Fiction_L Archives contemporary American novels Dates: 11/15/99,1:35 PM  through  11/18/99,11:12 AM  (8 postings) Search for: Select one or more indexes to search: 2009-current     2007-2008     1996-2006    (Matches from each index will be displayed separately in the results page.) Return to November 1999 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

FROM: "Chris Smith" <chrissm@kcls.org>
REC'D: 11/15/99, 1:35 PM

If anyone has suggestions that fit the following criteria, I'd be
ever so grateful. Please mail to me or to the list.

Thanks in advance!
Chris

---------- Forwarded message ----------

My friend is a Chinese immigrant. She's been living
in the USA for over 10 years. She's a
college-educated professional, and reads at the
college level, but she has some gaps in her
vocabulary. She would like to improve her English
vocabulary and learn more about American culture. She
has a husband and daughter (about 9 yrs. old) living
with her.

The type of book she seeks is fiction (novel) that
tells an interesting story about contemporary American
life. The main criteria are 1990's American settings,
and realistic American protagonists. Any well-written,
interesting story of this genre would be good. I
think these topics are of particular interest:
o Child-rearing
o Peer pressures on children
o Money issues
o Marriage, and dealing with in-laws
o Politics
o Violence (as a problem), gun control, etc.

She's been reading some Danielle Steele novels (for
lack of a recommendation) because families are
prominent in the plots. But she'd like to read
something less romantic, and perhaps more realistic.

Thanks so much for your help,
Mary

--------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher Smith, Reference Librarian chrissm@kcls.org

Des Moines Library (206) 824-8407
21620 11th Avenue South
Des Moines, WA 98198 USA FAX(206) 296-5047
--------------------------------------------------------------

FROM: "Viccy Kemp" <VKemp@ci.carrollton.tx.us>
REC'D: 11/15/99, 3:04 PM

I hope these will be useful for you and your patron, dealing with the issues
of family and marriage:
A marriage made in Woodstock, Catherine Pelletier
Raney, Clyde Edgerton
anything by Anne Rivers Siddons
anything by Anne Tyler
anything by Gail Godwin.
For politics, try:
Shelley's heart, Charles McCarry
the Mrs. Pollifax books, Dorothy Gilman
the Blackie Oakes books, William Buckley.
HTH.
Viccy Kemp
The opinions are my own; the library wouldn't want 'em!

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Chris Smith [SMTP:chrissm@kcls.org]
> Sent: Monday, November 15, 1999 1:39 PM
> To: fiction_l@maillist.nslsilus.org
> Subject: contemporary American novels
>
> If anyone has suggestions that fit the following criteria, I'd be
> ever so grateful. Please mail to me or to the list.
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Chris
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>
> My friend is a Chinese immigrant. She's been living
> in the USA for over 10 years. She's a
> college-educated professional, and reads at the
> college level, but she has some gaps in her
> vocabulary. She would like to improve her English
> vocabulary and learn more about American culture. She
> has a husband and daughter (about 9 yrs. old) living
> with her.
>
> The type of book she seeks is fiction (novel) that
> tells an interesting story about contemporary American
> life. The main criteria are 1990's American settings,
> and realistic American protagonists. Any well-written,
> interesting story of this genre would be good. I
> think these topics are of particular interest:
> o Child-rearing
> o Peer pressures on children
> o Money issues
> o Marriage, and dealing with in-laws
> o Politics
> o Violence (as a problem), gun control, etc.
>
> She's been reading some Danielle Steele novels (for
> lack of a recommendation) because families are
> prominent in the plots. But she'd like to read
> something less romantic, and perhaps more realistic.
>
> Thanks so much for your help,
> Mary
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Christopher Smith, Reference Librarian chrissm@kcls.org
>
> Des Moines Library (206) 824-8407
> 21620 11th Avenue South
> Des Moines, WA 98198 USA FAX(206) 296-5047
> --------------------------------------------------------------

FROM: "Madeline Guzman" <mguzman@capaccess.org>
REC'D: 11/15/99, 5:16 PM

Re: domestic violence, I'd suggest:

Black and Blue by Anna Quindlen

Madeline

Madeline T. Guzman SqueakyChu@hotmail.com
Rockville, Maryland mguzman@capaccess.org
<A HREF="http://www.strictlyconcrete.com">http://www.strictlyconcrete.com</A> strictly@erols.com

