Looking for Book to Read
 

You folks gave me such great feedback in my Looking for TV Series to Watch thread I figured I'd do the same regarding my search for a good book to read...

I read quite a bit and of course have my favorite authors and such, but I'm very interested in what all you readers out there consider your favorites. I like mysteries, thrillers, science fiction on occasion, but I'm absolutely open to all genres. Guess I've said enough. Can't wait to 'hear' what you have to 'say'. :icon_wink:

May I suggest Erik Larson. I have seen a review that called him “the master of narrative non-fiction.”

Larson somehow weaves a “story” in with his non-fiction topic. His research is meticulous, but he makes non-fiction read like a novel. (He, of course, includes an extensive bibliography of his reference sources.)

The one I read was The Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair That Changed America. (pub. date 2003)

Serial killers and true crime are not my thing to read about, but I could not put this book down. Set in 1893 at the Chicago World’s Fair, Larson tells the true story of a psychopath, but most of the book is about the fair itself and the people who planned it — and the human nature of the crowds who attended.

That is the only Larson I have read, but Mr. Boomer has read almost all of them. His recent read was the newest one by Larson, The Splendid and the Vile: A Saga of Churchill, Family, and Defiance During the Blitz. (pub. 2020) When he starts reading a book by Larson, he finishes it fast.

Thunderstruck (pub. 2006) is about Marconi along with the story of what the synopsis calls “a very unlikely murderer.”

Isaac’s Storm: A Man, A Time, and the Deadliest Hurricane in History (pub. 1999) is about the hurricane that hit Galveston in 1900.

In the Garden of the Beast: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler’s Berlin (pub. 2011)

Dead Wake: The Last Crossing of the Lusitania (pub. 2015)

I included the publication dates because you might be able to find a “gently used” copy at a good price — if you are into book-books. :) (I have become increasingly into Audible and Kindle but know many others who like a book in their hands.) The Fruitland Park branch of Lake Co. Public Library used to have a nice store, but I have not been in for a while.

You can learn a lot of history from Larson, but there is nothing dry about the way he writes it.

Marian Boomer

The Astronaut Wives Club by Lily Koppel. The original Seven

True story, have read it three times. To read the thoughts of these 7 brave women, who endured more than the public would ever know. The bond they formed to support each other, mostly without help of NASA.

I am old school science fiction, Asimov, Heinlein, Haldeman, et al.

I made a couple exceptions and love Harry Potter and Hobbit/lord of the Rings.

Pillars of the Earth, Ken Follett.
If you enjoy this one, there are many more.

If you can find it, try Condominium by John D. MacDonald published in 1977 and 2014. A novel, but very similar to what recently happened in Florida

I just ordered it from Audible. On Amazon it is available only on Kindle and Audible. But maybe the library has it.

It’s a biggun — an almost 19 hour listen, but I can put in my Airpods and get some other things done. The Kindle description said 588 pages.

This will be my first John D. MacDonald. I am looking forward to it. Thank you, retiredguy123.

Boomer

The Rose Code

All of these are great, not necessary to read 'em in order but it helps.

Mark Greaney - Gray Man series
Philip Kerr - Bernie Gunther series
Robert Crais - Elvis Cole series

easy ones are
Jack Reacher by Lee Child,
Harry Bosch by Michael Connelly
Spenser by Robert B. Parker
Joseph Finder (mostly standalone novels)

Know most of these authors and enjoyed reading them. Might I add a few more:

Christopher Reich
Vince Flynn (Mitch Rapp series)
Brian Haig

"A Land Remembered". A favorite of both my husband and myself. An historical novel of the early settling of Florida with a great story of settler ranchers and Seminole Indians. Gave us an entire new picture of Florida.

For an easy fun read , Valerie Plum. It takes place in a seedy town of New Jersey she is a - well I won't say what that's half the fun of it and there's a large series of her books. They actually made a movie out of one of them. It's not what I call fine literature just a fun read

Good Reads
 

American Dirt by Cummins
Mr. Mercedes by Stephen King
The Round House by Erdrich
Defending Jacob by Landay
Where the Crawdads Sing by Owens
Suspect by Crais (great for dog lovers too)

While I primarily read science fiction, some of the best books I've read are from Robin Hobb which are not SF. The FarSeer trilogy is the first three of 12 great books, each trilogy can stand on it's own however. Try Assassin's Apprentice by Robin Hobb, you will like it.

It's a Fantasy series and while there is magic and sorta has dragons(it's complicated), it's a lot deeper than all that.

My wife and I loved the books so much we named our dog after the main character, Fitz. Who was the illegitimate child of one of the princes and became an apprentice to the king's assassin. It turns out the there are two magic lines in this universe, Wit and Skill. They are both joined in Fitz although he is pretty much unaware of this for much of his early life.

By the end of books, you will absolutely adore Fitz, The Fool, Burrich and specially Night Eyes.

I can’t find this book. I really want to read it as my name was Valerie Plumb and I am from New Jersey. Any suggestions? Thanks