Wednesday, December 29, 2010

new year's resolution...

so i love to read.  i don't always make the time for it that i want to but i love it.  this year, i am going to try to change up my reading habits. i am going to set my own syllabus so that i have a timeline and a goal and i am going to incorporate some other types of literature - maybe even some fiction other than john steinbeck (gasp!) i do not enjoy fiction. even if it is good, i always feel like it is a waste of time and that i could be learning more from some non-fiction. 

so i would love some suggestions of books to read.  especially your fiction suggestions.  perhaps your favorite biography.

so what would you recommend for me? i will make my syllabus after i have all of your suggestions.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I LOVE that you are making your own syllabus! That's awesome. Suggestions: The Help by Kathryn Stockett, Cold Tangerines and/or Bittersweet by Shauna Niequist, Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson, and Uncle Tom's Cabin (if you've never read it!) by Harriet Beecher Stowe. I hear the Hunger Games is also good, but I haven't actually read it yet. Happy reading!!

Laura said...

The Brothers K by Duncan. It's Anna's and my favorite, which in and of itself should make it worth reading.

Heather said...

Here's my vote. i read it in my Senior seminar at A&M. Really amazing story: http://www.amazon.com/Hope-Unseen-American-Odyssey-League/dp/0767901266

Kindall said...

Safely Home by Randy Alcorn is one of my favorite fiction books. Great story of Christian persecution in China.

Ginger said...

"A Tale of Three Kings" by Gene Edwards - fiction right up your alley. It's a narrative exploring the leadership of Saul, David, and Absalom. Short read - deep truths!

And of course - "A Severe Mercy" by Sheldon Van Auken - his spiritual memoir/biography of losing his wife.

Lisa said...

I'll definitely second "The Help" by Katheryn Stockett. It's set during the mid 1960s and told from the perspective of two African American housekeepers and one white woman in Mississippi. It was a new and interesting perspective on the 1960s in American history. If you usually like non-fiction, this will be easier to ease into since it's historically based and from what I could tell, fairly accurate in many respects. This one is still pretty popular so getting a library card might be the best way to get your hands on this one rather than buying it new. It might be difficult to find used.

The Hunger Games trilogy (Hunger Games, Catching Fire, Mockingjay by S. Collins) were also excellent. First one is the absolute best but the second and third were also quite good. They're young adult, quick paced, and quick reads. This one is also hugely popular so getting a used copy will be harder. Last I checked at the library (about a month ago) it had a waiting list. It's pretty cheap on Kindle (first book is $5) and you can download an application that will let you read kindle books on your computer.

Another young adult book, Ender's Game (Orson Scott Card), is a classic if you haven't read it. Raises really convicting questions about the way we live and our responsibilities towards each other. I'm sure you could find a ton of copies of this one at Half Price Books.

Finally, Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian is one of my favorite books. Suzanne and Shanna both read it and agree the twist at the end is mind blowing. The narrator is a social worker who works with the homeless and writes as if the Great Gatsby were real historical events. Also a pretty quick read once you get into it and you're welcome to borrow it from me.