Play Book Tag discussion

One of our members (who is free to share who they are) had a great suggestion of providing a place to discuss book recommendations for our 64 authors in Who's PBT's Favorite?

I'm excited about this idea because with some authors I would have no idea where to start!

So this thread is an open forum for fans of the various authors to let us know which works you liked (or didn't).

Awesome. Thanks Anita. I was about to make a list for myself, as I
want to try to read all the authors that are new to me. If anyone wants to copy this list onto your own message, you can add books to your list at your leisure.

Can you all check the links for your favorites to make sure they're correct?

THE LIST

Mitch Albom
Isabel Allende
Hala Alyan
Ilona Andrews
Margaret Atwood
Jane Austen
Fredrik Backman Corrected spelling /link
Linwood Barclay
Rhys Bowen
John Boyne

Ray Bradbury
Bill Bryson
Lois McMaster Bujold

Robert A. Caro correct
Linda Castillo
Katherine Center
Agatha Christie
Michael Connelly
Fiona Davis
Barbara Delinsky

Elena Ferrante
Ken Follett
Elizabeth George This is the right link.
Kristin Hannah
Amy Harmon
Kent Haruf
Robert Hellenga
Talia Hibbert
Antonia Hodgson
Alice Hoffman

Colleen Hoover
Kazuo Ishiguro
P.D. James
Stephen Graham Jones
Rachel Joyce
Stephen King
Barbara Kingsolver
Sophie Kinsella
Ágota Kristóf
William Kent Krueger

James A. Michener new link
Liane Moriarty new link
Toni Morrison
Kate Morton
Ruth Ozeki
Ann Patchett
Jodi Picoult
Terry Pratchett
Taylor Jenkins Reid
J.K. Rowling/ Robert Galbraith

Mary Doria Russell
John Sandford
Lisa See
Sharon Shinn
Nevil Shute
Coco Simon
Thea Stilton
Elizabeth Strout
J.R.R. Tolkien

Amor Towles
Scott Turow
Connie Willis
Lisa Wingate

Nancy's Recommendations and requests for recs

Mitch Albom
Isabel Allende - I recommend A Long Petal of the Sea for history lovers. Her early books are known for magical realism.
Hala Alyan - What should I read?
Ilona Andrews
Margaret Atwood - The Handmaid's Tale is a classic. I liked Oryx and Crake and I will read The Year of the Flood for the Science tag.
Jane Austen -Pride and Prejudice (obviously), Persuasion, etc.
Fredrik Backman -A Man Called Ove, Beartown, Us Against You, The Winners- new book
Linwood Barclay
Rhys Bowen - Rec's please.

*John Boyne - I loved The Heart's Invisible Furies, A Ladder to the Sky, and I plan to read more this year.

Ray Bradbury
Bill Bryson
Lois McMaster Bujold
Robert A. Caro
Linda Castillo
[author:Katherine Center
Agatha Christie
Michael Connelly
Fiona Davis - Recommendations please?
Barbara Delinsky - Rec's please?

Elena Ferrante - I liked My Brilliant Friend (4 books) and plan to read more
Ken Follett -
Elizabeth George is this the right one?
Elizabeth George
Kristin Hannah - I loved The Nightingale but didn't like the other 3 I read nearly as much.
Amy Harmon - I LOVED What the Wind Knows and others. I plan to read Where the Lost Wander.
Kent Haruf - I plan to read Plainsong or Our Souls at night.
Robert Hellenga - recs please?
Talia Hibbert - Get a Life Chloe Brown
Antonia Hodgson
Alice Hoffman - so many

Colleen Hoover
Kazuo Ishiguro - Klara and the Sun. He breaks my heart every time.
P.D. James
Stephen Graham Jones
Rachel Joyce The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, Miss Benson's Beetle fits the Science tag.
Stephen King

Barbara Kingsolver - Prodigal Summer, Flight Behavior, Poisonwood Diary. I hope more people read her. She was way ahead of the environment/climate fiction trend.

