What do you like to read?

Wednesday, October 3. 2007

What do you like to read?

Lately, I've been in a reading mode. I've read a number of books in the past month equal to the number I've read in the entirety of the year, I've been dutifully reading and editing pieces from the members of my writer's group, and magazines have ceased to serve as eye candy only.

I'm almost done with Only Forward by Michael Marshall Smithh--which is working out to be fabulous, by the way--and I am looking for something else now.

My criteria:

Any genre okay.
Must have elements of humor.
Nothing that leaves me through the book saying, "well that's damn depressing" as the main character gets beaten and/or raped constantly. (I know this sentence comes off flippant, but really, that stuff just plain gives me nightmares.)
No dragons, or fairies, or elves. This one is completely non-negotiable.
No talking animals.

I also need to bust out some audiobooks (good for knitting time.) Hey, it's October now, maybe good horror.

Anyone have recommendations for me? If not, what do YOU like to read? What won't you read?

Posted by Renée Rigdon in renee_speaks at 07:49 | Comments (21) | Trackbacks (0)

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Well, I think 'The Princess Bride' fits all your criteria. I have not come across any dragons or fairies or elves. Mostly the book includes real animals or charicatures (sp?) of real animals. And it is funny. I am reading it slowly during my lunch hour at work. What with trying to make arachknits work, all of my other free time is taken. Even though it fits all of your criteria, I am hesitant to suggest it becuase it is not in the least scary and might just be too mushy. I am not sure how musy someone would be able to be to co-host the Anticraft...

#1 Angela (Link) on 2007-10-03 09:47 (Reply)

I LOVE The Princess Bride. Great book, good movie.

#1.1 Renee (Link) on 2007-10-03 09:53 (Reply)

You'd really like Terry Pratchett. If you haven't read anything by him, he uses the fantasy genre as brilliant, hilarious satire. I recommend starting with Guards! Guards!. If you already know about Pterry, there's a brand new book out called Making Money. Alas, still in hardback.

#2 cavalaxis on 2007-10-03 10:42 (Reply)

I read The Scarlet Pimpernel this summer, and for whatever reason really like it, but it might not be your cup of tea. Other than that, I just finished reading Mikhail Bulgakov's 'The Master and Margarita'. It was an entertaining read.

#3 michael (Link) on 2007-10-03 10:46 (Reply)

have you read Craig Ferguson's book Between the Bridge and the River?

I loved it. And I passed it to my best friend, who called after the first chapter and said "this is already SO GOOD!"

#4 discordia on 2007-10-03 11:07 (Reply)

Your mention of books on tape reminded of a book on tape that I listened to years ago but I still think was the one I enjoyed the most. "The Antelope Wife" by Loise Erdrich.
http://search.barnesandnoble.com/booksearch/isbninquiry.asp?r=1&ean=9780736642774
The narrator is very important I have found. And this was a really good one. It came alive for me.
As for books with some humour and possibly a bit of horror lite I would recommend "Lemony Snicket's A Series of Unfortunate Events", books 1 through 13. For books aimed at a younger audience they have a subtle and sarcastic enough humour to keep the adult reader flipping pages. And the environment is very gothic. No gore but alot of peril.
One of my favorite reads this year.

#5 Celia on 2007-10-03 12:13 (Reply)

Well, I don't remember any fairies or dragons or elves in this so I guess it's fair game.
http://www.amazon.com/Good-Omens-Accurate-Prophecies-Nutter/dp/0060853980/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/002-0161838-1672013?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1191433224&sr=8-1

#6 Elabeth (Link) on 2007-10-03 12:42 (Reply)

I've got to agree with you on this one. Good Omens is fantastic, it combines Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman, no animals or fairies, and its about the apocalypse, how could you go wrong with that?

the 4 horsemen are hilarious.

#6.1 Colleen on 2007-10-08 13:27 (Reply)

Something in me says you've read Douglas Adams, but if you haven't, you must. 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' is the place to start.

#7 Erin on 2007-10-03 14:27 (Reply)

Wendell Berry. His poetry is very nice, plus lots of essays and books on how things should be. Very sensible man, with interesting perspectives.

