Summer reading??

[zeebs]

Funny:
"Lamb" by Christopher Moore (it is a farce of the Jesus story tho so be prepared for that...)
"Sex, Drugs, and Cocoa Puffs" by Chuck Klosterman (if you like that sort of thing, he's pretty much all about the hipster pop culture humor)

Thought-Provoking Fiction:
"The Life of Pi" by Yann Martel
"The Namesake" by Jhumpa Lahiri

Popular Fiction:
"Small Gods" by Terry Pratchett (kinda sci-fi, which I don't normally like, but I liked this)
Michael Crichton's posthumously published "Pirate Latitudes" I have not read yet but it's on my list

Non-Fiction:
"Into the Wild," "Into Thin Air," or "Under the Banner of Heaven," by Jon Krakauer
"Apocalypse 2012" by Lawrence Joseph (if you're into that kind of thing)
"Mountains Beyond Mountains" or "Strength in What Remains" by Tracy Kidder
"I'm Sorry You Feel That Way" by Diana Joseph

Classics:
"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood
"1984" and "Animal Farm" by George Orwell
"The Martian Chronicles" by Ray Bradbury
"Slaughterhouse Five" by Kurt Vonnegut

Plain Ol' Good-Readin' Fiction:
"Classic Crews" - a collection of Harry Crews stories

[JenK]

Funny:
"Lamb" by Christopher Moore (it is a farce of the Jesus story tho so be prepared for that...)

LOVE this book. Makes you think about Yeti's in a whole new way!!!

[cait]

I've been rereading all of the Lorrie Moore I've ever read. And reading some ones I haven't. Check out Self-Help or Birds of America.

Another recent fave is Donna Tartt. She only has two novels though. I just finish The Little Friend, and it was fantastic!

[ladycattat]

JenK.....Love, love, LOVE all the Madeleine L'Engle books from my childhood(I'm 48 now) for EXACTLY the reason you mentioned!!!!!

[Silverfern]

JenK.....Love, love, LOVE all the Madeleine L'Engle books from my childhood(I'm 48 now) for EXACTLY the reason you mentioned!!!!!

I third this. Those books are terrific.

[JenK]

I third this. Those books are terrific.

JenK.....Love, love, LOVE all the Madeleine L'Engle books from my childhood(I'm 48 now) for EXACTLY the reason you mentioned!!!!!

When I get together w/my sister we go on and on about these characters (plus from other writers) as if they are old friends. I could call her up and just say, "Elephant's Child" and she would laugh her butt off. Thinking of Adam Eddington still makes my heart do a dance!! I so wish she wrote a book about Vicki and Adam as adults. One of her books has a "family tree" w/ all the characters, can't rememeber which one.

Her books have to be the most creative mix of science, emotion, family and god...plus for young readers. She was a rare talent and I shed a tear when I found out she passed away.

Now I must dig out all my books and reread them!!!

[superwahz]

Her books have to be the most creative mix of science, emotion, family and god...plus for young readers. She was a rare talent and I shed a tear when I found out she passed away.

I shed a tear over her passing too! I adored her books growing up. I had a really unpleasant teacher that saw me reading one of her books once and felt the need to write a note to my mother letting her know it was in her opinion "inappropriate" for a child my age to be reading those books (I was in the 6th grade and some mothers were trying to get her books banned at our school). My mother very nicely let her know that she monitored my reading materials and would appreciate it if my teacher stuck to teaching.

If you like a light read set in the 80s rock scene, check out "Steel Goddesses" by Ann Brandt. She self published it after years of dreaming of being an author...and lived the 80s rock scene in NYC for a while so it really adds depth to the novel. Its a nice beach read with good character development and some action, romance, and suspense. I am admittedly partial since I know the author, but I've given away over half a dozen copies and everyone hunts me down afterwards demanding to know when the sequel is coming out! You can get it through Amazon or Create Space.

Before I gave up fiction reading I worked my way through most of Robin Cook's books (mostly medical thrillers), Kathy Reich's Temperance Brennan series is pretty good too...and I'm a Dan Brown fan.

[egerandi]

My two favorite authors are Kurt Vonnegut and Ursula K. Le Guin. Both are worthy of a chance if you're looking for some thought-provoking material while enjoying excellent writing.
Aside from Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse Five that was mentioned, I would highly recommend Cat's Cradle to start with and Galapagos.
From Le Guin, my favorite is Left Hand of Darkness. One of those books that I keep reading over and over and find something new or get emotionally and morally affected. The Dispossessed is very good too, and so are her short story collections.

Short but stays with you for a long time: Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist.
I'm seconding Jane Austen; I'll never get tired of her wittily proper or properly witty style.
And I'm an Anne of Green Gables fan too; watched that series to death when I was younger

[Trainer]

I loved " TheTime Traveler's Wife" by Audrey Niffenegger! Great romantic fiction. Great summer read.

[JenK]

I had a really unpleasant teacher that saw me reading one of her books once and felt the need to write a note to my mother letting her know it was in her opinion "inappropriate" for a child my age to be reading those books (I was in the 6th grade and some mothers were trying to get her books banned at our school). My mother very nicely let her know that she monitored my reading materials and would appreciate it if my teacher stuck to teaching.

That is so pathetic!!! So glad your mom said something!!!