Sophie Kinsella
Ágota Kristóf - I might try the first in the trilogy
*William Kent Krueger - I strongly recommend This Tender Land

James Michener - check link no pic
James A. Michener (I added the A.)
Moriarty, Lianne - I think this is a typo. I used Liane
Liane Moriarty
Toni Morrison - I will read Beloved Soon.
Kate Morton
Ruth Ozeki - I LOVED A Tale for the Time Being. The Book of Form and Emptiness is on the Tournament of Books this year.
Ann Patchett - I really liked Bel Canto
Jodi Picoult - The Storyteller, Leaving Time, Small Great Things, her early books are tearjerkers
Terry Pratchett
Taylor Jenkins Reid - Daisy Jones and the Six is my favorite. Malibu Rising is my least favorite.
J.K. Rowling/ Robert Galbraith

Mary Doria Russell - I really liked A Thread of Grace. I want to read The Sparrow.
John Sandford
Lisa See
Sharon Shinn
Nevil Shute - I plan to read A Town Like Alice
Coco Simon - check link, no pic
Thea Stilton - check link, no pic
Elizabeth Strout - I loved Olive Kitteridge and Olive Again
J.R.R. Tolkien -

Amor Towles I liked Rules of Civility, but couldn't get into LIncoln Highway. I might try again in Feb.
Scott Turow - I liked Presumed Innocent
Connie Willis- I'd like to read something by her
Lisa Wingate I loved Before we were yours

* John Boyne and William Kent Krueger are paired against one another, and they both have books that are beloved by PBT members. I couldn't predict this winner, so I would recommend reading them early.

My favorite recommendations:

Michael Connelly - Blood Work

Follett, Ken - Eye of the Needle

Robert A. Caro - Means of Ascent

Scott Turow
- Presumed Innocent
- Personal Injuries
- Pleading Guilty

Thank you so much for making all those links, Nancy!!! That was extremely kind of you and so convenient for everyone.

Thought I'd mention a bit about Linwood Barclay. He writes thrillers, and I find him similar to Harlan Coben.

I think I have a few 5 star books by him, but I probably remember the first I read by him best: No Time for Goodbye

Thrilled to see Robert Hellenga. His The Sixteen Pleasures is a treasured favorite, and one I often recommend.. I have others in my TBR that hopefully I will read for this challenge - at least one.

Amor Towles - A Gentleman in Moscow

Fiona Davis - just starting The Masterpiece, but have several others in TBR. She writes fiction set in and around NYC landmarks: The Dakota, the Chelsea Hotel, Grand Central, NYPL, ETC.

@ Nancy-Rhys Bowen-I have read In Farleigh Fieldand enjoyed it. I have The Tuscan Child on my Trim list,

I just started Ken Follett's new book Never (cannot find the link). It is more like his first books than anything I have read by him in years. Espionage, not HF.

Suggestions -
Rhys Bowen has 3 mystery series:
Evans Above is the 1st book about a small town in Wales
Her Royal Spyness is the 1st book about an impoverished noblewoman in the 1930's, mostly comic
Murphy's Law is the 1st book about an immigrant from Ireland to New York around 1900

Connie Willis writes sci-fi, often about time travel. Her most famous books, like Shakespeare, fall into tragedy, comedy and history.
Doomsday Book - the Black Plague - serious but also uplifting (includes a modern pandemic too!)
To Say Nothing of the Dog - comic romp in Victorian England
Blackout and All Clear - 2-part book about the home front in Britain WWII - NOT a book and a sequel, you have to get both books and read right through from one chapter to the next.
All of those are very engrossing, and very good on audio.

Nevil Shute writes optimistic books, even those in wartime (except On the Beach). My favorite is Trustee from the Toolroom but A Town Like Alice is very good too.

Thanks for taking my suggestion to set up this thread, Anita! There are a number of authors here that I don't know and that's exciting.

