I'm looking for a few great summer reads. Any book suggestions?

Summers are when I like to read big, classic books: like War and Peace, Magic Mountain. That kind of stuff. You have the time and fewer interruptions.

If you are looking for funny, satirical reading, I highly recommend David Sedaris. My personal favorites are Naked and Me Talk Pretty One Day. Another satirical writer I like is Christopher Buckley, author of Thank You For Smoking and (my favorite) Little Green Men. In the case of both authors, I actually found myself laughing out loud sometimes. Really shocked my wife…

Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell. It’s an incredibly funny, extremely sad, potmodern, genre bending, ingenious 500 page affair.

@shilolo I adore David Sedaris. I have not read Christopher Buckley. Little Green Men looks fun.

@ezraglen Cloud Atlas appears intriguing. Thanks.

@srfinkel Whoa, Thomas Mann. A little heavy and Germanic for summer, don’t you think? Although perhaps the kid who wanted to know about the origins of WWI and II could benefit. I’ll think about it.

Want a book to last you the whole summer and leave you confused, how about Thomas Pynchon’s Gravity’s rainbow?

I like Stephen king… I just finished desperation. Its about a town off the loneliest road in America. Google that. Its a real road. I liked desperation because it was different than most of his other books I’ve read. If you want something lighter, the girl who loved tom Gordon is just right. Check em out.

ooOOoo I like this question :)
Definitely not an uplifting writer but I’ve read almost all of Charles Bukowski. The same goes for Arthur Nersesian; I’m waiting for his newest book to come out.

Another good book is Blink by Malcolm Gladwell. It’s become pretty popular and a good read if you don’t want only fiction lit

If it is still in print look for “Last Chance to See” by Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine. Maybe my all time favorite non-fiction book. Funny, sad, and very touching.

If you like David Sedaris, then you might try some of Sarah Vowell’s stuff- she was also a frequent contributor to This American Life (I don’t know if she is anymore).

The last two books I read that I absolutely loved are Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides (he also wrote The Virgin Suicides, which is also good) and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke.

@bearfair Tried my hardest and could not get through Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell, an almost-unheard of thing for me.

If you like David Sedaris I can also recommend Augusten Burroughs. Some of the titles I enjoyed by this author are Running with Scissors, Sellevision, Possible Side Effects, & Magical Thinking.

@All I like David Sedaris, but I like most well-written humor. My favorite laugh-out-loud reads still today are P.G. Wodehouse, particularly the Bertie & Jeeves books.

One I already have on my list is A Short History of Nearly Everything by Bill Bryson. I loved his Shakespeare biography Shakespeare: The World as Stage.

Summer is a time for reading those ‘monster’ books that you can really get lost in. one of my favourites is ‘The Quincunx’ by Charles Palliser, an 800 page Dickens/Victorian parody and mystery with a ridiculously complex plot (labyrinthine doesn’t begin to cover it) set in London’s stews, sewers, orphanages and finest homes in the mid 19th century. And the ending…

@Marina- I think Jonathan S… is just one of those love it or hate it books. The subject is a little much for some people. Also, I don’t think I’ve ever met someone else who loves Bertie and Jeeves like I do- did you ever watch the BBC episodes they made with Stephen Fry as Jeeves?

slightly depressing, but also amazing: The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
also depressing, but the best book I have ever read and truly something all humans should experience: Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
also, an all time classic: Faulkner’s The Sound and the Fury
another great book, extremely funny, sort of historical fiction: Midnight’s Children by Salman Rushdie.

If you want some more intellectual reading, try Guns, Germs and Steel by Jared Diamond. A great attempt at synthesizing all of human history. I had a few problems with it, but it certainly is a very ambitious project. It should keep your interest while lying on the beach, but there are parts that drag a bit.

Marina, your profile says you love traveling (and writing) so I would suggest Langston Hughes’ autobiography (the first volume), The Big Sea. It’s a must-read for literary types who love to travel…The Big Sea is about his younger days, before he was heralded as the prophet of the Harlem Rennaissance. He hitches a ride on a ship to Africa, and then lives in a cold-water flat in Paris experiencing the jazz age there…beautiful prose, brimming with wanderlust, and a unique insight into the creative mind of a fabulous poet.

