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tovlo4801
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| Posted: Dec 19 2005 at 9:13pm | IP Logged
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I haven't read much fiction for many years outside of what I read with my kids. Most of my reading since I've been a mom has been grabbed short articles while eating lunch, reading about educational philosophies, and spiritual reading. I decided to pick up fiction again for my own enjoyment and went with an author that someone who's writing I enjoyed recommended. It was a contemporary classic with mixed reviews, but I found that I enjoyed it a great deal. I picked up another at random from my library and also enjoyed it.
The trouble is that these books have some immoral content and themes. I'm not necessarily against that -- I think it can remind me about perspectives of the world that I'm becoming more and more sheltered from and can tend to forget even really exist. Yet, I'm wondering if there are contemporary authors out there that would not only be enjoyable, but also edifying. Doesn't have to be Catholic or even Christian, but at least leave me with a message worth contemplating. (the other books left me with messages worth contemplating, but I suspect I took a different perspective than the author might have expected.  )
I think part of the reason I enjoyed the two authors I read was that they were both about my age (30 to 40's range), and wrote with a quirky sense of humor that had me reading sections to my family just to share the laugh. (selectively chosen sections, of course...)
Any suggestions?
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Mary Chris
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I have enjoyed the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency, I think the author is Alexander McCall Smith. The stories take place in Africa. I have only read the first book. I am hoping some of the others will be under the tree.
I also like the Mitford series by Jan Karon.
The Sister Chicks books are a light easy read, Robin Jones Gunn is the author.
I have also enjoyed the Miss Julia series by Ann B. Ross. I think the first book in the series is Miss Julia speaks her mind.
Recently I just reread most of the Betsy and Tacy books by Maud Lovelace. I also am a huge Harry Potter fan.
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mom to MacKenzie3/95, Carter 12/97 Ronan 3/00 and wife to Jim since 1/92
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Natalia
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| Posted: Dec 20 2005 at 9:17am | IP Logged
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I enjoy Elizabeth Berg and Anita Shreve. Their writing is not funny but I like the depth of the characters. They are usually women and their lives are very different from mine which I think rounds up my experiences
I find their prose beautiful and elegant which is not to say that there is not inmoral content, as far as people lifestyle choices is concerned.
As far as mysteries I enjoy Anne Perry Charlotte Pitt's series.
Another author I enjoyed discovering this year was Elizabeth Goudge - I read The Scent of Water and The Rosemary Tree. Of course I don't know if this classifies as contemporary as she is dead.
I also like the Miss Julia series that Mary Chris mentioned but after two or three in the series got tired of it. I liked the Mitford series but never finished either.
Mary Chris,
I have the No 1 Detective Agency book on my night table right now. I am hoping to get to it today. I need something light to read. I have been reading The Math Gene and I need something to balance it.
Natalia
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MacBeth
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| Posted: Dec 20 2005 at 9:26am | IP Logged
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I am so glad you started this thread, Richelle! I rarely even attempt current fiction because of the you-know-what running through all of it (nearly). I usually stick to classics, non-fiction, and children's books (which are becoming spicier and dicier all the time  ).
I can't wait to hear more suggestions (I did enjoy the Sausage Dog book by the author of the No 1 Detective Agency book, so I may head there next).
Longitude, by Dava Sobel, sort of science/novel amalgamation, was terrific, with not too much off color content. It was funny, poignant, and mysterious all at once.
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MacBeth in NY
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Lissa
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Richelle, have you read any Michael D. O'Brien? Sounds like just what you're looking for. I'm a huge fan.
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Mary G
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Natalia -- have you read Anne Perry's Christmas books? They're "novellas" so they're quick reading and use her subsidiary characters -- Henry Rathbone (Oliver's dad) is in A Christmas Visitor; Lady Vespasia Cumming-Gould is the main character in A Christmas Journey; and A Christmas Guest is her latest offering with Charlotte Pitt's grandma as the character (I'm picking up this one at the library today  ). These are great little mysteries, don't take a long to read and are well-crafted mysteries. A fun read for a cozy night....after all the wrapping and other Christmas rush is done for the day....
Enjoy1
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Natalia
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Mary,
I read A Christmas Journey on Sunday. It was such a good feeling- I haven't read a book straight through in such a long time. I liked it a lot. I didn't realize that there were others. Thanks.
