Tuesday Tea: What's your go-to title when someone asks for a great read?
Readable recommendations ahoy.
Recommending books to others can be fraught with peril. What if your best friend/sister/cousin/nephew/whomever doesn’t like your favorite book?! But we readers get asked all the time for great book recommendations.
Spill the tea: What's your go-to title when someone asks for a great read?
Dave says…
I don't think there's one book for everyone, but I would push gently in the direction of Amor Towles' A Gentleman in Moscow (featured in Russia episode) or maybe... hm. Station Eleven? The Hobbit? The Gifts of Imperfection? The Complete Calvin and Hobbes?' ... What do we know about this hypothetical person?
Mel says…
Ugh. Dave actually chose this question, and it’s so tricky! I tend to like books with a Very Strong Opinion About Life, which is not everyone’s cup of tea. But! A book I found very readable, inspiring, fun, and informative was My Life in France by Julia Child. I think the mysteries by Dick Francis from the ‘70s and ‘80s also have broad appeal. The plots move swiftly, and there’s a lot of character development. And they’re always set in interesting subcultures like horse racing, wine selling, photography, that kind of thing.
Your turn!
If someone needs joy, Bill Bryson. Someone in grief, Joan Didian's A Year of Magical Thinking. Great audiobook, Poisonwood Bible. Improved Quality of Life, I recommend Power of Moments by Chip Heath or Chasing Daylight memoir. Beach Read recommendations, Romantic Comedy, Nora Goes off Script, Remarkably Bright Creatures. Daily devotional, Treasures in the Dark by Katherine Wolf is wonderful!
I love Goodbye Mr Chips, A Reading Life by Pat Conroy. Just so many wonderful books that enrich and change us. I'm so thankful that I am a reader!!!!
My go-to is The Boys In The Boat. I think it checks so many boxes - history and suspense (even though it tells you how it is going to end at the beginning). There are traditional villains and surprise ones. If you enjoy an audio book, it's a great listen.