I need to buy a new book at the B&N downstairs, today at lunch.
Please recommend a book for me that you enjoyed.
Conditions:
Must be available at B&N in paperback for under $10.00 (excluding tax).
Must be fiction.
Must not be a romance novel.
Please provide a title, author and quick synopsis. In one hour, I will choose a book from this thread and purchase it.
Thanks for your help!
Ignore the part about it being under $10.00… As long as it’s in paperback, I’m happy.
Thanks! 
Lord of the Barnyard by Tristan Egolf.
http://homepage.tinet.ie/~albedo1/reviews-egolf.html
This is probably the best book I’ve read in years. I’ve recommended it to at least ten people who loved it as well. Trust me.
Indygrrl, it sounds fantastic and my B&N has it… I may not be able to wait the whole hour!
Oooh oooh! I love new books!
Perfume: The Story of a Murder by Patrick Suskind. Odd premise, interesting plot, strange characters, and everything you wanted to know about making perfume. Very good.
Empire Falls by Richard Russo. It’s about life in a small Northeastern town, so it’s a bit slow paced to match the setting. However, the characters are interesting, and the story is a good “exploration of the human condition”.
Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier. A civil war deserter tries to make his way home to the woman he loves. Yes, there’s some romance involved, but not much.
Tishamingo Blues Elmore Leonard. The main character is a professional high diver. That kind of peculiarity runs throughout the book. I loved this one, and I’m not a big Leonard fan.
Cities of the Plain by Cormac McCarthy. About some cowboys in the 1950’s, their way of life (which is slowly disappearing), and the allure of a more wild Mexico. There’s a little romance between a young cowboy and a Mexican prostitute, but it’s hardly a romance.
My dad just gave me Tishamingo Blues and Cat Chaser recently. I haven’t really started either, but I’ve heard good things about Elmore Leonard.
Sparrow by Mary Doria Russell. It’s about a Jesuit priest named Emilio Sandoz, who, in the spirit of Jesuit missionary missions of the past, sets out to make contact with a planet whose beautiful songs have been detected. On this trip, Sandoz finds his faith tried in the most agonizing and incredible way possible. A truly amazing novel.
Bomz, I’ll keep Perfume: The Story of a Murder, Tishamingo Blues and Cities of the Plain on my list. I’ve read both Empire Falls and Cold Mountain; loved 'em both - good suggestions!
Ruby, The Sparrow is one of my favorite books of all time. Loved the sequel too, but The Sparrow… oh man. What a book.
I bought Lord of the Barnyard and finished the prologue at lunch. Intriguing.
Thanks for the suggestiosn, everyone!
Atonement by Ian McEwan. A story in four parts about the Tallis family, and in particular a lie told by thirteen year old Briony in 1935, and the effect it has on everyone’s lives. A masterful tale by one of the greatest living novelists, touching on themes such as family, writing, and why yes, atonement.
Get yourself a copy of that great Finnish epic, the Kalevala.
Oh damn, I’m too late.
I know I’m too late, but next time consider The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay by Michael Chabon. I just finished it this afternoon and it’s wonderful. It’s about two Jewish cousins, one of them a Czech refugee, who create a comic book hero, the Escapist, just as the U.S. is entering World War II and comic books are entering their “Golden Age.” It’s a fascinating and lively book, with wonderful descriptions of New York City in the 1940s.
Small Gods by Terry Pratchett
“The Man who was Thursday” by Chesterton - Paradox at it’s best