Sunday, December 14, 2008

Book Lists

It’s Monday and I’m supposed to have a book review or recommendation for you, but I wanted to try something a little different today. I have two lists to share with you – a list of books I enjoyed and would not have read if a friend had not put the book in my hands with an enthusiastic recommendation and a list of books in the ‘to be read’ pile nearest my desk.

Books I read (and enjoyed) after receiving a recommendation:

  • Leap of Faith, Memoirs of an Unexpected Life by Queen Noor
  • Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mt. Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer
  • The entire Anna Pigeon series by Nevada Barr
  • Devil in the White City: Murder, Magic, and Madness at the Fair that Changed America by Erik Larson
  • Divorced, Desperate and Delicious by Christie Craig
  • A Girl Named Zippy: Growing Up Small in Mooreland Indiana by Haven Kimmel
  • How the Universe Got Its Spots: Diary of a Finite Time in a Finite Space by Janna Levin
  • Chaos the Vampire Child by Lisa Rene Smith

Books currently in my ‘to be read’ pile (okay – one of the piles):

  • Understanding the Universe from Quarks to the Cosmos by Don Lincoln
  • Simply Math
  • T is for Trespass by Sue Grafton
  • The Science Book, National Geographic
  • Howdunit book of Police Procedure & Investigation: A Guide for Writers by Lee Lofland
  • The Cat, the Canary, and the Vampire by Linda Houle
  • Adapting Your Novel for Film by Pauline Baird Jones
  • The God Delusion by Richard Dawkins
  • Owen Fiddler by Marvin D. Wilson

That’s my list. Now it’s your turn. Have you reluctantly agreed to read a book that a friend enjoyed and been pleasantly surprised? What is at the top of your ‘to read’ pile? Use the comments link below to tell us.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

You're lists are intriguing! What a mixture - mystery, romance, and physics and math. Do you have a split personality?

Charlotte Phillips said...

Anonymous,

A split personality would explain much, but I'm afraid I can't legitimately use that excuse. I have a diverse group of friends who all like to read and all like to share books they enjoy. I have found that being open to their suggestions is a good idea as I get to enjoy books that I would never select on my own.

L.J. Sellers said...

One book that comes to mind is Freakonomics. I would have never read it if a friend hadn't insisted. I'm glad I did.

Jean Henry Mead said...

Unfortunately, my friends don't give me books.I guess they think my overflowing bookcases can't support any more. BTW, Char, I need a permalink to my article site.

Thanks!