Robin P wrote: "Thanks for taking my suggestion to set up this thread, Anita! There are a number of authors here that I don't know and that's exciting."

You are welcome, Robin. Another member private messaged me with a similar thought and then I saw your suggestion/question a few minutes later, and I knew it was a great idea!!

Here are some of my recommendations--

Isabel Allende House of the Spirits
Jane Austen Pride and Prejudice
Frederick Backman Beartown
John Boyne The Heart’s Invisible Furies
Ken Follett The Pillars of the Earth
Kristin Hannah The Nightingale
Alice Hoffman The Color Purple
Stephen King The Stand
Barbara Kingsolver Prodigal Summer
William Kent Krueger This Tender Land
Taylor Jenkins Reid 7 Husbands of Evelyn Hugo
Mary Doria Russell A Thread of Grace
Nevil Shute A Town Called Alice
Amor Towles Rules of Civility

Maria Doria Russell - Sparrow blew me away - discussed in two different book groups, science and religion at the same time
William Kent Krueger - Ordinary Grace, not in a series, one of the sweetest books ever written - discussed in two book groups

I second A Town Called Alice by Nevil Shute - a book that stood the test of time.
James Mitchner - wrote in the 50s, lot of local color - I will forever remember his book about Israel
Kent Haruf - a quiet gentle sweet writer - no rush, get to know the characters and they are all people you may know

I could write forever but these stood out to me. peace, janz

Book about Israel is named Exodus I think. peace, janz

Peacejanz wrote: "Book about Israel is named Exodus I think. peace, janz"

Actually the Michener book is The Source. Exodus is by Leon Uris. I loved Michener books back in the '70's and '80's, such as Hawaii, Centennial and Chesapeake, and The Covenant. Later I think he had cowriters and I felt like he tried too hard to get a lot of facts in. His first book, Tales of the South Pacific, is shorter and is the basis of the musical.

Thanks to Robin P whose memory is better than mine. She is absolutely right. peace, janz

Many thanks for the links, Nancy!

I have nominated Agota Kristof, which I imagine not so many have heard of. I don’t expect her to advance very far in this challenge, but she definitely deserves more readers - so maybe this will help with that :)

The first book in her trilogy The Notebook/Le Grand Cahier blew me away when I read it last year, so different from anything else I have read. Added bonus that it is short, and a quick read. I couldn’t put it down when I first started it. Note, I haven’t read the English translation, so I don’t know if it’s a good one. The Norwegian translation was very good however.

For January, I would like to read more Nevil Shute. On the Beach also fits the science tag. My mom have many of his books, but I have only read A Town Like Alice before, which I very much enjoyed.

Otherwise, Margaret Atwood, Elizabeth Strout, Ann Patchett, Toni Morrison, Elena Ferrante and Isabel Allende are high on my want to read more of list. I have books by these authors laying around in my shelves, both read and unread.

Michael Connelly used to be my favorite author when I first started reading and all I read were murder mystery thrillers.

Most of his books are part of the Harry Bosch Universe, https://www.goodreads.com/series/2127.... If you haven't read him before, the first book in the whole universe is The Black Echo but if you want to read something new you could read one of the books where he writes about one of the side characters, like Mickey Haller.

The first Mickey Haller book was famous made into a movie with Matthew McConaughey playing Mickey... The Lincoln Lawyer.

The Harry Bosch books have been turned into a series on Amazon but way before that, in 2002 Clint Eastwood took a turn at it and tried to turn Blood Work, book #8, into a movie... it was a terrible adaptation!

Anyway... I love the whole series. I was hooked on all the beginning books. I just read Two Kinds of Truth, book #30, this year and remembered why I like his books so much.

I'll probably read The Late Show this year which is where he first introduces Renee Ballard.

