Read any good books lately?

[Karlynn]

I have jury duty on Tuesday and am in need of some suggestions for a good book to keep me rivited as I wait - fiction preferably, but will take any suggestions.

My taste?
My favorites of late -
Memoirs of a Geisha
The Samurai's Garden
A Year In Provance (nonfiction)
All Over But the Shoutin' (nonfiction)
The Red Tent

I also love good mysteries.

My all-time most read:
Shogun (8 times. Must be spiritually connect to someone from the Feudal Era of Japan. ;) )
Little House in the Big Woods (can't even hazard a guess :o I got the whole Little House series, hardbound, for my 21st birthday, have had the Big Wood volumn since kindergarten. It takes me "away".)

[geebee]

Karlynn,

A book I read recently that I could not put down - "The Time Traveler's Wife". Although it has the background of time travel, it is not a sci fi book, it is a love story.

I just read it again (second time in 2 months) and I WANT MORE :D.

[Barry]

I'm a nearly obsessive reader, but my tastes run towards non-fiction.

A fairly obscure but excellent mystery novel that I really really liked is "Fatherland", a murder mystery in which the protagonist is a Gestapo agent c. 1960. Germany won the war, reaching an accommodation with the USA and England, Joe Kennedy is president of the USA, the Soviet Union is no more and there is chronic guerilla fighting there. Interesting alternative history and an excellent detective novel. (read another novel from the same author, forget the name, and it stunk)

Mark Kurlasky (sp?) has done a series of excellent histories of commonalities that are just fascinating. His best-known are "Salt" and "Cod", the former a history of, well, salt. The latter a history of the fish. And with each the way they've affected history.

"Guns, Germs, and Steel" is an excellent non-fiction book in which the author seeks to answer the very interesting question of just why it was the Europeans who colonized the New World and Africa instead of the other way around.

Hard to go wrong with a browse in your local public library. Zillions of books and all for free, you just gotta bring it back.

[Abbanabba]

Hi Karlynn, if you enjoy the "oriental" theme, you might enjoy "The Sun Rises" by Chrisopher Nicole. I think there were a couple of sequels to this book with titles along the same lines (to do with the sun). Another in this genre is "The Magician" by Raymond E Feist, which was brilliant and also spawned a whole series of sequels.

Personally I'm a huge Steven King fan and even if you don't enjoy horror, I highly recommend "The Shawshank Redemption" (..which I think he originally wrote under his pseudonym Richard Bachman..), "The Green Mile", and "The Gunslinger" series. None of these are horror, but they are ripping good yarns!


Cheers
Anna : )

[Karlynn]

Looks like I'm going to be coming back from the library with a car load!

Thanks for the suggestions!

Anna, The Shawshank Redemption is one of my all-time favorite movies. I'll have to read the book now.

[Abbanabba]

Anna, The Shawshank Redemption is one of my all-time favorite movies. I'll have to read the book now.
I guarantee you won't be disappointed! I was impressed that the movie was was so faithfully reconstructed from the book, so you won't be in for any surprises - just far more insight.

A : )

[Abbanabba]

....oh, just checked my bookshelf, "The Shawshank Redemption" was part of another book comprised of 4 stories in all called "Different Seasons" (..just in case you can't find it on its own..). One of the other stories (The Body) became the movie "Stand By Me" - a "coming of age" story about 4 boys and the summer they found a body by the railway tracks.

Happy reading.....

A : )

[PapaHappyStar]

In the SciFi/Fantasy genre -- a friend gave me a bunch of books by Lois McMaster Bujold for post surgery reading -- The Miles Vorkosigan saga -- if you want addictive reading this is that kind of space opera...

[tommy]

Karlynn,

Try any of the John Grisham books.
Most are about the legal system.
I've read these and they are great!

The Runaway Jury
The Summons
The King of Torts
The Last Juror

[hensylee]

David Kent has written two books. He's a new kid on the block, writes mysteries. The tall red haired detective is patterned after my sister. Can't recall the first book's title, but second one is Mesa 3. (or The Mesa). It's about an unusual number of infant twins buried in a cemetery in a small town.

If you read John Grisham, his very first book, his favorite and mine, is A Time to Kill. It's way long and he admits to some rambling, but it has all the good things a book needs - tragedy/drama and comedy. This one came out for the second time, after he was already famous.

