Book Recommendations, Please

I only made one New Years resolution this year and that was to read one book a week. By the third week of the year, I was a failure.

Also by the third week of the year, I started a new job--my first fulltime job in years, actually--one that requires I get up early in the morning, get dressed, commute to work, sit at a desk, go to meetings, and do field research, too. It's been strange, trying on this temporary identity before I move on to New York and a new life there. While I thought I'd resist the sale of my time that used to belong to studying and going to class and writing papers and preparing lessons, and grading student work, and let's face it: a whole lot of fucking around, I actually find myself appreciating the structure it's afforded me. The nice paycheck and awesome benefits aren't so bad, either.

One of the other things the job affords me in a LONG commute every day, and while I thought I'd resist that too, I've grown to kind of appreciate it also.  Do you realize that if I read on the bus and and no other time at all, I can still pretty much read a book a week and I won't be such a failure anymore? I said 'such a failure.' I'm not going to erase a lifetime of bad decisions and embarrassing mistakes with just a little reading, I realize.

Anyway, I need your help! Give me your book recommendations! I'm especially interested in non-fiction right now. I'd like to read well-written books about literary movements and figures, sub-cultures, civil war, world war 2, pop culture, mental dysfunctions, um, anything! I LOVE memoirs, essays, all that kind of stuff, and some of my favorite authors are Vivian Gornick, Joan Didion, Dorothy Parker, Paul Auster, JD Salinger, David Sedaris, and Augusten Burroughs. I like funny, I like deep, I like INTERESTING! Most important, I love great story-telling with compelling characters.

I used to eat, drink, and breathe books. Now I'd be happy just to read them again with some regularity. So, Internet, please point me in the right direction--help me get my groove back. Thanks.

Comments

[Lucy]

I recently read "The Bookseller of Kabul" by Asne Seierstad and enjoyed it. It is a non-fiction book about a family living in Kabul after the Taliban were kicked out. It is a pretty fast read, but the ending does leave a bit to be desired.

[Johnny C.]

"Teacher Man" by Frank McCourt (autobiographical)

"Sex, Drugs and Cocoa Puffs" by Chuck Klosterman (Pop Culture)

"Love is a mix tape" by Rob Sheffield
(Pop Culture/Autobiographical)

Those are some fun reads.

[Scarlett]

Please don't think it snobby, but I'm a big Nabokov fan. I love his character development (you are really torn between liking and hating the main characters) and descriptives. If you haven't read the obvious (Lolita) you should. But my second favorite is Laughter in the Dark. I am currently reading Despair (eh, so-so). Some of his works are definitely better than others.

And if you haven't read Nine Stories by Salinger, that's also on my must-read list. He really nails characters even in short stories, you know? So brooding. So good at capturing the moment. Love!

I know my list of to read books is so long that I feel almost overwhelmed; so I'll leave it here unless I can think of others...

[Alice]

Hey there Wendy ~ I saw a few months back that you were a Paul Auster fan; as a matter of fact, I've been meaning to pick up that book that you recommended of his... If you like his stuff, try his wife Siri Hustvedt's incredible book What I Loved -- it left an indelible mark on me forever... Especially if you're going to be moving to New York, it will definitely have a strong effect on you, I'm convinced of it. ('Course, if I'm completely wrong, and you don't end up liking it, I apologize in advance! I find that book rec's are so subjective, really, and my taste can be very different from that of others...)

Anyhoo, one other suggestion is Haruki Murakami -- give him a try. A great way to ease into him is with Norwegian Wood -- a lovely, sensual, intense coming-of-age tale. Murakami is inimitable!

Enjoy... (I could go on forever, as I'm wont to do, but I'll stop here before I bore you!)

[Proactiff]

Gal by Ruthie Bolton
ANYTHING by Bell Hooks will suit.
Too lazy to think of additional titles, but glad to be of service.
War and Peace, perhaps?

[ChicagoJen]

For some reason, I am only good at giving recommendations to books I have "recently" read.

You mentioned WW2 and while this is not the most well-written book, it was extremely interesting and made me think about that war in a very different way: Flags of Our Fathers.

American Pastoral (Phillip Roth) made me think about people and our perceptions of them more than any other book I’ve ever read.

And The History of Love (Nicole Krauss) was, I think, a staggering work of observation, human struggle and coming-of-age that I have ever read.

You opened yourself up for this one, Wendy. I look forward to seeing what others post as I made a similar resolution myself.

[Miss B]

Jodi Picoult is the author I currently can't get enough of. She's fabulous, awesome, etc., etc. Her books suck you in - before you know it, it's after 2 a.m. and you're still engrossed in her words.

I'm also a big Harry Potter fan. And chick lit - chick lit is my guilty pleasure.

[Joni]

Being a fellow chicagoite (or is it Chicagoan?) Timetraveller's Wife is one of my favorites since it takes place in our chitown. I love reading about the Newberry library, Kopi Cafe in Andersonville and all the other haunts that I like to frequent. Plus, its beautifully written and quirky enough to not fall into the normal popular fiction traps.
Also, I dont know if you're a history buff, but knowing that you're moving to NYC sometime soon, I think you'd enjoy Forever by Pete Hamill.
One final favorite is Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zafron. Takes place in Barcelona right after the Spanish Civil War and it will make you want to sneak of to Spain with that man of yours.

[Patrick]

American Prometheus by Bird and Sherwin

[Lynne]

I'm delurking here - big step! I love Bill Bryson simply because he makes me laugh out loud. Not necessarily deep although his book regarding the Appalachian Trail made me appreciate Mother Nature a little more. My other favorite author for nonfiction books is Stephen Ambrose.

