This is topic Need a Book... in forum Books, Films, Food and Culture at Hatrack River Forum.


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Posted by SteveRogers (Member # 7130) on :
 
...to read. I keep starting books and not finishing them. I need something that'll keep my attention. Something good, suspenseful, intelligent, funny, witty, action-packed, and, most of all, good.

Any suggestions?
 
Posted by DaisyMae (Member # 9722) on :
 
I recently asked the same question and got a good response. Check the thread called "Hatracker Faves."
 
Posted by Shepherd (Member # 7380) on :
 
A game of thrones.
 
Posted by Stephan (Member # 7549) on :
 
I just found John Grisham's, The Brethern in a used bookstore while on a similar search. Its my first Grisham, and I think it matches everything you are looking for based on the 80 pages I have read so far.
 
Posted by vonk (Member # 9027) on :
 
Is The Brethren set in a white collar prison? If so, I've read it, and it is a pretty good read, but not terribly deep, if that's what your looking for.

I would suggest (as I do in all of the book suggestion threads I've seen) that you read anything and everything by Tom Robbins. A good starting place is Still Life with Woodpecker or Jitterbug Perfume. Or Even Cowgirls Get the Blues or Another Roadside Attraction. His style is really wacky and, IMO, entertaining and he has some great insights. His characters are some of the best I've ever met and the stories are usually very enthralling. But he is only good for a certain type of reader, as his writing is rather existential. You might want to do a quick google search for some quotes of his to see if you like it.

And I will also suggest the other writer I always suggest. Chuck Palahniuk. Good man with great writing. He's been mentioned several time here recently, so if you do a search for his name you'll find some good information. His books are usually a little morose and/or depressing, but the themes and social commentary are pretty dead on, IMO. And his characters are amazingly interesting with some of the most god awful problems a person could come up with. Good books that will keep you reading, I would suggest Choke, Survivor or Lullaby. Oh yeah, and in case you're not aware, he wrote the novel Fight Club. Also a very good book, but you probably already know the twist, so you might want to start with another.

And finally, I'm gonna suggest Mary Doria Russel. She wrote a fantastic first contact novel entitled The Sparrow. It's got a sequel called Children of God(I think). Her writing is, IMO, very similar to OSC's. Her characters are very well developed and their moral dilemmas are intriguing and really draw in the reader.

Ok, that's all I have for now. I could go on and on, but I'm sure no one wants to hear what books I have to recommend. It's just a good thing I enjoy doing it so much that it doesn't matter what other people think. [Razz]
 
Posted by striplingrz (Member # 9770) on :
 
SteveRogers, Grisham is good... very good. I've like everything he's written. But meeting your criteria may be hard mixing suspense and humor in his books. They either have one or the other. Sure each book has some humor, but his only true humorous book was Skipping Christmas.

If you want something that really does have some funny moments, try The Client or The Rainmaker. There is some funny stuff in there.

My fav Grisham book is The Partner. Try it out.

As for other good reads, I've lately found Stuart Woods stuff to be really good. His first novel "Chiefs" is awesome.
 


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