In the busy AbeBooks hive lives a swarm of avid readers. When not working to improve the largest marketplace for books, we're abuzz about books we love. And be sure to check out our AbeBooks blog Reading Copy where we're constantly buzzing about books in our life, and books in the news. We share some of our recommended favourites here. |
Steven D. Levitt
An interesting and hilarious look at the world and as the book puts it, into “the hidden side of everything.” Levitt uses economic theory and statistical analysis to unravel sociological issues, but you hardly need to be a math major to get into it. The absolute ridiculousness of the comparisons he makes are astounding but in the end he brings it together and gives you a new look at whatever he happens to be looking at: Why Do Crack Dealers Live With Their Moms, How Is the Ku Klux Klan Like a Group of Real-Estate Agents, What Do Schoolteachers and Sumo Wrestlers Have in Common? -- Recommended by Scott L.
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Howard F. Lyman
Having had the pleasure of attending talks by Howard Lyman, one of the most memorable things about him is not so much what he says, but how he says it. And somehow he manages to mirror this ability in written form, drawing you into oft-heated topics that you may not normally consider. In this way,
No More Bull is a worthy successor to Howard’s first book, Mad Cowboy. Using his friendly but deadly serious manner,
No More Bull updates us on mad cow disease, fad diets, and veganism, all in an obvious effort to improve our lives one bite at a time. It’s also refreshing that he backs up his statements with facts, sourcing all his citations in his endnotes. My only complaint about No More Bull would be the short length: though I appreciate the recipes in the back, I yearn for more Howard and his captivating writing style. -- Recommended by Niilo V.
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Gautam Malkani
Just as Martin Amis and Irving Welsh captured the mood and the ethos of the eighties and nighties, twenty-nine-year-old Gautam Malkani brilliantly evokes the life of immigrants - young Muslim, Sikh, and Hindu men - who are not immigrants in Londonstani, bringing an entirely fresh perspective to contemporary fiction as he does so. -- Recommended by Kyra K.
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Chris Anderson
In the most important business book since The Tipping Point, Chris Anderson shows how the future of commerce and culture isn't in hits, the high-volume head of a traditional demand curve, but in what used to be regarded as misses - the endlessly long tail of that same curve. The Long Tail is one of the best business books of the year. -- Recommended by Boris W.
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Mark Kriegel
I love sports books but readily admit that most of them are garbage, especially ghost-written autobiographies by stars mid-way through their careers. I am constantly searching for the next Friday Night Lights. But the depth of Namath is all the more impressive as the former New York Jets quarterback refused to cooperate with the author. It becomes very clear Namath does nothing for free and exploits his status as football’s first true superstar to good effect – even now more than 40 years after his heyday. Kriegel’s research is painstaking – teammates from high school, college and the NFL are interviewed along with sportswriters, friends and business associates from Namath’s colorful off-field life. Perhaps the most telling sections of the book describe the quarterback’s battles with countless knee operations and his ability to endure fearsome beatings in game after game. The emergence of football as a television phenomenon is also graphically outlined with Namath’s ‘guaranteed’ Super Bowl victory over the Baltimore Colts outlined as the platform for the way the NFL is now marketed to millions through America’s TV networks today.
-- Recommended by Richard D.
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Lisa See
Discover the experiences of the original Chinese immigrants in America, through See's sweeping chronicle of
her Chinese-American family - a work that takes in stories of racism and
romance, entrepreneurial genius and domestic heartache, secret
marriages and sibling rivalries, in a powerful history of two cultures
meeting in a new world.
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[An Interview with Lisa See]
Laurence Leamer
A multi-generational history that will forever change the way America views its most famous, clan-like family.
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-- Both titles recommended by Richard D. |
Mark Dunn
This story is set on an island where the author of the pangram "The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog" is revered after his death. As letters of the pangram fall off the statue dedicated to him, the town council decides that residents shouldn't use those letters anymore. The book consists of letters mailed between residents, and while it isn't very noticeable when "z" and "q" are abolished, the story becomes more difficult and entertaining to read as K, D and another 17 letters disappear. The race for the residents to win their right to use all letters again (by creating a new pangram with fewer letters) is exciting, and the book is a linguistic treat. -- Recommended by Jennifer T.