I didn't nominate him, but I'm super excited to see him here!!! :)

@ Charlotte-thanks for the reminder that Connelly created Bosch. I read the 1st book years ago when I was on a Police Procedural kick and I enjoyed it. I never moved on, as my addiction to this genre waned. I think I might re-read book 1

Katherine Center is currently my favorite author!! She writes rom-com type books but what I love about hers is she adds a paragraph here and there with a funny quip or something for a side story line. To me it makes the books.

I haven't read her older books but have devoured her newer ones. My favorites in order that I love them are:
1. How to Walk Away
2. The Bodyguard (comes out 2022)
3. Things You Save in a Fire
4. What You Wish For

There was a movie released to streaming this past year that was based on one of her books, The Lost Husband. The movie was meh but more because of the acting than the story. I haven't read the book yet. Her being one of the authors is my excuse to read the rest of her books that I haven't read.

If you like Urban Fantasy then Ilona Andrews is for you. There are several series and some are interconnected. I recommend reading the first volume in any of the series because of the world building.These books can get pretty violent but are action packed.

Kate Daniels series
1. Magic Bites

Hidden Legacy series
1.Burn for Me

The Edge series
1. On the Edge

Innkeeper Chronicles series
1. Clean Sweep

NancyJ wrote: "Awesome. Thanks Anita. I was about to make a list for myself, as I
want to try to read all the authors that are new to me. If anyone wants to copy this list onto your own message, you can add boo..."


THANK YOU! So convenient.

I imagine I was the single Elizabeth George nominator.
Elizabeth George
30 years of the Lynley series with a couple crime compilations and related non-fiction.

Hilde wrote: "Many thanks for the links, Nancy!

I have nominated Agota Kristof, which I imagine not so many have heard of. I don’t expect her to advance very far in this challenge, but she definitely deserves ..."

I would like to read the Notebook. My library has it but the site doesn't show the number of pages. Do you think it's at least 150 pages?

My favorite Mitch Albom is Have a Little Faith.

My favorite for Jodi Piccoult, almost too many to count. But go with The Storyteller, Small Great Things, or The Book of Two Ways.

My favorite Alice Hoffman, the Dovekeepers, The Marriage of Opposites, or The World that we Knew.

Lisa See - the recent one with the women Divers. Island of…

Eligible Sharks - Three Daughters of Eve

Anything by Taylor Jenkins Reid, Lianne Moriarty, or Frederik Backman. You can’t go wrong with any of them.

Amy wrote: "My favorite Mitch Albom is Have a Little Faith.

My favorite for Jodi Piccoult, almost too many to count. But go with The Storyteller, Small Great Things, or The Book of Two Ways.

My favorite Alic..."

Amy - Three Daughters of Eve - I didn't see Elif Shafak on the list. Did I miss her? (Eligible sharks - don't you just love autocorrect)

@Nancy: My copy was approx 170 pages, do it should work. Hope you’ll enjoy it!

Yes my phone correct always does a number, but those mountains yesterday were particularly pesky.

Meant to tell you Nancy, that its hard to find a copy of the Law of Moses in my library network, which you think for Boston, there is nothing that can't be found even when its potentially obscure, which this isn't. I remember looking for it last year.

But definitely looking for it for the 64 author challenge. Its in my Amazon Cart.

Amy wrote: "Yes my phone correct always does a number, but those mountains yesterday were particularly pesky.

Meant to tell you Nancy, that its hard to find a copy of the Law of Moses in my library network, w..."

I know. I wouldn't worry about it. I don't think it's as good as What the Wind Knows, so I wouldn't keep looking if I were you. She won't beat Elizabeth Strout, so she won't make it to round two.

I blame Amazon for the lack of availability in libraries. They make exclusive deals with Lake Union authors and don't make those books available to the distributors that the libraries use. (I think when authors sign up with Lake Union, they're making a deal with the devil.) It might be on Kindle unlimited (which I'm about to drop).

