Hey, let me recommend your favorite books

Cafe Society
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My teenage son loves science fiction, but I don’t have any idea what he’s read.
A collection of Bradbury or Fredric Brown’s short stories

I’m looking for something light.
Jill Conner Browne’s Sweet Potato Queen books (women), Doug Adams (everyone), Dave Barry, Bill Bryson’s travel books

I want a good historical novel. I don’t care about when or where.
Jack Finney’s Time and Again. It may not be exactly what is meant by a historical novel, but I’ll be damned if I don’t shoehorn it in here somehow.

My daughter needs a book by a British author for her 11th grade English class (she goes to _______ Christian Academy, so no naughty bits)
Watership Down was my pick.

My son (age 12) has to read a biography.
I don’t care for biographies, I’m always finding out things I was happier not knowing about my heroes.

You know of any good mysteries? I quit those after I finished the Nancy Drew series, sorry.

I want to send some books to my brother. In jail. I recommend all of the books above, except I don’t know how well Watership Down would go over, what with the pictures of bunnies on it.

(…and the depressingly popular) recommend a book for my kid who never reads.
John Bellairs- The House With A Clock In Its’ Walls, William Sleator- House of Stairs. After that, I would hope they read everything else those guys have written.

22

LifeOnWry–I just saw your mention of James Herriot. Good one! I’ll be off now, to kick myself around the block. :smack:

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A sci-fi for a teenager from his Mom; Time Enough for Love by Heinlein could be an interesting choice. At the end Lazarus Long goes back in time to have sex with his mother. Eeew Eeew Eeew!

Historical Novels; I came to say the Aubrey/Maturin series. It’s been said so I’d go with the Horatio Hornblower series.

Good mysteries; Try Scott Turrow?

The Brother in jail; Count of Monte Cristo. (somebody had to say it)

Never reading kid; Neil Gaimen

Top of the head list from work, Looking at the stacks at home would give me more ideas.

Cheers.

24

Excuse me. I just want to drool a bit.

Okay, I’m done. Now then:

Colleen McCullough’s Master of Rome series. The lady did 12 years of research before she put pen to paper (or fingers to keyboard as the case may be.)

I’ve read the series many times, and will probably read it many more.

25

Most of my suggestions have already been mentioned, but here are a few more.

1. My teenage son loves science fiction, but I don’t have any idea what he’s read.
His stuff may be a little too strange for for a teenager, but Cordwainer Smith is great.
2. I’m looking for something light.
Lawrence Block’s Bernie Rhodenbarr series (“The Burglar Who …”)
3. I want a good historical novel. I don’t care about when or where.
If the military during the Napoleonic Wars is OK, Bernard Cornwell’s Sharpe series is one of the best. He also has one on Stonehenge that I’m told is good.
4. My daughter needs a book by a British author for her 11th grade English class (she goes to _______ Christian Academy, so no naughty bits)
Alice in Wonderland? (Well, I like it!)
6. You know of any good mysteries?
Lawrence Block’s Scudder series. (Bleak as hell, and even more hard-boiled.)

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For the teenager who needs new science fiction I would recommend anything by John Barnes. He’s among the more obscure authors, so less likely to have been read before. Also James Stoddard, though he’s more in a fantasy vein. Philp K Dick might be another good choice.

For the Britsh author, Mervyn Peake, author of the Gormenghast Trilogy. He’s quintessentially Britsh. Also Terry Pratchett, of course.

For the kid who never reads, Daniel Pinkwater. His books are short, witty, intelligent, genre-defying, and rarely resort to toilet humor. And also Terry Pratchett, of course.

27

The two novels I’ve recommended over and over and over and never gotten anything but effusive thanks:

Matthew Kneale’s English Passengers – 19th-century aborigines and smugglers and scientists and preachers. Wonderful, wonderful book – I’m on a one-woman crusade to make sure everyone I’ve ever met reads this. Let me now spread the crusade to everyone you’ve ever met as well.

And – this one needs no real additional commentary in this crowd – The Mists of Avalon. I’ll leave it to you to figure out which of your categories to shoehorn it into. :wink:

28

As one of twickster’s converts, let me second her English Passengers recommendation. Fascinating, exciting…you just can’t put it down.

29

I work in a bookstore, too. How was Christmas at your work? I wanted to kill anyone who expressed the slightest interest in The Da Vinci Code, He’s Just Not That Into You, or the bloody Shopaholic series. Grr.

I got asked about books suitable for girls or boys between the ages of nine and thirteen a lot. I endlessly recommended Narnia, The Neverending Story, Tuck Everlasting, Sabriel, by Garth Nix, The Dark Is Rising, A Wrinkle In Time…

My favourite request is for ‘fiction’. Nora Roberts? Umberto Eco?