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Thomas King
I can always count on Thomas King for an excellent read. His books are the "curl up in front of the fire with a cup of tea and forget about the world around you for hours" kind of good. Published in 1993, it's an engaging blend of contemporary social issues and native mythology. The stories of 5 Blackfoot Indians living in Blossom, Alberta are interwoven with Coyote, a mythological trickster, trying to tell the creation story with the help of the Lone Ranger and Captain Ahab. Sometimes side-splittingly funny, sometimes painfully truthful, and always totally engrossing, Green Grass, Running Water is a must read for the winter. -- Recommended by Sarah G.
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Steven Brust
Khaavren of the House of Tiassa arrives in the heart of the Draegaran Empire with only his good breeding and his "tolerable" swordsmanship to protect. But when he joins the rambunctious Phoenix Guards, he and his rowdy comrades must save the Empire from collapse - and invasion. This is the 8th Steven Brust book I have read and I recommend all his books -- Recommended by Sterling S.
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Nick Hornby
Sure the story sounds depressing. Four strangers come to a London rooftop on New Year's Eve, all with the same goal - to hurl themselves off the building and end their miserable existences. But Hornby is able to find the beauty in their sadness, without dissolving their despair into grand epiphanies or melodromatic acts, through four distinct voices and one strange yet comforting bond. -- Recommended by Krista L.
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Gregory David Roberts
Shantaram is the fascinating and autobiographical story of an Australian man, imprisoned for armed robbery, who escapes from prison and moves to India. During his time in India he makes a name for himself in the slums as a doctor, helping impoverished slum-residents and making friends and business partners. While the writing is not entirely sophisticated and can be somewhat overblown, the story itself and the voice of its teller keep the reader interested and leave them wanting more. It is overwhelmingly a story of redemption, pointing to the good and bad in all of us. -- Recommended by Beth C.
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Chuck Palahniuk
An underground classic since its first publication in 1996, Fight Club is widely recognized as one of the most original and provocative novels of the last decade. Now the author adds his own voice to the critical debate he generated. In a new Introduction, he discusses the various interpretations in the popular media of Fight Club and the movie it inspired, as well as his personal reactions to the work's reception and the influence that the Fight Club phenomenon has already had on our culture. -- Recommended by Anna K.
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Bill Phillips
Every year we see a glut of books outlining the "latest and greatest" fitness and diet regimen. I guess I'm a bit late in jumping onto the Body for Life bandwagon since it was originally released in 1999! Saying that, the information isn't at all outdated and the principles still make sense. If you're short on time, his workouts are perfect – cardio workouts are only 20 minutes (an intense 20 minutes, mind you) and the strength training sessions aren't much longer. The eating plan is easy to follow even if, like me, you choose not to use the nutritional supplement Phillip recommends (and his company manufactures). If you're looking for a way to get started on a fitness program, this book is helpful. The before and after pictures are also pretty motivating! -- Recommended by Kathleen S.
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Bill Phillips
Whether you're trying to lose weight or just eat healthier, Eating for Life gives you common-sense guidelines. You don't have to be following the Body for Life plan to appreciate this book – coming seven years later, it stands alone in terms of content. The nutritional principles make sense and the recipes are easy to follow. If you're looking for some information on health and nutrition but don't want to get overloaded, this is a good book for you! -- Recommended by Kathleen S.
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For the Younger Crowd
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Lemony Snicket
I have been reading these to my 9 year old daughter and we are now on the tenth book in the series. The most wonderful thing about these books is their use of language. With the exception of the “Just-So Stories”, they are perhaps the most enjoyable books I have ever read out loud. Even though my daughter is perfectly capable of reading these books herself, we both really enjoy my reading them to her. The language is beautiful, there are clever word plays and jokes, new vocabulary is introduced in a way that a 9 year old can understand and appreciate and all the books have a dark sense of humor that adults and children both can enjoy. There is something of the Grimm fairy tales or the darker sides of Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland here. Certainly this is not a Disney-ish children’s story: people are hurt physically and emotionally and the bad guys largely get away with it. But children (or at least my children) like that balance to the absurdity of the story. Highly recommended for any parents wanting to read to their children. -- Recommended by Nick D.
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Robert Munsch
"I have been reading these stories to my four year old son for this past year. He loves them and excitedly shouts out his favourite parts when we get to them. I admit I enjoy reading them to him just as much and creating voices for the funny characters." --
Recommended by Dreanna R.
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