[Gemma]

Try "Waiting" by Ha Jin - on the Oriental theme - a man marries, goes away to the army leaving his wife at home (waiting) and falls in love with another woman in the army who waits for him to divorce his wife.

[JimL]

Although it may not be extremely appropriate for jury duty, I agree that Grisham's are page-turners. I thoroughly enjoyed the Runaway Jury, and thus was highly disappointed with what the movie did to the story line.

[hensylee]

me too, Jim.

[Karlynn]

David Kent has written two books. He's a new kid on the block, writes mysteries. The tall red haired detective is patterned after my sister.

Ann, that is SO cool. I will definately look up the author.

[Sherry]

Karlynn,
I just finished Little Bitty Lies by Mary Kay Andrews. It's about a upper middle class Southern woman whose husband leaves her penniless and the various lengths she goes to in order to get by. It's hilarious, believe it or not.

[Barry]

You could consider finding a book on Jury Nullification and very conspicuously reading it while waiting to be called for voire dire . Jury Nullification is the legal principle by which a jury can find a defendant not guilty even though the defendant very clearly is guilty - but the law or the way it was implemented is unjust and justice is best served by a "not guilty" verdict regardless of whether or not the defendant dunnit.

Weird thing is that in Federal courts, and I believe in every state, neither the prosecution, the defense, nor the judge is allowed to tell the jury that they have that right. Even though it's a sort of fail-safe mechanism to prevent judicial tyranny.

Guaranteed way to get dismissed.

The OJ Simpson case, BTW, is viewed by many as a recent example of jury nullification.

[Georgia]

"Honeymoon" James Patterson

"The Broker" Grisham

Both are can't-put-downers.

If you're one of the two literate people in the world who hasn't read it, "The DaVinci Code"

[Harpoon]

You know, I don't think the judge will let you read while you're sitting in a jury... :D


I read John Grisham's "The Chamber" a few years ago, that was pretty cool.
Read Stephen King's "Green Mile" in it's original serial form, small paperbacks with just a few chapters at a time, released over a period of weeks or months.

I'm partial to Tom Clancy. Lots of books on Buddhism.... :rolleyes:

Shipping News was good.

[PapaHappyStar]

Karlynn --

Lois Lowry "The Giver" -- good, easy reading and pertinent given the current debate about the fate of Terri Shiavo.

I am enjoying Ammina's english classes -- I get to read the books her professors assign without having to take exams and write papers :p All fun....

Burair

[Karlynn]

Karlynn --

Lois Lowry "The Giver" -- good, easy reading and pertinent given the current debate about the fate of Terri Shiavo.

I am enjoying Ammina's english classes -- I get to read the books her professors assign without having to take exams and write papers :p All fun....

Burair

:) Burair - that's the book I recommended people read in the Schiavo thread. Great minds think alike! It's a great story of just how far bad law can go in forming society.


I'm getting so many great recommendations we should do this every now and again. I'm always looking for good recommendations and get frustrated because I'll go through periods where I can't seem to put my hands on a good book (other than the Good Book :D )

Thanks again everyone!

[knightfan2691]

Yeah...I know I'm coming in late on this....

BUT....

_Blue Highways_ by William Least Heat-Moon is good!

and, I'm currently reading _Cubs: Where Have You Gone?_ by Fred Mitchell, which details the lives of past great Cubs players such as Ryno and Jody...Jody Davis!


...and that's just a couple ;).


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[Lisa in Katy]

I read a series by Adriana Trigiani recently - 3 books starting with Big Stone Gap. They are entertaining and an easy read. Another book I read recently was The #1 Ladies Detective Agency. I think the author is Alexander McCall Smith. Also a very entertaining book.

[csutherland]

Dittos on John Grisham. My favorite was "The Brethren". I'm on a waiting list at the library for "The Broker."

Last night I read "The Notebook" by Nicholas Sparks in one sitting. It's an easy read at 214 pages. I had just rented the movie of it and it was excellent. James Garner is the star. The movie and the book differ a great deal, but I highly recommend both. My mom is 86 and has either Alzheimer's or some other dementia, and we know other folks who have this issue. It was a real tear-jerker, but don't let that stop you. There's a great storyline of their youth and love life.