I'm sorry I submitted her name for this game. Without being in the libraries, an author doesn't have a chance for broader visibility. I could have voted for Elif Shafak, or Louise Erdrich, or many others I really want to read more of.

FYI January is often the best time to request library purchases. My library system has a fund for purchasing items from Amazon (or any other company outside the main distribution system). But they use up that money very quickly.

Amy wrote: "Yes my phone correct always does a number, but those mountains yesterday were particularly pesky.

Meant to tell you Nancy, that its hard to find a copy of the Law of Moses in my library network, w..."

I know you aren't a big audiobook reader Amy, but the audiobook for The Law of Moses is available on hoopla through my library. I don't remember if the hoopla catalog is standard or if it varies from library to library, but worth checking out for those who are looking for it and don't mind audiobooks.

Cora and Nancy, those are both great insights and recommendations. Funny thing is, I looked here in the airport because they had a whole tattered cover book store. But they didn’t have any Amy Harmon either. I could get it on audio, but I’m about to start a 55 hours of the fiery cross! That could take me about three months. So audio is kind of out for now.

Truth is, I would vote for Amy Harmon over Elizabeth’s house. Elizabeth stratus hit or miss for me, and more miss than hit. There is nothing on my TBR for her, well I have actually been wanting to read the law of Moses for sometime, ever since you tattered it highly over a year ago, maybe two. So while she still in the running I wouldn’t mind getting the point.

I also think that was interesting about this challenge is that it exposes us to a lot of different authors we might not have considered or would enjoy reading more of, but really only if you are really truly in the running to win the whole thing in my opinion. I would love to see how I fare, but I think I did a pretty good job of nominating, and then making the preselections. And I agree, Elia Sharak is fabulous snd underrated. I will also read her in this next three months. Two of her books are high up for me.

Amy wrote: "Cora and Nancy, those are both great insights and recommendations. Funny thing is, I looked here in the airport because they had a whole tattered cover book store. But they didn’t have any Amy Harm..."

The kindle for Law of Moses is 5.99 and it's free if you have kindleunlimited. I think they have a 30 day trial.

My recommendations:
These are all books I have read and rated 4 or 5 stars.

Mitch Albom
The Magic Strings of Frankie Presto
Tuesdays with Morrie

Isabel Allende
Daughter of Fortune
Eva Luna
Violeta
Inés of My Soul
The Japanese Lover
The House of the Spirits
Portrait in Sepia
A Long Petal of the Sea

Hala Alyan
Salt Houses

Margaret Atwood
The Blind Assassin
Cat's Eye
The Handmaid's Tale
The Robber Bride
Oryx and Crake

Jane Austen
Northanger Abbey

Frederick Backman
Beartown
Anxious People
A Man Called Ove
Britt-Marie Was Here

John Boyne
The Heart's Invisible Furies
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451
The Martian Chronicles
Dandelion Wine
I Sing the Body Electric! & Other Stories

Bill Bryson
A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail

Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None

Kristin Hannah
The Nightingale

Kent Haruf
Plainsong
Our Souls at Night

Alice Hoffman
The Marriage of Opposites

Kazuo Ishiguro
The Remains of the Day
Klara and the Sun
An Artist of the Floating World
Never Let Me Go

Barbara Kingsolver
The Poisonwood Bible
The Bean Trees
Flight Behavior

William Kent Krueger
Ordinary Grace

James A. Michener
Tales of the South Pacific
Centennial
Hawaii

Toni Morrison
A Mercy

Kate Morton
The Clockmaker's Daughter

Ruth Ozeki
A Tale for the Time Being

Ann Patchett
Bel Canto
The Dutch House
State of Wonder

Taylor Jenkins Reid
Daisy Jones & The Six

J.K. Rowling/ Robert Galbraith
Any of the Harry Potter series

Mary Doria Russell
Doc

Lisa See
Snow Flower and the Secret Fan
Shanghai Girls

Nevil Shute
A Town Like Alice

Elizabeth Strout
Olive Kitteridge

J.R.R. Tolkien
Any of the Lord of the Rings series

Amor Towles
A Gentleman in Moscow

Amy wrote: "Yes my phone correct always does a number, but those mountains yesterday were particularly pesky.
Meant to tell you Nancy, that its hard to find a copy of the Law of Moses in my library network, w..."

