Week 3: Let's Talk Books

Conversation 1: I want a book like Eat, Pray, Love.

The customer seems to be looking for a book with female protagonist, that is amusing and reflective. While I think she likes to be "in the know" on what's popular (I'd share the best seller list with this customer), I think I'd focus on a memoir that might inspire great conversation. One of my favorites is And I Shall Have Some Peace There: Trading in the Fast Lane for My Own Dirt Road by Margaret Roach. Although published a few years ago, I only recently read it. In this memoir, Roach chronicles her journey from high-demand, stressful corporate job (she worked for Martha Stewart) to her escape to farm life. Another possibility is Here, There, Elsewhere: Stories from the Road by travel writer William Least Heat Moon. In this travelogue, the author chronicles his journeys all over the world, from Mayan villages to the vineyards of Long Island. I really enjoyed how the stories took the seemingly mundane and made everything so memorable.

Conversation 2: I like vampires, but I hated Twilight.

I understand this customer, as I hated Twilight myself. If s/he hasn't read it yet would suggest trying Ann Rice's classic series, beginning with Interview With the Vampire. It's very dark, Gothic fiction. Although the story unfolds slowly, it doesn't feel like a slow read. For something completely different, they might like the Southern Vampire series by Katherine Harris. It's a fabulous, darkly funny series. It's a fast-paced read, with lots of interesting characters. I really enjoy the characterizations, in this fast-paced series. Another fast-paced, funny vampire story would be Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. This pseudo-biography presents a revisionist history of why Lincoln fought against slavery in a quick, easy read.

Conversation 3: River of Doubt read-alikes, please.

This was the most challenging of the three conversations for me. I thought of a few older titles I read that I considered fast-paced, suspenseful, non-fiction stories. The Lost City of Z by David Grann tells the story of English explorer Percy Fawcett, who disappeared in the jungles of Brazil while searching for a rumored city he called Z. This mystery-adventure is an entertaining, compelling read. Another "oldie but goodie" is Into Thin Air: A Personal Account of the Mount Everest Disaster by Jon Krakauer, is the story of an expedition up Mount Everest that went very, very wrong. Krakauer chronicles his treacherous, and disastrous journey in a compelling way. Amidst the story of his own struggles, Krakauer describes the history of Everest's many climbers.