Books for the Beach
 

Out with it. What are your recommendations for beach reading? I go in one week. I try to read one Patrick O'Brian a summer so I'm bringing Nutmeg of Consolation. As my youngest child has Down Syndrome, I'm also bringing Coach Gene Stalling's (Alabama, Texas A & M, pro Cardinals) book another season, a stroy about his son.

The great old standby is John D MacDonald's Travis McGee series. I believe there's 18 or 19 of them. An appreciation can be found here: http://members.bellatlantic.net/~mwa...pf18/intro.htm .

I'm a bit Cal-centric in my entertainment reading, so my beach read this year will be (finally) "A Year in Van Nuys" by Sandra Tsing Loh (LA-area actress and Queen of the Forty-Something Slacker Moms). I may take "Postcards from the Edge" to re-read, since Carrie Fisher is the last remaining writer that makes me laugh out loud (NOTE: her writing style is wonderfully witty, but not very visual). I also have to polish off some David Sedaris essays.

For more serious reading, anything by brilliant Indian novelist/essayist Arundhati Roy that I can get my hands on. And that great essay collection "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat", by neurologist Oliver Sacks MD, is due for a re-read. And Norma Barzman's memoir of the HUAC Communist witchhunt, "The Red and the Blacklist".

I'm gonna have to start reading now...!!

I like the Janet Evanovich books for a good laugh, as long as I don't have to explain why I'm laughing to one of my kids.

I have never been much of a fan of
mystery stories. However, after reading one of John D. Mac Donalds,I am hooked--now on #10.
Then are light, not long tales and not a lot of characters...
Also favorite are the ones about cats--can't remember author but the titles all have Cat in the title as "The Cat who ate the cheese"etc.
Good reading...

If you haven't read The Nanny Diaries yet, you should! And Old Dogs and Children by Robert Inman is wonderful.

Anything by David Sedaris. He cracks me up!

Henry Miller, who grew up in my neighborhood in NYC. Most anything by Cheever.

Well, do you like mindless beach reading -- you know, the guilty pleasure stuff? Then I'd recommend any of the Kinsey Milhone mysteries by Sue Grafton. These are the literary equivalent of empty calories -- and you can just leave the paperback behind for someone else, no need to lug it home in your bag. :) I think the Mary Higgins Clark books are about the same.
If you want something slightly meatier but still titillating, read Void Moon by Michael Connelley.
Books that you'll remember long beyond the vacation are Blindness by Jose Saramago amd Father and Son by Larry Brown.

I'm reading -

A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle

A Cook's Tour by Anthony Bourdan

just finished King of Torts- it was okay.

There is a new novel in the view of an autistic person I have been meaning to read. You may find similar issues addressed. I can't remember the name.

Here it is The Speed of Dark by Elizabeth Moon

Harry Potter!!!

If you really want to be scared to death read Intensity by Dean Koontz. It is good beach reading since you won't want to read it late at night in bed, even with kids and spouse in the same or next room. Hair raising, literally. Other than that, unfortunately my tastes run rather mainstream....only because I love a good fast read that I can kill off in 2 days or less. Mary Higgins Clarke, Sue Grafton (as already mentioned), also Robin Cook, John Grisham just to name a few.

My summer reading varies from Stephen King for a good intense scare or when I feel like something trashy, Jackie Collins...

"Back Bay" by William Martin. So far, everyone I've recommended it to, hasn't been able to put it down until finishing. Pretty unique approach to writing historical fiction.

I' d like to throw in Swedish author (and bestseller throughout Europe with almost every book he brings to the market) Henning Mankell.
Try "Dogs of Riga" for example- it is No. 2 out of a series of crime stories the "hero" of which being Police Detective Kurt Wallander. The books are real gripping, page- turners that you won't put down until you're finished!
Enjoy
hsv

I'm in the middle of "Living History" -- by Hillary Clinton. I am learning a great deal about this often misunderstood woman. Enlightening reading.

Just finished John Grisham's, "A Time To Kill." Never read it when it first came out. If you haven't read it yet, go for it - I loved it. {Dittos to islandmom on "King of Torts" --just okay.}

Two books I just finished reading--library copies--and loved so much I bought them for me!

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. Starts with a party in a South American country. A famous opera star is the entertainment. Guerrilas break into party and things go very wrong. It's a compelling story about the interplay among people. And there are some very funny little bits, too. I didn't think I'd care for this book, but I could hardly put it down.

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd. A story set in the South, through the eyes of a fourteen year old girl. So convincingly told that I felt fourteen again, with all the torment and insight that the young possess.

Oh, and two others! Basket Case by Carl Hiaasen. So funny you'll bust a gut reading it. And it even takes place in one of the beachiest places of all--Miami.

And the new Harry Potter. Teenage daughter is reading it right now, having picked it up from Borders last night. I mean last morning. DH and I carted darling daughter and almost half a dozen friends to Borders at midnight to get book. Didn't get to bed until 2:30 am because there were 449 other Potter fans ahead of us... Anyway, you can see how late it is, but DD is on a reading marathon and there are tears streaming down her cheeks because someone has died. I couldn't get anything out of her but the fact that it's not Hagrid.

Sorry post so long, but I am a voracious reader and once you get me started on books, I CAN'T STOP!!!

Well, I actually just read a jerry seinfeld book. (really small) a couple of days ago. It was funny so it kept my mind off the frikin heat. Also A Pirate Looks at Fifty by Jimmy Buffett is good. Also The old man and the sea and Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk.

dln, just finished Bel Canto last night and really liked it. You should read Blindness if you haven't already.

The Great Santini by Pat Conroy is a good read, or Prince of Tides (DON'T judge the book based on the movie, EEK!)

The Mystery Roast is a fun, engaging summer read. I read it years ago but I still think about it from time to time --it's not "deep," just a good read and a great setting.