Books/Authors that Surprised You

[Scuttlesoap]

Hey - this is something that I’d chat about while sitting in the chair….

What are some of the authors or books that you thought would be awesome but left you meh and conversely - what are the books or authors that really shocked you on how good they were but weren’t expecting it?

Meh side - Books / Authors that were just not your style
Book: The Princess Bride
I’m definitely a read before you watch the movie kind of guy and almost always prefer the books, but there are two instances where this was definitely not the case.
The Princess Bride - one of my all time favorite movies (which I hadn‘t realized that it was based on a book - if it was in the credits - I never paid attention)……but somehow a movie which I think is one of the best ever in the history of Hollywood - the book was one of the worst that I have actually read. I don’t know if it was that I went into it with such high expectations - but it was truly a let down. The ironic part is that the author of the book was on the writing team for the movie script.



Book: The Man in the High Castle.
The Amazon series captivating me - and though it takes a good deal of creative license when compared to the book - the characters are mainly the same. But wow, the book was not up to snuff as compared to the series - I was ready to turn myself in to either the Germans or Japanese mid way through the book just to end it.


Author: David Sedaris
I like to think of myself as well read and if not find funny, at least appreciate (or understand) high brow humor. I had dated an “Uptown Girl” of patrician upbringing (or as much as you can from being from Virginia - you know the type - someone (like me) that chooses NPR over Howard or Top 40). She swore by David Sedalis - couldn’t get enough of his books. Read and reread them. So I took out a few from my local library….and all I can say is…..I don’t get it. I tried, I mean I really tried. At least the covers and the titles were funny.



The Bright Side - Surprisingly Good Books/Authors

Author: John Elder Robinson
When my son was first diagnosed to be on the Autism Spectrum - I read every book out there on the subject. I particularly wanted to read books from people on the spectrum to try to grasp what life was like from that perspective. Obviously Temple Grandin was on that list - but I truly wanted to read from the perspective of someone that wasn’t a savant (or at least obviously one)…..I stumbled across John Elder Robinson‘s autobiography - just a fantastic memoir - funny, heartbreaking, everything that I wasn’t expecting. To find out he was Augusten Borrough’s brother and that Running With Scissors was their actual life - I am just shocked at how well both brothers turned out. John is every bit of a talented storyteller as his brother.



Author: Eric Van Lustbader
My guilty pleasure for TV is Archer and my guilty pleasure for reading is Spy Novels - especially Jason Bourne. When Robert Ludlum’s Opus (at least IMO) was turned over to Eric Van Lustbader, I had serious doubts -but he found a way to write his prose that I could have sworn it was Robert not him writing it. I then grabbed a bunch of novels that were not Bourne related - and now he’s one of my favorite authors.


Book: Water for Elephants
Ok, when it comes to books - I‘m a bit of a snob (or at least was). No way I was going to read a book that was on Oprah’s or Reese Witherspoon’s book club - or any book club for that matter (except for curated lists from Good Reads - that was my exception)……but this book just wowed me - I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting.



Book: All the Light We Cannot See
I love reading history and I love historical fiction -but especially from 1920s - 1950’s. This book nailed that - but to be honest - I don’t even know about it until it came on my daily email from Amazon - Kindle books dirt cheap (at least that is what I call it). Great storyline - about a blind French girl whose life is intertwined with a German boy who ends up in the German Army. Another one I couldn’t put down - sleep be damned.



Author: Amor Towles
Again in the genre of historical fiction - I especially liked his book A Gentleman in Moscow. This one was a recommendation from one of my Good Reads recommendations. It‘s as if Dostoevsky and F.Scott Fitzgerald did a collaboration. I am looking forward to reading the next one I’ve purchased from him Rules of Civility.

 

[CBLindsay]

I don't read as many books as a lot of y'all (my wife reads a lot), not that I don't enjoy reading a good book it's just that I tend to read slower than I like so it takes too long to get through a book. There a few books I have REALLY enjoyed and would love to see and some authors who have impressed me enough that I would feel comfortable grabbing one of their books for a road trip and not being worried I wouldn't like the read.

I think the FIRST book I fell in love with was Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I have read this book at least 3 times since grade school and each time the book was different, I guess they have books edited for grade level and I ended up with a couple edited versions before finally getting THE book. In all cases I enjoyed the story but the actual intended version is definitely best.

I also read a few Isaac Asimov books, I Robot being the one that comes to mind as my favorite BUT there is another I really liked I just can't recall the title. I have searched for the book for years, buying old books from decommissioned libraries hoping I would find THE book but I have not...now I think it may not be an Isaac Asimov book at all. In any case the I Robot book and the movie (and I have seen a TV series by the same name) are nothing alike in my view, to say seeing the movie is like reading the book would be like saying drinking water is like drinking diet cola. Isaac Asimov books can be VERY heavy and although they share a common thread among them I find that I can like one book and dislike another so I don't usually just grab one of his books and trust I will like it.

It has been years since I read them but the James Harriet All Creatures Great and Small series was very enjoyable. I wonder if I would enjoy them now as much as i did as a younger man... There is a TV series by the same name on PBS but I have only seen a portion of one show, it looks like it is intended to be "like" the books but not necessarily constrained by the books themselves.

I like to read GOOD true crime type books like Helter Skelter but I don't necessarily seek it out. As someone who didn't already know the details I found Helter Skelter to be a pretty good book...but was it the "story" or the way the author presented it? I also liked Miles Corwin's Killing Season.

I think my preference would be a book by Joseph Wambaugh. I really liked The Choirboys (I think anyone who reads would like this book), it is definitely one of his best books. His books are quite old but I think that makes them even better. If you don't like books about cops/cop culture, crime/crime culture and all that jazz you won't like these books.

