The details on this ongoing project, and the factors I’m taking to heart.
Readers told me 3 books they loved, 1 book they hated, and what they’re reading right now. In turn, I’m choosing 1 mainstream pick, 1 eccentric pick, and 1 YA pick for each reader. (Or more, if I can’t help myself.)
This week we’re choosing books for Holland, Kim, and Ginger.
Holland:
Love: The Sparrow (Mary Doria Russell), Love is a Mix Tape (Rob Sheffield), Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (Leon Logothetis), My Stroke of Insight (Jill Boyle Taylor). (I know, I know, it’s 4. I can’t be trusted)
Hate: A Confederacy of Dunces (Toole)
Last read: Cress (Lunar Chronicles #3 by Marissa Meyer)
My picks:
Mainstream: Bel Canto
Eccentric: I Wear the Black Hat, Tiny Beautiful Things
YA: Code Name Verity
TED talk: The Art of Asking
I’ll be honest, picking books for Holland totally intimidates me, because she has great taste and we’ve actually shared coffee in real life, AND I haven’t read any of her three loves! I chose Bel Canto because of what it shares with The Sparrow: music plays a key role in an unexpected but successful plot. I chose I Wear the Black Hat and Tiny Beautiful Things because Holland loved the Sheffield book plus she named Taylor’s nonfiction book as a fave , and Nick Hornby seemed a bit too obvious. (Serious language and racy content warning for Strayed.)
Holland didn’t say this, but I know she likes Rainbow Rowell (cheating!) and Code Name Verity feels like a good YA bet. Life After Life (by Atkinson, not McCorkle) has an interesting structure, as do several of Holland’s picks.
I’d never even heard of Amazing Adventures of a Nobody (it’s on my list now!), but the summary made me think immediately of Amanda Palmer’s TED talk, The Art of Asking.
Kim:
Love: Fresh Wind Fresh Fire (Jim Cymbala), Redeeming Love (Francine Rivers), The Complete Works of E.M. Bounds on Prayer, The Help (because I just can’t choose only 3)
Didn’t like, but wanted to: Blue Like Jazz
Last read: Cost of Discipleship by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
My picks:
Mainstream: A Million Miles in a Thousand Years
Eccentric: Life Together
YA: Speak Love
Memoir: All is Grace
I didn’t feel like I had much to go on with Kim’s books, even though she picked 3 books I’ve read and enjoyed. I chose A Million Miles in a Thousand Years because I think it’s Miller’s best book, and–unlike Blue Like Jazz–it resolves. (My review here.) Kim clearly isn’t afraid to grapple with deep Christian thinkers, so I chose Bonhoeffer, who, like Bounds, is worth diving deep with. Life Together is my favorite, although–major disclaimer–I’ve only read Bonhoeffer in German.
Speak Love is a lovely nonfiction read aimed at tween and teen girls, but there’s plenty of good stuff in there for grown-ups, too. (My review here.) And given Kim’s proclivity for Christian writing, I chose Brennan Manning’s gorgeous and heartbreaking memoir, All is Grace.
Ginger:
Love: The Time Traveler’s Wife, Atonement, Into Thin Air
Hate: Twilight
Last Read: Quiet (upon your recommendation)
My picks:
Mainstream: Rules of Civility
Eccentric: Life After Life (Atkinson)
YA: When You Reach Me
Memoir: Touching the Void
Rules of Civility is a book I regret leaving off my best of 2012 list. I wouldn’t call it a “read-alike” for Atonement, but the styles are similar enough to make it a solid pick. Life After Life isn’t a time travel book, but the book’s unusual, time-bending structure makes it a good pick for fans of The Time Traveler’s Wife. When You Reach Me (do I recommend this book every week? I should!) also contains time-bending elements.
Touching the Void is a first-class survival story: definitely recommended reading for lovers of Into Thin Air, (which, incidentally, I have read at least three times).
How did I do? What books would YOU recommend to Holland, Kim, and Ginger?
19 comments
I love the random Ted talk rec!
Reading this again, I think I sounded quite rude! I simply meant that I enjoyed how you were able to connect the Ted talk to the book recs. Very cool. I am sorry! 🙂
Ha! I didn’t think so–especially because that’s just the kind of thing I would say. 🙂 (Don’t be sorry!)
I LOVED The Time Travelers Wife, but didn’t really care for Life after Life nearly as much. It was entertaining to a point, but I kept expecting MORE from it and was kind of disappointed.
A lot of the books I haven’t read and/or heard of. I feel like I am an avid reader, but then I find stuff like this and I’m like “oh dear, I need to read MORE!” ha!
Thanks for doing this for your readers – such a cool idea!
I’ve heard Life After Life is a “love it or hate it” kind of book.
And for better or worse, I completely relate to this: “I feel like I am an avid reader, but then I find stuff like this and I’m like “oh dear, I need to read MORE!” EXACTLY.
This is such a fun series!! I love the picks for Kim. Looking forward to more suggestions. 🙂
Yay! Thanks so much for my recommendations! I have read and LOVED Rules of Civility so I know we’re off to a great start. I am mildly obsessed with Everest and mountain stories and have read Into Thin Air twice, so I just know I’ll love your picks.
When You Reach Me has been on my back burner “to read” list for the longest time so congratulations, it just got moved to the front! Can’t beat that price.
If you’re obsessed with Everest, Sheila at deliberatereader.com has recommended several mountain climbing books to me. It would be worth hitting her up for recommendations. No Way Down is one (her review here); can’t remember the others off the top of my head, unfortunately!
Wonderful! Thanks so much… yes, I would never in a million years want to climb a mountain, but I just can’t get enough of reading about those that do. I’m an armchair adventurer!
Me too. 🙂
I just finished Touching the Void this morning, and was riveted. Great recommendation!
I am going to try and stomach watching the documentary online (it’s on Amazon Prime), but even some of the details about Joe’s leg made me a little woozy just reading them.
I forgot to ask as well if you read the follow on short to Rules of Civility, Eve in Hollywood? I’m reading it now. I’m loving this trend of authors to be able to publish related novellas quickly. My favorite novel/novella combination has been Mr. Penumbra’s 24-Hour Bookstore along with Ajax Penumbra. I hope there’ll be more!
I loved Rules of Civility but had not heard of the short! Going to check out now…
Me either! Likewise checking it out now…
About to read this weeks, but before I forget…I think you rec’d When You Reach Me recently and I LOVED it! Read it in 1 night…also just finished mockingbird. Off to read your recommendations in this post 🙂
I’m so glad!
I am so excited about the books you picked for me! Life Together by Bonhoeffer (in English) was already on my bookshelf. 🙂 I am adding it to my list of books to read this month.
Brennan Manning is one of my favorites. I have read some of his other books and will definitely read this one too.
I am looking forward to reading the other two suggestions.
This is so much fun! Thank you.
Yay! Let me know what you think. 🙂
Wow, I am just impressed that you can think of books for people based on what they like and in four different categories!