Amy, just in case you haven't tried this.... Have you asked your library to purchase the book? My library website has a link to Suggest a Purchase. It goes to a central department where they make purchasing decisions. My library often gets e-books or e-audios within 24 hours of the request. I'm in a very large library system, which probably helps.

I wonder how many of us have this terrific resource.

Linwood Barclay
Elevator Pitch

Rhys Bowen
In Farleigh Field

Ray Bradbury
Fahrenheit 451, of course, but also:

Dandelion Wine
Something Wicked This Way Comes
The Martian Chronicles
The Illustrated Man

Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None and Murder on the Orient Express are considered classics for a reason, but some lesser-known favorites of mine are The Pale Horse and Funerals Are Fatal.

Stephen Graham Jones
My Heart Is a Chainsaw
The Only Good Indians
Mongrels

Stephen King
Dolores Claiborne is a good one for non-horror readers.

James A. Michener
The Covenant
Alaska

Lianne Moriarty
Big Little Lies

J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit, or There and Back Again is an easier intro than The Lord of the Rings or The Silmarillion. He also wrote his own version of some ancient poems: The Legend of Sigurd & Gudrún.

Robin P wrote: "Peacejanz wrote: "Book about Israel is named Exodus I think. peace, janz"

Actually the Michener book is The Source. Exodus is by Leon Uris. I loved Michener books back in..."

The Source was my first Michener and I adored it too! In spite of its length. I was still in my teens when I read it.

Hi I just noticed that I misspelled Fredrik Backman on the author list in message 2. The other link was about him, but not complete. If you're not familiar with him, please check the new link.

Fredrik Backman= Corrected link
I really loved A Man Called Ove, Beartown, and Us Against You. The third book in the Beartown trilogy is The Winners, which will be available in English in September. I hope he's still in the running then, because I know many of us will want to read it right away.

Jane Austen: Emma is my girl

Fredrik Backman: His Beartown books are wonderful -- the themes are what make the books. The audios are also fantastic; there was a lot of hoopla about the lack of a Swedish narrator (or at least one who could do a Swedish accent), but I loved that they were narrated by an American. Marin Ireland is pitch perfect, and because the narrator isn't Swedish -- and the geographic location isn't highlighted in the writing -- I could easily picture the story playing out in any hockey crazy town in Minnesota, Massachusetts, or even Alaska.

John Boyne: The Boy in the Striped Pajamas is a must read in our homeschool. However, his best work -- by miles -- is The Heart's Invisible Furies. After finishing that book, I just had to sit quietly for a time and let the characters go. It was a stunning piece of emotional genius.

Elena Ferrante: Her Neapolitan Series books, which begin with My Brilliant Friend, are a wonderful survey of friendship in the context of community.

Ken Follett: The Pillars of the Earth Series, begun by the novel of the same name, is a fun romp through time. Centered around a cathedral of the author's invention, these books make me think of how many times I have put my hands on an ancient wall or manuscript and thought about the lives of which it has born witness. I have opted not to read his Century Trilogy because I have heard it contains far more anachronisms than The Pillars (which I thought pretty well done in that aspect -- he had some misses, but not enough to make me walk away from all the good things in the books).

Kristin Hannah: Please, please read The Great Alone! Her better known The Nightingale is chock full of anachronism; I seriously hated that book. On the other hand, as an Alaskan who lives in a community very similar to the one featured in The Great Alone, I can say with conviction that this is the book she was born to write. She has a personal family connection and a far better grasp on her material.

Alice Hoffman: Practical Magic, of course! Such a fun series!

