Ask MetaFilter questions tagged with bookrecommendations

Which audio book should I listen to next?

lois1950 — Sat, 10 Jul 2021 15:54:36 -0800

Just finished listening to the astonishing 'One Hundred Years of Solitude' and the frightful 'Empire of Pain'. Considering 'Hamnet', 'Razorblade Tears', 'The House of Mirth'... What have you listened to lately that you'd recommend? I'm woefully behind in Sci-fi ('Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe' is my sole excursion) so good chewy sci-fi recommendations appreciated.

Adult Fiction Featuring Queer Joy

sugarbomb — Wed, 26 May 2021 14:47:08 -0800

This Pride month, I'd like to spend some time reading good adult fiction that features queer joy, not misery/abuse/death. I'm having better luck finding young adult book lists that cover this ground, but this is what I've uncovered so far: The Essential Dykes to Watch Out For
Red, White, and Royal Blue
The House in the Cerulean Sea
My Lady's Choosing
Pretend We Live Here: Stories
Paul Takes the Form of a Mortal Girl
Under the Rainbow
Juliet Takes a Breath
Liquor
Written in the Stars
Sing for the Coming of the Longest Night
Tipping the Velvet
Ascention
Mostly Void, Partially Stars
The Price of Salt (apparently? I've only seen Carol)
The Starless Sea
Something to Talk About
Meet Cute Club
Once Ghosted, Twice Shy
The Princess Affair
Xeni
Romancing the Inventor
Who is Vera Kelly?
Passing Strange
This is How You Lose the Time War
To Be Taught, If Fortunate

...anything else to add?

Simple storylines for my ear

sweetpotato — Thu, 11 Feb 2021 20:15:09 -0800

Looking for easy-to-follow stories to listen to on audiobook! I find myself with a lot less time to sit and read a book lately, which is sad, but I’d like to keep on consuming good books via audiobooks while I run, commute, do chores, etc. This means my attention will be divided, so I’m looking for stories that fit the following criteria:

- simple storyline/plot, minimal twists and turns
- few characters to keep track of
- easy to get into the story relatively quickly
- minimal jumping around in time and/or between characters (unless easy to follow)
- looking for novels, but nonfiction that reads like a good story is welcome

Some stories that I’ve really enjoyed that fit the above:

- The River by Peter Heller
- The Great Alone by Kristin Hannah
- Southernmost by Silas House
- The Chain by Adrian McKinty
- Becoming by Michelle Obama
- Educated by Tara Westover

A couple I abandoned:

- The 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart Turton
- Nine Perfect Strangers by Liane Moriarty (should’ve known by the title)

Please recommend me some simple but wonderful stories to listen to! I’ll leave genre open to expand my horizons, but I tend towards literary fiction, some mystery/thriller, and have been exploring the classics.

Seeking Book Recommendations

wanderso — Tue, 29 Dec 2020 08:15:21 -0800

I'm looking for some book recommendations. I tend to enjoy fiction with rich character development and emotional depth (aka I end up reading a lot of sad books, though that's not a requirement). Genre-wise I've bounced between science fiction (MaddAddam), fantasy (Circe, Song of Achilles), but I mostly tend towards general fiction (A Gentleman in Moscow). I'm not too picky about genre so long as the characters feel grounded and believable.

Much of what I have read and enjoyed in the last few years has been women writing about women, but that isn't a requirement. I'm also interested in reading more books with queer authors/themes/relationships.

Here are some examples of books I've read and loved recently...

Circe & Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
A Gentleman in Moscow by Amor Towels
MaddAddam series & The Blind Assassin by Margaret Atwood
All My Puny Sorrows by Miriam Toews
The Island of Sea Women by Lisa See

Non-stressful non-fiction for night time

unicorn chaser — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 02:46:10 -0800

Over lockdown, I've found that I sleep best when reading non-stressful writing in bed. What is your favourite soothing, accessible, and ideally funny non-fiction? Ideally historical. A book that very much fits the bill is The Rest is Noise by Alex Ross, about Western contemporary classical music.

While I do enjoy Bill Bryson because his books are soothing and entertaining, as a PoC I have found those of his books I have read to be very Western-centric - specifically about the UK and USA. It'd be nice to read works with a more global outlook.

I am looking to read some entertaining, interesting and illuminating non-fiction at nighttime which focuses on some aspect of human civilisation or history, even if it's quite niche. I'm sure this is a huge genre but not one I am familiar with. I'd like to learn things, but I'd also like to be soothed/entertained.

I realise that human history is NOT by large soothing or entertaining, but I'm not looking to grapple with harsh truths of the human condition at night while I am trying to sleep. I would however be happy to spend that time learning more about the history of chairs.

