NatureGirl19317

Good evening! In an attempt to pretend like I dont have to take a huge exam next week Im making good use of my time (hyuh, right) by determining which book(s) to take on vacation next month (Punta Cana). Im wondering if anyone is willing to share the titles of some of their favorite books!

Some of my favorites are Sons and Lovers, American Psycho, The Handmaid’s Tale, The End of Alice, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Exorcist, and basically all the works included in The Norton Anthology of American Literature, Fifth Edition, Volume 1 (including work by Irving, Emerson, Hawthorne, Poe, Melville, and Thoreau)

Also, be sure to check out my accompanying post entitled “Calgon…Take Me Away” to suggest some great books I can read while on my hammock!

Thanks and have a great night!

NatureGirl19317

Whoops! That last sentence should read:

Also, be sure to check out my accompanying post entitled “Calgon…Take Me Away” to suggest where youd rather be right now if youre having a Calgon moment!!

Tess

I just finished Anne Tyler's latest book, 'Digging to America' and loved it. Mary Kay Andrew's books are PERFECT for the hammock (accompanied by a G&T, of course)--Little Bitty Lies, Savannah Blues, Hissy Fit--they're all about feisty southern women and are lots of fun.

I love Diane Mott Davidson's Goldy the caterer series as well as Marne Davis Kellogg's Lilly Bennett series--two of my favorite sleuths.

Statia

Considering you are going (coming) to the Caribbean, I would recommned:

"A Trip to the Beach" by Bob and Melinda Blanchard, and "Don't Stop the Carnival" by Herman Wouk."

I have others, but don't wan't to bombard you.

Have a great trip, NatureGirl!

sundowner

Statia, that "Don't Stop the Carnival" is one funny book! Our family has passed it around 2 or 3 times and I love it every time I read it.

Tess, the Mary Kay Andrews books are a fun read, too.

Statia

sundowner, I don't even own a business here in the West Indies, but I could SO relate to that wwhole story just in every day "island life." Oh sheesh.

NatureGirl19317

Good morning!

Thanks for the suggestions!! I began researching these titles and thought it might be helpful to others who come across this thread if I posted my research results!

Sooo, here is the title and author of each book thus mentioned, below which is a link that takes you to amazon.com which provides a brief description and readers comments! Man I love books and these all sound great!

Books by Mary Kay Andrews
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/...Go.x=10&Go.y=9

Books by Diane Mott Davidson
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/...y+the+caterer+

Books by Marne Davis Kellogg
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/...ds=Marne+Davis

Don't Stop the Carnival by Herman Wouk
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/031...lance&n=283155

End of Alice by A.M. Holmes
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/068...e=UTF8&s=books

American Psycho by Bret Easton
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/067...e=UTF8&s=books

A Trip to the Beach: Living on Island Time in the Caribbean by Melinda Blanchard and Robert Blanchard
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/060...e=UTF8&s=books

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/044...821468?ie=UTF8

The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/038...e=UTF8&s=books

The Exorcist by William Peter Blatty
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/006...e=UTF8&s=books

Digging to America by Anne Tyler
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/030...e=UTF8&s=books

Norton Anthology of American Literature
http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_ss_b/...can+literature

iamq

Martin read "Eats, Shoots and Leaves" by Lynne Truss while we were in St. John. He ended up reading large parts of it too me. Hilarious.

-Bill

Tess

Wow, NatureGirl, you are organized!!!!!

I almost forgot. Laurie Notaro's books make me guffaw out loud (not just giggle). The two I've read are 'Autobiography of a Fat Bride' and 'We thought you'd be prettier.' Another LOL author is Celia Rivenbark, who wrote, 'We're just like you, only prettier.'

To read through my list, you'd never guess that I was three credits away from a minor in Shakespeare in college...

kureiff

I just finished "Digging to America" a couple days ago. It was very good!

Other good vacation reads:

"Prep" by Curtis Sittenfeld.

"Bel Canto" by (can't remember!) quot;>

"Me Talk Pretty One Day" or "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" by David Sedaris.

NatureGirl19317

Oh oh oh! I totally want to second the suggestion for "Dress Your Family in Corduroy and Denim" by David Sedaris!! I was cracking UP!!!!! Thats probably the only book Ive had the opportunity to read where I was laughing out loud!

BUT, I simply must look into some of the LOL books you mentioned Tess!! If they are anything like "Corduroy" I am in for a treat!!

LoriNY1

A friend of mine recently turned me on to books by Carl Hiaasen. Absolutely hysterical!!!

enjoylife

A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kemmedy Toole and any of the funny travel books by Bill Bryson.

vegasnative

American Lit, huh, well how about The Bluest Eye (Toni Morrison).
Not Amreican Lit, but my favorite book is "Outlander" by Diana Gabaldon, absolutely TERRIFIC! You'll want to read the rest of the series for sure! I'll second Bryons books, but not sure if I would take them on vacation with me, good to read before vacation. His "Mother Tongue" is great.

CaliNurse

"Adrift on a Sea of Blue Light" by Peter Muilenburg...a "must" for anyone who loves the Caribbean, sailng, or travel!! A series of can't-put'it-down short stories and vignettes by the man who built and sailed "Breath" out of St John.