FROM: "Michalik" <michalik@lynchburg.net>
REC'D: 11/15/99, 5:46 PM

I thought that "Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts was wonderful - it was
sad, funny, charming, with lovable characters. There's a Wal-Mart in it,
too. What could be more of an American cultural icon than Wal-Mart? :)

Candice Michalik
Lynchburg Public Library
Lynchburg, VA
michalik@lynchburg.net

----- Original Message -----
From: Chris Smith <chrissm@kcls.org>
To: <fiction_l@maillist.nslsilus.org>
Sent: Monday, November 15, 1999 2:39 PM
Subject: contemporary American novels


> If anyone has suggestions that fit the following criteria, I'd be
> ever so grateful. Please mail to me or to the list.
>
> Thanks in advance!
> Chris
>
> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>
> My friend is a Chinese immigrant. She's been living
> in the USA for over 10 years. She's a
> college-educated professional, and reads at the
> college level, but she has some gaps in her
> vocabulary. She would like to improve her English
> vocabulary and learn more about American culture. She
> has a husband and daughter (about 9 yrs. old) living
> with her.
>
> The type of book she seeks is fiction (novel) that
> tells an interesting story about contemporary American
> life. The main criteria are 1990's American settings,
> and realistic American protagonists. Any well-written,
> interesting story of this genre would be good. I
> think these topics are of particular interest:
> o Child-rearing
> o Peer pressures on children
> o Money issues
> o Marriage, and dealing with in-laws
> o Politics
> o Violence (as a problem), gun control, etc.
>
> She's been reading some Danielle Steele novels (for
> lack of a recommendation) because families are
> prominent in the plots. But she'd like to read
> something less romantic, and perhaps more realistic.
>
> Thanks so much for your help,
> Mary
>
> --------------------------------------------------------------
> Christopher Smith, Reference Librarian chrissm@kcls.org
>
> Des Moines Library (206) 824-8407
> 21620 11th Avenue South
> Des Moines, WA 98198 USA FAX(206) 296-5047
> --------------------------------------------------------------
>
>

FROM: "Susan Coombe" <scoombe@jefferson.lib.co.us>
REC'D: 11/15/99, 9:04 PM

I'd recommend Amy and Isabelle, by Elizabeth Strout

Susan Coombe
Patron Services Librarian
Columbine Public Library
Littleton, CO

FROM: "Lee Harris" <letharris@yahoo.com>
REC'D: 11/16/99, 6:00 PM

One of the things I would suggest is you pull the
Oprah Book Club list for your patron. So many of them
deal with divergent aspects of American life.

Lee Harris
Sunriver Area Public Library
Sunriver, Oregon

"Justice is a hope, not a certainty."
Lawrence Sanders


=====

__________________________________________________
Do You Yahoo!?
Bid and sell for free at <A HREF="http://auctions.yahoo.com">http://auctions.yahoo.com</A>

FROM: "Renee Patterson" <rpatterson@exchange.acld.lib.fl.us>
REC'D: 11/17/99, 1:24 PM

Oprah books are nice, but how about adding some less with a little less
trauma? :)
For a start....

Nora Robert's single title contemporaries:
THE DREAM Trilogy (Big Sur/ Monterey, Californina)
Daring to Dream, Holding the Dream, Finding the Dream
THE QUINN BROTHERS/STORMSWEPT/BAY Trilogy
Sea Swept,Rising Tides, Inner Harbor

Jennifer Crusie's Crazy for You
Jayne Ann Krentz's single title contemporaries

Morning Glory by Lavyrle Spencer [not contemporary, but really good
-takes place during the depression/war]

FROM: "Nancy Eggert" <neggert@chipublib.org>
REC'D: 11/18/99, 11:12 AM

Wallace Stegner's novel Crossing to Safety might be a good choice.

Nancy Eggert
Northtown Branch
Chicago Public Library

Return to November 1999 thread menu   |   Fiction_L Archives Menu

The Webrary® and Fiction_L are services of the Morton Grove Public Library "Webrary" is a registered trademark of the Morton Grove Public Library. All rights reserved. Copyright of Fiction_L postings belongs to their respective authors; postings may only be reused with the author's permission. Compiled lists (compilations of titles or authors from earlier postings on a particular topic) may not be reused for commercial purposes. To use a compiled list for non-commercial purposes, please credit "Subscribers of the Fiction_L mailing list." All other content is ©2010 Morton Grove Public Library, 6140 Lincoln Ave., Morton Grove, IL 60053-2989, (847) 965-4220.