Also, since you’re into great food – two food books: Kitchen Confidential is a really fun one – a glimpse into the real behind-the-scenes world of a top chef. Hilariously funny and a quick read. Or, I also enjoyed Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise, by Ruth Reichl- former restaurant critic for the New York Times. She had to dress up in various costumes to avoid being recognized…her book describes the different treatment she got when dressed as herself versus disguised as an old lady.

Neither of these books is a hefty summer classic, but you’ll have fun reading both of them and living vicariously through the eyes of two professional foodies.

If you let us know who your favorite authors are, I can make other suggestions…

@occ That sounds like a keeper. I have read other Langston Hughes, but not The Big Sea.

I am reading and rereading all of Ann Patchett’s fiction – Run, Bel Canto, Patron Saint of Liars – and her memoir about her friendship w. Lucy Grealy – Truth and Beauty. Then I am going to read Grealy’s Autobiography of a Face. My sister is recommending Three Cups of Tea (non-fiction.)

David Baldacci’s “Wish You Well”

I read the “Size 12 is not fat” adult mystery series by Meg Cabot recently. I really liked them, they were intriguing, yet HILARIOUS! I really wish you had mentioned some genres because I feel I will recommend something you will never be interested in. My all time favorite book is Lord Of the Rings (trilogy) by Tolkein. The first few chapters are a little hard to get by, but the book has some great quotes and lessons :). If you are looking for something serious, perhaps you should read Beloved by Toni Morrison. Personally I found it way too depressing, and who wants to read something serious for a “summer” read anyway?

Ok, I love PG Wodehouse too. and After reading boffin’s latest suggestion, I would definitely recommend “Last Man Standing” by David Baldacci. That book is AMAZING (thriller/suspense/action).

How about “Fanny Hill Meets Myra Breckenridge”?

@PnL I read the first of those Meg Cabot mysteries some time ago and liked it. I will look for the later books. I agree about Last Man Standing. Baldacci has intrigue. suspense, and quirky characters. What more could one ask in a summer book?

@bearfair Wasn’t he hot as Jeeves? Sort of my idea of a brilliant British ex-pugilist. I also LOVED Hugh Laurie in that series.

Is there anyone whose life would not be improved by having a Jeeves?

Off-topic. Ruth Reichl has a second home around the corner.

Here are the suggestions from last summer: a skfinkel question.

@gailcalled Awesome suggestions there too, and with very little overlap to this year!

off topic – Hugh Laurie just reminds me of the awesome House finale yesterday!

marina – definitely read the other 2 books in the series (called Size 14 is not fat and Big Boned”. They are great, Big Boned seemed to have a definite end to the series, so I don’t think she will be continuing them.

Also, (and I CANNOT believe I forgot to mention this the first time) if you haven’t already, you MUST read the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. They are a must-read for ANY girl/woman. They are also mystery + are ridiculously hilarious. It is a continuing series (about 13 books so far, with around 4 extra “holiday” editions), the first book being “One for the Money”. Second one is “Two for the dough” etc etc. www.evanovich.com for more. I love this series and guarantee you will not be disappointed!

I have enjoyed all of Ken Follett’s books. A good read for the summer would be “The Pillars of the Earth”.

I also loved the Evanovich series and at present I’m reading Plum Lucky. Another Stephanie Plum adventure. Too funny!!

I also love anything written by Jeffery Deaver! Grabs you from the start and doesn’t let you go till the end. These have mystery plots with more twists and turns than you can imagine. Gives me chills just thinking about them!

@Marina & PnL I haven’t read the Bertie and Jeeves books, but have really enjoyed the BBC comedy series Wooster and Jeeves. Hugh Laurie is great and who wouldn’t love to have a Jeeves around!

Impressions, I cannot wait for the latest book coming out this June (or is it July..?) . I believe it is called Fearless Fourteen!

PnL, Cool! I wonder how long before the library will get it! She is a riot! Love the series.

