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What are we reading/ holiday present edition

Laurie

Veteran

I'm in the process of putting together holiday packages to be sent out on my son's ship which will be underway over the holidays. 1 box for him, and 2 others for crew members without family pitching in, 1 male and 1 female. Don't know the folks.

I want to put a paperback in each box, and thought I'd get some good suggestions from you all. Looking for fast reads, nothing political, and nothing about ships sinking. Guessing the age group is 21-30.

I have been trying to focus on some books, not very successfully. My current Libby selections are going to expire without me finishing them.

A Long Petal of The Sea by Isabel Allende. I always enjoy her work
A Gentleman in Moscow - was listening to audiobook while walking, and stayed fairly engaged but didn't walk enough hours to finish it before it expired. It was slow going at the beginning, have to admit.

What's everyone reading right now?

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24 replies

Latest reply was from Debora

JAileen

Veteran

I’m reading Louise Penny’s murder mystery series, and I’m still enjoying it.

Minaminu

Veteran

this is going to hurt by adam kay, funny and moving at the same time.

Stagiaire Fash

Veteran

Indigo by Beverly Jenkins. On my list to read, but I suggest it because I think it’d get their minds off the boat https://bookshop.org/books/ind.....rm=1535322

Laurie

Veteran

@Minaminu, that's an awesome suggestion for my older son who has considered med school, but likely isn't going. Thank you!

Bonnie

Veteran

Any book written by Michael Connelly, my favorite mystery author.

Anonymous

I’m with Bonnie on Connelly.

Anonymous

I am rereading My Antonia, an oldie that I read long ago when I didn’t really appreciate the language. It reminds me of my own grandmother s family that came from Sweden and settled in Nebraska and lived in a sod house, really a bank on a river and raised 8 children. I can remember staying at the house they eventually built. Some of the girls were married to much older neighbors.
JAileen, I also love Louise Pennys mystery’s as does DH, and have read them all so far.

kkards

Veteran

Hmmmm...books are hard to gift...
but for the young women I’d recommend The Duke and I by Julia Quinn...its the 1st of the series (which i personally love), and its got the Shonda Rhimes stamp of approval and tie in, so it may appeal even if she’s not a reader or not someone who normally thinks of romance.
https://www.indiewire.com/gall.....s-netflix/

also agree on anything from Micheal Connelly

bella

(website)

Veteran

The Power by Naomi Alderman. Apparently, it's not exactly new, came out in 2016, but it just came onto my radar, and I am really enjoying it. Would recommend it for both genders, but great for women.

Anonymous

The Institute by Stephen King. Spine-tingling and creepy (as if we needed more of that right now!). It's quite a tale, and I'm thoroughly absorbed in it.

Runcarla

Veteran

DH and I are reading books by Ann Cleeves and Peter May. I’ll second kkards suggestion of Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton regency romance series for her witty language and humour. Netflix is dropping 10 episodes of a new show based on the books December 25th! For an oldie but goodie, something by James Harriot (All Creatures Great and Small). A remake is coming out on Masterpiece Theatre in January.

My DS’s (late 20’s) have enjoyed reading all the OG James Bond books and the Witcher books (Science Fiction/Fantasy) and The Lost Fleet by Jack Campbell (space! Aliens! Not a boat! Cheesy sci-fi.) DS volunteered that the books are a quick read, so maybe send the first 6 books. He said it’s the kind of book that if your son leaves it out on a table, will be read by everyone on the ship! LOL!

Teresa

Killers of the Flower Moon, by David Grann. Non fiction, the story of murders on the Osage reservation in the 1920’s, and the birth of the FBI. Totally engrossing. David Grann is a staff writer for the New Yorker.

Minaminu

Veteran

I am glad that you liked the suggestion! I just finished a book called Salt: A World History by Mark Kurlansky and it was fascinating!

This is my reading list for the coming months

A life on our planet by David Attenbourogh
Breath: The New Science of a lost art by James Nestor
Mythos by Stephen Fry
The Henna Artist by Alka Joshi

nuancedream

Veteran

I am finishing up A Long Petal of The Sea right now. I have a slacked off a bit with pleasure reading because I am working on continuing education credits to keep my certification as a rehabilitation counselor up to date. American Dirt is the next book on my list.

Anonymous

The hidden life of trees-Peter Wohlleben
Non fiction, about how trees communicate with each other. It wasn't assigned for my forestry class but should be!

Laurie

Veteran

All great ideas, and I always love seeing what everyone is reading. I had to order fast as the boxes need to be mailed tomorrow so I ended up with:

For my son: Homo Deus by Yuval Noah Harari. My son had read Sapiens and been very impressed by it.
For the female Coastie - Sunburn, thanks for the suggestion
For the male Coastie - Into the Abyss by Carol Shaben. It's about a plane crash, not a boat event!

I have a 18 year old niece to buy for, so appreciate the additional suggestions for light reading.

@suntiger -several people have recommended that book, and my husband has it. I need to read it over the holidays.
@nuancedream - I renewed Long Petal on Libby (about 30% thru), and American Dirt is probably the best book I read this year.
@runcarla - it's a great idea to buy a series like you suggest and offer it as a gift to the ship....I am going to give that serious thought!

Thanks so much everyone! Books can be hard to gift if you don't know someone, but I figure that after all boxes are opened there may be some version of that raucous holiday game where gifts are passed around and swapped! Or, the books can be left on the ward room table for an appreciative reader to pick up.

Staysfit

Veteran

My 22 year old son recommends Mistborn Trilogy by Brandon Sanderson. He says it’s well written, has strong characters and a good sense of how to hide information in plain sight. It’s a fantasy, which is a genre I do not see much of here.

I’m currently reading “Stay up with me” by Tom Barbash. It’s a collection of short stories. I’m not certain this would be the best option but I like the idea of shorts for younger adults who often have many draws on their time and energy. Shorts read quickly, so an entire story can often be finished in one or two sittings. If one of the stories is dull or otherwise distasteful, they can skip over it and read something else in the collection. Since I get so drawn into whatever I read, I tend to read shorts when I have increased stress or demands on my time. They are satisfying and also easier for me to set aside.

JAileen

Veteran

Yesterday the New York Times came out with their ten best books of the year.

https://www.nytimes.com/2020/1.....ticleShare

MsMary

Veteran

Don't know if I posted about it already, but my book of the year is Piranesi by Susanna Clarke. Just blew me away.

Also loved The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennet. Right now I'm reading The Warmth of Other Suns by Isabel Wilkerson, which is amazing.

Oh, and The City We Became by N.K. Jemison was fantastic!

Runcarla

Veteran

@MsMary - have you read ‘Circe’ by Madeleine Miller? I read it once, and then promptly re-read it cover to cover!

MsMary

Veteran

Runcarla, I will check it out!

Gaylene

Veteran

Additional votes for “Circe”, “ The Vanishing Half”, and “American Dirt”. I was wondering about “Piranesi”, so thanks to your recommendation, Ms. Mary, it’s now on my TBR list.

Gaylene

Veteran

And Mr. G nodded at “Into the Abyss”; he read the book when it first came out and made a point of adding it to my TBR pile as soon as he was finished!

Debora

Veteran

I loved Circe! Also enjoyed The Song of Achilles, one of her earlier books. The Vanishing Half and Piranesi are also on my reading list. Thanks for the recommendations.