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Books
MatchBook: Paul Constant's Book Recommendations
Tell Paul what you feel like reading next, what books or authors you like/dislike and whether you want to stretch your horizons. He'll tell you what to read next. Paul will also have occasional special guests to take your questions about books, writing or whatever interests you. If you have recommendations, feel free to jump in and give them too.
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Featured Contributors
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FeaturedstaffPaul Constant
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The Questions
The Answers
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Answer to Mary Roach-like books?
Natalie Angier (science writer for the New York Times) wrote a fantastic book called Woman: an intimate geography, which is maybe a little more den... more » -
Answer to Mary Roach-like books?
FeaturedstaffThose are all great suggestions below. The problem with humorous non-Roach, non-fiction writers is that they are funny, but forgettable. (I've read... more »
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FeaturedstaffYou know who I love in a very trashy way? Harold Robbins. His books are about pivotal moments, like you describe. The Carpetbaggers is a faux-biogr... more »
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The Group by Mary McCarthy is somewhat trashy, and also captures a time period - the 30s and 40s. It follows a group of Vasser graduates as they m... more » -
Answer to What do I do with all these books?
If you just want to get rid of the books and aren't too concerned with getting money, public libraries generally accept book donations. Stuff that'... more » -
Answer to What do I do with all these books?
Half-Price Books would be a good place to start with your TST rejects. You also might want to shop your books around to several stores. You o... more » -
Peyton Place by Grace Metalious is a fave trash read of mine. I don't know about its value presenting cultural transitions, but it's a Bildungsroma... more » -
Answer to Mary Roach-like books?
This book doesn't have anything to do with textiles, colors, spices/food or small business, but it is totally awesome!!! "The Shallows: What the I... more » -
If you like trash, you simply cannot do better than the immortal Jackie Collins (sister of Joan, who also wrote a couple of Hollywood trash novels)... more » -
Answer to Mary Roach-like books?
A few off the top of my head, that you may have already read: *Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser *Freakonomics by Steven Levitt (& some other ... more » -
Kim Harrison's Hollows series is pretty cool. Interpersonal drama, supernatural drama, people getting stabbed drama... some comedy. It's good st... more » -
Answer to Mary Roach-like books?
For food: I suggest the late novelist Laurie Colwin's _Home Cooking_ and _More Home Cooking_ nonfiction books about comfort food: part memoir, part... more »
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If you like a bit of medieval history, try "My Lord John" by Georgette Heyer. She spent years doing research and it is a good read. The only thin... more » -
The whole "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" series - british humour at it's best. Jerome K. Jerome's "Three Men in a Boat" - the hilarious misa... more » -
Stephen Fry's books, fiction and nonfiction. His nonfiction _The Ode Less Travelled_ turned me onto British comic verse poet Wendy Cope, whose book... more »
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Are you a modern Anglophile? Try Zadie Smith. Very funny and perceptive. more » -
Do you like art history? If you do, you might want to check into some medieval manuscript art history books. They can be pretty interesting in a... more »
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In addition to the footsteps that you will hear above you, be prepared for the sound of a lot of running water as the toilets from the bathrooms ab... more »
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These are all humorous, cuz that's what I like... The novels of P. G. Wodehouse are delightful, charming, screwball fun. The Jeeves & Wooster b... more » -
Kingsley Amis: Lucky Jim, The Green Man David Lodge: Changing Places, Small World, Nice Work, Paradise News, Therapy, Thinks Evelyn Waugh: Brid... more » - more answers in Books »
Answer of the week
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We pick an Answer of the Week every Friday afternoon. Be sure to nominate your favorite answer by giving them a mushroom! Both the asker and the answerer receive a prize.
