Um, I’m wanting something to read, and the libraries are being very slow about fulfilling my hold requests, so I’m looking for old stuff that’s good and probably on the library shelf just waiting to be loved. I think I might try some Jane Austen, as I recently realized that I never have, but the excerpts I’ve seen are wittier than I expected. I’m not fond of romances or “chick lit” or such things, which is where I’ve place her books.1
If I’m going to try them, where should I start? Any other authors/books you think I should try?
I don’t care to read doom-filled, depressing stories. There’s enough of that in the real world, and I can always go look at the news. I want to read about smart, likeable people doing interesting things while bantering wittily. Humor is important, but goofy slapstick nonsense looses me. I HATE HATE HATE “do something obviously stupid, try to get out of the resulting mess” plots.
I’ve read Lois McMaster Bujold, thanks 🙂 Well, all the Vorkosigan universe stuff, anyway. Her fantasy books have never interested me, for some odd reason.
Thank you 🙂
1 I think to some extent I got her all mixed up with the Brontës when I was a teen, and damned if I wanted more of that nonsense.
A friend of mine introduce me to what we call The Trilogy. Unrelated but they go well together in this order-
Siddhartha — Herman Hesse
Confederacy of Dunces — John Kennedy Toole
Tortilla Flats — John Steinbeck
Also, an oldie but goodie, favorite of mine is James Clavell of Shogun fame. Read his Asian novels in order, lot of fun.