Stephen King: My favs are his non-horror books. I loved 11/22/63. Sleeping Beauties, written with his son Owen has a fascinating premise of how society would evolve if men and women lived on different planes. I also am a big fan of the slightly creepy The Stand.

Barbara Kingsolver: The Poisonwood Bible is a must! One of the best character driven novels ever. The Lacuna also ranks very highly for me.

Sophie Kinsella: After my daughter died, members of this group suggested a bunch of fluff reading to help me find a mental and emotional escape. Sophie stole my heart. I've Got Your Number was my favorite.

Ann Patchett: As an opera singer, I love her Bel Canto.

J.K. Rowling/ Robert Galbraith: The Cuckoo's Calling, the first book in her Cormoran Strike series, is a great diversion.

Mary Doria Russell: Although it is one of her lesser known books, I was wowed by Doc, the story of the young man who would later be known to history as Doc Holliday of Dodge City, friend of Wyatt Earp.

J.R.R. Tolkien: My favorite is The Silmarillion, which gives a lot of background for his Lord of the Rings trilogy

Amor Towles: Who doesn't love A Gentleman in Moscow?

Lisa Wingate: Before We Were Yours will steal your heart.

Darci wrote: "Linwood Barclay
Elevator Pitch
..."

This is one I haven't (yet) read by him. But it's on the tbr, so a definite possibility for me.

Barbara M wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Peacejanz wrote: "Book about Israel is named Exodus I think. peace, janz"

Actually the Michener book is The Source. Exodus is by Leon Uris. I loved Michen..."

My first Michener was Hawaii and it led me to many more. His earler ones are the best. I think the last one I read and loved was Centennial - I learned so much about the water problems out west! Alaska tickled me because they used the cooperative corporation structure for the gas revenue ownership and distribution -I represent as general counsel cooperative housing corporations in NYC, and grew up knowing dairy farm cooperatives. They are all similar in structure. I also like The Source.

Theresa wrote: "Barbara M wrote: "Robin P wrote: "Peacejanz wrote: "Book about Israel is named Exodus I think. peace, janz"

Actually the Michener book is The Source. Exodus is by Leon Ur..."

I live in Alaska. Your drawing a line of similarity between our Native corporations and cooperative housing is interesting. I have always thought that our First Nations people were brilliant in how they organized to ensure their wealth is well managed. By the time Alaska became a state, a lot had been learned about relations with the people who were always here. As Alaskans, we are very proud of the fact that our First Nations people have a vital part in our society. That is not to say we do not have our moments of shame, such as sending Alaska Natives to those horrible reeducation schools, but we learned from it and moved forward, creating business and legal infrastructure that goes a long way towards providing fair treatment to our First Nations peoples.

I have not yet read Alaska, but my husband listened to the audio. He enjoyed it from the perspective of a person who is not very interested in history. He felt that is did a great job portraying the broad scope of our state in terms of natural elements, business, and migration of various peoples.

My recommendations:

Ilona Andrews: One of my favorite urban fantasy writers (this is a husband/wife team) - I have loved everything they've written. My husband thoroughly enjoyed the Hidden Legacy series for its humor and snappy dialogue. Book 1 is Burn for Me.

Fredrik Backman - my favorite is still A Man Called Ove.

Bill Bryson - my favorite is In a Sunburned Country - I laughed so much with this one.

Lois McMaster Bujold - has made her way into my favorites just recently - everything she has written is just so good. For sci-fi, start with The Warrior's Apprentice. For fantasy, The Curse of Chalion.

Agatha Christie - some of my too-many-to-list favorites are And Then There Were None, Murder Is Easy, Death on the Nile, A Caribbean Mystery, The Mirror Crack'd from Side to Side, Death Comes as the End

Michael Connelly - absolutely the best for mystery thrillers. Harry Bosch The Black Echo or Mickey Haller The Lincoln Lawyer are the best places to start.

