help picking a book

[rodent]

i want to buy 2 copies of a book for mike & i to read together. The problem is we have very different tastes.

 

I like fiction with an emphasis on character development. favorite books of mine are The Kiterunner & Middlesex.

 

Mike likes historical non-fiction. He reads lots of world war 2 books, but he is interested in all periods of history.

 

So i'm looking for where we overlap. I think we'd both enjoy a biography or maybe historical fiction.

 

Any suggestions?

[MelissaH]

I think you both might like "Shadow Country" by Peter Matthiessen.

 

Matthiessen took a trilogy he had written and combined the three books into this one.

 

You can read more about it here if you're interested...

Shadow Country | Orion Magazine

 

The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon might be good too, if you haven't already read the books

 

I wish I could get John to read more than magazines!

[KatyKo]

I have not read this book, but I know Kate Winslet will be playing the lead role in the movie that is coming out sometime soon. This might be a good combination of character development and history.

 

It is called THE READER - a Novel by BERNHARD SCHLINK. It was in Oprah's Book Club. The trailer of the movie made me want to read the book, so it might be a great one.

Amazon.com: The Reader (Oprah's Book Club): Bernhard Schlink: Books

[rodent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MelissaH I think you both might like "Shadow Country" by Peter Matthiessen. Matthiessen took a trilogy he had written and combined the three books into this one. You can read more about it here if you're interested... Shadow Country | Orion Magazine The Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon might be good too, if you haven't already read the books I wish I could get John to read more than magazines!

that does sound good. I'll get 2 copies of that & two copies of this
Amazon.com: Dr. Seuss: American Icon: Philip Nel: Books

it's a biography of dr. seuss.

I hope our book club is fun! it would be great to have something like this to do together.

My mom's tip for getting a man to read is to leave a good book above the toilet. maybe you can try that with john. but, it has to be the right kind of book. like a collection of short stories.

[Banana11]

If you liked Kite Runner you should def read A Thousand Splendid Suns if you haven't already. It's one of my favorites!

[rodent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by ~Andrea~ If you liked Kite Runner you should def read A Thousand Splendid Suns if you haven't already. It's one of my favorites!

i bought it as soon as it came out. do you know if he has another book coming out soon? i saw one, but i think he just wrote the intro.

I was actually reading a thousand splendid suns the day we got engaged

i wish mike enjoyed books like that, but I don't know that he would. it's so much fun when you are wrapped up in a good book & can talk about it with friends. I hope these two books appeal to both of us so we can have the fun of reading something together. it's easy to run out of things to talk about when we see each other everyday.

[becks]

You might try London by Edward Rutherford. It's historical fiction, and if you've ever spent any time in London, the sights will be familiar, and the stories follow the history of the city. Catch is that its about 1,000 pages long. Really, really good, though.

 

Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra is also really good. About a mobster (go figure) in New York in the early to mid 1900s. Good fun and not nearly as long. Lots of character development.

[rodent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by becks You might try London by Edward Rutherford. It's historical fiction, and if you've ever spent any time in London, the sights will be familiar, and the stories follow the history of the city. Catch is that its about 1,000 pages long. Really, really good, though. Gangster by Lorenzo Carcaterra is also really good. About a mobster (go figure) in New York in the early to mid 1900s. Good fun and not nearly as long. Lots of character development.

hmmm 1,000 pages. I don't think I've ever read something so long. We went to london last year so it would be fun to read a book set there.

both sound very good. I'll see how the first 2 go & if our mike & morgan book club goes well I'll get more. So keep the suggestions coming

[Jenn79]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatyKo I have not read this book, but I know Kate Winslet will be playing the lead role in the movie that is coming out sometime soon. This might be a good combination of character development and history. It is called THE READER - a Novel by BERNHARD SCHLINK. It was in Oprah's Book Club. The trailer of the movie made me want to read the book, so it might be a great one. Amazon.com: The Reader (Oprah's Book Club): Bernhard Schlink: Books

This was an AMAZING book. It wasn't at all what I expected it to be, but it was one of those stories that just sucks you in. Reminded me of how I felt reading Angela's Ashes (which is another great read if you haven't read it, and it's an autobiography).

[rodent]

Quote:

Originally Posted by KatyKo I have not read this book, but I know Kate Winslet will be playing the lead role in the movie that is coming out sometime soon. This might be a good combination of character development and history. It is called THE READER - a Novel by BERNHARD SCHLINK. It was in Oprah's Book Club. The trailer of the movie made me want to read the book, so it might be a great one. Amazon.com: The Reader (Oprah's Book Club): Bernhard Schlink: Books

I might read it myself, but I think mike would be upset if I tricked him into reading an oprah book club book.