Tuesday, April 8, 2008

Book Suggestions?

It's 2:30 am and I need your help! I actually have lots of things to post about: last week in La Crosse, packing up, moving home, hanging out with friends, PLAYING WITH DAVID!!!, getting reorganized, shopping for new summer clothes, taking online classes for my next assignment, etc, etc, etc.... The last few days have been especially busy!

But, I'm trying to get to bed and the last thing to cross off the list for today just can't get done. I'm going to chalk it up to being tired, and I don't allow myself to make financial decisions when I'm tired. (Even if they're only $10.95 decisions, still... shouldn't be done!)

I need your help! I love listening to books on tape, and well, on Wednesday I leave for my 3-day road trip to Arizona. (I think I could do it in two long days, but why hurry if there could be fun things to see along the way? And, also, I don't really have it all planned out fully just yet. I might just hop in the car and go...) I just searched around iTunes for awhile to pick out my next audiobook, and, well.... I couldn't make a decision. The problem is that there are so many books on my list of "I've just got to read that someday" that I didn't know where to start. Any suggestions?

A few years ago a friend and I drove from CA to MN (and stopped in five National Parks along the way =GREAT trip!) and we listened to the great classic by Pearl S. Buck, "The Good Earth". It was a really interesting book that I'd recommend. Also a few years ago another friend was kind enough to be my own personal book on tape by reading two of James Patterson's softer novels aloud to me ("Sam's Letters to Jennifer" and "Suzanne's Diary for Nicholas" -also two great books). When we got to our destination for one of the trips and had a chapter or two left, we sat in the parking lot while she finished reading and I finished crying! If you've never had the chance to have a personal "book on tape", I highly recommend it!! The same summer as the CA-MN trip, I also drove to Seattle with a friend for a wedding, but came back alone (the friend stayed to visit family) and listened to a few of my old favorite standbys -anything by Janette Oke.

So, back to the current dilemma. What to 'read' for this trip? An old favorite like the Chronicles of Narnia series? Anything by Jane Austen? (All of hers are favorites!) Some standard classic that I haven't read but always wanted to? A random popular book that's the latest buzz? I love Christian novels but don't seem to find them easily on iTunes... Maybe I need to search differently... I enjoy C.S. Lewis and Max Lucado and Philip Yancey and Elizabeth Elliot and Lee Strobel and all that those authors have to offer. Francine Rivers, Lori Wick, and Janette Oke are my favorite novel authors, but I know there are other great authors out there to try.

What do you think? Any suggestions? I'd love to hear some of your favorite books, or books you think might be especially helpful for me to read during this trip, or books that are funny or uplifting and make you smile, or books you've listened to and don't mind the sound of the reader's voice. What are some of your favorite classics? Favorite non-fiction books? Favorite fiction books?

I'll make a decision by Tuesday evening (later today I guess...) so please comment-away! Thanks for your help!

6 comments:

Stacy said...

Hi Kari,

About the books...have you ever read/listened to Karen Kingsbury?? She's a great christian novelist. I'm reading one of her books right now and I'm really into it, maybe give her a try...Also, I'll be praying for you on your road trip. Just have to share this we just had a pt. with a Chp. 51 and an Etoh detox...hows that for a ped's unit??? Thought you might enjoy knowing that...your missing all the fun...lol....Have a blessed day.

Stacy

Eric, Maralee, & Baby S said...

Hey Kari,

This might sound strange, but "Hondo" by Louis L'Amour is quite good if you're in a cowboy sort of mood (NOTE: to encourage that spirit, hum the theme song from Bonanza).

We listened to "Hondo" when we drove from MN to MA last May. It brought back a lot of good memories of watching cowboy shows with my dad. I really would recommend it! : )

Have a WONDERFUL drive! We're excited to hear about Arizona.

Love,
Maralee

Leingang Family said...

Ok, this may sound strange but I just started listening to Swiss Family Robinson and am really enjoying it. I like the old classics. :o)And it's a free download on the net!

Jim and Marilyn said...

Have you listened to Tom Brokaw's The Greatest Generation?" It is really good. Also anything by Harry Krauss, MD (but I don't know if any of his books are on tape...)
And of course- expect some phone calls while you are travelling!!!

Kristina said...

If you want Christian...anything by Ted Dekker. His Black, Red, White series will probably get you all the way to Arizona. His book "Three" is also really good! A classic, "Jany Eyre" is my favorite! Have a safe trip!!
-Kris

Krista Koljonen said...

Am I too late to make my suggestions, Kari? Oh, well. Even if I am, you can file it away on your list of books to read.

I see that someone else already suggested my favorite Christian fiction author, Ted Dekker. His Circle Trilogy of Black, Red, and White (my #1 suggestion) is MY FAVORITE. He weaved such a creative tale between two worlds that were interwoven with Christian symbolism. He had me hooked and wondering what was going to happen next. It's a must read or listen to! Enjoy Thomas Hunter...

My #2 suggestion is C.S. Lewis' Chronicles of Narnia series. I just finished reading those a couple of months ago and thoroughly enjoyed the tales of Narnia. I had only read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, so I finally was able to check all 7 books off my "books to read list." Enjoy Aslan and Narnia as an adult reader...

My #3 suggestion is Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. I just listened to the Radio Theatre of this by Focus on the Family. It was so beautiful and now has prompted me to read the book. I hope to start after I finish a couple of other books I've already started.