Discussions
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ginger h
This year i really enjoyed reading Ahab's Wife. I thought it touched on a lot of important issues and was thought-provoking about many aspects of life and spirituality.
posted 6 years ago.
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JenniSimmons
A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius by Dave Eggers. I have never, ever read anything quite like that book before. Creatively written, it made me laugh hysterically out loud, and I also had to wipe back a tear or two. It made me fall in love with all things McSweeney's, too. My runners-up are Christ the Lord: Out of Egypt by Anne Rice and The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini.
posted 6 years ago.
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LaFemmeMonkita
Wow, I read Stones from the River too, in '06, and it was definitely one of the best. I think Marge Piercy's Gone to Soldiers was my most favorite read.
posted 6 years ago.
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Ordinary Muse
How strange, I also read Stones in 06' and was very surprised by it. I enjoyed it greatly. The book that must have been my favorite in 2006 was the Time Travelers Wife, it was just so fun and unique.
posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
I just joined a couple of days ago myself and have done the same thing! Nothing has been done around my house - I've been on this site for hours upon hours! Heaven indeed.
posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
I made sure to read a few books that have been on my TO READ list this summer - so I have a three way tie here. East of Eden (Steinbeck) and The Kite Runner are top and the third would be The Fountainhead (Rand).
posted 6 years ago.
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Lysistrata
I particularly enjoyed March by Geraldine Brooks and Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruis Zafon. Those two would be a tough fight for favorite book I read in 2006.
By the way, I just signed up today and am in total bibliophile heaven! I have neglected everything today just to fill up my virtual shelves!posted 6 years ago.
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Lysistrata
Crap, I forgot about Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield. That one is definitely in contention for best book of 2006 for me.
posted 6 years ago.
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iggy
2006 was such a book laden year ... i think one of my most exciting reads was 'the passion of new eve' - angela carter. followed closesly by winterson's weight.
i read egger's book ....and i must agree it was delightful thought at points tedious.
was 'curious incident of the dog at night time' last year ...if yes...then it has my vote as well.posted 6 years ago.
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bethB
I loved Water for Elephants and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. The Thirteenth Tale was fun--very gothic.
posted 6 years ago.
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esmeralda
Hmmm. 2006 was so long ago. I really loved Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin. It made me chuckle softly in my belly.
posted 6 years ago.
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Anthony
The Sea by John Banville. Close second, Saturday by Ian McEwan and Witold Gombrowicz' Cosmos (which now that I think about it, none are up on my shelf presently). I reread a couple of books this year, and read some classics that I'd been putting off (To The Lighthouse, Atlas Shrugged).
posted 6 years ago.
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tyropower
I adored the Caliph's House. Life in Morocco sounds exciting and harrowing at the same time. If you ever get frustrated with home repairs/renovation, read this book for a different perspective.
posted 6 years ago.
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Kalidikeds
It's so much easier to narrow this question down to a single year! My faves of 2006 would have to include The Glass Castle by Jeanette Walls, The Brief History of the Dead by Kevin Brockheimer, and Lamb by Christopher Moore. I also loved Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes, and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey... okay, maybe this isn't as easy as I thought! :)
posted 6 years ago.
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Howl Castle
i gotta say Life of Pi by Martel and On the Road by Jack Kerouac. So far the ones I can think of for I have not been reading much lately
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
I am loving reading all your favorite books of 2006, but I have a request. I've been visiting your pages to see what you had to say about your favorites, and pretty often you haven't said anything. I know, life is busy, but jotting down a sentence or two might help you remember your reading gems a little longer, and help the rest of us to share the joy. Please...
posted 6 years ago.
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birdsallhead
I absolutely loved "Water for Elephants". It's not my usual read, but was just amazing.
posted 6 years ago.
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Ordinary Muse
Thank you for the prompt. I do appreciate reading your opinions and comments. I will write more about books, do you think you would consider starting more discussions?
posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
That's a great point. I've noticed I remember a book to be really good - but can't remember why at all! From now on when I read a book I am going to automatically leave and opinion when I add it to my shelf. I'll go back and work on the ones I've "forgotten" too.
posted 6 years ago.
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mjacobs
My favourite book of 2006 was The Summer Book by Finnish/Swedish writer Tove Jansson. It was written in 1972 but there is a new edition out. It is a little literary gem - seemingly simple stories of life on their summer island, seen through the eyes of Sophia (6) and/or her grandmother. There is a father too but he does not have a speaking part. Mother has died. There is nothing twee about the stories, they are just beautiful and amazing and very satisfying.
posted 6 years ago.
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Booknic
My absolute favorite book read last year was The Tender Bar by JR Moeringer. It was so fine--read it. You won't be disappointed.
posted 6 years ago.
