good beach reads

[sporty883]

we are packing for CSA later this week. . .and just finished "The Shack", FABULOUS! Any suggestions for another great read?
thanks for the input,
cheese head from Wisconsin

[pynk322]

Hi Cheesehead,

What other sort of books do you like? I also read The Shack and enjoyed very much. I'm currently reading Tony Dungy's Quiet Strength. It is very enjoyable and light enough for beach reading. I have other suggestions but a little background might help.

donna

[Mestralle]

I would highly recommend "Pirate Lattitudes" by Michael Crichton. The full manuscript was discovered after his death. It's somewhat informative, due to Crichton's habit of exhaustive research and the fact that it's based on a documented historic incident, but basically it's just a great 17th-century pirate story set in and around Jamaica.

[Scoop]

I, too, enjoyed The Shack. I must say though, that my new favorite book of all time is Jodi Picholet's (spelling?) "Handle with Care" - about a young child born with brittle bone disease. The arthur is the same one who wrote "My sister's Keeper". But Handle with Care was 10 times better than Keeper, IMO. If you haven't read it - you simply must! You'll laugh, cry, and probably forget you're in the sun - so be careful to reapply sunscreen often! I was actually caught by my hubby reading this book WHILE I cooked dinner.... just picture it... spatula in one hand, book on the counter.....etc.

[stef528]

Replying to Scoop's message. ANY by Jodi Picoult is a great read. Handle with Care was really really good, so is Nineteen Minutes and The Pact by here. She is one of my favorite authors!

[Chris]

sporty -

I'd highly recommend almost anything by Bill Bryson, especially his travelogue stuff. He's a light read, and very funny. For a preview of an upcoming film about his hike along the Appalachian Trail, try "A Walk in the Woods". Hilarious!

Lest I forget...

GO PACK!

(Fox Valley of Wisconsin)

[Scoop]

Thanks Stef for fixing my very obviously bad attempt at spelling her name! And you are SO right - she's an amazing author.... I'm actually going to stop by the library tonight and see if they have the others you just mentioned !

[Mark Lehman]

anything by Carl Hiaason, funny books written about southern Florida escapades. Varying characters usually but some regulars.

[mrs2cool]

Sporty883, (Is that what you ride? Me too.)I too like Bill Bryson. Also find almost anything by James Paterson, Tess Gerritson, Patricia Cromwell or Harlan Coben easy beach reading

[stef528]

Thanks Stef for fixing my very obviously bad attempt at spelling her name! And you are SO right - she's an amazing author.... I'm actually going to stop by the library tonight and see if they have the others you just mentioned !

Did you find those 2 books? They are really really great! She has a new book coming out in March. Its called House Rules. I have it on hold at the library, can't wait to get that, I seriously read her books within 3 days!

[coffeespoons]

Three books that I couldn't put down:

The Help (although it's not exactly "light" beach reading)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Time Traveller's Wife (loved this as a novel-- didn't care for the movie as much)

[kandl]

Excellent info on Jodi Picoult. I have read all her books and am happy there will be a new one for my May trip.
While we were there in December, I read Wicked. I loved it, but I loved the Wizard of Oz as a kid so it made it more interesting.
I also read the Time Traveler's Wife while we were there in September. Last year, The Memory Keeper's Daughter. Sad but good and easy to read on the beach. Have fun. I am jealous-it is below zero in Iowa today with a storm on the way

[TravelBug]

Has anyone read the first book in the Nora Roberts wedding series? The series looks like good beach reading.

[Caznsi]

I always start a book during a holiday get thru 1/2 of it in the first couple of days...and fail to finnish it during the next 12 days...get too chilled out

[trking]

The Help is great. Just finished that one.

I'm reading The Time Travelers Wife during my lunch break at work. I'm having a hard time with it jumping back and forth and all over the place. If I was reading it with no disruptions it would pry be great. Might have to take this one with me too. Not sure how much reading I'll actually get done though!

We leave Saturday and have packed The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein. Someone borrowed it to me and said its great.

[trking]

Should add, My Sister's Keeper is great. It is terribly sad and I know people who had to stop reading the book cause its too depressing. I couldn't put it down. Jodi Picoult grabbed me into the character so much. I love authors that do that.

[Bilkat]

I'm into English historical novels. "Pillars of the Earth" and the sequel "World Without End" by Ken Follett are fascinating novels about 12th and 14th century England. Very long books - one would probably last the entire vacation.

[stef528]

Has anyone read the first book in the Nora Roberts wedding series? The series looks like good beach reading.

YES!!! Those are really really cute =) It would be a great beach read! The 3rd book comes out in May. I read the first 2 and they were great! I would def. recommend those!

[Sassy]

My all time favorite book is The Secret Life of Bees. Read that on the beach a couple of years ago. The movie is just as good but recommend reading the book first!! I'm taking The Shack this time (leave in TWO DAYS!!) so I'm happy to hear good reviews.

[meece]

Any Jodi Picoult book will be a great read. I also loved "Eat, Love, Pray" by Elizabeth Gilbert. "Tuesday's With Morrie" is a wonderful story, but a bit sad. "The Wedneday Letters" is also an emotional, but worthwhile read. "Honeymoon With My Brother" is a fun, light, easy read. I would also second "The Secret Life of Bees". The same other also wrote "The Mermaid's Chair". That's a quick, enjoyable read. "Firefly Lane" is a longer book that outlines the lives of two childhood friends as they age.

I hope you find some great reads and have an awesome trip!!!

[Bruce]

Anything by Christopher Moore, Douglas Coupland, or Tom Robbins.

[caviargal]

I pack a book a day for my trips to CSA and always finish them. Reading is a luxury for me as I do not normally have the time to relax and get into a book.

I like Vince Flynn for his Mitch Rapp series, Harlan Coben (esp. his Myron Bolitar books), Greg Iles, Daniel Silva, Michael Connelly, John Lescroart, Nelson DeMille.

Already making a stack for our March trip!

[monurse]

I am a huge Jodi Picoult fan and would recommend any of her books! I have read them all. Sisters Keeper is my fave and better than the movie. My second favorite is Change of Heart.

[mrsalwaysright]

Three books that I couldn't put down:

The Help (although it's not exactly "light" beach reading)
The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
The Time Traveller's Wife (loved this as a novel-- didn't care for the movie as much)

I literally just finished the first two (in that order even!) and also loved The Time Traveler's Wife. Good reads.

Anything by Sophie Kinsella is perfect for the beach. AT least for me it is!

[tumh20]

SARAH'S KEY! Fabulous book I read on my last Caribbean vacation and it is whipping around my coworkers and everyone loves it!
Love the Picoult too,will look some of those up!