#8 Audrey on 2007-10-03 15:28 (Reply)

When I want to read something twisted that leaves me thinking "What the hell just happened there?" I Turn to Christopher Moore. Practical Demonkeeping and Island of the Sequined Love Nun. How can there be anything wrong with those titles.

#9 Bunny (Link) on 2007-10-03 16:43 (Reply)

Sadly, your non-negotiable rider on Elves, Faeries, and Dragons precludes the best reads I've had in a long time: Jim Butcher's Dresden Files. The series had me in book one, where Dresden is talking about exactly the kind of cojones it would take to try to catch St. Nick in a summoning ring.

Likewise, Neil Gaimen's Neverwhere and Stardust also fall outside the rider for the same reason.

If you're ever willing to give elves, faires, etc, a try, that's a good place to start.

#10 Sabrina on 2007-10-03 17:07 (Reply)

Speaking of Gaiman, The "no talking animals" rule also eliminates his other two novels: "American Gods" and "Anansi Boys". Though I do have to wonder: does it count if the animals are gods (or personifications thereof)?

#10.1 Mari on 2007-10-03 19:06 (Reply)

I agree with the above regarding anything by Christopher Moore. Also, anything by David Sedaris and I recently read this hilarious and geeky book called "Schroedinger's Ball" and I'm currently reading "Wigfield" by the hilarious trio of Stephen Colbert, Amy Sedaris, and Paul Dinello

#11 Amy (Link) on 2007-10-03 17:54 (Reply)

Angela's Ashes

Sometimes dark, but usually very very funny in a witty, self-deprecating, Irish sort of way. The movie is nowhere as good as the book. It focuses on the "we're dirt poor and starving" and does little with the laughter-as-coping-mechanism found in the book.

#12 kittything (Link) on 2007-10-03 19:10 (Reply)

Seriously - take the other's advice and read Terry Pratchett - do not let the "fantasy" section scare you off! I've read his discworld series from the very beginning (it's now into the 30s) but each book will stand alone. He is wickedly hilarious (I mean I have burst out laughing in public reading his stuff - which is highly embarrassing), and provides some wonderful insight into our world by twisting it completely.

Also I would recommend reading "The Salmon of Doubt" by Douglas Adams, which most of it is a collection of writings and lectures he gave - no dragons, fairies or elves. he was a remarkably brilliant man. Also by Adams is "Last Chance to See" which is a book based on his travels for BBC radio documenting animals on the verge of extinction. It's kinda sad in the whole animal extinction area, but it's wonderfully funny in all the strange things that happens to the team in their travels. Many parts are also laugh out loud funny. Particularly anything with customs agents.

#13 Laelia on 2007-10-04 01:06 (Reply)

I just reread If on a Winter's Night a Traveler by Italo Calvino. More absurd than funny, and very, very meta [at least if you work in publishing]. I highly recommend it!

#14 Maya Drozdz (Link) on 2007-10-04 09:22 (Reply)

OK, it's total trash, but man am I having fun with it!

"How to Marry a Millionaire Vampire" by Kerrelyn Sparks.

Vampire has to find a mortal dentist to fix his broken fang, she is in the witness protection program being hunted by the Russian Mafia, which has been infiltrated by - you guessed it - rogue vampires.

You will laugh yourself silly!

#15 Linda Blowney on 2007-10-04 12:15 (Reply)

Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum bounty hunter series.

If vampires are ok with you, try Tanya Huff's Blood Ties series. They're the basis for the Lifetime tv series, and really good books.

For a good mystery read Barbara Hambly's Benjamin January series, starting with A Free Man of Color.

#16 Miranda on 2007-10-06 13:14 (Reply)

Personally, I love the Anita Blake - Vampire Hunter series by Laurell K. Hamilton. Very dark, with humor, mystery and erotocism mixed in. Also by LKH is the Merry Gentry series. Even though it is about faeries, it treats them as real, as almost human, but more. Not quite as good, but far more erotic. I've heard it referred to as "faerie porn."

#17 Zephyr on 2007-10-08 23:40 (Reply)

I have to third Terry Pratchett, even though this is in the archives. It's not treacley sappy fantasy, but very funny.

I suggest Mort - it's about Death's (er, excuse me, DEATH's) apprentice. A nice quick read that's hysterical.

#18 Harpalyce on 2007-10-29 00:19 (Reply)

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