Thursday, February 11, 2010

Toss Around Thursday


Today I'm adding a new feature to my blogging week. I call it Toss Around Thursday. The concept is simple: I toss out a question, and you tell me your answers. I learn so much from reading what you all have to say, so I hope you'll chime in with your two cents! This isn't strictly for writers, so I'd like to hear from the non-writers out there as well.


Today's question is: What is your favorite book published in the past ten years?

My answer is Maximum Ride: The Angel Experiment by James Patterson. I just fell in love with Max. She makes me laugh out loud, and I cherish a character who can make me do that. The later books in the series get a bit far-fetched (okay, they're all far-fetched, but I can overlook that), but the first two especially kept me on the edge of my seat. All three of my children (ages 13, 12, and 10) also read them and loved them.


Okay, your turn!

20 comments:

Amy Allgeyer Cook said...

ONE BOOK!!??? Seriously, you want me to narrow it down to one? So hard!!

Ok, I'm assuming kids books, because I can. And you said favorite, not necessarily most moving or most profound or beautifully written. So, I will say "An Abundance of Katherines".

I couldn't put it down; it made me laugh out loud and I loved the characters.

Theresa Milstein said...

I agree with Amy - ONE BOOK!!???

I'm sitting here while my mind wrestles with the answer. Fine, I'll say the last Harry Potter book because it was a satisfying end to a fantastic series and the message of sacrifice is something children don't normally explore. And because on the eve the book came out, I went to Harvard Square with my children while they were dressed as Hogwarts students so we could take part in the festivities. At midnight I took my son to a local bookstore to have butter beer and pumpkin juice while we watched the entertainment. Oh, and to buy the book. How many books can boast that kind of experience?

Susan Fields said...

Yes, I know - one book is so hard! I actually had a line in there about how I have many answers to that question, so I was just going to go ahead and pick one. Then I edited that line out, but it's so true.

Amy - thanks for the recommendation. I love a book that makes me laugh out loud. I'll be adding "An Abundance of Katherines" to my stack. :)

Theresa - You're right, how many books can boast that kind of experience? That entire series was amazing. Harry Potter is so much more than just a book series or a movie series. I'm dying to know what butter beer and pumpkin juice taste like!

Theresa Milstein said...

Susan, both drinks were strange. We also had triacle tarts, which weren't half-bad. I assume these were Porter Square Books cafe recipes and weren't the original from Hogwarts.

Susan Fields said...

Theresa, they sound like very strange drinks indeed. I can't imagine pumpkin juice being anything I'd like, but butter beer has possiblities, maybe with a butterscoth flavor?

Moll said...

That is such a hard question! Aaaggh. The pressure! I don't think it was written in the last 10 years but I read it in the last 10 years: Geek Love by Katherine Dunn.

Susan Fields said...

Rebecca - I know it's a hard question, but I love to see everyone's answers! I'm glad you were able to narrow it down. I'll be adding Geek Love to my TBR stack as well. Thanks for the recommendation!

Unknown said...

cormac mccarthy's 'blood meridian', epic in scope, story of a young man's coming of age in the brutal old west. mccarthy is the author of 'no country for old men' and 'the road', both recently adapted for movies...his mastery of the language is exceptional, paired w/his talent for storytelling make it an exceptional work.

Susan Fields said...

I knew I could count on you for something deep, Ed. I saw the movie 'no country for old men' - very dark. Is 'blood meridian' also that dark? I might try it if I'm feeling ambitious. :)

Jackee said...

Dang. How to pick?! I can think of a dozen but let's say Airman by Eoin Colfer. And they're making a movie! We'll see if it lives up to my mad passion for the story.

Susan Fields said...

Ooh - that sounds like a good one to add to my TBR stack! Mad passion sounds like something I need to read. Thanks for the recommendation - I'll have to try to read it before the movie comes out.

Old Kitty said...

Ooooh please may I join?

Hi!!

Oh I do like the pink colours of your blog! And what a great idea for a Thursday.

Favourite book of the decade?

Terry Pratchett's Nightwatch (2003).

:-)

Take care
x

Susan Fields said...

Old Kitty - of course you can play! The more the merrier. I hadn't heard of Nightwatch so I just looked it up on Amazon - it definitely sounds like something to add to my list! Especially since I'm working on a time travel book right now, so I like to see how other authors handle this situation. Plus humor - I like that! Thanks for the suggestion!

Tess said...

Favorite book? Does the title:

TheBookThief-TheHelp-LizzyBrightandtheBuckminsterBoy

count? that's the best I can do in narrowing it down. All three are great and I think that the characterization within them is what makes them keepers.

Unknown said...

sue, 'blood meridian' is indeed very dark, a fine example of literary realism, it becomes quite philosiphical, esp. in regards to the character of 'the judge'. certain parts of it are somewhat horrific. beware. also, i must confess i didn't completely follow the parameters of your question...i just checked, it was copyrighted in 1985. oops.

Unknown said...

have you ever heard of a discipline known as 'philosiphy' before? just checking. (another oops.)

Susan Fields said...

Okay, Tess, we'll let you cheat a little bit because then I get three great book suggestions. :) I read The Book Thief about a year ago at your recommendation and loved it. And I agree, characterization is all-important, that's exactly why I chose Maximum Ride as my favorite.

Susan Fields said...

Ed, no, 'philosiphy' is a new one on me. :) I was also very surprised when I started checking copyright dates at just how old these books I think of as "new" really are. I was originally going to say published in the last 5 years, but when I started looking I realized that might be too limiting. Thanks for the "horrific" warning - good to know!

Shelli (srjohannes) said...

i love james patterson too!

Susan Fields said...

Shelli, he's amazing isn't he? And so prolific! I'm really hoping for another Max book soon.