Other authors that have surprised me with a fairly good read are:
Tim Allen- his first book Don't Stand too close to a Naked man was a fun read. Its entertaining and fast paced worth the short amount of time it took to read.
Mike Rowe- a great story teller and surprisingly good writer , perfect short story like format makes his book(s) perfect "bathroom" books or for travel where you need to fill time but not be engrossed in anything deep.
Peggy Rowe (Mike Rowe's mom)- She is a surprisingly good writer and quick/easy to read. I think her books are considered comedy or some version of biographical comedy, nothing deep or movie-worthy but another entertaining book perfect for those times you just want something to read without needing to think about what you are reading.
Tim Cotton- I heard about this guy on Mike Rowe's podcast so I grabbed his books and took them with me on my last cruise. The author is a retired cop from Maine (or somewhere near there if I recall) and he used to write colorful/creative crime blotters for the local department's facebook page before he put many of those same stories into his books. He is REALLY creative with his story telling, a LOT like i tend to be (or try to be) when I tell/write stories. If there is anyone I would like be more like (as a writer) it is this guy. You can get a taste of his writing style by following him on facebook, he writes stuff there on a regular basis.

I guess I have a "type" of book I am gravitating toward these days, books that can be read and enjoyed in small bites rather than deep/heavy stories that require attention and time. If I were to recommend any books to a Cadre member I might start with Joseph Wambaugh The Chiorboys (or one of his other well knowns books like The Onion Field or Finnegan's Week). For those who enjoy more sci-fi I would steer you toward the Isaac Asimov library. Just looking for an armchair book? grab Tim Cotton's "Got Warrants" (then consider his other books)

 

[Scuttlesoap]

I don't read as many books as a lot of y'all (my wife reads a lot), not that I don't enjoy reading a good book it's just that I tend to read slower than I like so it takes too long to get through a book. There a few books I have REALLY enjoyed and would love to see and some authors who have impressed me enough that I would feel comfortable grabbing one of their books for a road trip and not being worried I wouldn't like the read.

I think the FIRST book I fell in love with was Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes. I have read this book at least 3 times since grade school and each time the book was different, I guess they have books edited for grade level and I ended up with a couple edited versions before finally getting THE book. In all cases I enjoyed the story but the actual intended version is definitely best.

I also read a few Isaac Asimov books, I Robot being the one that comes to mind as my favorite BUT there is another I really liked I just can't recall the title. I have searched for the book for years, buying old books from decommissioned libraries hoping I would find THE book but I have not...now I think it may not be an Isaac Asimov book at all. In any case the I Robot book and the movie (and I have seen a TV series by the same name) are nothing alike in my view, to say seeing the movie is like reading the book would be like saying drinking water is like drinking diet cola. Isaac Asimov books can be VERY heavy and although they share a common thread among them I find that I can like one book and dislike another so I don't usually just grab one of his books and trust I will like it.

It has been years since I read them but the James Harriet All Creatures Great and Small series was very enjoyable. I wonder if I would enjoy them now as much as i did as a younger man... There is a TV series by the same name on PBS but I have only seen a portion of one show, it looks like it is intended to be "like" the books but not necessarily constrained by the books themselves.

I like to read GOOD true crime type books like Helter Skelter but I don't necessarily seek it out. As someone who didn't already know the details I found Helter Skelter to be a pretty good book...but was it the "story" or the way the author presented it? I also liked Miles Corwin's Killing Season.

I think my preference would be a book by Joseph Wambaugh. I really liked The Choirboys (I think anyone who reads would like this book), it is definitely one of his best books. His books are quite old but I think that makes them even better. If you don't like books about cops/cop culture, crime/crime culture and all that jazz you won't like these books.

Other authors that have surprised me with a fairly good read are:
Tim Allen- his first book Don't Stand too close to a Naked man was a fun read. Its entertaining and fast paced worth the short amount of time it took to read.
Mike Rowe- a great story teller and surprisingly good writer , perfect short story like format makes his book(s) perfect "bathroom" books or for travel where you need to fill time but not be engrossed in anything deep.
Peggy Rowe (Mike Rowe's mom)- She is a surprisingly good writer and quick/easy to read. I think her books are considered comedy or some version of biographical comedy, nothing deep or movie-worthy but another entertaining book perfect for those times you just want something to read without needing to think about what you are reading.
Tim Cotton- I heard about this guy on Mike Rowe's podcast so I grabbed his books and took them with me on my last cruise. The author is a retired cop from Maine (or somewhere near there if I recall) and he used to write colorful/creative crime blotters for the local department's facebook page before he put many of those same stories into his books. He is REALLY creative with his story telling, a LOT like i tend to be (or try to be) when I tell/write stories. If there is anyone I would like be more like (as a writer) it is this guy. You can get a taste of his writing style by following him on facebook, he writes stuff there on a regular basis.

I guess I have a "type" of book I am gravitating toward these days, books that can be read and enjoyed in small bites rather than deep/heavy stories that require attention and time. If I were to recommend any books to a Cadre member I might start with Joseph Wambaugh The Chiorboys (or one of his other well knowns books like The Onion Field or Finnegan's Week). For those who enjoy more sci-fi I would steer you toward the Isaac Asimov library. Just looking for an armchair book? grab Tim Cotton's "Got Warrants" (then consider his other books)

I will definitely check some of these out - I have seen Tim Cotton come up on Amazon recommendations all the time and since you’ve recommended The Choir Boys - I’ll start there! Thanks for sharing Chris!