Book Funk

I’m in one and it makes me all antsy.

During the month of December, I abstain from writing.

I wander mentally and physically to whatever.

When I’m exercising instead of forcing myself to focus on the current story lines I’m spinning, I let my mind decide what it wants to think about. And by January, I’m ready to write again.

But I’m looking for something good to read. I’ve read all the chick-lit I can stand. I knew when I started writing that I most likely fit in that category so I made a point not to read any of it. I was afraid I’d import something that wasn’t “mine.”

Now that I’ve written three books in what would be considered that category (though hopefully assessed as deeper than the usual “looking for fabulous shoes and rich man themes”) I’m sure that anything that comes out of me, is mine.

To whatever extent that’s possible.

So, I’ve read Chick Lit by the dozens and I can’t find anymore I’m interested in.

I used to read thriller’s (murder/lawyer/courtroom drama’s) by the ton, but they don’t interest me the same way anymore.

Not sure why that is.

As a college student, I spent every free moment in the summer reading silly romance novels.

This past summer I read “The Bell Jar,” “The Great Gatsby”, and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn.”

I did finish “A Million Little Pieces” which left me conflicted about the Author’s theory on recovery. But I liked it.

I’ve been wandering around the bookstore for two weeks now, finding nothing that totally excites me. I did buy and am enjoying a Richard North Patterson book. But, really I need something folks.

Any suggestions on must read books? Classics or new?

And Jill (the write way home), don’t try to slip Count of Mont. in there…I know you hated it!

12 thoughts on “Book Funk

  1. LOL kathie! I wouldn’t wish that novel on my worst enemy! Though, to be sure, when I belly-ached about it on another blog, all sorts of people started to comment on how much they LOVE the novel! And all the author’s works, for that matter. To each his own.

    If you’re having trouble sleeping, though, then do grab the book. I guarantee you will be sound asleep within 4 pages! 🙂 (Either that, or you’ll be hopelessly muddled and confused, trying to figure out who all the blasted characters with French names are!)

  2. I love to read and suggest a few that I have really liked. I’m currently reading Maybe a Miracle by Brian Stause and I like it a lot. Anything by Barbara Kingsolver…I love The Poisonwood Bible. Cenury’s Son by Robert Boswell is a book I adore. Blue Angel by Francine Prose. Sleep Toward Heaven by Amanda Eyre Ward is good. The Center of Everything by Laura Moriarty. I liked My Sister’s Keeper by Jodi Picoult — I haven’t liked some of her books but I did like that one. Little Children by Tom Perrotta.

    There’s a start…I have so many books and can suggest more…I love to read and collect books–I have them all over my house. I think I could open a store. I can’t get rid of them once I’m done, though…especially the really good ones…I just have to own them forever.

  3. Kathie, Give The Kite Runner by Kaled Hosseini a try. I absolutely loved it and I think you will too. Did you already read The Red Tent by Anita Diamont? Loved that one too.l

  4. Hey Kathie, I just thought of some other books you will LOVE because I know you love to laugh. Any of David Sedaris’s books. When I read them I laugh out loud. He is so sarcastic and real.

  5. Okay, I love the murder/lawyer/thriller/with some romance novels. But, if you’re not biting there, what about ” Bel Canto” by Ann Patchet? Loved it. My favorite book of all time is “The Night in Lisbon” by Erich Maria Remarque. Everytime I read it, I find something that I missed. Story told by one refugee to another One night in Lisbon- very early beginnings of WWII. Its great.

  6. Nicole, Mimi, and Karen, thanks so much for the suggestions. I’ll def. check out the funny, sarcastic Sedari. I need a laugh. Karen, I read Little Children and sort of liked it. I was too busy comparing it to my book to love it. But great list. I’ll check those out. Mimi, I do love the murder with the built in romance thing…but for some reason, I’m out of it with that. I’ll take a look at Bel Canto.

    Jill, I’ll pass on C.O.M. but the fact that so many people love it, makes the idea that all good books are in the eye of the beholder so clear. Good news for all of us writers, huh?

  7. John Irving. “A Prayer for Owen Meany”…excellent. John Irving writes lovely books but that one, for me at least, is the cream of the crop. Starts dry but keep reading. It’s worth it.

    Ken Follett. “The Pillars of the Earth” An epic about the building of a Cathedral. This guy usually writes spy novels. You’ll feel like you know how to build a cathedral at the end.

    John Steinbeck. Oprah’s bookclub was right. His words aren’t just printed on a page. They are solids which you can feel, taste.

  8. I like anything by Nelson DeMille. He researches them well and writes in a way that holds your interest. His best known one is “The General’s Daughter” because there was a movie made of it but all are good.

    I also like the series by Michael McGarrity about Kevin Kerney that take place in New Mexico. Ideally read them in order but they do each stand alone. They are rich in character development as well as local color.

    My wife’s favorites have been “The Nol 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency” series by Alexander McCall Smith. There are about six now in that series about a lady in Africa. Annie died in July so will not have a chance to read number six but she really did like them.

    Sometimes it is good to go to a library and just take a chance on a book. If you decide you don’t like it you return it and the only thing you have wasted is a little time. And, maybe it wasn’t really wasted because you did at least learn you did or did not like the work of that particular author.

  9. I second the Barbara Kingsolver suggestion. Her Animal Dreams is one of my favorites—it combines a smart romance (I wanted to marry her man myself), feminism, Southwestern landscape, and abortion, and makes it all work. Poisonwood Bible was awesome, too—if you like wordplay, you’ll dig the chapters narrated by Adah. It’s a big, meaty book.

    Another old favorite of mine is Zora Neale Hurston’s Their Eyes Were Watching God. The book offers so much more than the Halle Berry made-for-TV movie version. And I was in love with the flawed Teacake (Janie’s love interest).

    If you ever listen to Terry Gross’s NPR show, “Fresh Air,” read her book, All I Did Was Ask. Fascinating interviews with assorted artists, musicians, and performers, in bite-size pieces so it’s easy to read without having uninterrupted chunks of time.

  10. Thanks Orange,

    a great list…Animal Dreams sounds like a good one…I’ve heard great things about B.K., but for some reason haven’t picked her up. She’s at the top of my list at this point and will be soon making my trip to the book store. “All I did Was Ask,” sounds perfect for the amount of time I actually get to read at one shot. Appreciate the input.

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