Good things happening to nice people

pH Indicating Socks — Tue, 08 Dec 2020 19:11:46 -0800

BookFilter: Serious, literary fiction primarily consisting of happy things, likable characters, people doing their best and things working out for them. I have the perfect example in mind but I don't want to spoil that book for you -- suffice it to say, I know it can be done. Not really looking for YA or genre fiction (unless it's spectacular). Thanks for any suggestions!

Novels featuring classical music

What is E. T. short for? — Mon, 30 Nov 2020 21:22:48 -0800

For a Christmas gift, the recipient is interested in "A novel that emphasizes performing or studying classical music. It should have discussions of one or more classical pieces and describe the emotions of performing or listening to them." Potential examples:

An Equal Music

The Mozart Season

Orfeo

Overture

These are all from the Goodreads Music Fiction list; I'm going by the descriptions and haven't read them myself. Do any fit the topic particularly well or poorly? Or are there any other fiction books that come to mind? Literary fiction or genre eg alternate history or romance are all fine.

/ˈɑːrktɪk/ or /ˈɑːrtɪk/

Megami — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 09:18:31 -0800

I am looking for recommendations for books (and maybe other material) about the Arctic. Details below the fold. When I asked for recommendations for books about Africa there were some fantastic suggestions so I am hoping the hivemind will be as helpful with books and resources about the Arctic. I am specifically interested in
- Politics and security
- Climate change
- Histories of the region published in the past decade.

I am specifically interested in books, but if you know of a good journal article, website or documentary that fits the one of the above three points (no fiction please) I would love to see it. Especially interested in indigenous/local views.

Can you recommend a history book from this list?

mark k — Sat, 24 Oct 2020 21:19:01 -0800

Has anyone read anything in the New Approaches to America Series, or failing that are you familiar with an author? I've read Mosquito Empires (listed there) and thought it was great. I just noticed it was part of a series, and while these edited history series can be of variable quality and readability a lot of the titles look interesting.

I might pick one randomly but would appreciate a pointer if anyone has one.

Recs for modern LGBT+ writing and literature

joyceanmachine — Tue, 13 Oct 2020 15:01:27 -0800

Recommendations for literature and writing about modern LGBT+ life? Fiction, non-fiction, novels, short fiction, essays anthologies, all appreciated. Right now, I'm reading Lot by Bryan Washington, and it's wonderful. I've read a lot of his stuff in the New Yorker and what he links at his website.

I have also read Ocean Vuong and Carmen Maria Machado, and I've browsed the last few years of the Lambda awards. (Per the title, I read Dancer from the Dance and loved parts of it, but uh, did not appreciate the racism and transphobia. And I'd like something more contemporary, too.)

I've already gotten a bunch of queer historical fiction/mystery/genre recs and am set with those.

Thanks!

'Amiably peopled' novels

unicorn chaser — Wed, 26 Aug 2020 16:41:56 -0800

What are your favourite low-stress, enjoyable literary novels about people just hanging out? I'm rereading A Suitable Boy, which, while it does have a plot, has a very large component of 'people hanging out'. The novel was described in a review as 'vast and amiably peopled'. I love this! I've read it before and I know it contains its share of sturm and drang, but the parts I love are the parts where the characters are just shooting the shit.

What other books would I like which are mostly just comic and enjoyable descriptions of amiable people having interesting conversations with each other? I can think of Jane Austen, Gerald Durrell and P G Wodehouse, and at the more recent end the adult novels of Rainbow Rowell. I guess a lot of romance novels fit this template, but I am not looking for romance novel recommendations.

It would be nice to read more recent examples of this type of writing, as I feel rather uninformed about current writers. For comfort I tend to gravitate to older books. I'd also like recommendations that are somewhat literary, rather than genre, as I'm very familiar with my preferred genres.

Impactful books about race

switcheroo — Mon, 10 Aug 2020 18:51:11 -0800

Hey y'all, I'm a white person looking for more books to read about racial justice. What books have you read that most impacted the way you think about race or gave you important ideas or perspectives that you use often? Tell me about books that challenged you, made you think in new ways, or gave you new information. Or tell me about a book that you think white people should read. And please tell me WHY you recommend the book or HOW it affected you! Thinking mostly about anti-Black racism, but I'm also very ignorant about racism against other groups, especially indigenous peoples, so feel free to recommend books about that as well.

Thanks!!

Book recommendations for sensitive interiority

forkisbetter — Sat, 01 Aug 2020 08:14:42 -0800

I just finished reading the wildly popular Sally Rooney books Conversations with Friends and Normal People and I really really liked them. I think the main thing I really liked was how vivid the internal lives of the characters were. I think in this time of isolation and missing hanging out with my friends I was just really feeling that "window" into other people's thoughts and feelings written in a deeply empathetic and vulnerable way. I was very taken with the way Rooney captured the nuances and dynamics of interpersonal relationships between the characters.