Natalia
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Rachel May
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MacBeth wrote:
| Longitude, by Dava Sobel, sort of science/novel amalgamation, was terrific, with not too much off color content. It was funny, poignant, and mysterious all at once. |
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I loved that book too. MacBeth, I've found that the books you recommend tend to feed my  math loving side. I was "narrating" the Joy of Mathematics to Bill the other night.
My friend in Guam has been sending me Adriana Trigiani books which I have liked. They all feature Catholic characters who are imperfect. There isn't a lot of Catholicism, but there also tends not to be much of that other stuff either. The characters are real people who make difficult choices and make mistakes. I think the series that starts with Big Stone Gap spoke to me the most. The characters grow and age. I enjoyed the middle book best, probably because it is the one that is closest to what I'm living right now.
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Natalia
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Richelle,
Have you ever seen this websiteCatholicmom ? They have a book club suggestion every month in fiction and non fiction categories. They showcase Catholic authors. I have never read a lot of the authors they 've mentioned but some of them look worth persuing.
Natalia
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momwise
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I have really stayed away from most comtemporary fiction also. I read a couple of books off of Deal Hudson's Winter reading list (sorry, I have no idea where you can access that) and there were a few things in them I would have rather avoided but all in all they were well written and held my attention. A few years ago I read Peace Like a River and I loved it. It didn't have the typical problems with language or themes and it was a riveting story. I just don't know how to keep finding the books like that but I'll start with some of the recommendations from this thread. Catching up with all the classics I never read and my book club's Catholic female authors' selections leaves me with so little time for the newer releases anyway.
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Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
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MEBarrett
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I like the Aunt Dimity novels by Nancy Atherton. A cozy British mystery, very pleasant, easy reading.Laura Childs has two mystery series that are fun. One is about a tea shop and the other about a scrapbooking store.
The Alexander McCall books are excellent!
I recently read a book by Debbie Macomber about a knitting shop (not a mystery) that was a good, light read. There were a few explicit sentences in one chapter about a married couple trying to concieve. I don't think it was necessary but when it comes to fiction I find it hard to find anything without something objectionable popping up.
I am going to try the Michael O'Brien and those Ann Perry Christmas books. I have been reading her books for donkeys years and I can't imagine how I missed those.
Great thread!!!
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Mary Ellen
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abcmommy
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We like:
MC Beaton mysteries (both the Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth series)
Janet Evanovich's mysteries (stephanie plum)
Mitford Series
Harmony series (Phil Guilley?)
LOVE #1 Ladies Detective Agency
Martha's Vineyard mysteries (Phillip Craig)
I love everything by Marion Keyes and Sophie Kinsella
Sister Mary Helen mysteries (O'Marie is a nun and she writes about a clever retired nun solving mysteries)
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Mary G
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MEBarrett wrote:
I recently read a book by Debbie Macomber about a knitting shop (not a mystery) that was a good, light read. There were a few explicit sentences in one chapter about a married couple trying to concieve. I don't think it was necessary but when it comes to fiction I find it hard to find anything without something objectionable popping up. |
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I just noticed this reference to books about a knitting shop -- one of my dreams is owning one. I've got these on hold at the library as the two -- The Shop on Blossom Street and A Good Yarn sound pretty good -- not too intense for this old brain 
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Kathryn UK
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I very much enjoyed The Tale of Hill Top Farm, first in a series of Beatrix Potter mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert. I know I saw it recommended here, but apparently not on this thread .
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Mary G
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Kathryn UK wrote:
| I very much enjoyed The Tale of Hill Top Farm, first in a series of Beatrix Potter mysteries by Susan Wittig Albert. I know I saw it recommended here, but apparently not on this thread . |
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Have you read the next one, yet? It is even a bit better, I think. She's suposedly writing one a year so she should be shipping one out soon. I believe someone (maybe me?) mentioned it on the Beatrix Potter unit study?
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MaryG
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lapazfarm
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Life of Pi is one of the best books I've ever read. I also really like anything by Amy Tan or Barbara Kingsolver (especially The Bean Trees, but Poisonwood Bible may be objectionable for some). I like all the mysteries the begin with A is for... Bis for.. I forget the author, but they are a good, lite mystery, as well as the Cat who... mysteries (Braun, I think).
But mostly I like contemporary nonfiction. Now there is a thread I could contribute to!
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4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: contemporary fiction worth reading?