Hope you find something wonderful to fill your commute.

[riane]

You should definately read "Running With Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs if you haven't already. It's autobiographical and a wild trip to read...

There's a movie about it also, but I haven't seen it yet.

[Trish]

One of my favorite non-fiction books is The Dark Valley: A Panorama of the 1930's.

Extremely readable portraits of the 30's in America, Japan, Germany and Russia in all different facets. Political, cultural, economic, etc and how it all culminated, seemingly inevitably, in WW2.

Especially if you've read other WW2 history, this draws a picture of the perfect storm of events that got us there.

See it on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Dark-Valley-Panorama-1930s/dp/0375708081/sr=8-1/qid=1172711270/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/104-7024406-7283110?ie=UTF8&s=books

[Cover Your Mouth]

I love love love the Best American Essays series. I'm reading 2003 right now and had to cry in the bathtub while finishing up a story by a writer named Cheryl Strayed. I cried in the bathtub because it was a good fucking story. Not because I just sit around, crying in my bathtub, okay?

[Sunny]

If you are on a non-fiction kick, I recommend:

"The Fatal Shore," by Robert Hughes - the murky history of Australia, don't let the impressive size throw you, as Hughes is a fantastic writer

"The Power of Babel" and "Doing Our Thing" by John McWhorter - McWhorter is a fancy schmancy linguist, but these books are for the enthusiast - and McWhorter knows how to turn a phrase

Hope these suggestions are of interest.

[Zandria]

A number of people have told me that I have some really good non-fiction book recommendations on my "Books I Read in 2006" list.

http://zandria.us/archives/main/2006/12/31/books-i-read-in-2006/

(I, too, had a long commute for the first six months of 2006, so I was able to get a LOT of reading done). Usually several books a week! Pretty crazy. Unfortunately, there will NOT be that many again this year. :)

[Ariana]

Hi Wendy, I am also de-lurking. There is nothing like books to bring out the shy folks. For non-fiction I recommend "Reefer Madness" by Eric Schlosser, an extremely interesting book about 3 black markets in America: marijuana, pornography and migrant labor. As for fiction, have you read any Tom Robbins? If not, I suggest starting with "Jitterbug Perfume" or "Skinny Legs and All." Enjoy!

[Chuck]

"The Feast of Love" by Charles Baxter was recommended to me recently, and it's one of the best books I've read in a very long time. Also, as Alice mentioned, Murakami is wonderful. If you haven't read "Wind Up Bird Chronicle," I highly recommend it. And how about Russell Banks?

I heard David Simon (creator of "The Wire" on HBO) speak a few weeks ago. He is perhaps the darkest and most cynical man I have ever encountered, and I surround myself with dark and cynical people. I started reading "Homicide" and was amazed by how well-written it is. I generally hate true crime books but I understand why Simon is so well-regarded.

[citywendy]

Thanks, reveryone for all these great suggestions--some are reminding me of books I'd once planned to read but forgot and others are reminding me of good books I have already read (Nine Stories, Time Travelers Wife, Tom Robbins' novels). Great suggestion about reading Austers' wife. And great recommnedation about Best American Essays -- my sister gave me a copy of the latest edition and I still have a few more essays to read (I used some with my students last semester when I was teaching composition). Anyway -- so many great suggestions -- I'm going to print this list out and do a library search. I'm so excited! Keep the recommendations coming! And thank you!

[Kristin]

Right now I'm reading Pledged: The Secret Life of Sororities by Alexandra Robbins, and it is simultaneously fascinating and horrifying. I've saved a ton of money on books lately by trading them at bookmooch.com (you only pay for postage).

[Lori]

I also love David Sedaris and Augusten Burrows. If you like historical fiction, I have a good recommendation: Forever, by Pete Hamil. I recommend this partly because it's a great book, but also because it covers the history of New York City from the 1600's up until the present day. In a nutshell, the main character was born in Celtic Ireland in the 1500's, escapes from hardship to New York City, and somewhere along the way finds out that he is immortal. Since he cannot die, he lives through every major event in NYC - from early slavery and immigration at Ellis Island, to the Civil and Revolutionary Wars, up through 9/11. The book is a great way of learning about NY while getting caught up in a great story. At least I thought so. :)

[Clink]

I just finished "The Emperor's Children" by Claire Messud and loved it. Totally engaging and character driven, but with a plot that had me wishing my morning subway ride was longer.

[eMM]

I'm loving 'French Women Don't get Fat' right now. Started it last night and am already halfway through. Wonderfully easy read! :)

[Just Enough Nonsense]

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides
If Nobody Speaks of Remarkable Things By Jon McGregor
The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls
Tender at the Bone: Growing Up at the Table by Ruth Reichl
Comfort Me with Apples: More Adventures at the Table by Ruth Reichl
Garlic and Sapphires: The Secret Life of a Critic in Disguise by Ruth Reichl
Snowflower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

[e.]

If you're amenable to mysteries at all, Reginald Hill's series of Dalziel/Pascoe novels have great characters along with great mysteries.

And I second the Nabokov recommendation. He's one of my favorite authors.

[hollie]

okay, i'm dorky, but i started rereading the nancy drew mysteries late last year--i get through about one book a week and i know this is drippy, but it's really enjoyable. i get that they are predictable, but there's something about that teen sleuth that makes you want to read the next one (i'm currently on #17).

i'm also a fan of the artemis fowl series, the lemony snicket books (not really for kids, if you ask me), and a huge fan of anything written by joanne fluke and marne davis kellogg.

btw, sounds like you had a major adventure getting home from nyc. damn girl, you have patience and fortitude!