Book suggestions?

[Ultralight]

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?

[iris lilies]

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?

[Yppej]

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

[bae]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos

[Tammy]

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.

[rosarugosa]

Thumbs up for Travels with Charley.

[Ultralight]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyperion_Cantos Looks interesting!

[Rogar]

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.

[Ultralight]

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...

[catherine]

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.

[LDAHL]

For vacation reading:

Ralph Peter's Civil War novels. Start with Cain at Gettysburg.

John Le Carre's pre-1990 spy novels.

Any of Rex Stout's Nero Wolfe novels.

Burr or Julian by Gore Vidal.

Anything by HL Mencken. He ages well.

[JaneV2.0]

And there's always Henderson the Rain King...;)

[LDAHL]

And there's always Henderson the Rain King...;)

Or Humboldt's Gift or Mr Sammler's Planet. Bellow was a Nobel laureate who actually deserved it.

[Ultralight]

On my way out this morning I am going to swing by the nearby used book store and see about your suggestions!

[Gardnr]

Ann Patchett-Commonwealth I just finished today, a great read.

Love Diane Chamberlain....I've read all I can get through our library system.

Emilie Richards-I've read all of hers I can get too.

[rosarugosa]

Gardnr: Ann Patchett is one of my favorite contemporary authors, and Chris Bohjalian is another. Did you read Bel Canto? That book just pulled me in and wrung me dry and broke my heart.
I'll have to check out Chamberlain.

[flowerseverywhere]

My votes
"Pillars of the earth" Ken Follet

https://www.amazon.com/Pillars-Earth-Novel-Kingsbridge/dp/0451166892/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1494732906&sr=8-1&keywords=pillars+of+the+earth

a great story about time travel set in England 1940's and 1740's with lots of hot steamy sex outlander

https://www.amazon.com/Outlander-Diana-Gabaldon/dp/0440212561/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494733275&sr=1-1&keywords=outlander+book+1

And for pure silliness the Stephanie Plum series


https://www.amazon.com/Three-Plums-One-Deadly-Stephanie/dp/0743216393/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1494733470&sr=1-2&keywords=evanovich+one+for+the+money

[Gardnr]

Gardnr: Ann Patchett is one of my favorite contemporary authors, and Chris Bohjalian is another. Did you read Bel Canto? That book just pulled me in and wrung me dry and broke my heart.
I'll have to check out Chamberlain.

This was my first Patchett......I'll be reading more of her. Have not heard of Chris....have hit the library website and put some on my reading list for the future. Thank you!!!

[Gardnr]

Also LOVE LOVE LOVE the Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon. These are near 800 pages so each took me nearly 2 months to read d/t the paid employment opportunity I participate in.:~)

[iris lilies]

Also LOVE LOVE LOVE the Outlander series by Diane Gabaldon. These are near 800 pages so each took me nearly 2 months to read d/t the paid employment opportunity I participate in.:~)
Why do you think Outlander would appeal to the OP, given the choices he has already made?

[Yppej]

So what did you end up getting UA?

[Gardnr]

Why do you think Outlander would appeal to the OP, given the choices he has already made?

"But I do want entertainment and some intellectual stimulation."

I thought the series was highly entertaining but a whole lot of history, reality are embedded IMO

[Vanessa]

I think you are familiar with the creativity of Sidney Sheldon. This is one of my favorite American writers. So he is a talented screenwriter and producer. I want to advise you to read such his works as
The Best Laid Plans (1997) https://novel12.com/242720/the-best-laid-plans.htm.
The Naked Face is the first novel (1970) https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/300226.The_Naked_Face.
The Other Side of Me (2006) http://2novels.net/242724-the-other-side-of-me.html.
But "Master of the Game"(1982) http://www.ppbooks.net/Thriller/e5531.html, in my opinion, is one of the most interesting of his works. This book keeps the reader in suspense all the time. It covers an entire era. I like the adventure part about the kidnappers of diamonds. In general, it is impossible to come off reading, I advise everyone to read it!
When I had to select topics for research papers (https://essayshark.com/blog/outstanding-research-paper-topics-to-get-started/), I decided to write a dissertation on the theme "The image of America in the literature of the USA in the first half of the 20th century". There is something to work on. >8)
http://www.simplelivingforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=2010&stc=1

[Vanessa]

Or you can read "We are Gods" - a new book by the famous French writer Bernard Werber.