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unicorn42
Professor and the Mad Man I loved this book. I stayed engaged, used my dictionary at times, which is always good. I also would say Under the banner of Heaven, I learned so much with this one. I have said, on this site before this book opened a lively conversation with a Moman friend and I repeat lively
Thanks Diane (unicorn).posted 6 years ago.
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Dame Daisy Barksby-Pryce
Gone to Soldiers is one of my all time favorite books! I just can't get over how completely distinct piercy made each character's voice. Great book!
posted 6 years ago.
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Dame Daisy Barksby-Pryce
The Know-It-All by AJ Jacobs, the story of a guy who reads the entire Encyclopedia Britanica. I love trivia and I love funny and this one is both.
posted 6 years ago.
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A_Lauren
Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein
I Feel Bad About My Neck : And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron
The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
None make all-time best list, but all were extraordinarily good from start to end.posted 6 years ago.
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A_Lauren
Elements of Style by Wendy Wasserstein
I Feel Bad About My Neck : And Other Thoughts On Being A Woman by Nora Ephron
The Whole World Over by Julia Glass
None make all-time best list, but all were extraordinarily good from start to end.posted 6 years ago.
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My favorite book of 2006 was probably "Monumental Propaganda" by Vladimir Voinovich. By turns funny, absurd, suspenseful and moving- mostly just funny and absurd- it was a really terrific read about a woman who can't change with changing times and a portrait of a society in flux.
posted 6 years ago.
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cleverusername
my favorite book of 06 was either 'extremely loud and incredibly close' or rereading 'talk before sleep' by elizabeth berg. its an amazing book about friendship.
posted 6 years ago.
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iggy
i came across the moomin family by tove jansson last year .... its a find i hide jealously ...her work is so simple and so funny... and the illustrations are just so funny.
you simply must get your hands on moomin ... its a delight!!!
and me, i'm going to look for the summer book.smile.posted 6 years ago.
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mjacobs
It seems like a silly book to like, but I too enjoyed this very much. The author starts by talking about the lemma's from the E.B. he's just read, but very quickly you get a lot more; you feel like you really get to know the writer - and he is a very likeable character!
posted 6 years ago.
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Karen
I can't decide between Kite Runner and Power of One. Both are about different cultures. Both have characters that do a lot of serious thinking about life. Both are beautifully written.
posted 6 years ago.
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SporkFashion
I loved "Sock" by Penn Jillette, "Haunted" by Chuck Palahniuk, and "Geek Love" by Katherine Dunn
posted 6 years ago.
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Lysistrata
I know that The Glass Castle was already mentioned, but that too was one of the best books of 2006. If you read this, you will NEVER complain about your dysfunctional childhood again.
posted 6 years ago.
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Icedream
So many great books from 2006 have been listed. I am just itching to make a list of a few more I enjoyed but I will be very good and pick one. I chose Me and Emma by Elizabeth Flock. The book just floored me. It's about sisters living in an extremely abusive home and how little children learn to survive. It is not your run of the mill sad story however. There is a twist and it truely surprised me, which I loved. I think you fellow bookworms would agree that
you tend to memorize the patterns of novels, so even when you love a story you are rarely caught off guard by it. Was anyone else caught off guard by this novel?posted 6 years ago.
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fro4600
Stones From the River was my favorite. I re-read it in 2006 and will probably will it again one day!
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
You convinced me. I usually try to get my books from my excellent public library, but this time I had to get it from Amazon. I'm looking forward to reading this one.
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
Taking my own advice about writing more, here is something about The Passion from the Jeanette Winterson site:
This is the story of Henri, a young Frenchman sent to fight in the Napoleonic wars. It is the story of Villanelle, a cross-dressing Venetian woman, born with webbed feet. There are four sections: The Emperor. The Queen of Spades. The Zero Winter. The Rock. Told in the first-person, The Emperor is Henri's narrative, while The Queen of Spades belongs to Villanelle. The pair meet in Russia in The Zero Winter. From then the narratives switch and intertwine.posted 6 years ago.
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seven_veils
I read 'The Constant Gardener', my first John L Carre, and it was a revelation for me, but the most interesting and absorbing book for me was 'The Time Traveller's Wife'. I know that's a little behind the times!!
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
Seven-veils, I also read The Constant Gardener in 2006. Actually it was an audio book read by LeCarre, who has a wonderful sonorous voice. I was enthralled by this story, both by the characterizations, the gradual revelation of the plot, and the moral tenor of the story. Actually it reminded me of Graham Greene, with the ordinary flawed man caught up and transformed by extraordinary circumstances.
posted 6 years ago.
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HemingwayHeroine
It is my goal in 2007 to read that book in its entirety. I started it years ago, got pretty far, and then gave up. Soon!
posted 6 years ago.
