fallingdown

So what are you guys reading this summer? Not too long ago I read James Frey's new fiction novel "Bright Shiny Morning". It's the first Frey book I've ever read and it was actually quite good. I know the guy got a lot of bad press a few years back but I figure everyone deserves a second chance. I recommend Bright Shiny Morning especially to people who are interested in the history and culture of Los Angeles.

Am also awaiting my copy of "Closing Time: The True Story of the Goodbar Murder". I have never seen the 70's movie "Looking for Mr. Goodbar" and it's not out on DVD so I figured I would just read the book. From what I understand it is a pretty compelling story so I am looking forward to learning more about it. I sure wish I had the movie, though.

So is anyone else reading anything interesting?

Mr H

Oh, ive just picked up three Double Richard Laymon books, got to love abit of Horror!

Iloow

I have started the Bourne Identity as I have not seen the films nor read the books. It is excellent so far. I am missing one from the series which I will get in the bookshop in the airport as they are supposed to be my holiday reading.

I have just finished The English Civil War Part II about the 1984-1985 coal miners strike. It was very interesting on the back of reading GB84 which is a fictional book based on fact about the same period y David Peace.

fallingdown

I don't know about you guys but I have considered reading a real Godsend in keeping me sober. IF I have a good book to read I don't even think about booze, it's only when I get bored or upset that I get cravings. Only problem is, books can be darn near as expensive as my bad habits used to be!

WendyS

I have been in a real Augusten Burroughs streak lately. His book 'Dry' was wonderful and I just finished 'A Wolf At the Table', another great book.

Great thread! Thanks Fallingdown!

fallingdown

My pleasure...Dry IS wonderful! I read it about once a year or so. "Magical Thinking" by Burroughs was also a great read. It's hard to go wrong with him.

Astro

Great thread fallingdown! Sometimes it's fun to learn something new about each other and the pleasures in life that we enjoy.

For my first few years of sobriety I read only self-help books. A few months ago I was starting to feel a little brain dead from absorbing all that recovery information, but I'm grateful for the knowledge it gave me.

A couple weeks ago I picked an old Stephen King book, The ********, from my shelf and re-read it for the first time in over 20 years. It felt so good to read some fiction again, so I'll be going to the store soon to catch up on my SK novels. I've probably missed a few since 2005! Duma Key is one I really want to read.

What I appreciate most is that both my children have always been avid readers. I love seeing them with their nose stuck in a book, much better than playing computer games or watching TV!

HeavyJ

I am re-reading Bill Bryson "A walk in the park" It is hilarious. And anything by David Sedaris "Me talk pretty one day" is one of my favorites. Funny funny stuff...

Heavy

P.S. Astro, My kids are very into reading books at bed time, I love it! Hardley any TV. We adopted them from an orphanage where they ddin't have TV anyway...

fallingdown

Astro I too went through a renewed interest in King about two months ago. I never read The ******** but I did go back and re-read the Tommyknockers...NOT an easy book to read sober..lol...more recently I have read his book Cell (pretty good) and Hearts in Atlantis...great, but only because of the first story in the compilation. I think it's great your kids are readers. I don't know what they're reading these days. Back when I was a kid it was Judy Blume and Beverly Cleary and Nancy Drew.

Astro

My kids are 10 & 12 and they seem to enjoy reading series. They've both read the Harry Potter books, Narnia, Lemony Snicket's, and so many others I can't think of them all.

Tommyknockers was cool! I also liked It, The Stand, The Dead Zone, Black House, the Gunslinger series, I guess all of them are really good!

Horselover

I agree with you on the reading makes you forget about drinking. I just got about 25 books for $3.00. Quite a few were for my son, but not bad huh? Thrift stores and second handbook stores are my best friends.

I am currently reading a book called "Adam" by Ted Dekker. Its about a serial killer and its really well written. I like mystery-murder books. I have read a lot of James Patterson, but then his got kind of predictable.

I also like Jan Karon books. Not murder type books, but more spiritual. Great topic by the way!!

fallingdown

Yeah I agree, it's pretty hard to go wrong with King. Precious kids btw..they look like little rockstars!! :o)

Horselover

Hey Astro - I've read all the Harry Potter books too and I'm 41 years old, but a kid at heart I guess. I'm kind of sad to see the series end, but I know I will reread those at some point. I can't wait to read a chapter a night to my son when he's a bit older.

Astro

I've read all the HP books too, loved 'em and it bummed me out to read the last one, knowing that it was the final book. I guess that's why they say "all good things must come to an end"? Lol. I wonder if JK Rowling has anything else planned for the future?

My favorite store is Half-Price Books. They've got a pretty up to date selection and great prices. I could spend hours in a bookstore!

Iloow

I cannot get into the whole Harry Potter thing if I am honest. I am not really into that type of book/film. I have never watched a full film of Star Wars, LOTR or Indiana Jones.

I agree that Hearts of Atlantis is an excellent King book, probably one of his best. I also liked the Green Mile but found the Black House hard work.

James Patterson now is like reading a comic book. He is lazy in his writing and only gets half decent when someone cowrites with him.

fallingdown

Iloow..I know, the first story in Hearts in Atlantis made me cry. I've never read any HP myself, but the Narnia series pretty much changed my life when I was a kid and even as an adult, I still hold out a slight hope that someday I will be able to walk through the back of a wardrobe and discover a whole new world. (kidding..sort of!)

Horselover I like to get books at thriftstores too! Back when I lived in KC I knew where to go but I'm a little lost here in Dallas, it can be so hard to find what you're looking for if you don't know a place that well. I've taken up buying used books off of e-bay which is still slightly cheaper than buying them brand new, and a little more convenient.

Iloow

Yeah I use either second hand book stores, Ebay and cheap book shops. I got 3 books from the Bourne series for £5 the other day new, which was not bad.

The great thing about Hearts of Atlantis and the Green Mile is that they are not horror and I think King is better when he doesn't write horror, see Misery, Delores Claiborne, The Shining.

You won't have had them over there but the Faraway Tree books by Enid Blyton were my favourite books as a kid. The kids could go up the tree into different lands, it was magical. I like the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe, but never really read the rest.