Book Recommendations Wanted

I want a nice, fluffy, satisfying novel.  A quick read.  Modern -- written since 1970.  Chick lit, perhaps.  I want to laugh and maybe cry a little bit.  I want to be absorbed.  I don't care if it's valuable or meaningful or deep.  Something that moves and that feels great.  I've been reading thick stuff, and I've been enjoying myself, but I want something light.  Maybe even with a pink cover, although that's optional.  Recommendations, please?

Comments

[Tara]

Ahh... chic lit, my specialty. But for you, my friend, I share a slight step up from true chic lit ! "Sullivan's Island" by Dorthea Benton Frank made me laugh until I cried. "Summer Sisters" by Judy Blume is a gift to all who grew up on "Superfudge." "The Summer I Dared" by Barbara Delinsky - story told on Big Sawyer, Maine. All very light, funny stories that string together love, mystery and good 'ole sarcastic humor. You can borrow any or all. On my shelf for your taking!

[Jeff]

Not a novel, but a delightful read and well worth the time-
The Collected Short Stories, Jeffrey Archer
Uniformly excellent, run the emotional gamut, will make you a fan of the short story genre if you aren't one already.

In Her Shoes, by Jennifer Weiner

[Jeremy]

Little Children by Tom Perrotta

[BigLaw Associate]

Perhaps not fluffy chick lit, but it will lift your spirit and make you think a little (but only if you want): The Life of Pi by Yann Martel.

The Secret History of the Pink Carnation by Lauren Willig.

[Nicole]

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd, this is a mother/daughter coming of age story. The book on tape was read by a young actress, Jenna Lamia and she did an amazing job with the reading, so much emotion you really should give it a listen.

I also liked In Her Shoes, as recommended above. That was more a sister story, much lighter.

Good Grief, by Lolly Winston is a good laugh/cry/laugh story about dealing with death.

Let us know what you pick.

[Christine]

White Teeth by Zadie Smith. Not chick lit, but very good.

[steph]

The Time Travelers Wife

[bill]

"Three Clams and an Oyster" -- young adult novel, narrator a high school guy, about his life and his coed touch football team. Quirky and memorable. "Holding on to the Air" -- autobiography (sorry), intense and fun read about ballerina Suzanne Farrell.

[kristine]

Bees is terrific, as is Time Traveler. I know you said you wanted modern, but I also think A Tree Grows in Brooklyn might be a good choice. Chick lit before there was such a thing.

[gretchen]

Don't read Time Traveler's Wife if you want something light--I cried through the last quarter of the book. I would also recommend anything by Jennifer Weiner--it's light and fluffy chick lit, but Weiner can really write. Have you read Susan Isaacs? Her books are also in the literate, fluffy, really fun category. I just read two books about lawyers: Something Borrowed and Undomestic Goddess. The former was written by a biglaw associate and it's great; the latter was written by Sophie Kinsella and chronicles a biglaw lawyer who makes a mistake right before making partner and has a nervous breakdown.

I think everything on this list has a pink cover :) We aim to please!

[Amy]

Anything by Anne Rivers Siddons.

[a]

I love Joan Harris. Blackberry Wine smells good every time I read it.

She is the author of Chocolat, but I confess, I've only seen the movie.

[ms]

"Middlesex" by Jeffrey Eugenides may fit the bill for you. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you'll think a little bit, you'll be absorbed in the story. Although I wouldn't call it "light," the way, say, "Bridget Jones" is light, it's definitely a great book!

Let us know what you decide!

[womanofthelaw]

Anything by Jennifer Weiner. She's great. Also, Jane Green - she's like a British Jennifer Weiner.

Kristin Gore recently put out a book, "Sammy's Hill," that's like a Bridget Jones for D.C. I really enjoyed it.

[Littoral]

The Shell Seakers by Rosamund Pilcher. A slice of older England, gentle insightful and, somehow, "right" feeling.

[Sui Generis]

Dangerous Angels, which almost made me cry (they would have been big, manly tears, of course), seems to fit into the genre you're asking for.

[lorac]

anything by Jodi Poucoult. you won't be able to put it down and you'll be swept away. provocative subjects. good writing. fun web site, too. for once you're hooked.

[mj]

I second Middlesex - not too light & fluffy, but not brain-taxing, either. How about Daughter's Keeper by Ayelet Waldman?

[Ficali McPipe]

Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami

[Jack Vinson]

The graphic novels by Marjane Satrapi are fun and fast, and probably chic lit to boot. Persepolis, Persepolis 2 and a new one that I can't remember.

[ML]

The Summer Guest, by Justin Cronin

[YM]

How about "Wonder Boys" by Michael Chabon?

[Emily Mann]

the Shopaholic series is fluffy and engrossing