Out the window in Paris--away from the angel wings.Can you tell me what your husband/wife/roommate is reading right now? Do they read the same sort of books you read? Do you pass books back and forth ? Do they understand your taste in books or do you have to give them suggestions when your birthday comes around? Do you know theirs?
Phil is reading ZOO STATION, by David Downing, a spy novel.
27 comments:
Wife just finished last night The Blade Itself by Marcus Sakey. She saw him on a panel at LCC in Denver. She said it was "okay, but not great".
She only reads mystery fiction, no SF-F or other genre stuff, little non-fiction or "lit". She likes the sociopathic, dark, twisted serial killer novels: Jeffery Deaver (Lincoln Rhyme), Val McDermid (Tony Hill), John Connelly (Charlie Parker), Carol O'Connell (Mallory). She also really likes the fairy tale series by Craig Russell that begins with BLOOD EAGLE. There are 5 of them, though they are not readily available in the U.S. Also she liked JAR CITY and it's sequel. She started down this dark path, I believe, with the John Sanford Prey series and liked Lawrence Sanders Deadly Sin books as well.
She will try something I suggest, but since she reads a book to the bitter end, like it or not, I'm cautious about what I offer. Lastly, she's not much for short stories, she likes the length and complexity of novel length.
Great question!
She just popped in to say she did like Ken Follett's THE PILLARS OF THE EARTH.
I think I know Jenny's taste in books. There have been misses, but those are not the norm. I have safe choices in other gifts. I know what she likes in earrings. But I don't buy her clothes. I did early in our marriage, but I learned quickly that it was a mistake to try.
Jenny doesn't buy things for me. Her most recent gift, an electric guitar, was researched and chosen by me and I'm fine with that. All she had to say was OK.
For the record, we've been married for 30 years and I'm happier today than I've ever been. So we must have figured a few things out.
Lana reads almost all nonfiction, usually with a historical or natural theme. She loves books on birds and animals.
Phil, it seems, has exceptionally good taste. Of course, I am partial to Downing, which you might have already guessed.
Diane is reading SUNFLOWERS: A NOVEL OF VINCENT VAN GOGH by Sheramy Bundrick. She reads about 52 books a year, mostly fiction, featuring women characters. Our reading tastes rarely coincide, but I will be reading THE HELP, which Diane, Katie, and Patrick have all read and raved about.
Barbara and I have similar tastes. I loved JAR CITY and its sequel.
R.T. I got the idea from you and he is loving it.
David-Phil has not learned not to buy clothes. I pray for that day.
My reading group is doing THE HELP in October. Let me know. Fifty-two books a year is great. Does she put many aside?
Phil reads more non-fiction than fiction. Books on birds? I should do just that. I am a terrible bird identifier. My grandson at three can identify more.
My wife prefers science fiction. She does read some of the same mystery books I do if they are not too violent. We are both reading through the Spenser series again. She likes some popular fiction and has read all of J.D. Robb. I only read an occasional one of those just because I have picked it up from her.
THE HELP was the favorite book of Diane's book club in past year (so far) followed by HOTEL ON THE CORNER OF BITTER AND SWEET. Diane has only abandoned TWO books ever! Diane has realized that many of the books she's enjoyed most are the authors' first book. Sometimes the authors' second book is disappointing. Not the case for Geraldine Brooks, one of Diane's favorite writers, who seems to write a different book every time out!
My husband reads more science fiction than I do. I just saw SPLICE though.
Wow. She is patient and persevering. Or else she chooses carefully.
After reading a tear-jerker memoir about Dean Koontz's dog, my wife Irene is now reading his novels. I haven't tried him.
I tried one of his once but I don't like that pounding heart feeling.
My better half just finished Scott Turow's INNOCENT. We rarely have books in common, though.
My wife likes romantic suspense along the lines of Nora Roberts, Tami Hoag, Julie Garwood, etc, and straight mystery/suspence like Woods, Grafton. I keep up with her reading and am always on the lookout for something new she might like, or a new release by a favorite author. Our reading tastes rarely cross, and when they do it's me recommending she read something I read, and never the other way around. She's more open minded than I am.
She would never attempt to buy a book for me; failure rate is too risky, as i am, in her words, "kinda picky." Plus, i read a lot of stuff that is out-of-print which requires tracking down online or at local used bookstores. Some people enjoy the hunt, others don't.
My husband reads a lot of philosophy which is not my taste at all. He doesn´t read much crime fiction, but when I read a really excellent crime novel in Danish, I recommend it, and he usually enjoys it as well. I like sharing those gems with him. One of our shared favourites is Jo Nesbø.
And during the last few years my three children have begun reading quite a lot of crime fiction. They don´t have the same taste, but I know who likes Miss Marple, who prefers Val McDermid and who can stomach an Irish serial killer. That is quite a new pleasure!
