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Which series or author's complete works would you want to read this summer?

 

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I believe I shall tackle reading the complete works of Lawrence Durell and Bobbie Ann Mason. (For different reasons, as you might imagine!) [email protected] Dorothy L Sayers, the Peter Wimsey books, would be a treat for summer -- not too much work, but worth the time.

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Actually - I'd love the chance to FINISH the "Left Behind" series. Getting there slowly but surely - and each one captures my interest more than the last. People from ALL religions should read this series. It's an eye-opening work, even if it is fictional.

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I'm in the process of trying to read all of Sandra Brown's books.

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The book series that I plan on reading this summer are Jeffery Deaver's featuring the criminalist Lincoln Rhyme. I love the surprises he has in store for me when I read his books.

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I would read Harold Robbins works.

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I would love to read Sharon Kay Penman's series."Here Be Dragons", "Falls the Shadow", "The Reckoning".... BUT..since "When Christ and his Saints Slept" is the beginning of another series (I think!) that leads UP to the dragons series I keep waiting for her to finish so I can read all 6!!! Probably wishful thinking!!!

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Jane Austen or Louisa May Alcott

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Proust's Remembrance of Things Past

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Being an ardent reader of Sci-fi I would like to read Kim Stanley Robinson's Mars series: Red, Green and Blue Mars as well as the follow-on book, The Martians. I have seen these books on the shelves at B&N (Barnes & Noble), Borders and my local public library. Maybe this year I will complete my summer reading list.

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I'd want to read more of Stuart Woods. My cousin introduced me to his work, and I just had the pleasure of meeting him at a book signing. Not only did he autograph the four books I bought, but also the five books I brought with me. I enjoy his writing style very much, and as a speaker he was very funny and entertaining.

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I think the Jan Karon Mitford books are the greatest.......you can pick them up at any time and read.

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I have tried to start it before and not been in the mood but, I would like to read Elizabeth Peters' series about Amelia Peabody this summer. I currently have Crocodile on the Sandbank waiting in my TBR pile, so I am off to a promising start!

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Just got finished running a book fair for my daughter's school...love those sales! Anyway, the series I want to read this summer is by John Jakes, historical in nature, and starts with The Bastard....I collected all the books in the series via eBay and am now ready to read them!....Wish me luck

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Summer Sisters by Judy Blume. Excellent story. A good book to read at the beach to remember the days when you were young. [email protected] I really want to read the Mitford Series by Jan Karon. I have had them on my TBR pile and my goal for the summer is to sit down and get them all read. Wish me luck!!!

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Virginia Woolf's works

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I'd like to read Janet Evanovich's series from " One For the Money" to the one coming out " Seven Up". It's a delightful series and I've read them as they came out so I would like to read the whole series in a row.

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I would like to finish the Left Behind series...I have read three so far and would like to finish them...last year's goal was every thing written by Anita Shreve...I met that goal.

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The series of books that I would love to read, actually it is re-read, would be the time travel romance books by Diana Gabaldon. They are Outlander, Dragonfly in Amber, Voyager, and Drums of Autumn. I just loved the story of Jamie and Claire.

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I would like to "reread" all of Taylor Caldwell's books this summer. I read all her books when I was a teenager, and it is about time that I do it again. Taylor Caldwell had a special gift of really researching her stories and providing detailed character studies. I have enjoyed many of her books, but my most favorite is "Never Victorious, Never Defeated." I believe she was one of the best authors ever.

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Elizabeth Lowell or Christina Skye

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Robert Parker and Marcia Muller have been writing for years. Neither has ever produced a book I didn't thoroughly enjoy. They provide the public with quick but very interesting reads. It is time for me to read them through.

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Annie Proulx or Gabriel Garcia-Marquez!! (Even though I've read the complete works of both...I think.)

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Robert Crais, because his books are so entertaining , perfect for summer. I've read 2 but would love to finish his Elvis Cole series this summer.

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I find "food reads" delicious....sorry for the pun. I am 3 books into Diane Mott Davidson's mysteries. She is a superb mystery-writer and I am always wondering until the end who-done-it. Davidson makes the mystery all the more interesting by inserting relevant delectable recipes. When I first heard of her works, I scoffed that I would NEVER find her writing worth-while. I was mistaken. I am looking forward to getting through her previous books and picking up her most recent, Sticks and Scones.

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I've recently been introduced to two excellent female mystery writers -- S.J. Rozan and Nevada Barr. Since summertime reading is, in my humble opinion, a time for relaxation and pure pleasure, I'd love to devote at least part of my reading time to the rest of their books. I've almost conquered Terry Pratchett's marathon satirical Disc World series which tantalizingly mirror our own beleagured planet and its inhabitants (especially the flat-earthers). Of course the blue-ribbon winner of summertime pleasure reading comes out in mid-June -- Janet Evanovich's "SEVEN UP." I've caught up with her, but I'm running in place while I wait for her latest.

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I would like to re-read The Bicentennial Series by John Jakes, also the North and South trilogy; but I probably won't as I have a stack of new books to get to first.