  1. My teenage son loves science fiction, but I don’t have any idea what he’s read.

He’s probably read lots of new authors. I second Heinlein and Asimov. Maybe Tad William’s Otherland books. I love Tad Williams.
2. I’m looking for something light.

Get out of my store. No, I’m kidding. How about A Complicated Kindness, by Miriam Toews, which just won some sort of award. Was it the Giller? No, that was Alice Munro’s latest. If that’s too heavy, then anything by Alexander McCall Smith, particularly The Finer Points Of Sausage Dogs, because I think it’s one of the best titles ever.
3. I want a good historical novel. I don’t care about when or where.

I like Diana Gabaldon’s bodice-ripper-cum-historical fiction. Also, I recommend Rosemary Sutcliff, who’s a children’s writer. She does fantastic, accurate historical fiction. I really liked The Lantern Bearers, which is about the end of Roman Britain, and the reign of Prince Ambrosius.
4. My daughter needs a book by a British author for her 11th grade English class (she goes to _______ Christian Academy, so no naughty bits)

I really hate picking children’s and high-school age books. I have no clue how well they (whoever’s supposed to be getting the book) read. Go with classics. Jane Eyre shouldn’t be too difficult.
5. My son (age 12) has to read a biography.

That’s nice. Can’t think of any aimed at the pre-teen crowd.
6. You know of any good mysteries?

I’m told Ian Rankin is good. Sayers and Chesterton’s mysteries are good, too.
7. I want to send some books to my brother. In jail.

We sent my jailed brother-in-law several of the Wheel of Time series. They certainly take forever to finish.
8.(…and the depressingly popular) recommend a book for my kid who never reads.

There’s a Dear Canada series, too. Depends a lot on age and interests, this question. I think every kid should read The Lion, The Witch, And The Wardrobe, though.

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My teenage son loves science fiction, but I don’t have any idea what he’s read.
I would recommend Oryx and Krake, because it’s a safe bet that a teenage boy hasn’t picked up any Margaret Atwood, and it’s cracking good dystopian SF.

I’m looking for something light.
I heartily recommend anything by Paul Quarrington. Best known for Whale Music, Quarrington writes short, easy-to-read novels that are funny and touching. He gets pegged as a humour writer, but his characters are usually walking wounded who find some sort of solace by the last chapter. His style is a little reminiscent of Douglas Adams (or P.G. Wodehouse,) but manage to be funny and light without being superficial. (He’s written a number of ostensibly “sports”-themed novels that I ate up like candy. I hate sports. Nobody else, apart from John Irving, has managed that trick for me.)

I want a good historical novel. I don’t care about when or where.
Anthony Burgess’ A Dead Man in Deptford. The mysteriously truncated life of Christopher Marlowe. It’s like he was there. I’d also put in a word for As Above, So Below, by Rudy Rucker, which is a similar sort of treatment of Peter Bruegel.

My daughter needs a book by a British author for her 11th grade English class (she goes to _______ Christian Academy, so no naughty bits)
Uh… I guess I’d go with Evelyn Waugh’s, The Loved One, but then I’d spend a month waiting for a complaint. Sorry.

My son (age 12) has to read a biography.
Who’s he interested in? (Surely they know.)

You know of any good mysteries?
I can’t pimp Dorothy L. Sayers enough, but I’m a bit old-fashioned when it comes to mysteries.

I want to send some books to my brother. In jail.
My brother relied on Papillon by Henri Charrière, (although that might attract some heat,) as well as Stephen Donaldson’s Thomas Covenant series and Stephen King’s The Dark Tower. Don’t bother to send Louis L’Amour – I keep hearing that’s all they have in prison libraries. Nobody knows why. :wink:

(…and the depressingly popular) recommend a book for my kid who never reads
Halo II: the Official Game Guide. Or Roald Dahl, in a pinch. Heh.

31

Woo hoo!

does dance of joy

Welcome to our fellowship, burundi!

32

“I want a good historical novel. I don’t care about when or where.”

Something by Mary Renault

Sacred Hunger by Barry Unsworth

Not for everyone, but a rewarding read: An Instance of the Fingerpost by Iain Pears.

If history or historical biography is acceptable, try:

Alexander the Great by Robin Lane Fox

Seabiscuit: An American Legend by Laura Hillenbrand.

Another “not for everyone, but great for some” recommendation: The Arcanum: The Extraordinary True Story
“(…and the depressingly popular) recommend a book for my kid who never reads”.

If the kid never reads, why not try a graphic novel rather than a regular prose book? Specific recommendations would vary greatly depending on the age and interests of the kid, but I know GNs are increasingly popular for “reluctant readers.” In my (admittedly limited) experience they work surprisingly well if you can get the parent to buy in. The right book might also work for the “my son reads a lot of science fiction, but I don’t know what” crowd.

