Marley: In the past three years, I discovered a fantastic writer, Erik Larson. He writes nonfiction, but the way he approaches it is more akin to a novel.

As historical subjects, I would have cringed at the suggestions of reading about the Chicago's World Fair or the hurricane that destroyed Galveston, but he made both topics fascinating reading. Titles: "Devil in the White City" and "Isaac's Storm," respectively.

I currently have his "Thunderstruck" on my bookshelf, which is for a book-discussion group later this year.

The last two books that really took my breath away were "The Dogs of Babel" Caroline Parkhurst "The Road" Cormac McCarthy Enjoy!

I can second "The Road" ... Not sure what it was, so simply written and, as I heard someone say about it once, it's as if by continuing to read, you keep the characters alive.

Thanks everyone. JL Kato, I have read "Devil in the White City" and absolutely loved it! I never would have thought I would have been interested in the world fair, but he made it so intriguing. I'll make sure to check out his other works.

And I just finished "Dogs of Babel" last week and equally enjoyed that. I read her other book "Lost and Found" since I enjoyed Dogs of Babel so much, but thought it was pretty disappointing. "The Road" is on my shelf, so I'll have to start that now with 2 recommendations.

I know it's such a cliche to mention Stephen King when mentioning good books, but if you haven't read his lesser-known "Dark Tower" series, I would highly recommend them! I can't even begin to describe the plot, but it's part western, part fantasy, but mostly it's unlike anything you've ever read before. The way he ties in characters and plots from his other novels, like The Darkman from "The Stand" and Father Callahan from "Salem's Lot" is simply masterful. The first book in the series, "The Gunslinger", is short, but can give you a good taste of the story. But it's not until the second book, "The Drawing of the Three", when he starts moving between "whens" (different planes of existence) that it really hooks you. The entire series of 7 books kept me busy and fully entertained for months.

Other than that, I'm mostly a fan of classic dystopian novels such as 1984, Fahrenheit 451, The Third Policeman, Brave New World, A Clockwork Orange,etc. I'm also a big fan of anything by Chuck Pahlaniuk, the author of "Fight Club".

StellarSwarm, what Chuck Pahlaniuk books are your favorites? I started "Choke" and couldn't get through it. But I still would like to try some of his others.

Well Fight Club was my gateway book with him and it's pretty much word-for-word like the movie, which I also loved. I followed it up with "Lullaby" about a guy that accidentally commits an African culling spell to memory, and inadvertently starts killing people off with it if they piss him off. I admit that most of the others are harder to read, but I seem to have an affinity for that. I don't know many people who would have stuck through the last book I read, "The Third Policeman" by Flann O'Brien, but I quite enjoyed it. Pahlaniuk's books are all going to have that depraved sort of plot, and the dry sense of humor. And here lately, he's trying to mix up the storytelling technique, such as the series of journal entries in "Diary" and second-stories by way of interview in "Rant". Both of those were VERY hard to read. He's definitely not for everyone.

I just dredged up another author from the back of my memory. Robert R. McCammon. His books "Swan Song" (which is post-apocalyptic...sorta like "The Stand) and "Gone South" were both excellent reads. The latter has the best first line of a book I've ever read. "It was hell's season, and the air smelled of burning children." It's actually a guy passing bbq joints and having flashbacks to his days napalming villages during Vietnam.

i recommend any works by jonathan lethem. his early stuff is kinda absurdist sci-fi (girl falls in love with a black hole, zoo-oligcal noir detectives) but his last two are great novels that are equally as funny and engaging as the sci-fi. Fortress of Solitude is a fantastic study in friendship and art. You Dont Love Me Yet is a quiet little love story set to an indie rock backround.

and if you want to stay in all summer, the Brothers Karamozov is worth it.

Never pass up a chance to pass along some favorites: Tom Robbins, Christopher Moore, Nick Hornby, Dave Eggers (just finished up What is the What which was exceptional)

Oh oh - yes I really loved Fortress of Solitude. I also thought Motherless Brooklyn was excellent. I'd not heard of You Don't Love Me Yet, but I'll have to check it out after I finish my current read.

so if any of you readers aren't aware of the Central Library Secondhand Prose booksale, you have to check it out. It's actually going on this weekend, the 1/2 price sale http://foundation.imcpl.org/about/booksales.html. I always come out of there with at least 10 new books and authors to explore for really cheap.

Anything by Rick Moody is good and possibly right up your alley: Garden State, The Ice Storm, The Diviners. There's a book called Lord of the Barnyard that I always have to mention. It was written by Tristan Egolf and it's brilliant.

I am a huge Kurt Vonnegut fan, as well as all of the "classic dystopian novels" that Stellarswarm mentioned.

Besides those I enjoy reading a lot about the Influenza of 1918... it had such a huge impact on history, yet is often passed over in history classes (HUGE dork, I know...). I'm currently reading The Devils Flu by Pete Davies about that.

Mountains Beyond Mountains by Tracy Kidder is amazing.

And two of my favorites of all time are Angela's Ashes and Tis by Frank McCourt.

ps. thanks for the heads up about the library sale!!

Just to echo Caralyns recommendations...

Christopher Moore's "Lamb: The Gospel According to Biff, Christ's Childhood Pal" is hands down the most tongue-in-cheek, blow milk out your nose as you pee yourself, hilarious book EVER written. Once you read this, you will annihilate Moore's entire portfolio in a matter of weeks if not days.

and

Tom Robbins "Fierce Invalids Home From Hot Climate's" was so funny, that I now quote lines from it more than I quote the movie "Airplane"

You'll thank me...

s.h.

If I read a book and then find myself thinking about it long after completing it then I think that it was a book well worth reading. So, here are my recommendations (many of my other recommendations have already been listed by other people) - I loved "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time" by Mark Haddon. Also loved "I Know This Much is True" by Wally Lamb. And, by Mary Doria Russell, I loved her 1st book "The Sparrow" and the follow-up to it "Children of God". And, I still love "The Lovely Bones" by Alice Sebold. If you haven't read it, do so before the movie comes out.

Seconding mbnjmtrb on all his rec's, but also: the History of Love by Nicole Krauss (sounds cheesy, but isn't); anything by Zadie Smith; Jonathan Safran Foer's books - especially Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close; the short stories of Lorrie Moore; and Midnight's Children, Satanic Verses, and the Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie.

I recently read The Uses of Enchantment by Heidi Julavits and liked the way it explores adolescent girlhood and strained familial relationships. For a quick, fun read, I'd also recommend An Arsonists Guide to Writers' Homes of New England.