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HemingwayHeroine
I would have to say Jude the Obscure. I always travel over to the classics section of Barnes and Noble and peruse the backs of the books. Jude the Obscure struck me because it claimed to have (to quote loosely) "one of the most shocking endings in literary history". And I thought to myself, oh man. He probably sleeps with another woman while he's married to his cousin, or something like that. You know, 18th centry sex shocking, not 21st century shocking. So I just needed to prove the back cover wrong.
It really was the most shocking ending to a book I've ever read! If anyone else has ever read this book, please discuss, because no one I know has read it and so no one I know gets all that excited about the ending.posted 6 years ago.
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Michael L
"Practicing the Presence" by Joel Goldsmith. Had to read it for my class but quickly became glad I did!
posted 6 years ago.
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aarmon
I really appreciate various lessons I have learned from these three books. 100 ways to motivate others, The Bible "study of Abraham", From Welfare to faring Well by Kenneth Brown.
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
I'm interested that The Road was your favorite. In another group I belog to there has been quite a discussion about that book, some defending it, some disliking it very much. It's going on my TBR (to be read) list for this year. Any book that elicits such strong and opposing reactions is bound to be interesting to me.
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
I have read Jude a couple times, but not very recently at all. I do remember the shocking ending, and the grim, dark tone of the entire book. Still, it's beautiful writing.
posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
I just received that book from a bookswap site...my goal is to read it eventually! HA...it's much longer than I thougt.
posted 6 years ago.
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embo
Usually I prefer realistic contemporary fiction or non-fiction, but 2006 was an unusual year for me, in more ways than one. I guess that was reflected in my two favorite books - The Mercy of Thin Air and The Time Traveler's Wife, both of whihc had elements of fantasy and the unbelievable. And of course love. Did anyone else enjoy these? I know that there have been some mixed reviews on them.
posted 6 years ago.
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debmcm
I agree! I loved this book. I read it over spring break 2 years ago. When I finished it, I closed the book, looked at my husband and said, "I have to do something with this book." I have been reading it to my 12th gr. English students ever since. It is as thrilling to see their faces when I get to the "surpise ending" as it was to read it myself. They always talk about it for days after....it's great!
posted 6 years ago.
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bibliotechno
Maybe not the best written novel of 2006, but the one that stuck in my mind as a novel of ideas was The Possibility of an Island by Michel Houllebecq. The idea of genetics and an open-ended online history leading to a kind of immortality was quite brilliant, though the book ran out of steam at Daniel 26 or thereabouts.
posted 6 years ago.
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GlendaPoole
A few of my favorites, "Kite Runner", "The Keep", and "The Blackbird House".
posted 6 years ago.
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cajunrita
I just discovered this site! Oh my! My library (a dedicated room with 3 walls covered) and I are in heaven! My favorite fiction book of 2006 was The Other Boleyn Girl. Gregory was able to capture the passion, intrigue, political climate, and the cultural view of the time regarding the worth of a woman without being preachy or strident. Fascinating! My favorite non-fiction is The Heart Waits by Sue Monk Kidd. I have already reread the book twice. Wonderful sharing and vulnerablity around spiritual search. Thank you to all for your comments. I love this site and will be working to make comments on my reads as I complete my shelf.
posted 6 years ago.
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eboegel
These are the books that I really enjoyed reading last year; books that I couldn't wait to get back to each evening:
The Secret RIver by Kate Grenville
The Road by Cormac McCarthy
Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen
The Highest TIde by Jim Lynch
Molokai by Alan Brennert
March by Geraldine Brooks
The Year of Magical Thinking by Joan Didion
Cane River by Lalita Tademy
posted 6 years ago.
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DaniC
My top 10 favorite books of 2006 were "The Blind Assassin" by Margaret Atwood (this spawned an entire 2 months of reading nothing but MA, but I will limit this to 1 book per author), "Saturday" by Ian McEwan (All IE, all the time), "Bel Canto" by Ann Patchett (provoked another one author marathon), "March" by Geraldine Brooks (although I am a bit surprised that it won the Pulitzer---we can discuss in the Pulitzer group if anyone is interested), "Everything is Illuminated" by Jonathan Safran Foer (I liked this better tha EL&IC), "The In-Between World of Vikram Lall" by MG Vassanji, "Middlesex" by Jeffery Eugenides, "I Capture The Castle" by Dodie Smith (Possibly the best coming of age book, bar Catcher in the Rye, EVER, by the author of 101 Dalmatians), "When We Were Orphans" by Kazuo Ishiguro, and, of course, "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix"........I found that several of these titles were books that I knew about before, but, for one lame reason or another, was hesitant to read, or books that always lost out to another title while actually at the book store. It was my new years resolution to read this type of book and I belive I was rewarded for it---a few of these titles were catapulted to "all-time favorite" status and 2006 was a very good reading year for me in general.
posted 6 years ago.
