Mama2Three Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 OK, I'm not really going to the beach, but I'm feeling the need for a lighter read. Something fun, frivolous, smart, and not related to childrearing/homeschooling/special nutrition/etc -- not a classic but not down to the formula romance level, KWIM? TIA! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Do you like hilarious books about Armageddon? Good Omens Other funny books: Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal Princess Bride Non-funny books that are light but good: Stardust I will try to add some more later Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stacia Posted May 11, 2011 Share Posted May 11, 2011 Good Omens :iagree: Other ideas: The 13 1/2 Lives of Captain Bluebear the Flavia de Luce mysteries by Alan Bradley The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King books by A. J. Jacobs Eat, Pray, Love by Elizabeth Gilbert The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PiCO Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 OK, I'm not really going to the beach, but I'm feeling the need for a lighter read. Something fun, frivolous, smart, and not related to childrearing/homeschooling/special nutrition/etc -- not a classic but not down to the formula romance level, KWIM? Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, or Portuguese Irregular Verbs series by McCall-Smith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angel Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris in VA Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 How about reading the kid's fiction you never got to as a child? Have you read A Little Princess Secret Garden Inkheart Dark Is Rising series Black Beauty All the Roald Dahl books Winnie The Pooh The Little House books If you have, maybe some Susan Howatch, Stephen King, or nonfiction/autobiography stuff like Traveling Mercies and Bird by Bird. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) Mary Higgins Clark for light mysteries that are easy to pick up after being disturbed by kids...for the millionth time! After seeing it recommended here, I read "I Capture the Castle" by Dodie Smith. I enjoyed it's quirky characters. :) http://www.amazon.com/I-Capture-Castle-Dodie-Smith/dp/031231616X/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1305208479&sr=1-1 Edited May 12, 2011 by MSPolly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snickelfritz Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 (edited) The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen I was going to suggest her. She writes southern, magical realism. The southern means its full of southern touches like sweet tea, mint, and family feuds that last generations. The magical realism means that the stories are mostly realistic, with magical touches. Maybe a man that cannot break an oath to not talk to someone, even 20 years later. There are usually romantic plots, but there are also other plots running with them. And she uses very rich, descriptive language. She WRITES like a southern person talks. There is also Garden Spells, The Peach Tree, and The Sugar Queen. I've read her latest and have searched in vain for someone who writes like her, so that's why I sound like a groupie. :) Edited May 12, 2011 by snickelfritz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoutTN Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 The Help The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society mysteries by Josephine Tey or Ellis Peters James Herriot's novels Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KnitWit Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society I loved this book. :) Also, kind of along the same lines...but not ;) "La's Orchestra Saves The World: A Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 This may not be your standard fare - young adult, but these are GREAT! I had so much fun reading them this winter. Not for kids though:) The President's daughter series by Ellen Emerson White: The President's Daughter (1984) White House Autumn (1985) Long Live the Queen (1989) (Winner: ALA Best Book for Young Adults) Long May She Reign (2007) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stages Posted May 12, 2011 Share Posted May 12, 2011 I second The Help. It's not a heavy book at all, despite tackling some pretty heavy subjects. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrsBasil Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Here's a recent thread where I asked the same question. :001_smile: Some great suggestions. http://www.welltrainedmind.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269811 So far, I've read the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency and The Girl Who Chased the Moon and they were very fun reads. I have a ton more on my night stand, up next is either Good Omens or The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
katilac Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, or Portuguese Irregular Verbs series by McCall-Smith. Or his Isabel Dalhousie series! She's a philosopher, and references to great thinkers and poets are sprinkled throughout, so the reader can feel rather smart about their beach book, lol. They are somewhat like a mystery series, it's just that the mysteries aren't usually crime-related. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