Megan likes true crime and a lot of unpredictable stuff. My son reads a lot of biographies but a lot of crime and mainstream. He especially likes Sanford and Connelly. Oh, and Mankell is a new favorite.
Patti - Such an interesting question (as ever)! Right now, my mr. is reading John Scalzi's The Android's Dream. He's much more into sci. fi. than I am, and I'm much more into crime fiction than he is, so we don't often share books. Still, we do pass some things back and forth. For instance, we both liked Douglas Adams' work and a lot of Dave Barry's work.
Both of us are somewhat resistant to the other's suggestion. Not sure why. It's like if one of us read it and talked about it on walks, we both read it.
I want to read that Turow novel.
I read Grafton up until about L when I started my one writer, one book philosophy.
My charmer has no influence on what I read because she samples a smattering of books a year compared to my eighty or ninety.
Her latest was THE DEVIL IN THE WHITE CITY. (And she tends to go for non fiction as well.)
Kitty is far less tolerant than I am; I will stay with a writer far long than she will. That said, she at times can have much stronger stomach than I -- she was able to read the entire Twilight saga the same time our grandkids did, and kudos to her for that.
She prefers newer books while most of the people we know think that the musty old book smell is my cologne. She demands plot, good writing, historical accuracy, and good characterization; while I tend to read anything with those squiggly ink thingies on a page.
She loves a good thriller, a decent mystery (although she usually knows who did it and why within the first fifty pages), and a decent romance. She has been known to enjoy a paranormal romance. She reads far more non-fiction than I do -- but it has to be something worthwhile; she does not suffer fools gladly. She does bow down to my level at the checkout line with the tabloid newspapers (which we both read but do not buy).
Pillars of Earth is one of her favorite books (she majored in history). She had an extended talk with Ken Follett about the book when he had a signing in New Hampshire and we were the only ones who showed up. (He agreed with her that the book should be required reading in all high schools.) She has always felt comfortable talking with authors. (Afterwards, she would usually ask me, "Who was I talking to?" I would tell her, "That was ABC, he/she wrote XYZ." More often than not, her reply would be, "Oh, I read that. It was a pretty good book.")
I often wish my taste in books was more like hers. I'm just very thankful she puts up with me.
Right now she is reading a book on historical costumes through the ages and No Rest For the Wicked by Kresley Cole.
I wish I read more eclectically. Always more difficult to read non-fiction because it never pulls me in.
My husband has FAHRENHEIT 451 on the bedside table. I have to figure this is a re-read for him, because he's traveling today and took another book (a collection of short mystery stories) with him to read.
Our tastes rarely overlap (although we both enjoy mysteries--I prefer "proper British mysteries" and he's more a fan of the hard-boiled American school). He reads a lot more non-fiction than I do. The last book we both read was CONSPIRACY OF FOOLS, about the Enron debacle.
That's funny - I just got ZOO STATION from the library after reading a review.
My wife Jackie does read mysteries too, but she reads more romantic suspense/paranormal romance and the like. She just read a book by Rachel Lee and is now reading Shannon McKenna's latest.
She did read the latest P. J. Tracy after I finished it. I still read more than she does (though she's reading a lot more since she retired) and I pass on books I've read that I think she'll like. Occasionally she will try and get me to read one of hers (I did read one Nora Roberts, once) but the traffic is mostly the other way.
Jeff M.
That's funny - I just got ZOO STATION from the library after reading a review.
My wife Jackie does read mysteries too, but she reads more romantic suspense/paranormal romance and the like. She just read a book by Rachel Lee and is now reading Shannon McKenna's latest.
She did read the latest P. J. Tracy after I finished it. I still read more than she does (though she's reading a lot more since she retired) and I pass on books I've read that I think she'll like. Occasionally she will try and get me to read one of hers (I did read one Nora Roberts, once) but the traffic is mostly the other way.
Jeff M.
Sorry that posted twice.
Jackie does NOT like short stories, though she will read shorter works if they're in series she likes. She authors she's read the most books of: Nora Roberts, Diana Palmer, Jayne Ann Krentz/Amanda Quick/Jayne Castle, Iris Johansen, Heather Graham.
In the mystery field: Agatha Christie is by far #1 (she's read all but the short stories). She's read a lot more Dean Koontz than I have, but horror/paranormal is hit & miss. We often like different authors.
She will read things I recommend: Josh Bazell, Charlaine Harris, Julia Spencer-Fleming.
Since she retired she's read over 100 books a year (high total: 153) every year but 2009, when she read 79.
Jeff M.
PS - great question!
Judy reads a lot of mysteries. Right now she's reading the latest Sookie Stackhouse novel from Charlaine Harries. It's one of her favorite series.
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