I also really liked how these books capture a sense of intimacy, like a really good late night conversation.

Other authors that came to mind for capturing something similar for me are Elizabeth Strout and Milan Kundera.

Open to any genre, but I'm partial to literary fiction.

Previous, but slightly different, Sally Rooney-inspired book recommendation post.

Any books with interviews of multiple musicians?

ElfWord — Sun, 28 Jun 2020 08:16:14 -0800

I'm looking for the music equivalent of Judd Appatow's Sick in the Head (interviews with comedians) or Jessica Livingston's Founders at Work (interviews with startup founders) -- a book of compiled interviews with well-known musicians about their personal experiences and professional journey. Preferably present-day female musicians (especially singer/songwriters) as this will be a gift for my 15-year-old niece. Does anything like this exist? Alternative gift recommendations for a multi-talented young musician welcome as well. She sings, plays keyboard, guitar, and ukulele. I'd prefer to buy her a book or a subscription (a la Off Camera for actor interviews) rather than gear, as a) I don't know for certain what she already has, and b) I get the sense she's still more exploring than committing to a particular musical path yet.

She's more on the shy side, so I'd love to find a gift that not only encourages her interest, but expands her view of all the different ways people find themselves living a creative life.

Historical fiction focussed on characters' "worldview"

louxloux — Tue, 05 May 2020 10:25:44 -0800

I'm looking for historical fiction which provides an in-depth look into the worldview of characters in any time and place. I really enjoy historical fiction which provides an in-depth look into the worldview, inner life, and moral reasoning of characters. Any recommendations? :)

In contrast, I'm not too into the genre when it prioritises world-building over character development which is realistic given the cultural and historical context. I tend to gloss over lengthy descriptions of architecture, landscapes, clothing, etc.

Bonus points for well-written women characters and plots not primarily driven by romance or courtly intrigue. I'm open to books set in any time period or place.

A few books I've read which ticked this box, to varying degrees:
Shipwrecks by Akira Yoshimura
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
Women in the Wall by Julia O'Faolain
Swallowing Mercury by Wioletta Greg
John the Pupil by David Flusfeder

Slightly obscure non-fiction book recommendations?

ASF Tod und Schwerkraft — Thu, 02 Apr 2020 15:02:52 -0800

My grandmother's currently stuck at home for the obvious reason, and she is feeling a bit isolated. I'd like to figure out some books we could read at the same time and chat about over the phone. Unfortunately, she's a non-fiction reader, and when I have enough time to read, I tend to prioritize fiction. I'd appreciate any suggestions the collective MeFi mind can come up with! A few caveats inside: -Ideally, no presidential biographies or books about wars. Family members frequently pick up new/featured library books for her, and these topics end up being significantly over-represented.
-Nothing that gets too technical. She was fine with the geopolitical intrigue in Richard Rhodes' books, for example, but found the bits on the physical design of the bombs to be too dry.
-Nothing that revolves around the proverbial sex, drugs, and rock'n'roll. Just not her things, you know? (Or sports, now that I think about it.)
-She's read a lot of books by well-known authors like Barbara Tuchman or Robert Caro, so slightly obscure is a good thing here.

Kindle or audiobook availability is a plus: heavy books are hard for her to hold up for too long.

Book recommendations please

medusa — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 21:00:05 -0800

I would like to read books that are gentle and PTSD friendly. What would you suggest? It's the perfect time for some nice distracting books. But I'm feeling fragile, have PTSD, and find it difficult to disconnect from disturbing books. I'd like to avoid books with significant violence, sexual violence, bigotry, child abuse, and generally upsetting things. Beyond this gigantic restriction, I'm open to fiction, nonfiction, science fiction, fantasy, and whatever else. Basically I want the recent Best Book You Ever Read thread filtered for more positive, uplifting books.

Yes, I know this rules out lots of amazing literature but that's just where I'm at right now.

My recent reading has been heavy on Terry Pratchett, self-helpish books (at least they are upbeat), and Michael Lewis. This is not enough.

What would you suggest?

Recommend me some lovely books in French for early readers (age 6-7)

theory — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 11:52:21 -0800

I'd like to get some books for my friends' daughter, who is just beginning to read in English and in French. She already has a ton of books in English that her parents (and I) read with her, so I'm looking for a few French-language books that would also be appropriate for her reading level. Extra points for humor, delightful illustrations, and representations of diversity.

Help me learn about the US Civil War.

BuddhaInABucket — Sun, 23 Feb 2020 08:11:18 -0800

I realized I know next to nothing about the US civil War and now seems like a good time to correct that. There are too many books to choose from, though. What should I read that will give me a comprehensive understanding of the context and events and immediate aftermath of the war?