*Lulu* Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 The Spellman series by Lisa Lutz always makes me laugh. I also like most of Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon books. (Although that could just have something to do with this fantasy I had back in my late teens of becoming a park ranger.) :001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mhgillil Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Two more votes for... Good Omens The Help Also, Tina Fey's Bossypants. And, I haven't read more than a chapter yet (an enticing one), but my mom has been really enjoying A Discovery of Witches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iona Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Harry Potter!!! they do get heavier as you progress through the series ...but never hard to get through. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Perry Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 Originally Posted by PiCO Number 1 Ladies' Detective Agency, or Portuguese Irregular Verbs series by McCall-Smith. Or his Isabel Dalhousie series! She's a philosopher, and references to great thinkers and poets are sprinkled throughout, so the reader can feel rather smart about their beach book, lol. They are somewhat like a mystery series, it's just that the mysteries aren't usually crime-related. :iagree::iagree: One that hasn't been mentioned is the Mitford series by Jan Karon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mama2Three Posted May 13, 2011 Author Share Posted May 13, 2011 Thank you, thank you!!! Great list, with lots of books I haven't read (and many of which I haven't heard). Rainy day, so mowing is shelved and we're off to the library! :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chocolate Rose Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 If you want something that is totally fluffy, try Janet Evanovich's books. I like to read these in between heavier reading. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 (edited) If you haven't read it or seen it, The Devil Wears Prada was a 100% hilarious book. Edited May 13, 2011 by LibraryLover Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrs Mungo Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society My best friend recommended this to me. She read it an vacation, so did her mom. They both thought it was hilarious. I bought it as an airplane book as a result. I cried through the whole thing. It was a great book, but I wouldn't recommend it to most of my friends as light beach reading. It's a wartime book, and that really impacted the lens through which I viewed it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LibraryLover Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 My best friend recommended this to me. She read it an vacation, so did her mom. They both thought it was hilarious. I bought it as an airplane book as a result. I cried through the whole thing. It was a great book, but I wouldn't recommend it to most of my friends as light beach reading. It's a wartime book, and that really impacted the lens through which I viewed it. Yes! Yk, I also cried through the whole first season of Glee. When my sister and I would talk about it, she would say, "We are obviously not watching the same program." :001_huh: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Negin Posted May 13, 2011 Share Posted May 13, 2011 The HelpThe Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society mysteries by Josephine Tey or Ellis Peters I loved The Help and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie. Which Josephine Tey and Ellis Peters books would you recommend starting out with? Also, kind of along the same lines...but not ;) "La's Orchestra Saves The World: A Novel" by Alexander McCall Smith This is on my wish list. :) Harry Potter!!!they do get heavier as you progress through the series ...but never hard to get through. :iagree: My best friend recommended this to me. She read it an vacation, so did her mom. They both thought it was hilarious. I bought it as an airplane book as a result. I cried through the whole thing. It was a great book, but I wouldn't recommend it to most of my friends as light beach reading. It's a wartime book, and that really impacted the lens through which I viewed it. :iagree: How could anyone think it was hilarious? :001_huh: That's a bit weird to me. Oh well ... to each her own. lighter readSomething fun frivolous smart, and not related to childrearing/homeschooling/special nutrition/etc -- not a classic but not down to the formula romance level, Some of my favorites, other than those already mentioned, that may be suitable. The House of Spirits by Isabel Allende and anything else by her, but this is her best. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE Allende - not exactly fun and frivolous, but great books The Geography of Bliss – non-fiction, very insightful, humorous Food Rules – one of my favorite health books The Five People You Meet in Heaven - if you're in the mood for a very, sweet and easy read - as are all of his books - Tuesdays with Morrie - and pretty much any other Mitch Albom book – we even got the DVDs of three of his books and really liked them Can't Wait to Get to Heaven by Fannie Flagg and most of her books - very sweet and light - and quite funny - fabulous Funny in Farsi - if you need a nice laugh as well as her other book Laughing without an Accent Books by Maeve Binchy – light, fluffy, but also very accurate about human interactions and relationships Dave Barry’s Only Travel Guide You’ll Ever Need – funny, funny, funny Also, really like the No. 1. Ladies Detective Agency books as others have mentioned already. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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