DRY (Dry was an instant New York Times bestseller. In paperback, it remained on the bestseller list for over six consecutive months.) or Possible Side Effects (”(H)ilarious, wildly fanciful reminiscences…less spiky than Magical Thinking. It’s also more inviting…he makes good, snarky company even with nothing serious in mind…Mr. Burroughs does get away with stunts that would sink more timid writers.”- The New York Times) by Augusten Burroughs, The last summer of you and me by Ann Brashares, Good Grief by Lolly Winston are a few among my favorites!

@ typicalusername – i just put all the books you recommended on hold @ my library. can’t wait!

My wife loved “Snobs” by Julian Fellowes. It’s a humorous look at the British elite. This is the same author who won an Best Screenplay Oscar for “Gosford Park.”

Another vote for anything by Augusten Burroughs

There is a small link in red type at the bottom of the intro page for his new book, A Wolf at the Table, which will redirect you to the main website.

Beware: his books are instant hooks.

twilight by stephanie meyer its going to be a movie this December

Twilight, New Moon and Eclipse (Breaking Dawn will be released in August) are great because yes they are romantic novels but they’re also adventures and thrillers. I honestly could not put them down. I bought the first one, not expecting much, since I don’t like romance, but I read it in a day, went straight to the bookshop to buy the next one, read that one in a night but wasn’t allowed to get the third one yet because I’d stayed up til 2 reading the second one when I had to get up at 4 for rowing, when i did get the third one at the end of the week i also read that in a day because i couldn’t put it down. Then i went straight back to the first one and read them all again. I can’t wait for the fourth one to come out. They are great books and I love the way Stephenie Meyer writes. She has also written a new one, called “The Host”, which is aimed more at adults than the Twilight books are, which are more for teens (but still a great read for adults, my mum loved them too). I haven’t read The Host yet though.

yeah I should be getting the third book for my birthday thus Saturday I can hardly wait till then oh and the guy who played cedric diggery from harry potter movies is going to play Edward

Another idea for you – for the travel lover – and for anyone intrigued by science or naturalists, or history – Andrea Barrett’s books…specifically Servants of the Map. A compilation of intricately-crafted short stories and lovely novellas that all somehow fit together at the end. I just read it and it was great. I immediately went out and bought another book by her, Ship Fever, also quite good but I would recommend Servants of the Map first.

“Faith of My Fathers”- John McCain

kiki strike or here be monsters

Okay, the Magic Mountain, which I read years ago, was one of my all time favorites. As i said, perhaps a bit heavy for summer, but that’s what I love. .

Here’s another author: A.S. Byatt. She wrote Possession and other intriguing books. Complicated story lines, stories within stories.

Also:

For fluff that is fun and seems deep when you read it but you can’t hold onto the depth: Ann Tyler. Easy reading, hard to put down, passes the time but you are essentially unchanged.

I’ll be back with more.

Thanks to all. I am making a long list of all the books. So many books, so little reading time, but I am going to go for it. Also, I am not whining or anything, but my Fluther addiction is cutting into my reading time.

I love Like Water for Chocolate. It has recipes, a love story, and a little magic!

Add HALF OF A YELLOW SUN, by Chimamanda Ngozi Adiche. It’s a novel about Nigeria during the period in the 1960’s when Biafria tried to declare independence. I’ve read only half, but am caught up in the history, the range of class and caste of the characters; both natives and those guys who keep going out in the midday sun with mad dogs.

PnL That’s great! I am so glad I could help you! Dry is amazing. I couldn’t put the damn book down lol.

In His Steps? The Bible?

It was erally surprising, because I thought this book wouldn’t be interesting at all, but the catcher in the rye is actually really good, and kind of crazy. Obviously if you want a lighter book, there are the main stream books like the twilight series and harry potter. Oh, also if you like kind of sci-fi fantasy books, I’ve found that the midnighters series is pretty good. If you like historical literature, there are things like the poe shadow and the club dumas, even though there a bit of a hard read. Just go to your book store and browse around a little bit. Even if your not a teenager too, there are a lot of really good reads in the young adult section.