Book Fiend Friday

Well, it's definitely summer here in SC. Thunderstorms move across our area on a pretty much daily basis and one hit pretty hard yesterday, knocking our power for a loop and making me crazy for a few hours. No internet! No way to charge my cell phone! No background noise of the dishwasher/washing machine/dryer! I was alone with my thought so I began to think of some summer book readin' suggestions that I could give to ya'll and I think I've come up with some good ones. I'm going to post them by category (classics, biography, etc) because I want to give ya'll some really good choices and not just crap I've read because it was a hardback on sale at B&N. So today...the classics...



Classics

Don't cringe. I know that you are because I have my go go gadet eyes on you. Reading the classics isn't a bad thing, although for some I know it may dredge up terrible memories of high school English classes, your thoughts wandering to the upcoming prom and how you have no date, and the feeling that your skin may break out at any moment and omg, did you just start your period???. Trust me on this...not only will you enjoy them MORE (because prom is over, you have a constant supply of period products on hand, and that break out thing is something of the past, etc), you will feel very intellectual when that old party question favorite comes up and you can reply with a very intellectual answer.



To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee

Harper Lee only wrote one book in her life and that was this American masterpiece (which was also turned into an award winning movie). Scout, Jem, and the fabulous Atticus Finch are legendary literary characters and this book will have you hooked from the first page. There is a reason it is mandatory for school age kids...too bad they don't appreciate it when they read it the first time. This book has also appeared on many banned book lists (there is no real good reason why), so feel like a rebel and read it!



Rebecca by Daphne DuMaurier

A beautiful young woman haunted by her husband's late wife in a ginormous British mansion. A creepy housekeeper who seems intent on ruining the new Mrs. DeWinter's life...oh honey, it's so good. DuMaurier wrote several fab novels, so if you read Rebecca and need more Daphne in your life, you can immerse yourself!



Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell

Ya'll, this book is the epitome of the Old South. If you are Southern and have not read this 1000+ page novel or AT LEAST sat through the epic movie starring the fantastic Clark Gable and Viven Leigh (as Rhett & Scarlett) you ought to be ashamed. And if you are poor (like me) and can't afford to buy a new book a week, this book will probably hold you until August 'cause it is so long and the print is tiny. It's worth it though. And the book does differ slightly from the movie, just to give you movie die hard fans a heads up. OH -Margaret Mitchell only wrote one novel, too. There are sequels, though, but don't waste your time on Scarlett - head right over and get Rhett Butler's People. Out of the two, it's the one I'd recommend.

The Great Gatsby - F. Scott Fitzgerald

I'm sure most every Robert Redford fan has seen the movie and pretty much everybody has to read the book, but it's so much better when you're older. The roaring '20's, too much money, unrequited love...so tragic!

And Then There Were None - Agatha Christie

This is for all you mystery buffs out there...before Nora Roberts, before Mary Higgins Clark there was Dame Agatha Christie, who wrote mystery novels out the wazoo. This one is my favorite!

So there you have it...some hand picked classics for you to pick up and read this summer! I am going to wrack my brain for my favorite ROMANCE novels (and no, not the ones with unclothed couples on the front) that just took my breath away. And yeah, 'ole Nick Sparks will probably be making an appearance!

Ya'll have a good weekend!