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I adore the Matt Scudder series of Lawrence Block...they are so well written and clever. also...the Elizabeth George books are endlessly fascinating and I could read those over. Besides those, I love most of the James Ellroy books, well worth another look, some of the earlier Robert B. Parker Spenser novels (lately he's been skating on his early success) and many of P.D. James' novels. I could be very happy on a desert island with any or all of the above...especially Lawrence Block and Elizabeth George!!!

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The "Left Behind" series.

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Susan Howatch has a wonderful series of 6 books, starting with Glittering Images and ending with The High Flyer, set in England and with wonderful Church of England characters. I've read them all over the years, the final one having been published in 1999. They are nice, thick books, and it would be impossible to read all of them over the summer --- and I also am mindful of the fact that none of them exactly falls into a "summer read" category, but IF it were possible to incorporate them into a summer read this series would be my choice. Howatch is a wonderful storyteller and these are rich, rich books.

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I want to start at the beginning and read every Agatha Christie.

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Lawrence Durrell --- The Alexandria Quartet

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William Faulkner, John Steinbeck, F. Scott Fitzgerald

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Most definitely the "Harry Potter" series. However, I'd love to re-read "The Hobbit" collection of books. Something fun and imaginary.

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I can't think of any special series because when I find an author that I like I tend to read everything they have written. I am more likely to load up on any and all new books by a favorite author so that I have a variety of styles to choose from. That way I can suit my mood of the day.

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Durrell's Alexandria Quartet

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Laura Ingalls Wilder

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I would read the complete set of Diana Gabaldon books on Jamie Fraser and Claire.

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Well, obviously, this is a very difficult question to answer in that it limits a person to choosing, "Just one". My first reaction was to say my favorite author, Ernest Hemingway. However, I've just done that very thing or almost. Actually, I have two more to go. That puts me in a quandary because it forces me into the old, "So many books and authors but so little time" syndrome. However, I'll go with C. S. Forester of the Hornblower books fame. I've read many of his books and to me all are well worth repeated readings over the course of years. Mr. Forester stands out as the best of the best in recounting sea adventures and the hearts and minds of the fighting men of the seas. If you like adventure, action, intelligence and being able to feel the salt spray on your face, then read C.S. Forester and "sail" off into fun and adventure.

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I am going to try and read the Lord of the Rings --- it has been since the seventies since I last read them; however, the movie version is due out in December and I really want to see if the movie portrayals are accurate. I don't know if any image can match how I picture Gandalf and his horse Shadowfax .

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This book had everything in it, suspense, romance, humor and mystery. Ms. Roberts wrote about places, people and feelings that anyone could understand and relate to, but aren't part of the averge persons life. The book took you through a 20 year span of a small town in South Carolina where supposively unrelated events make a connection at the end. The book focuses on an unusual main character, but has just enough supporting characters to keep it interesting. Very suspenseful, you'll never guess the ending.

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Anything by Dorothy Allison, Samueal Delany, Katherine Forest, Laurie King, Pat Califia, Leslie Feinberg, Peter Singer, Ingrid Newkirk, Marge Piercy, Joanna Rush, Anais Nin, Abigail Padgett, Jewel Gomez, George Revelli, and many more.

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I am a real mystery buff, so I enjoy reading all of an author's works, sometimes twice. The authors I like to read more from are Laurie R. King, Nancy Atherton, Ngaio Marsh and Dorothy L. Sayers.

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Anita Shreve

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This weekend I picked up Outlander by Diana Gabaldon and could not put it down. The fact that it was a cold, rainy weekend didn't matter one bit to me as I became engrossed in this book. I fully intend to read the other two books in this series this summer. The series is about time-travel romance when a woman from 1945 mysteriously finds herself in l742 Scotland. She is aware of what has happened to her, but falls in love with Jamie anyway.

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Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series.

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Ernest Hemingway. [email protected] Stephen King

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I want to go back and read Robert Parker's Spenser series from the beginning because the characters have grown and changed so much over the years.

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Nevada Barr's Anna Pigeon series. [email protected] For light summer reading, perhaps the Harry Potter Series, Volume 1-4 culminating with #5 when released this summer. Can also be shared with the children or can also be shared with the parents

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Jane Austen... I'm taking a college class so I don't miss a thing!

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I would like to re-read the twenty novels in the Patrick O'Brian's series.

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Janet Evanovich's Stephanie Plum Series [email protected] Jean Auel's earth children series. When will we ever see the next book in that series?

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C.S. Lewis for continued inspiration and spiritual nourishment and Max Byrd for historical novels.

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Too many to list! But, I will try... Philip Pullman, Tolkien, Barbara Kingsolver, Jonathan Kellerman and his wife and the list goes on! Also, would like to read the rest of the books by Nelson DeMille and Terry Brooks.

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David Crystal on the English Language - all his books

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Elizabeth Peters' Amelia Peabody mysteries. I've listened to a couple of book tapes and these were mid-series. I'd like to begin at the beginning and see how the characters evolve - her husband and son in particular. Also J.R.R. Tolkien's Hobbit and Lord of the Rings. I've seen a lot about them and even began the Fellowship of the Ring, but would like to start with Hobbit. But that is more than one summer's worth right there!

