it wasn't.
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Middlesex ****
by Jeffrey Eugenides

A riveting story about a hermaphrodite.
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The Power of One: The Classic Novel of South Africa *
by Bruce Courtenay

This was a nice story but bored me to tears.
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The Time Traveler’s Wife ***
by Audrey Niffenegger

Pretty good read, keep an open mind with this one.
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The Professor and the Madman: A Tale of Murder, Insanity, and the Making of the Oxford English Dictionary **
by Simon Winchester

Interesting, but I wouldn't recommend it. The best part of this book was when we all had to form lists of our favorite words.
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The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time **
by Mark Haddon

Everyone loved this book, but I just couldn't get into it. Autism is the main theme.
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Mrs. Dalloway *
by Virginia Woolf

Bleck. Read The Hours instead. Reading Virginia Woolf is like trying to make sense out of insanity. Oh, wait. That's what it is. It did have some interesting insights about depression, though.
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Good Omens *
by Neil Gaiman and Terry Prachett

Quite humorous, but I couldn't get past its quirkiness and difficulty to understand in order to enjoy the humor.
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Wifey **
by Judy Blume

Betcha didn't know the author of Tales of a Fouth Grade Nothing and Superfudge also writes porn! Tra-aaaa-shy!
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These are outstanding non-book club books that you might consider:
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The God in Flight *****
by Laura Argiri

This was an amazing, beautifully crafted story that left me thinking about it for weeks to come.
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Running With Scissors *****
by Augusten Burroughs

Hysterical! Unbelievable! Loved it!
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Dry ****
by Augusten Burroughs

The sequel to Running With Scissors. Also very good.
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Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim ****
by David Sedaris

Same author as Naked, also quite funny.
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Angels and Demons *****
by Dan Brown

Same author as The Davinci Code. Outstanding.
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She’s Come Undone *****
by Wally Lamb

Very funny and touching.
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The Lovely Bones****
by Alice Sebold

Sad but meaningful story about a murdered girl who watches her family from heaven .

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Well? Now you have no excuse!

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