Tell Me What to Read: Round 20
It’s BACK! After a more than year-long hiatus, I’m back in Tell Me What to Read business.
I am just a little ridiculously excited.
I hope you are too, and that you’d like to suggest something for me to read over the next month or so. If so, here’s the guidelines:
1. Comment with the title of one book you think I should read (any
book you want). One title only, please, lest my brain explode.
2. I’ll select one comment at random and announce it on the blog by the end of the week.
3. On the off-chance that I’ve already read the book you select, I’ll
contact you and ask for a follow-up suggestion (make sure there is a
way to contact you either by blog or email).
4. I’ll get a copy of the book and read it in a reasonable time frame.
5. I’ll write a review of it here. Even if I hate the book, I will not hate you.
Comment away!
Samurai's Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. (May I add that there is a reason that Two-Part Invention, The Thief, and Precious Bane, are recommended to you on nearly every list? – I think, having read many of your reviews, that you would really enjoy them all. In fact, I would put them all on the top of my list.)
Fall of Giants by Ken Follett…but only if you listen to the audiobook. I know it's super long but it's really gripping historical fiction and I for one always wanted to know what exactly the deal was with World War I. It seems like WWII gets all the books! I feel like in high school history we spent approximately 4 months on the Revolutionary War, 4 months on the Civil War, and any remaining time went to World War II.
I'm going to recommend Blackout by Connie Willis. I think it's the type of book you might like. It involves time-traveling historians and the London Blitz.
Mao's Last Dancer by Li Cunxin. I read it almost two years ago, and I still think about it from time to time. P.S. Don't waste your time on the horrible movie adaptation.
The Ordinary Princess by M.M. Kaye.
I think you would love "…And Ladies of the Club" by Helen Hooven Santmyer. It took her her entire lifetime to write (80 years!) and while it's a LONG book, it's so incredible!
Edenbrooke by Julianne Donaldson, sort of a Pride and Prejudice style story. I couldn't put it down!
I just finished A Million Miles in a Thousand Years by Donald Miller, (I think that's his name) and I thought it was great. BONUS: It's short.
I, Juan de Pareja (Newbery Winner)
Destiny of the Republic: A Tale of Madness, Medicine and the Murder of a President by Candice Millard.
This is non-fiction and was a most unlikely read for me, (I didn't think I liked history) but has stuck with me beyond all reason. It is set in 1880's and deals with James Garfield, his assassination, the assassin and the state of medicine during that time. I kept thinking as I read it–where was I during U.S. History. Did I sleep through this period of time or is this period some how considered lesser? There were several eye opening revelations that just amazed me. This was a fabulous and fascinating book.
An awesome book I recently read was Wonder by R. J. Palacio.
I Capture the Castle, by Dodie Smith. I LOVE this book!
Modoc by Ralph Helfler. I love me a cute elephant story!
jj
The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.
Goodnight, Mr. Tom by Michelle Magorian.
A Work in Progress by Brad Cotton
The Decline And Fall Of The Roman Empire by Gibbon (vol 2)… just kidding! I suggest Complications by Atul Gawande.
Argh! Several people have suggested The Night Circus, which was going to be my suggestion. It is fabulous, and I definitely think you would like it. But, I will suggest The Sparrow, which I love and recommend to everyone I know.
Breaking Beautiful by Jennifer Shaw Wolf. The author is a friend of mine, this is her first published, AND i might even consent to shipping you my signed copy as long as you promise to send it right back.
Swept Off Her Feet by Hester Browne.