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Dennis Lehane (even thought I've read everything in print by him already) Dennis Lehane is fantastic. "Sacred" was the first book I'd ever read by him and immediately did a search on Amazon.com for any other books. I've read everything I could find in print by Dennis Lehane but this is the best! I love the characters. He recently strayed from his repeating characters and "Mystic River" was born. He leaves Kenzie and Gennaro behind. It’s as dark as his previous books. A stranger approaches three boys, childhood friends, and one of them is abducted. The boy escapes four days later and never reveals the horror he endured. It seems to me that no one lets him face it. It’s all just pushed under the rug. After this tragic event the boys lose touch. We come to these boys’ years later, all grown up. One has become a local investigator, and the other two are related by marriage. They are brought together when one of the men’s daughters has been killed. We see how they’ve learned to cope with the demons of the past and how it affects their decisions in the present. How something that was left to fester becomes out of control. We learn that things are not always as they seem on the surface. He is somewhat lengthy when getting to the point. The ending was rather flat. Lehane is a talented writer – the characters are good and the story is not bad for a first attempt away from a much-loved series. I’ll read any new books by Dennis Lehane, however, I do look forward to another Kenzie/Gennaro story. A year or so ago I discovered Tabitha King. I've read all of her books in print. I like her style also. I've recently discovered a new author, J.R. Lankford, "The Crowning Circle" - here is my review of it: I received email from the author saying that she had read my online review of another book and recommended I give her book a try. I like finding new authors to follow. I began with the excerpts and I found the story intriguing so I immediately ordered the book. The Crowning Circle takes place in a mid-sized town where "Doc" Skeet Cullum, is a forensic psychologist. He uses his strange theory about death to unravel tough cases. Jake, Skeet's friend, is an inventor-engineer, who owns his own company. On Thursdays, they get together at Jake's house to play guitar. To escape reality. It’s on one of those nights that it's obvious to Jake that Skeet is deeply upset. In the next few days all hell breaks loose as Skeet tries desperately to find the killer before more bodies turn up. Jake, the former recluse, sets out to help his friend, without telling him. Their friendship withstands all sorts of trials until Jake tries to get more details of Skeet's past. Jake finally suspects this is something crucial to what’s happening. He is right. The book starts out with a horrible murder – right in the garden…the place I go to relax. So the book hit home in the first chapter. I loved the characters, especially Jake, because I like how quiet and shy he is. But Skeet was great too. He's a kind man, but closed up like so many men I know. The way the author created the characters to be so introspective that it made me examine my own thoughts and feelings about life and love. My life doesn't give me the time to just sit and read cover to cover. Basically it is a little here and a little there. I found that with this author's style of writing I didn't lose the story if I had to leave for a few hours, even though I didn't want to. J.R. Lankford is definitely on my list of authors to watch!

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I'd like to read all of James Joyce's works, including the monster Ulysses, which I've started several times but never finished. For others who haven't yet discovered David Foster Wallace, I'd recommend reading every word he's published this summer. [email protected] I would like to catch up on Elizabeth Peters' series of mystery novels featuring Amelia Peabody and her family as they get into mischief and mayhem while excavating Egyptian tombs. I've read several over the years, but not all. I'll probably pick up where I left off and read from there to the current one, her 13th ("Lord of the Silent"), but not try to read all of the earlier ones that I might have missed. I've also read the first volumes of two separate series of children's books, a set on Merlin by T.A. Barron and a fantasy series by Susan Cooper. I'd like to finish both of those as well before too much more time passes.

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I'd like to read all of the Amelia Peabody series by Elizabeth Peters. I've read several of them but not in order --- I want to fill in the blanks!

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I have held off reading Harry Potter until I have time to read them all together --- that will be this summer.

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I have several of Anne Rice's books which I am looking forward to reading this summer.

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I plan to spend my summer rereading a couple of my favorite authors: Anne Tyler...her characters are so perfectly flawed, and so human, yet so idiosyncratic, that they break my heart. Now she has a new one out there that seems to be calling my name: Back When We Were Grownups. In reading excerpts, it seems that her heroine is living my own life...our situations seem incredibly similar. John Irving: I seem to be attracted to characters that are just a touch off center, who go against the flow of conformism. I loved Garp, I heaved a sigh and shed a tear all through Cider House Rules. I often wish the world would just stop still...come to a screeching halt, so that I might immerse myself in my books with no thoughts other than those on that page before me. I love the heft of a book, the scent of its ink, the curving beauty of its font. I need my books as others need food. The written word, the idea it reveals, is sustenance for me.

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If I ever had the chance, I would like to read all of James Patterson's book in order. I've kept up as well as I can, but they were read out of order and I didn't know a few of the characters in his later books since I hadn't read 
the earlier ones. I really enjoy the character development element. The same for all of Patricia Cornwell's books. She had a few that did not have the same characters of her earlier books, but there are a few I would like to get to know better.