Friday, February 19, 2010

Books


I need help! Not just mental help, which is a given, but I am also asking for your recommendations. Here is the situation:

I am in charge of the book group for May. I need to pick a book for the group to read! You would think with how much I love reading that this would be so easy. But it has become a real ordeal for me.

I decided not to recommend any of my big favorites because what if someone in the group HATES it? What if they bash my book and that makes me love my book less? What if they think the love story in a book is sappy? What if they think the book is predictable while I was totally clueless as to whodunit?

In my quest to find the perfect book, I went online and searched for book group book recommendations. Since I wont suggest a book I haven't read I have been reading like crazy trying to find just the right book. I have read four books in the past week! (My house is kinda showing the effects of that-oops bad mommy!)

I am finding that a lot of the books on book lists are not something I feel comfortable recommending. Many years ago a read one of Oprah's picks and I am still scarred from it! I don't think I am a prudish reader but I enjoy the book more if I don't have to skim over a sex-scene or try and bleep out a string of profanity in my mind. OR worse having to stop reading a book in the middle because I feel so uncomfortable with the content.

So what I am asking for is some recommendations for a book that I can share with my book group. Here is the criteria: No graphic-sex, minimal swearing, and a great story. So I am thinking between a PG and PG13 rating would be acceptable.

So this probably seems a bit silly to you but I guess that is just the way I am. To me books are special and I am obsessive about sharing just the right book.

3 comments:

Jenny said...

I had to laugh when I read this because I'm the same way! I don't have any suggestions (remember, I have the same fear of rejection!) but Deseret Book has a list for Book Clubs. I don't know how good they are, but you'd think they would be pretty clean. Here's a link: http://deseretbook.com/time-out/bookclub

Good Luck!

Em and Jorg said...

Did you guys do, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, yet? I just love that book.

I'm bad at brief descriptions, so here's one I found online:
"The book is about a literary society that forms in an unlikely way on the Guernsey islands during World War II when the Germans occupied the islands. After the war, an islander connects with a Londoner, an author, over a book and a pen pal type relationship is formed. The novel is set up with letters among various people and my poor description isn't quite capturing it, but I would certainly recommend this one."

I'll let you know if I think of anything else...good luck and let me know what you decide on...I'm always looking for good books to read!

I'm glad you liked the book I gave you. My good friend wrote it :)

Kris said...

As I was reading your post, I was also going to suggest The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It's a good one....I'm not quite finished with it, but have really enjoyed it so far.