Book recommendations, please

[abcinyvr]

I've just been reading about Johnny Depp's next few film projects on imdb.com - I'm just wondering if anyone has read 'Shantaram' by Gregory David Roberts? It is a novel that JD has picked up the rights to. At 900+ pages I want a few more recommendations than the ones I've read on amazon.com.

[filmgabber]

Sonic Youth, thanks for the recommendations. I'll put these on my list. Considering I read about 50 pages already of "White Teeth", I may go through the list of recommendations quite fast.

Carl Hiassen wrote a book back in 1999 or 2000 that got a lot of attention, but I can' think of the title.

[Sonic Youth]

Filmgabber, this involves no distant lands and no minority characters. But if you want to laugh yourself silly, Skinny Dip by Carl Hiaasen is one hell of a lark. It begins with a young woman swimming for her life after her husband throws her off an ocean liner in the middle of the night, and proceeds from there.

I would also recommend Funny Boy by Shyam Selvadurai, about (among other things) a young Sri Lankan boy coming to terms with his emerging homosexuality - hence, the "funny boy". It's told in the format of about half-a-dozen short stories, rather than a novel with a consistant narrative line. It's not solely a "gay" novel. Many members of the family have their own story as seen throught the eyes of the boy, and they all must face the decision of breaking a certain taboo placed upon the conservative upper-middle class Sri Lankan society. It's a first novel, and it has its flaws. I also can't say it's not depressing, but there's some wonderful humor in it as well and it's a very poignant work.

[filmgabber]

Thanks you guys.

Okri, I'm at our downtown library as I'm typing this and picked up a copy of "White Teeth". So I can't wait to dig into tonight. After this one, I'll read the ones by Johnny Guitar and Jack.

[jack]

'Gates of Fire' by Steven Presfield. It's set in ancient Greece depicting the battle of the Spartons and the Persians... Quite possibly one of the best books I've ever read.

Read it, you'll love it...

[Johnny Guitar]

Typically, I like stories that take place in distant countries or that deal with minority characters adjusting to American life (hence "The Namesake").

Well, there's not so much minority characters adjusting to American life in his work (that I know of), but plenty of jumbled "exotic" cultural mismatches and a sense of exile, so you might like V.S. Naipaul.

[Okri]

Have you read White Teeth? It's a very funny book that looks into the lives of various immigrants in London. And by funny, I mean I had to put the book down because I was laughing so hard. The author is Zadie Smith.

If you're into short stories, I'd recommend Servants of the Map by Andrea Barrett. The title story is jaw-droppingly brilliant.

If you're looking for an easy read, I suggest The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, by Mark Haddon.

[filmgabber]

I'm not into books as much as I am into music and films, but I do enjoy reading from time to time, especially now during the winter months.

Can anyone recommend some good fiction titles? Right now I'm almost done reading Jhumpa Lahiri's "The Namesake", which I really, really like. I love her writing - it's so vivid. Typically, I like stories that take place in distant countries or that deal with minority characters adjusting to American life (hence "The Namesake"). I tried reading "Angela's Ashes" twice, but that book is so depressing. I found myself going to bed with this heavy heart night after night. I kind of like some romance or humor thrown in, but dramatic plots and storylines are fine too, just as long as they're not flat-out depressing.

Thanks in advance. And no, I won't join a book club because I like reading at own pace and typically that means one book in two to two and half months.