Friday, October 20, 2006

Friday Coffeehouse: Fireside Reading

Recently I've been reading a lot more. I think it's the cold weather coming in. To me, the Autumn and Winter are definitely more conducive to reading than the summer. (This is true at least in Washington, especially, as it rains a lot during these months and one tends to spend a lot of time indoors.) I love good solid literature, but sometimes I really enjoy reading the more fly-through books over cups of tea/coffee or in bed at night: books which I can read when I'm really, really tired or while Aidan is playing. I just can't seem these days to pick up books like War and Peace and such!

Some easy-read books I've been enjoying lately:

P.G. Wodehouse is a British author who has written many delightful, comical novels, including Life With Jeeves and Summer Moonshine. He will either have you laughing non-stop or not. You either like him or you don't.
~"A melancholy-looking man, he had the appearance of someone who had searched for the leak in life's gas pipe with a lighted candle"
~"'Have you ever tasted such filthy coffee?' 'Never' said Joe, though he had lived in French hotels"
~"'There is a fog sir. If you will recollect, we are now in Autumn - season of mists and mellow fruitfulness'"

Agatha Christie: She also is a British author. She is a crime-fiction writer, particularly featuring the detectives Miss Marple and Hercule Poirot Her novels are well-written mysteries which have you turning the pages...If you can't sleep after reading mysteries, don't read these. "...the magic of her storytelling continues to reach a contemporary audience...she continues to be recognised as the undisputed 'Queen of Crime.'"

Anton Checkov: He is a Russian Dramatist, short story writer, and novelist; an author who writes very simple, wholesome, edifying short stories, rich and delightful. Most famous is his short story The Kiss.

F. Scott Fitzgerald: American...he was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in 1896. He is famous for his novels, such as The Great Gatsby (1925). Ellie loves his short stories.

C.S. Lewis , one of the finest writers of the 20th century (known for the Chronicles of Narnia) tends to have a very simple tone to his books which keep me turning the pages. My favorites just might be the Narnia series. I especially enjoyed re-reading them after becoming a mother. The Screwtape Letters are also fun... in a "make-you-think" sort of way.

Ellis Peters. I never got into him, but, in my sister's words, "his mysteries are good and give you a fun lively picture of the Medieval world." His Brother Cadfael series are great for moms because they are short, easy read books.

Betty Smith, an early 20th century writer has a few lovely novels out there, her most well-known being A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. There's also Joy in the Morning which is a fun read about the lives of newlyweds and a couple other books of hers which I'm sure are easy pick-ups too.

Can't think of any more at the moment. There are many more out there, though. If any of you have any light-readers which stay within the realm of well-written/wholesome reading, go ahead and share them in the comments.... We all love hearing of new authors/stories.

~Sia, Vancouver, WA

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one of us :: 12:01 AM :: 9 Comments

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