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Thread: Book suggestions?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Book suggestions?

    As I have mentioned, I am taking a week and a half vacation soon. Their will be long flights and some long car rides.

    I'll also have quite a bit of beach time.

    So I am asking for book suggestions. Right now I am thinking of taking:
    Travels with Charley by Steinbeck
    The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
    The American Dream and The Zoo Story by Edward Albee

    But I am not wedded to these books. I am open to suggestions. I don't want something depressing or anything that will get in the way of relaxing. But I do want entertainment and some intellectual stimulation.

    Thoughts?

  2. #2
    Senior Member iris lilies's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by UltraliteAngler View Post
    As I have mentioned, I am taking a week and a half vacation soon. Their will be long flights and some long car rides.

    I'll also have quite a bit of beach time.

    So I am asking for book suggestions. Right now I am thinking of taking:
    Travels with Charley by Steinbeck
    The Invisible Man by H.G. Wells
    The American Dream and The Zoo Story by Edward Albee

    But I am not wedded to these books. I am open to suggestions. I don't want something depressing or anything that will get in the way of relaxing. But I do want entertainment and some intellectual stimulation.

    Thoughts?
    have you read any of Bill Bryson's books?

  3. #3
    Yppej
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    Exodus by Leon Uris since you are traveling to Israel. Something by Amos Oz. And for the Palestinian viewpoint maybe Once Upon a Country.

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    Senior Member bae's Avatar
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    For fun, I spent a year or more reading the whole story arc by Isaac Asimov: the robot, foundation, and empire series. It was about 20 books in total, covering from about 100 years in our future through about 20,000 years in our future. I loved all of it. Great spans of time, making a century feel like a week.

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    Senior Member rosarugosa's Avatar
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    Thumbs up for Travels with Charley.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Looks interesting!

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    Senior Member Rogar's Avatar
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    Sounds like you're into the older classics and I like your list. I would recommend Lost Horizon by James Hilton, 1933. It's pretty light reading. A little dated and no literary jewel, but still entertaining. It is the story of a plane that crashes in the hidden paradise of Shangri-La in the somewhat mythical Himalayas.

  9. #9
    Senior Member Ultralight's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rogar View Post
    Sounds like you're into the older classics and I like your list. I would recommend Lost Horizon by James Hilton, 1933. It's pretty light reading. A little dated and no literary jewel, but still entertaining. It is the story of a plane that crashes in the hidden paradise of Shangri-La in the somewhat mythical Himalayas.
    I have heard of this book. I am intrigued...

  10. #10
    Senior Member catherine's Avatar
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    Very good suggestions.

    When you wrote The Invisible Man, I thought you meant the book written by Ralph Ellison which is a great book. A bit long.

    Shorter and very readable (I read it on a 5 hour transcontinental flight): The Heart is a Lonely Hunter by Carson McCullers. It is character-driven and compelling. Description by Wikipedia:

    The book begins with a focus on the relationship between two close friends, John Singer and Spiros Antonapoulous. The two are described as deaf-mutes who have lived together for several years. Antonapoulous becomes mentally ill, misbehaves, and despite attempts at intervention from Singer, is eventually put into an insane asylum away from town. Now alone, Singer moves into a new room.

    The remainder of the narrative centers on the struggles of four of John Singer's acquaintances: Mick Kelly, a tomboyish girl who loves music and dreams of buying a piano; Jake Blount, an alcoholic labor agitator; Biff Brannon, the observant owner of a diner; and Dr. Benedict Mady Copeland, an idealistic black physician.
    "Do any human beings ever realize life while they live it--every, every minute?" Emily Webb, Our Town
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