Bookish Miscellany

This week, on Booking Through Thursday, Jackie says, “I love books with complicated plots and unexpected endings. What is your favourite book with a fantastic twist at the end?” So, today’s question is in two parts. 1. Do YOU like books with complicated plots and unexpected endings? 2. What book with a surprise ending is your favorite? Or your least favorite? I do enjoy those types of books, as long as they are well-written and the twist sort of fits.  Do you know what I mean?  I don't want to see it coming, but once I read it, I want to say, "Oh my gosh!  Why didn't I think of that?" or, "So that's what's been going on!" You know--the light bulb moment. As far as the complicated plot goes, I like that too, as long as it's written by an author with the chops to handle it. A complicated plot in the hands of a not-so-good author is torturous. In the hands of an author who knows what he or she is doing, it's huge fun. My favorite surprise endings? The Double Bind by Chris Bohjalian, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, And Then There Were None by Agatha Christie, and Shutter Island by Dennis Lehane. I'm sure there are more that I'm just not thinking of right now. I can't actually think of a least favorite. I've probably just blocked it out of my memory! (Links to my GoodReads reviews) How do you feel about surprise endings, and what book have you found where it was done well?

This week's question: Do you read the inside flaps that describe a book before or while reading it? That depends.  When I'm browsing the library or bookstore and checking out a book that I'm not familiar with at all, I'll definitely read the jacket flap.  I want to have some idea whether it's something I enjoy.  If I'm grabbing a book that I've learned about from my bookish friends, both in real life and online, I take it for granted that it's something I'll like and avoid reading any kind of synopsis.  I generally prefer to have zero expectations going into a book. Do you read them?  You can share your answers here and at Booking Through Thursday.

This week's question at  Booking Through Thursday is Given the choice, which do you prefer? Real history? Or historical fiction? (Assume, for the purposes of this discussion that they are equally well-written and engaging.) I'm a dedicated fiction reader, so it's almost impossible for me to get past my belief that non-fiction is dry and boring.  So, in all reality, I'm going to go for the historical fiction every time. But if I had two books on the same topic in front of me, and someone I trusted swore to me that they were both equally readable, I would actually go for the real history.  I have a feeling I've picked up a lot of incorrect history over the years from reading historical fiction because it's never easy to know which parts are "historical" and which parts are "fiction."  I'd rather have the facts straight in my head. Which one would you pick up?  You can share your answers here and at Booking Through Thursday.

Booking Through Thursday "What books and authors are you particularly thankful for this year?" The Book Thief by Markus Zusak--I don't have the words to say how much I love this book. The characters, the story of The Word Shaker, Jesse Owens and Rudy Steiner, Papa's shining spirit...I could go on and on. This immediately rocketed to the top of my favorites list and I can't imagine anything replacing it. Yes, it's that powerful. Read it. Fair and Tender Ladies by Lee Smith--My love for this is best described in a quote from another book I love, A Northern Light by Jennifer Donnelly.      "Why don't they tell the truth? Why don't they tell how a pigpen looks after the sow's eaten her children? Or how it is for a girl when her baby won't come out? Or that cancer has a smell to it? All those books...I bet not one of them will tell you what cancer smells like...      I don't mean to be coarse. I just...I don't know why I should care what happens to people in a drawing room in London or Paris or anywhere else when no one in those places cares what happens to people in Eagle Bay."      "Make them care, Mattie, and don't you ever be sorry." That's what Lee Smith has done for my part of the world with Fair and Tender Ladies. To Kill a Mockingbird--Has there ever been such a powerful book that was told in such an innocent, engaging voice? Harper Lee holds a mirror up to our society, and we should be ashamed of what we see. At the same time we see hope for ourselves in Scout's innocence. Another book that should be (and frequently is) required reading. Peace Like a River--This is a well-written adventure story that has…