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tankgirl
I really loved "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls. "Life of Pi" was also one of my favorites.
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
I would be very happy to just sit and reread your top ten list. They were all wonderful, IMHO. The only one I haven't read is March, and I had it in my hand earlier today at the library, and then I put it back. Next time I'll check it out.
posted 6 years ago.
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Quilter
Well, that's a tough question. I looked over my 2006 reading list and checked off several that I enjoyed. After pondering the question for a while I've come up with a few answers.
Overall favorite because it deals with serious topics in a readable way: A SHORT HISTORY OF TRACTORS IN UKRAINIAN by Marina Lewycka
The book that surprised me the most by being so entertaining, interesting and informative: SHIP OF GOLD IN THE DEEP BLUE SEA by Gary Kinder.
The most inspiring read: THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING by Joan Didion (don't know how she survived such a horrible period).
The most interesting new "mystery series with a slightly mystical touch": THE CORONER'S LUNCH and THIRTY-THREE TEETH (#2 in the series) by Colin Cotterill.
The "my family's not so dysfunctional after all" book is THE GLASS CASTLE by Janette Walls.
The most interesting iformat for a discussion of issues; MISS ALCOTT'S EMAIL by Kit Bakke. (The added plus here was that I read it just before I read MARCH by Geraldine Brooks--so both books gained by having read them in sequence.)
The book that my favorite book group enjoyed (and we are a varied group): BROKEN FOR YOU by Stephanie Kallos.
Can't wait for next year!posted 6 years ago.
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maggiethecat74
NEither were published in 2006, but "A Tree Grows In Brooklyn" and Shaw's "Rich Man, Poor Man" were my favorite reads of the previous year.
posted 6 years ago.
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Campeche
I can't even remember what I read in "06. I'm like Nemo the fish; I have severe short term memory issues. I read Stones from the River back when Oprah featured it and I really liked the book. It made me realize how the everyday Germans were largely kept in the dark about what was happening in their country and to the Jews. I love it that the main character is a dwarf. It gives her a kind of fly-on-the-wall perspective of what was going on in Germany at that time in the sense that she was dismissed as unimportant and irrelevant because of her dwarfism.
posted 6 years ago.
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BCPKNIGHT
Lamb is one of my faves! Christopher Moore is so funny. If you like his writing style you may want to try some Tom Robbins too.
posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
HeHe, it was Dory the fish in the Nemo movie...I only remember because my kids have watched it too many times!
I agree with your opinion of Stones from the River though...posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
By the way, can anyone tell me how to put a picture of the book I want on this discussion?
posted 6 years ago.
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sthurner
Favorite book of 2006
I replaced my all time favorite list with ten favorite fiction titles and ten nonfiction books I really enjoyed. What do you think was your favorite book you read in 2006? Stones From the River was a reread for me, and it turned out to be one of the most rewarding titles.posted 6 years ago.
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LuvReading
Favorite book of 2007
So, what is your favorite book of 2007 - so far. I know it seems early to ask, but the year is about half over. (No one realizes this mor than a teacher 3 weeks from freedom!) I haven't read as many as I'd like so far this year, but my favorite so far would have to be "The Glass Castle" by Jeannette Walls. It set off a whole new genre for me - memoirs. Quite a memorable childhood - and told without bitterness or anger.posted 6 years ago.
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scotie
This was our book clubs first selection, back in 1997, so it isn't that fresh in my mind. However, our new book, Suite Francaise, sheds light in a different way to the same time period & the same war. I did enjoy Stones when reading it
& have recommended it to others. I recall thinking that had I been a German at that time, I think I would have been sympathetic to my neighbors & would have taken the risk to habor them in my basement. But who's to say how we will react in a given situation unless we have been there. Enjoy this selection.posted 5 years ago.
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Gracie
I was given this book as a gift and it's not something I would have normally picked up on my on. But once I finished it I was glad I took the time to read it. It's been a while for me too, but I remember loving it and thinking how very courageous and heroic the was protagonist in the book and what an inspiring life she led.
posted 5 years ago.
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vaijayanti g
One of the best books I have read. The prose, the passion and the story comes alive through its pages
posted 5 years ago.
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Mary H
Amanda, I read this book several years ago, at it is an all time favorite of mine. I love this book!!! We'll talk more about it.
Maryposted 5 years ago.
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uche o
I actually learnt a few German words from reading this book, Frau, Herr, Zwerg.... It stimulates your senses, and keeps you hooked with its rich and vivid descriptions.
posted 5 years ago.
