Throughout the year those of us at Half Price Books review any book, movie, or CD we want to.
And this month I volunteered. But then I realized I needed something to review. At first I wanted to read something and then review it, but then I started thinking of books I’ve read recently. Then I thought of one book in particular. Lone Survivor. I’ve said on here that it’s easily the best book I’ve read and one of two books I’d recommend to anyone asking. So what better book to review for the company?
Sure it may not be a new release, but it’s one of those rare stories you read and simply don’t forget.
If you could review and recommend just one book like I have to, what would it be? I know I’ve asked about the best books you’ve read and about favorites, but this would be for people who enjoy reading. It wouldn’t be geared toward any other specific group. So, what would you review?
Johnny Reads 
The Children’s Book, by A.S. Byatt. I read a huge number of books in many genres, from literary fiction to airport thrillers and almost everything in between, but this one has stayed with me.
LikeLike
Is it actually a children’s book? I’d imagine not.
LikeLike
No. It’s a story roughly based on the life of British children’s author Enid Blighton in the 1890s-1920s. Her life was unconventional.
LikeLike
Hmm. Got it.
LikeLike
Tana French’s books are the best books in the world in my opinion. I will tell absolutely anyone who will listen how great they are 🙂
LikeLike
Ha. Are they fiction?
LikeLike
There are three books I recommend to anybody who listens.
Karen and With Love From Karen by Marie Killilea. Karen is one of my go-to books when I’m in a funk and need a pick me up.
The last one is I Heard the Owl Call My Name.
All three books are based on true life. They are much older and out of print now, so hard to find but that’s okay since I have my own copies of them, lol.
LikeLike
Hmm. I haven’t even heard of the author. Makes sense if they’re older.
LikeLike
A book I could recommend to anyone? Well, that’s not an impossibly hard thing to do 🙂
Maybe a Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens – a ghost story wrapped in humour with a moral heart. It’s a novella – so not a long read. It has some wonderful quotes –
“If I could work my will,” said Scrooge indignantly, “Every idiot who goes about with ‘Merry Christmas’ on his lips, should be boiled with his own pudding, and buried with a stake of holly through his heart. He should!”
And has some pretty deep things to say about redemption, being kind to people, valuing other people above your own gain.
Really, not bad messages for all of us to bear in mind.
LikeLike
Hm. A good one. I’m not even sure if I’ve actually read it. But I know I’ve tested on it. I think. And wasn’t there a movie pretty recently? Eh. I just know there are ghosts from the past and future. And Scrooge is a mean old rich guy. I think.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yep, that’s the one. Jim Carrey voiced Scrooge in a CGI animated version a few years ago, which – despite Carrey’s dodgy English accent and a bit of licence with the action – was at least a bit scary and included some of the original dialogue. We get a little overwhelmed with a Christmas Carol on the run up to the season here, especially on TV – there’s an old black and white film, a musical version, one with Patrick Stewart (Jean Luc Picard from Star Trek), George C Scott, Scrooged with Bill Murray – the Muppets did a version with Michael Caine, which is actually great. If you’re not careful you can have seen six versions of the story before the 25th December. A bit much.
I recommend the book, though – the language takes a little getting used to (and an annotated version, explaining some of the Victorian expressions is useful) but once you’re in the swing, it’s wonderful.
LikeLike
I’ve not seen ant version. I even have the book somewhere. But eh. Not interested.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ha! Have you read any Dickens at all? Are you working on the fact you didn’t like something else of his? Nineteenth century writers aren’t for everyone. The Hunchback of Notre Dame by Victor Hugo has looooong passages just describing the physical landscape of Paris, without moving the action forward. Definitely NOT the best way to write a novel these days
LikeLike
Nope. But I do have Great Expectations. I’m supposed to be reading that next and doing a video. I guess I’ll get to it at some point.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Well, it is a good book with some great characters – though not as a romantic as some film adaptations might lead you to believe. The whole Miss Haversham thing, though – genius
LikeLike
I didn’t even know there were any movies. 😳
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ooh, loads. Carrey’s is the most up to date. Very entertaining 🙂
LikeLike
Got it.
LikeLiked by 1 person