BOOKS+for+Grown-ups,+2012

=Here is the place to share what you've been reading that has adult appeal. This can be fiction, nonfiction, Kindled, Nooked or papered! Thanks! = = = Luke Spiering: I put Gary Paulsen in the children's books as well as the adult book section because he wrote this gem. It is a true story which is both exciting and funny. I usually don't go for non-fiction a whole lot, but this one was worth the reading.



Adrienne Reynolds: I am only posting in the adult book section as I saw the Hunger Games was already posted. Adriana Trigiani has written several fiction books that I loved reading. Here are the titles: //Big Stone Gap, Big Cherry Holler, Mike Glass Moon, and The Queen of the Big Time.// Just to name a few.

I started reading George R.R. Martin's //The Game of Thrones// series last fall, and I am helplessly hooked. He's created a fantasy world that has many of the same features, including the landscape, of medieval Europe. Think knights in shining armor. But there are also hints of magic, characters who can enter the minds of animals, zombies (called wights) that live in the frozen north, and dragons. But the characters are fully realized. Even better, Martin tells the increasingly complex story of war and intrigue through the eyes of several different characters. It's just really, really good storytelling!
 * Vic Mortimer**


 * Becky Pilgeram**
 * Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen**

I read //Water for Elephants// last summer. I was instantly engrossed by the memories of Jacob Jankowski and his adventures in the Benzini Brother's Most Spectacular Show on Earth. This book is great if you're looking for a quick read and a gripping tale. If you pick up //Water for Elephants//, I hope you find yourself laughing out loud, biting your lip nervously, and wiping away tears.


 * Robin Wallace Nygren**


 * Blink: The Power of Thinking without Thinking by Malcom Gladwell **
 * The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make Big Differences by Malcom Gladwell **
 * Outliers:The Story of Success by Malcom Gladwell **
 * What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures by Malcom Gladwell **

I have read a bunch of really random stuff this year but the few that have stuck out for me are all by Malcom Gladwell. I started with **//Blink: The Power of// //Thinking Without Thinking//**, and loved it so I moved on to **//Outliers: The Story of Success//** , **//The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make Big Differences//** and most recently, **//What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures//**. All of these books are incredibly thought-provoking and just so interesting. Gladwell is brilliant at explaining the unexplainable and forcing his readers to look at their own lives and their world in a completely different light. I learned so much from these four books! My mind was blown on more than once occasion and while my husband and I were reading them we both could not shut up about them. I loved them all, but I would have to say //Outliers// was my favorite. Read them, I know you'll love them!

Paige Lehman: //**The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao**// **by Junot Díaz** This is a spirited novel about life, and I recommend it to anyone seeking a different reading experience, one that keeps you thinking. Not only is this a story about life, but also about culture. The main character, Oscar, is an immigrant to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. Throughout his journey, Oscar carves out his identity from his circumstances and family background. He discovers how to assimilate in the U.S. with his Dominican culture. Additionally, Oscar confronts issues with being a nerd, instead of a “manly-man.” As you dive deeper into the book, more themes bubble to the surface. For me, this book was an excellent read because it opened my eyes to a life and culture that’s different from my own. It can be profane at times, which is why I placed it in the books for adults section. I also wanted to bring something different to the table for everyone.



I just read this book for book club and couldn't put it down. It's the fictional journal of Sarah Agnes Prine in the Arizona Territories after the Civil War. Sarah is self - taught and the writing reflects that; at first I found that off-putting but then I was used to it. The story is exciting and goes through many phases of her life. Loved it! -- Kaye