William Kent Krueger - another favorite for mystery thrillers, and his standalones are great too. Cork O'Connor #1 is Iron Lake, and his standalones are Ordinary Grace and This Tender Land

J.K. Rowling/ Robert Galbraith - I'm not a super Potter fan, but I love her mystery thrillers! Book 1 is The Cuckoo's Calling. (The TV series is great too!)

John Sandford - IMO not quite as good as Michael Connelly but a solid writer and high on my list as well. Start with either Lucas Davenport series (Rules of Prey) or Virgil Flowers series (Dark of the Moon). In the latest books of the series they collaborate.

Sharon Shinn - one of my nominees! I think she is very underrated and is an excellent writer of both fantasy and sci-fi. The book that hooked me on her writing was Archangel.

J.R.R. Tolkien - goes without saying LOTR is one of the best.

Amor Towles - my favorite is A Gentleman in Moscow (but I haven't read his latest yet).

Sophie Kinsella also writes as Madeleine Wickham, and I actually prefer those:

Sleeping Arrangements
The Gatecrasher
Cocktails for Three
A Desirable Residence

and I have The Wedding Girl in my Trim.

They are standalones full of light humor, very contemporary, super easy fast reads.

Theresa wrote: "Sophie Kinsella also writes as Madeleine Wickham, and I actually prefer those:

Sleeping Arrangements
The Gatecrasher
..."

Oh, good to know. I really hate the Shopaholic series and so had decided I wouldn't even try to read one for her. Now I've got some possibilities.

Linda C wrote: "If you like Urban Fantasy then Ilona Andrews is for you. There are several series and some are interconnected. I recommend reading the first volume in any of the series because of th..."

@ Linda C - I assume you nominated Ilona Andrews? I thank you, or whoever did, as I just read my first, Burn for Me, and I loved it! Will definitely read more! I had this one in my ebook TBR, probably purchased at a great discount through one of those short term deals, but who knows how many years would have passed before I tried it?

I really like when I can whittle away at my TBR Towers.

Theresa wrote: "@ Linda C - I assume you nominated Ilona Andrews? I thank you, or whoever did, as I just read my first, Burn for Me, and I loved it!"

I waffled between nominating Ilona Andrews and Sharon Shinn, but thought Shinn needed the exposure more. I love Ilona Andrews too, and introduced my husband to Burn For Me, and he tore through the first trilogy. I just re-read them a few months ago to be able to discuss it with him since it's been years since I first read them, and it's so much fun! Don't forget to read the short stories too, they are both from Arabella's POV and are a hoot! One of them is about the birth of Nevada and Connor's child.

annapi wrote: "Theresa wrote: "@ Linda C - I assume you nominated Ilona Andrews? I thank you, or whoever did, as I just read my first, Burn for Me, and I loved it!"

I waffled between nominating Ilona Andrews and..."

I saw there were shorts - I always read those - when I was looking to add the next in the series to my TBR line up.

I'm not one to seek out paranormal -- all those vampires and witches and such are just not my thing. But the way it is incorporated here is wonderful, enhancing the thriller aspects and important to the plot but not overwhelming the thriller aspects.

Theresa wrote: "I saw there were shorts - I always read those - when I was looking to add the next in the series to my TBR line up."

Just make sure you read it in the right time/place in the series. The first short (well, novella really) is Diamond Fire, which comes after the end of the first trilogy, the last book of which is Wildfire. It's a mystery in the midst of the Nevada/Connor wedding preparations and is from Catalina's POV.

The first Arabella POV short story happens near the beginning of Sapphire Flames, and the second at the end of Emerald Blaze. The Arabella shorts are here on their website: https://ilona-andrews.com/hidden-lega...

annapi wrote: "Theresa wrote: "I saw there were shorts - I always read those - when I was looking to add the next in the series to my TBR line up."

Just make sure you read it in the right time/place in the serie..."

Thanks, Anna!