Favorite nongardening book

Yo friends, Yo Romans...

Thanks Dave! I'ts going on the summer/beach read list.
Victor, that sounds eerily like a Soprano rendition also lol

"Favorite non-gardening book?" That's almost as bad as favorite kid or favorite plant. . . Like Dave47 and Lorettamar, I also like Madeleine L'Engle - I've been reading her books since I was a kid, and have also read a bunch of her adult books, but not any of her plays or poetry. I like mysteries, especially those by Dick Francis. I enjoy Joan Bauer's books for teens, and From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E.L. Koenigsburg. Ann Cameron has written several lovely and funny books for early readers, and a couple of my favorite picture books include Pink and Say by Patricia Polacco and The Remarkable Runaway Riderless Tricycle by Bruce McMillan. The Adventures of Herschel of Ostropol by Eric Kimmel is a great set of folk tales. I enjoyed both Grapes of Wrath and Travels with Charlie by John Steinbeck. My all-time favorite poetry book is Reflections on a Gift of Watermelon Pickle, and I really do like Shakespeare's plays, especially the comedies. I read about as many kids' books as adult books, so this book list is a mix.

Hi Babs. Interesting list. Some known, some new to me.
Amazing that Shakespeare hasn't shown up here yet (except read by Stallone). The old bard rocks.
If you are ever on one of those quote sites, check out how many quotes they have from the other most brilliant person you can think of, then compare it to the number of qoutes they have from Shakespeare. Amazing

PS In 9th grade we read Reflections On A Gift of Watermelon Pickle. I've never forgotten it (but it did take a while for me to understand the title.)

hi Everyone,
I'm new to this forum, but I have been around Dave's for a couple of years. Personal issues have kept me away for a while, and I still don't get here often enough. I live on Cape Cod with my DBF. I have 3 grown children and five grandchildren.

Dave, A Prayer for Owen Meany is one of my all time favorite books, too. Right at the top of my list. I'm a big John Irving fan but I haven't read his newer books.
I love reading Shakespeare's Plays, too.

I love Madeline L'Engle, A Wrinkle in Time and the others in that series- and I loved The Summer of the Great Grandmother.

The Autobiographies of Maya Angelou are incredible.

I loved The Secret Life of Bees- I just read The Mermaid Chair by the same author, it was ok but not nearly as good.

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb is a great read.

And I love Illumination Night by Alice Hoffman. I have read almost all of her books- Turtle Moon was a good one, too.

The Hobbit and the Lord of the Rings, lots of poetry.... as a gardener I love the Greenhouse poems of Theodore Roethke,

Oh, there are so many more.

Looking forward to our warm-up tommorrow! My snowdrops are up but not open yet.

Cindy

Welcome to the forum, Cindy. It's a great group of people. Hope to hear more from you. I too can't wait for the warm-up and the clock change!

Dave, I really appreciate this thread for a few reasons. Most important, I have been away from non-gardening, pleasure reading for quite some time and hope to get back. This gives me a great Suggested Reading List to turn to.

Thanks for the welcome Victorgardener!

Hi Cindy! Thanks for joining us. You sound like a reader!

Thanks Victor. I agree. Lots of good choices for reading. I think The Summer of the Great Grandmother will be first.
I recently finished Steve Martin's 2nd "novella" The Pleasure of My Company. It's unusual but I really liked it.
I just started (kind of in an attempt to catch up on classics I've never read) my first ever Thomas Hardy book: Far From the Madding Crowd. So far, so good. Anyone have experience with him?

No, never read Hardy.

I read Tess of the D'Urbervilles by Hardy--a long time ago. I don't remember it much, except that I liked it at the time.

Hi, Cindy. Welcome.

I remember Nastasia Kinski played the lead in the movie version of that.

She was also the "bear" in John Irving's Hotel New Hampshire. Wonder whatever happened to her?

I checked IMDB. Apparently she is still active. I was a teenager when she was in Tess and she, um, made quite an impression on me! She was gorgeous.

Hi Dave,

The best gardening book I own is Wyman's Gardening Encyclopedia. It's a relatively small book but it answers most questions about almost every inaginable plant. As far as favorite books go, I would recommend The Source by James Michener.

Hi Rick. Welcome. What is the location of the Source?

Hi Dave,

The Source takes place in Israel, but it takes the reader all through the Middle East and to other places in the world.

Hi Cindy,

I ordered Tess of the D'Urbervilles rose. does that count? Have practically memorized LOTR and the Hobbit.

The Source is great. I had a paperback copy - but I suspect it was left behind when we left BC.

Thanks rickboard. I missed your post somehow, until today.