The only two times I've been summoned for jury duty the case was dismissed before we were even questioned. You may get to take your stack of books home to read!

[hensylee]

Jury duty: guess tomorrow is your day. I served on a jury and found it to be a rewarding and learning experience. I think everybody should serve at least once. A close friend thinks it's a waste of her time.

Anyhow, a couple hundred of us showed up, names were drawn randomly, we were given our case, asked if we knew either of the people and if not, were told which day to come back to sit to decide. Our case was about a fellow who got so drunk at a New Yrs party that he couldn't remember a thing, but wanted the guy he thought he had a fight with to be charged. The other guy (defendant) was at said party, the first guy started getting wild, throwing punches and he was duly restrained, receiving some injuries, but we don't know who inflicted them, nor if it was his own wildness causing his own injuries - he just couldn't remember. It was no question that if the guy couldn't remember anything at all about that night, how did he know who hit him or even if anyone did? He presented no witnesses to said fight. We could only find the defendant not guilty, tho one of the jury just wouldn't give in at first. If the two people swore to tell the whole truth, but one can't remember what it was, then we must believe the rememberer and there's no question as to guilt or innocence, right? Our co-juror finally agreed that if there's only one side of the argument and that person DID remember all that happened and told us it wasn't him, what else could we do.

Ours was a simple case so no time to read, but if yours is one that is truly a serious matter, then you may have some time on your hands. Tell us about it, ok?

[Barry]

I'm one of those weird people who would actually LIKE to serve on a jury. Have only been called for duty twice, and both times ended up sitting around while they were doing voire dire to select jurors and never did serve myself. And thankfully I'd taken a book. OK to read during jury selection, but, yeah, probably not a good idea to read during testimony if you're on the jury!

Harpoon, I absolutely loved "Hunt for Red October", but every Tom Clancy book I've read since has been a disappointment. I have also found that if the cover of a book quotes a rave review by Tom Clancy, that means that the book is likely to be a real stinker.

[Wise]

I'm reading the Mitford series to my wife, who is blind. So, WE'RE reading them, I guess. This series by Jan Karon is about an espicopal priest in a small carolina town. Kind of like Andy Griffith wearing a collar; always the one who fixes everything and looks after everybody. I don't know that it competes with all the intrigue, suspense, sleuthing, and sci/fi so popular, but we like it. My wife is just now reading, on tape, "To Kill A Mockingbird", which is my all time favorite.

[William]

Has anybody read "Johnny Got his Gun"? An incredible anti-war story during WWI. Still very, very powerful, fascinating and horrifying, with the way world events are now. Will

[Birky]

I have just read a series by Beverly Lewis. It is about the Amish. First 4 is Abraham's daughter and 3 others follow. I found the first 2 at Walmart and had to get the rest at a Book Store. Easy reading.

[Karlynn]

Well, I didn't even have time to finish the last little book that I already had. There were no calls for jurors. So they had a sit for 2 hours this morning, gave us a 2 hour lunch break, and came back for just another hour. So the only thing that happened is that my posterior got a little flatter. :)

I plan on taking all the suggestions and typing them up in a list and posting them. I figure that many of us here look for good books to read while sitting in waiting rooms. ;)

[Les]

Just finished "The Kite Runner." Over the holidays I re-read "Tale of Two Cities" with a much greater appreciation than I had in high school.

[Birky]

I had jury duty yesterday and had the same experience. Did get as far as the courtroom but took the first 28 and then dismissed the rest of us to go to lunch which was 2 hours. Then had to go back and then we were dismissed permanently since they got their jury. I will get a whole $19.20 for that experience. $10 a day and 30 cents a mile. I would have rather been at work then sit there. Oh well, it is our duty.

[Karlynn]

I had jury duty yesterday and had the same experience. Did get as far as the courtroom but took the first 28 and then dismissed the rest of us to go to lunch which was 2 hours. Then had to go back and then we were dismissed permanently since they got their jury. I will get a whole $19.20 for that experience. $10 a day and 30 cents a mile. I would have rather been at work then sit there. Oh well, it is our duty.

Wow! You got paid outrageously. I only got $17.20!