USVI-On-Line

liamsaunt wrote:Is there a drop off spot for locals that do take a book, leave a book?

I remember a reference on the forum to a book lending shelf at Skinny's. Can anyone verify that?

There is one at Skinny's but the last time I was there it was a little depleted. You can also leave books off at the library and then purchase another one for as little as $.25.

I am also a Jodi Picoult fan. She is a local author here in NH (as well as Janet Evanovich). I really enjoyed "the 10th Circle" and a few others that I can't think of right now.

I also really like Anita Shreve. Most people know her "Pilot's Wife" book as an Oprah book. I pretty much like everyhting she has written- very ethereal. She's a great story teller without having to spell everything out for the reader.

One of Shreve's books that stands out in my mind takes place on the Island of Shoals of the coast of New England (NH I think). Great read!

I'm late to join this conversation, but have to recommend a new book just out last month--"Gardens of Water" by Alan Drew. Set in Istanbul during and after the 1999 earthquake. Great book with multiple layers--fundamentalist religion (Islam and Christian), politics, family, romance. . .powerful, but an easy read.

Okay, so the author is a friend. Fellow high school teacher who sold this, his first book, to Random House, no less, and has now resigned from teaching high school to write his second novel. He'll go far!

I know it sounds goofy, but I am reading (almost done) Treasure Island. I was one of those kids that never did the required reading in school and didn't realize what I was missing out on till later. I decided I wanted to see what it was all about especially since some rumors say it was in the VI's that it was to have taken place.

Have An Embarrassment of Mangoes ready to read next. Loved A Trip to the Beach. Desiring Paradise was a bit of a let down as I thought more would be about St. John. I also read St. John People - interesting.

I also loved A Walk in the Woods by Bill Bryson and Into Thin Air by Jon Krakauer (sp?).

Thanks for all the recommendations on here - please keep 'em coming.

I enjoyed an Embarrassment of Mangos. My grandparents were sailors and I always had a "sail down the chain of islands" fantasy. Hubs is not the sailboat type (and quite honestly, neither am I) and the book was a nice escape read.

The Outlaw Sea (non-fiction) is next on my list.

NOL - if you like Jon Krakauer, you might enjoy Under the Banner of Heaven. I picked it up at the library as I loved his other books. I had my doubts based on the subject matter (religion and extremism) but I found it very interesting.

Thanks PAGirl - will check it out.

Here are some of my favorites. A few are a bit old, but oh so worthy:

Memoirs of a Geisha (all time fave; 100% better than the movie.

The Red Tent

Manhunt (the search for John Wilkes booth...incredible)

A Walk in the Woods (walking the Appalachian Trail)

The English Patient

Killer Angels

Gods and Generals

The Da Vinci Code

Angels and Demons

Any of the Harry Potter books (especially the last)

The Glass Castle (excellent, excellent, excellent)

Cold Mountain is an excellent read too

"My Beautiful Boy" a memior of a family dealing the addiction of a teanaged son. It's eye opening, hard to read but an important cautionary tale!

sailorgirl wrote:"My Beautiful Boy" a memior of a family dealing the addiction of a teanaged son. It's eye opening, hard to read but an important cautionary tale!

AAH, I was going to ask about that one! I went browsing today at the bookstore and saw it. However, right next to it, they had "Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy" which is written by the son! Which to read??

My bookstore browsing reminded me of two books I read recently that I enjoyed, (neither of which I would read on vacation):

The Road, Cormac McCarthy
Oryx and Crake, Margaret Atwood

I just finished The Monsters of Templeton, which got great reviews. I liked it and thought it was pretty impressive for a first-time novelist.

Now I'm on about the 10th page of An Embarassment of Mangoes and already love it.

LMG wrote:I just finished The Monsters of Templeton, which got great reviews. I liked it and thought it was pretty impressive for a first-time novelist.

Hey, I just had to review that ! I thought she did a really good job... I liked the way it didn't fit neatly into any one genre. She really has her own mind. I admire that.

I also just finished, "Brother, I'm Dying." So sad, too sad for beach reading. And troubling to think of how blithely we fly over savage, de-forested, violent Haiti on our way to Caribbean vacations...
She's a lovely writer...

Currently reading, finally, The Golden Notebook.

And on the bedside stack, 2 by Daniel Mason---The Piano Tuner, and A Far Country, as well as Tessa Hadley, "Sunstroke," and "The Yacoubian Building," which a friend in London reports that everyone is reading...

The Road, Cormac McCarthy




I LOVED The Road, and I don't usually love Cormac McCarthy, but I loved that book. Loved it. Finished it and read it right over again. It made me so so grateful that nothing that f*ked has happened yet. I finished it and ran outside and looked up at the stars, so happy to see them.

liamsaunt wrote:

sailorgirl wrote:"My Beautiful Boy" a memior of a family dealing the addiction of a teanaged son. It's eye opening, hard to read but an important cautionary tale!

AAH, I was going to ask about that one! I went browsing today at the bookstore and saw it. However, right next to it, they had "Memoirs of a Beautiful Boy" which is written by the son! Which to read??

I was drawn to the book written from the parents perspective first,( have teens in the house) but I plan to purchase the son's account now.
It's chilling!
I'll let you know