Some of Anderson's Favorite Books
Tuesday, January 17, 2012 5:00AM
Amanda shared books that inspired her writing career. And now, as promised, here is a list from Anderson of some of his favorite reads...
What are some of your favorite books? Share your reading suggestions below in comments...
Comments
Excellent reading: The Prince of Tides-Beach Music and South of Broad by Pat Conroy.This writer is magical with words and understands the human soul. The Winds of War and War and Remenbrance by Herman Wouk. WWII was before my time and these works will give the reader a realistic idea of what this war was like and how it affected the world. Sarum, London and New York by Edward Rutherfurd. A great way to learn about a historial period as the fiction is enjoyable and captivating. Also, anything by Anne Rivers Siddons and Maeve Binchy.If you are a history buff-anything by Alison Weir.
One of the best books I read last year year was "In the Garden of Beasts: Love, Terror, and an American Family in Hitler's Berlin," by Erik Larson. I read this after noting that it was one of Anderson's recommended picks in Parade magazine. I absolutely loved it, and recommended it to all of my friends. I also recommended Lisa See's books "Snow Flower and the Secret Fan," "Peony in Love," and "Shanghai Girls," to be read in that particular order. While these novels are not a "trilogy," reading them in this particular order enhances the appreciation of each following book. "Snow
Flower..." educates the reader about some ancient and controversial Chinese traditions, such as the very painful process of foot binding (which occasionally resulted in death). The movie did not do the book justice. I did not recommend the movie to anyone. "Peony in Love," teaches the reader about the traditional spiritual beliefs of the Chinese, such as what happens to the spirit when one dies. And, "Shanghai Girls" gives a picture of what some Chinese immigrants went through when they migrated to San Francisco in the early thru mid twentieth century, when racism was very prevalent. These three novels were very well written, entertaining, hard to put down, and very educational.
Greetings to Anderson, and thanks for sharing things of substance to reflect upon, including...good books!
I like the classics -- vintage novels such as,
"Cannery Row" and "Sweet Thursday" by John Steinbeck (funny)
"Middlemarch" (after the first 60 pages) by George Eliot
"Uncle Tom's Cabin" (skim the polemics) by Harriet Beecher Stowe
"The Red and the Black" by Stendhal (first novel with insight)
Historical novels by Leon Uris: "Exodus", "Trinity".
"Letters from a Nut" by Ted Nancy & Jerry Seinfeld is a stitch.
Yet, who can miss Everest with Jon Krakauer's "Into Thin Air",
or put down the brutal "Millennium Trilogy" by Stieg Larsson,
or pass up anything by Barbara Kingsolver --
So PLEASE keep those book recommendations coming --
I need to know which of the many releases are worth the time!
Warmest regards from a budding fan -- D.
Forever, by Pete Hammil. Incredible story mixing history and fantasy from Ireland to New York City.
Here are a few recent books. 1) Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet by Jamie Ford. This is a fantastic story of first love. I know kids as young as 12 and guys in their 30's who have all love it. 2) Shanghai Girls and Dreams of Joy by Lisa See. The setting of both is partly the U.S. and partly China. Eye-openers about how women were treated in Chinese culture 1930-on.
3)The Emperor of All Maladies by Mukherjee Siddhartha. This history of cancer traces the disease and treatments from ancient times to the present. Fascinating. Beleive it or not - a very easy read. Anderson, you should have this doctor/author on the show.
Beach Music by Pat Conroy. The Alex Delaware series by Jonathon Kellerman, SO many more!!!
AndyPoo....yes Anderson, I know the only person who calls you that. I think you are doing a great service by encouraging reading. This is not easy to find so maybe your IT department could make it easier......and also.....create a list from all the comments on what are the favorites so we can all read them. Keep up the good work and I love your show. Thanks.
Just remember the beginning of Harry Poter was small. everything is changed. no body knows future. Nothing stays as they are. Hahaha Have good day! by the way, Have you tried olive? I tried Olive, and ㅠ.ㅠ I don't see the points, either. and one more. Have you tried The Twilight saga?
Anderson. I am @Jane1213, I saw the lists of your books. I understood again you have a particular taste of your style.Iamgonnaread two books of them because they are your favorites.
the point of what I wanna to say is as the episode of your
food intervention, could you more read various books and think
about your audience and people who are on your side? I am pretty sure some of them read multiple writers' books even if that is the Kardashian's novel. I am not a fan of her. But who knows future?
Today she is Kardashian,
but she could be a post-Jennifer Lopez or someoneelse Tomorrow.
Of course, if her book's pages are over 80, I wouldn't read. That's too long for me. well, I like the Twilight saga. I used to read them during my final semester. the books made me forget the pressure of final exam. thanks for the twilight !
I noticed in my comment about Evelyn C. Rizzo's novel that the censorship would not allow the last syllable of the title to be shown so I will try another way - the name of the novel is Clarrie H. A. N. C. O. C. K. If that doesn't work the last four letters rhyme with rock - the "R" being replaced by a "C". Good luck.
I absolutely loved Clarrie Han**** by Evelyn C. Rizzo. It is the sometimes heart wrenching and sometime heart lifting story of a little girl growing up in the poverty stricken, industrialized city of Salford, England. Although Clarrie is poor she is rich in love, intelligence, dreams and imagination. It is a riveting story and the reader is forced to keep turning the pages.
If you liked Angela's Ashes you will love Clarrie Han****.
Anderson,
First of all, let me say that I am a huge fan who grew up watching you on Channel One in high school. I think you are doing a great job. Keep up the good work! One of my all time favorite books is The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom. If Tuesdays with Morrie touched you, this will too. It remind us all that we are important even if we think we aren't. Now, I am reading Extremely Loud and Incredibily Close and loving it. Until seeing it on your show I had never heard of the book. Thanks for the recommendation.
Amy
Hellraisers by Robert Sellers, about the lives of Richard Burton, Richard Harris, Peter O'Toole and Oliver Reed.
The Day Before Midnight by Stephan Hunter - the most suspenseful book I've ever read. I read this the same time as Jurassic Park & J. Park was boring in comparison.
Confessions of a Homing Pigeon by Nicholas Meyer - a young boys coming o****e story. Very sweet.
Room With a View by E. M Forster - English girl finds love in Italy. Funny & sweet.
We Are Holding the President Hostage by Warren Adler - terrorists, hostages, the mob and good italian cuisine. What if the mob handled mid-east diplomacy? Funny & thrilling.
Freckles & Girl of the Limberlost by Gene Stratton-Porter, fiction and nature in Indiana's swamps.
Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame - classic children's book.
Ice Station Zebra by Alistair Maclean - classic thriller
Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury - growing up in 1928.
Blues Bench by Bob Plager - funny inside stories of the St. Louis Blues hockey team.
Almost anything by Robert Heinlein (sci-fi), Robert B. Parker (Spenser), and Tony Hillermann (indian stories).
And of course two classics, To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee and Dispatches From the Edge by some guy named Anderson Cooper.
i loved Edward Sawtelle and Water for Elephants. In high school, I read Gone With the Wind over and over.
I love your show and watch every day. Love the topics.
Dear Anderson,
First let me say, I LOVE YOUR SHOW! You are awesome! And, funny, too.
My comment is about the book, Silent Cries by Michael Ciafone.
He is one of my dearest friends and has written about his life while living with a traumatic brain injury since he was 10 years old. Please highlight his book, after review and enjoy!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Cathy Lammers