33

Something Light

Jennifer Crusie. Janet Evanovich. Both are fun, fast, poolside reads. I could eat both of them up with a spoon they are so fun.
Historical novels well written

Lindsay Davis’ Falco Mysteries. Set in ancient rome. Not so thick with historical stuff that it asphixiates the reader. it is like you are there, a traveler next to Falco. (who is hot hot hot., so that’s a plus.)
The first book is Silver Pigs. You don’t have to read them in order to follow what is going on, but it is easier as each book leads into the next book and it helps with the continuity. I like to read my books in order. I’m anal that way. There are about 13 books in this series. They come out in UK first and take about 18 afterwards to make it to the states. FYI. Another doper recommended this series and I’ve been hooked.
Steven Saylor Ancient rome mysteries. Haven’t gotten too yet, but a doper recommended author.

Stephanie Barron’s Jane Austen Mysteries Jane Austen as a sleuth. If you like Pride & Prejudice, and who doesn’t?, you might like these capers that Jane solves.
Sci-Fi/Prison/Teenager that doesn’t like to read Doug Adams, Hitchhickers guide to the galaxy.

Teenager/Prisoner: Harry Potter books.

Prisoner book Dave Barry.
Nice Pastoral Reads Set in England, post WW2 Written by a Brit and isn’t steamy/bloody: Miss Read Novels. about 25 of them, I’ve read the first 5 and adore them.

34

Bas Bleu

I am not sure how I got on their mailing list, but every book I have picked out of their catalog ( thru the library) has been a winner.

35

For the general category of “<person I know> likes <genre> but I don’t know what <he/she> has read”, you probably want to go with classics of that genre. Most of what they’ve read has probably been from the library, but a real classic, you won’t mind having your own copy on a shelf even if you have read it. For science fiction, I would recommend Asimov’s Foundation trilogy and I, Robot, Heinlein’s The Moon is a Harsh Mistress and Time Enough for Love (though maybe not, if it’s a mother buying for a son or vice versa), Niven’s Ringworld, Herbert’s Dune, Clarke’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, or Card’s Ender’s Game. Or, of course, tell the customer to bring the recipient to the store with them, and let him pick his own choices.

On the unspecified-but-not-naughty British writer, I’m surprised that nobody has mentioned Tolkien. Or is he too obvious?

And Abbie Carmichael’s comment about the Manhattan Project for biographies brings to mind Richard Feynman and his autobiographies/memoirs. Specifically, I’d recommend Surely You’re Joking, Mr. Feynman!.

36

::sits down and puts feet up::

These are so great, thanks everybody. I sold a few today, too (and got English Passenger for myself – thanks, twicks). I sold a Horatio Hornblower, an Anne Perry, a Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, a Hitchiker’s Guide and Seabiscuit. I wedged 'em in between the grunt loads of The South Beach Diet, Your Best Life Now, The Kite Runner and Blink.

I’m going to write that on a 3x5 and memorize it. Perfect!

I survived Christmas okay, but my tolerance for Yuletide tunes did not.

What I couldn’t get over was that people, loads of people, gave that thing as a gift! Wouldn’t it be pleasant to rip off the wrapping paper and confront He’s Just Not That Into You?" Gah!

That’s what the jail guy did get, Shirley. :slight_smile:

I forgot all about that book. That’s a great idea, Chronos.

Slowly. :frowning:

37

Historical fiction: Anything by Phillipa Gregory. Fun reads, set in England, based on fact.

38

We just got in a biography last night that has the Best Title Ever™. Wonder if it’s any good?

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Ooooooooh, your linkie to The Best Title Evar!!!111!!! has been intriguing me and escaping the seive that is my brain for probably a year, since I first heard about it somewhere that I can’t remember.
Just the title alone is nearly almost worth the purchase price! You Must let me know what people think of it. Then buy it yourself, review it and send me your copy. What?

40

Historical Novel: I looooove The Twentieth Wife by Indu Sundaresan. It’s not what most people think of when they say “historical fiction,” (17th-century India) but it’s excellent – I didn’t want it to end. Unfortunately, IMO the sequel (The Feast of Roses) was not nearly as good. Also, The Agony and the Ecstasy. I loved that.

Mysteries: I haven’t been as into this genre in a few years, so I don’t know what’s new, but I love Agatha Christie, Sue Grafton, and the whole The Cat Who… series. However, I don’t usually read mysteries to try to guess the ending; I read them to read them. Others’ MMV.

Kid who doesn’t read: almost anything by Roald Dahl would be fun, I think, as would all/any of the Redwall series by Brian Jacques. I really like Salman Rushdie’s Haroun and the Sea of Stories, which reminds me of another good one: The Phantom Tollbooth by…um… Norton Juster. All of these recommendations depend on age, of course, but I’m not sure which age is best – I read “older” books early, and I still enjoy them, so I don’t have a good grip on what’s average. For older/high school kids, The Once and Future King might be good.
This is fun! I’m adding to my list of things to read…