Finding picture books with a substantial story.

wile e — Thu, 16 Jan 2020 05:12:53 -0800

I am looking for books to read with my daughter. We've graduated past the standard Dr. Seuss style picture books, but my daughter is losing interest with longer stories that don't have any illustrations to support the text. We've started reading the Captain Underpants series, which she loves, and it has a more extended chaptered storyline that we can read over several nights. As much as we might enjoy this series, I would like to expand this selection. Potty humor is fine but would be appreciative of perhaps other genres (is potty humor a genre?) as well.

We have also tried graphic novels, but those are difficult to read aloud. I prefer a condensed text isolated from the illustrations that include more than just spoken words.

I'm also aware that the books we've attempted might have been the issue, like the Wind in the Willow and Winnie the Pooh. As much as I love those stories, the writing style felt very dated, and I rebuked them as much as she did. I'm sure there's a whole catalog of books that I am overlooking that could very well satiate both of us. So if there any books that might fill this void, I would be quite appreciative of receiving those suggestions as well.

Thanks for any suggestions!

Recommend Accessible LGBTQ Non-fiction Books in Print

Jesse the K — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 11:02:39 -0800

Seeking recommendations for books that are

available in paperback – ebooks won’t work
easy reading — not academic or theory

on these topics

self-help for gay & bisexual men
LGBTQ history
LGBTQ biographies & memoirs

Asking for a friend who organizes LGBT Books to Prisoners.

agrarian novels

aniola — Tue, 17 Dec 2019 14:57:11 -0800

What books include descriptions of people growing their own food as a normal part of life, in a time and/or place where growing much or all of your own food is normal for most people and has been for a long time.

time for another romance novel recommendations thread

unicorn chaser — Fri, 06 Dec 2019 02:44:37 -0800

Romance novels are my thing. I am seeking some good recommendations for new, recently published authors/books. Specifically: good writing, contemporary setting, diverse casts with protagonists of colour being a strong preference, and non-hetero-normative storylines and pairings. I've given examples of the kind of authors I like below the jump. I read a lot of books in this genre. My current favourite author in the genre is Lucy Parker but I have read everything she's read. If you've read her books, you will know the kind of thing I'm looking for: funny, feminist, cheerful without being escapist (her characters have real problems but the books don't weigh you down), sex-positive, and have a cast of characters that actually reflect reality i.e. every single person isn't young, thin and white. But only one of her books has a protagonist of colour.

I enjoyed Linda Holmes' first novel, Evvie Drake Starts Over, A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole, Josh and Hazel's Guide to Not Dating by Christina Lauren, and Hold Me by Courtney Milan, which are good examples of the kind of thing I am seeking. Contemporary novels with realistic, well-rounded characters from across the spectra of race and sexuality etc., and the last three named feature protagonists of colour. The Hating Game by Sally Thorne also gets an honourable mention because it's funny and well-written but I'm kind of over the whole two-hot-white-people get together thing.

I admit that most of these are books about heterosexual pairings. I'd love a good romance novel that isn't heteronormative.

But I've been out of the loop lately. Who else is writing good stuff in this genre that I should be checking out?

Not seeking:
-literary fiction with romantic overtones - I am looking for romance novels
-erotica
-historical/paranormal/other subgenres. I want to read contemporary stories about regular folks.
-anything too depressing.

Many thanks!

Book Recs: Romance enriched with time and age

facehugger — Fri, 09 Aug 2019 21:51:05 -0800

I'm looking for books with relationships that are between two people who are mature adults and have a long history with each other. Bonus points if women aren't written as symbols, and if the relationship ends positively! I'm in the mood to read something romantic, but of a very specific sort. I want to read about a relationship between two mature adults who have a long history with each other - either they've been with each other for a long time, or they met and left each other long ago and have just reconnected.

It's a bit of a proxy to find a relationship that's emotionally intelligent and between emotionally intelligent people, but I am also quite tired of reading about young people and their first relationships. When I watch a TV show or a movie and there are two older people who look at each other with the weight of their age and just how deeply they know each other and they flash a rueful smile - oooo give me the words running through their heads please.

Super duper bonus points for if the relationship ends positively - I was burned by Brienne and Jaime in the last season of Game of Thrones, I don't think I can go through that again this year.

Other bonus points for:

* women being written with complexity, nuance, and some degree of a modern understanding of feminism - I've attempted some "classic romantic literature," and I'm exhausted by how many women are written as symbols/hysterical/representatives of the feminine essence
* between POC
* not about neurotic academics/artists
* they don't have a secret love-child

Help me find that will help me learn how to write book reviews

dostoevskygirl — Fri, 19 Jul 2019 09:01:19 -0800

I have started writing book reviews on a freelance basis for literary journals and would love recommendations for books that deal with how to write a decent review. A collection of book reviews would be great too. PS: I enjoy reading reviews on the NYT and New Yorker.