Funny you should ask, because I was thinking that you might really get a kick out of Sarah Caudwell's books. The first reader review here (the Oct. 2001 one) sums up what I like about the series. I'd recommend trying The Sibyl in Her Grave (it's the fourth of four books but it doesn't matter if you read them out of order). (I read it three times last year.)
You might also like Instead of a Letter by Diana Athill. I enjoyed it more than Stet - Athill seems to examine her life quite honestly, and I enjoyed the writing.
All of the Helene Hanff books.
Camilla was great, and it has some faith examination stuff in it (I'm pretty sure L'Engle is Christian).
Some Things That Stay is beautifully written (I think Willis is also a poet). This was one of my favourites - I plan on reading it again this year.
The Orchid Thief was fun to read - love, love, love Orlean's writing style.
Don't Care High is just plain funny - starfishchick and goovie will back me up on this one.
I loved Garbo Laughs. (blue_lotus picked it as one of her top books for the year, IIRC - I think we got something extra out of it because we both love the movies, but my mother doesn't, and she loved it, too.)
Cat's Eye is one of my all-time favourites.
And I can't pass on an opportunity to push Karen Joy Fowler. Love her. The Jane Austen Book Club isn't the best place to start. I'd recommend Sarah Canary or The Sweetheart Season. Most of her books are about slightly fantastical things taking place in real-life settings.
Madeline L'Engel is a deeply religious writer, especially in the past two decades. She's actually the scholar in residence (and librarian, I think) at St. John the Divine Episcopal Church in NYC. I wrote her there when I was about 16, and she wrote back.
I've pulled a lot of your books for my reading list. I loved Cat's Eye, and I think that one's due for a reread as well. Thanks for the list!
I have Cat's Eye and I think I've read it, but I can't remember the story. Is that the one with the ravine and the girls who are horrible to each other? (I think my mind goes into subliminal mode when I read Atwood, because with one exception I never remember the plots.)
idella, I'm curious about Grafton's R book. I got so pissed of at the non-conclusive ending of P that I hesitate to read another, but I've read all of them so far. Is it worth it? Or does she once again fail to actually tell you the ending? And if you know who did it in P, I'd love to be enlightened. "Suddenly I knew exactly what I was looking at" didn't do it for me.
Will write down your suggestions and go read some more!
I thought R was intriguing, most of all because it looks to be the beginning of some sort of change in the series (the NYT reviewer agreed with me on that). I don't remember details, because it takes me multiple reads to recall a book, but if you've read the others I'd definitely read this one.
R is worth it. I'd get it out of the library, though. I liked it far better than M, N, O, or P (I liked Q well enough). The case unfolds somewhat differently than it does in most of the other books, but I don't want to spoil the book by getting into how (unless you'd like some general kind of statement - I could do that). I don't know about it being a new direction for the series - it seems like a one-off sort of thing. But you definitely know who did it.
I can't remember P at all. The ending you describe seems familiar, but that's it.
You might also like Instead of a Letter by Diana Athill. I enjoyed it more than Stet - Athill seems to examine her life quite honestly, and I enjoyed the writing.
All of the Helene Hanff books.
Camilla was great, and it has some faith examination stuff in it (I'm pretty sure L'Engle is Christian).
Some Things That Stay is beautifully written (I think Willis is also a poet). This was one of my favourites - I plan on reading it again this year.
The Orchid Thief was fun to read - love, love, love Orlean's writing style.
Don't Care High is just plain funny - starfishchick and goovie will back me up on this one.
I loved Garbo Laughs. (blue_lotus picked it as one of her top books for the year, IIRC - I think we got something extra out of it because we both love the movies, but my mother doesn't, and she loved it, too.)
Cat's Eye is one of my all-time favourites.
And I can't pass on an opportunity to push Karen Joy Fowler. Love her. The Jane Austen Book Club isn't the best place to start. I'd recommend Sarah Canary or The Sweetheart Season. Most of her books are about slightly fantastical things taking place in real-life settings.
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I've pulled a lot of your books for my reading list. I loved Cat's Eye, and I think that one's due for a reread as well. Thanks for the list!
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idella, I'm curious about Grafton's R book. I got so pissed of at the non-conclusive ending of P that I hesitate to read another, but I've read all of them so far. Is it worth it? Or does she once again fail to actually tell you the ending? And if you know who did it in P, I'd love to be enlightened. "Suddenly I knew exactly what I was looking at" didn't do it for me.
Will write down your suggestions and go read some more!
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R is worth it. I'd get it out of the library, though. I liked it far better than M, N, O, or P (I liked Q well enough). The case unfolds somewhat differently than it does in most of the other books, but I don't want to spoil the book by getting into how (unless you'd like some general kind of statement - I could do that). I don't know about it being a new direction for the series - it seems like a one-off sort of thing. But you definitely know who did it.
I can't remember P at all. The ending you describe seems familiar, but that's it.
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I love Atwood's writing. I read her when I need to clear my head.
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