I agree, Tolkien’s books are a harder read than your average books and I think watching the movie first really helps visualize what is going on in the book. I tend to scan through some parts of books and I might’ve done that in LOTR if I haven’t seen the movies before I read it since it’s so wordy and descriptive.

I liked the book A LOT more than the movie afterwards because there was so much they had to leave out and of course, it was a lot more descriptive. The only thing I didn’t like about the books is that I didn’t actually get to see Orlando Bloom! Hehehehe.

Hmmm now I definitely have to read Memnoch!

I read Anne Rice when I was in my teens, she’s such a descriptive writer, I definitely think of her when I think of New Orleans. And I read LOTR when I was about 20 since all the movies were coming out at the time. I don’t know if I would have liked it as much if I hadn’t already watched the first two movies before reading the LONG trilogy.

I agree with Glow! Memnoch is one of Anne’s best books…it was probably the last one I read and the one I remember the most. =)

Genres?? Hmmm I don’t tend to stick to just one. I go more for Characters – If there is a character that jumps out at me then THATS MY BOOK. I like writers who blur genres.

Ooh I have a great book for you to read… I’ll post it on my next recommendations list next week though.

What genres do you usually read? Do you like fantasy?

I read Wild Swans for a paper I did in my minor. It is a great read.

James Rollin is a better Dan Brown?! I’m excited to read his book too!

Keep adding recommended books! I’m going to make a list of books that everyone recommends I read =)

As for Marie Antoinette, I rather liked “Marie Antoinette: The Last Queen of France.” I think it is technically a biography, but it reads like a novel. It was rather good.

xoxo-
linhh

And I’ve read Abundance before I bought it this summer and I liked it a lot. I really like Tracy Chevalier’s books for historical fiction, if you’re looking for new books to read!

i am interested in the Anne Rice’s “The Lives of the Mayair Witches”

Granted right now I’m reading “Unaccustomed Earth” by Jhumpa Lahiri, and “The World According to Garp” and “Elegy for Sam Emerson” are next up on my list… Gah, so much to read!