Any ideas for some good books I could read? 10 pts!!?

Question

I like academic reading--but not too academic. For example I love symbolism and personifications, but I don't want a research paper.

I love Henry James (especially Turn of the s***w).

I just finished reading " The Lovely Bones" and was severely disappointed.

I adore cynicism and sarcasm.

Any ideas on authors that might be interesting, or that you've enjoyed. I appreciate your help!

Answer 1

Anything by David Sedaris. He's a good mix of cynicism and humor.  

Answer 2

if you want to read sumthing fun and crazy theres the stephanie plum series by janet evanovich i totally used to be into academic books 2 but a friend told me about these and i cant stop reading them theyre 15 and theyre so good i finished all 15 novels in a month! no kidding if you want i really encouorage you to give them a try they're call the stephanie plum seriesby janet evanovich the first novel is called one for the money

Answer 3

Stiff by Mary Roach

Very good

about human cadavers, but adds a funny approach to it

Answer 4

well i really like the House of Night novels by P.C Cast and Kristin Cast, Night world by L.J smith, and A Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray.

Answer 5

W. Sommerset Maugham's short stories are great!

Answer 6

when u read these books, u just cant stop ...

the " twilight " series ... theres 5 of them now ... they are excellent and i would suggest that everybody reads them

and then theres " the whole buisness with kiffo and the pitbull " ... which is actully the bestest book i have ever read

" mates, dates and inflatable bras " is also excellent, and so is " wife swap "

hope that helped

xxxxxxxx

Answer 7

This isn't exactly academic reading...but it was very interesting.

"How to make love like a pornstar" written by Jenna Jameson is very good.

I suggest reading it only if you like autobiographys.

Answer 8

Try The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins.  It's a bit of mystery book like Turn of the s***w although not supernatural

Answer 9

Class: A Guide Through The American Status System and BAD, Or the dumbing of America...both by Paul Fussell

Answer 10

Finnegans Wake by James Joyce.  

Answer 11

This is a list of my favourites:

Fiction:

Confessions of a Justified Sinner - Justin Hogg

1984 & Animal Farm - George Orwell

The Way the Dead Live - Will Self

Brave New World - Aldous Huxley

Nice - Jen Sacks

An Instance of Fingerpost - Iain Pears

The Midwich Cuckoos & Day of the Triffids - John Wydham

The Restraint of Beasts - Magnus Mills

Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll

The English Passengers - Matthew Kneale

Death & the Penguin - Andrey Kurkev

The Way we Live Now - Anthony Trollope

Catch 22 - Joseph Heller

One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams

The Brief & Frightening Reign of Phil - George Saunders

The Missing Piece - Shel Silverstein

Non-fiction

Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China - Jung Chang

The World We're In - Will Hutton

Fast Food Nation - Eric Schlosser, the scariest book I have ever read.

The Riddle and The Knight - Giles Milton (anything by him)

Answer 12

Water for Elephants is awesome. Not academic but a great story/read. Especially after you just read a crappy book!  Sara Gruen is the author.  

Answer 13

You might like POSSESSION by A.S. Byatt. It's a love story within a love story and concerns two academicians separately researching The lives of two Victorian literati whom they discover may or may not have had a secret relationship. It's extremely well and intricately written. As the mystery is pursued the four characters come closer together in surprising ways. (It was made into a terrible movie.)