How about Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell? Great book, lots to talk about.

I just found out that Perri Klass has written several books, fiction and non, w/ stellar reviews. I'm into "the mystery of breathing," and it's starting off well.

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini (this was nominated last time, I think).

I'd like to nominate "Persepolis : The Story of a Childhood" by Marjane Satrapi. I've never read it before, but I keep coming across such good reviews from other people that I am very much intrigued. Here's the amazon page:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/037571457X/qid=1115044628/sr=8-1/ref=pd_csp_1/002-4979316-1216813?v=glance&s=books&n=507846

It's a graphic novel about a girl's life growing up in Iran. I think reading an adult-level graphic novel would be a great twist for this reading group, and would spark some interesting conversations (even apart from the subject matter!). What do you think?

The Ha Ha: A Novel by Dave King. To quote Mary Richards: What is a family? (Do any of you know who Mary Richards is?) I have mentioned it before in discussions and I did enjoy it. If not, how about Middlesex of A Fine Balance, two weighty tomes that are great reads.

I'm new here, and don't know if it's been read yet, but I really liked "This Body" by Laurel Doud.

How about this year's Pulitzer winner, Gilead?

I've started The Kite Runner and would be glad to talk about that. I also would like to know what younger (I'm 50 ish) readers think about Sue Monk Kidd's new novel, The Mermaid Chair. (She wrote The Secret Life of Bees....)

What about The History of Love by Nicole Krauss. It looks like it might be an interesting read, something that will get our emotions involved as we read. I'm going to read it anyway, but thought I'd throw it out there as a suggestion anyway.

Becky, might be interesting to do a double read, using Krauss' book and her husband's latest, Extremely Loud and Incredibly CLose. Yeah, it's a lot of reading, but there's some controversy regarding the similarity of the books, raising questions about how the husband/wife worked together.

Carlos Ruiz Zafon's Shadow of the Wind. It is a very good book!

I've heard lots of good reviews of The Alchemist.

How about Jim Harrison's "True North", or Jane Smiley's "The All-True Travels and Adventures of Lidie Newton". Or Joyce Carol Oates' "Blonde". All by some of my favorite authors, and all already on my nightstand in the queue (ulterior motive!).

How about The Peppered Moth by Margaret Drabble?

Waking Raphael by Leslie Forbes is intersting!

Waking Raphael by Leslie Forbes is intersting!

I would second (or is it third by now?) the nomination of the Kite Runner. I haven't read it yet, but in the last 30 days, in different venues, across different groups, I've run into either someone reading the book or someone talking about the book.

Persepolis sounds like a great choice, and I also second Gilead.

Cloud Atlas was really fun on audiobook.

Kite Runner is my nomination!

How about something from Toni Morrison like Beloved or Paradise?

Amanda

How about
"The Church of Dead Girls" by Stephen Dobyns.

It got good reviews and is said to be very well written.

I am reading The History of Love and I do believe Ms. Becky West is right on, that's the book to read! Though I still love Middlesex and A Fine Balance.

I'd second (third?) the Krauss' History of Love, and Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close combo. And I'd also love to read sometime soon: The Marriage Bed by Regina McBride.