Contemporary Reading

With so many exciting books and authors entering the game, where do you turn to find out what’s new in contemporary reading? How do you find out which authors are going to make history with his or her next book? You can find it all here , on the Blio Blog. Join the conversation and let us know what you think!

Summer Reading and Big eReader Book Releases

June 19, 2012

in Children's Books,Contemporary Reading,Seasonal Reading

Summer is finally here, and with it comes plenty of great new books. If you’re a student or a teacher who has summers off, summer is the perfect time to catch up on your pleasure reading. For the rest of us, these can provide a lunchtime escape or a relaxing weekend reading experience. Here are just a few Blio recommendations for summer reading.

Fiction for the Beach

XO by Jeffery Deaver: Catapulted into sudden fame by her beauty and talent, country pop artist Kayleigh Towne turns for help to Special Agent Kathryn Dance to stop a sadistic stalker who is targeting the people closest to the singer. By the best-selling author of The Bone Collector.

Porch Lights by Dorthea Benton Frank: In the South Carolina Lowcountry, three generations of a family–a grandmother, a mother and a son–discover the indelible power of love, in this emotional journey that interweaves stories of swashbuckling pirates and an enigmatic writer named Edgar Allan Poe with the bonds of family. 250,000 first printing.

Heading Out to Wonderful by Robert Goolrick: In a small 1940s Virginia town, mysterious stranger Charlie Beale meets Sylvan Glass, the teen bride of the town’s richest man, and Sam Haislett, the 5-year-old son of owner of the butcher shop where Charlie gets a job, and soon the interaction between Charlie, Sylvan and Sam alters the town forever. By the #1 best-selling author of A Reliable Wife.

Just Right for Kids 8-12

Wonder by R.J. Palacio: Born with a facial deformity that initially prevented his attendance at public school, Auggie Pullman enters the fifth grade at Beecher Prep and struggles with the dynamics of being both new and different, in a sparsely written tale about acceptance and self-esteem.

The Serpent’s Shadow by Rick Riordan: A final entry in the popular trilogy finds Carter and Sade preparing for an ultimate confrontation with the chaos snake Apophis at the same time the House of Life magicians launch a civil war, compelling the Kanes to tap the power of an ancient spell.

Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls: A young boy living in the Ozarks achieves his heart’s desire when he becomes the owner of two redbone hounds and teaches them to be champion hunters.

New Summer Releases Blio eReader

Wicked Business by Janet Evanovich (Available Today): Dazzling her patrons with scrumptious cupcakes at her Salem, Massachusetts bakery, Elizabeth Tucker continues to fall for the irresistible Diesel, who protects her from a villain who is seeking mystical stones tied to the seven deadly sins. By the best-selling author of the Stephanie Plum novels.

Summerland by Elin Hilderbrand (Available June 26): Follows lives of four high school students, their friends and families after a fatal car accident on graduation night on Nantucket has lasting repercussions for everyone involved, in this new novel from the author of Silvergirl.

I, Michael Bennett by James Patterson (Available July 9): Detective Michael Bennett takes his family to upstate New York in an effort to escape a lawless crime wave erupting in Manhattan only to find themselves immersed in another nightmare, one that endangers his relationship with his wife.

If you plan to read these summertime books at the beach, be sure to check out our handy guide to using an eReader at the beach. Where is your favorite place to read in the summer.

Flickr photo by shutterberry

Tagged as: Beach Reading, summer book releases, summer reading

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7 Must-Read Books on Adolescent Angst

June 12, 2012

in Classic Authors,Contemporary Authors,Controversial Reading,Cultural Reading,Emotional Reading,Humorous Reading

Teenagers have been moping through books since the beginning of time. Now with school out for the summer, teenagers will be hanging around the house for a few months bringing literary angst right to your living room. Of course, one way to turn that frown upside down is to turn a detached teen onto reading, and introduce them to a book they can identify with in some way. And as an added bonus, these same books can serve as an escape for mom and dad. Here are a few of our favorite books about the condition of teenagers.

1. A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce: Follow Stephen Dedalus, a sensitive and creative youth who rebels against his family, his education, and his country by committing himself to the artist’s life. “I will not serve,” vows Dedalus, “that in which I no longer believe.…and I will try to express myself in some mode of life or art as freely as I can.” This semi-autobiographical novel speaks to the artistic sensibilities of youth.

2. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret by Judy Blume: A twelve-year-old talks to God about her ardent desire to be grown up. After moving from New York City to the suburbs, Margaret is anxious to fit in with her new friends, but when the girls start talking about boys, bras, and getting their first periods, Margaret starts to wonder if she’s normal. Lucky for Margaret, she’s got someone else to confide in.

3. Prep by Curtis Sittenfeld: During the late 1980s, fourteen-year-old Lee Fiora leaves behind her close-knit, middle-class Indiana family to enroll in an elite co-ed boarding school in Massachusetts, becoming a shrewd observer of, and eventually a participant in, their rituals and customs.

4. The Catcherin the Rye by J.D. Salinger: The hero-narrator Holden Caulfield is perhaps the most beloved — and moody — teenager in modern literature. After leaving his prep school Holden roams New York City and offers his observations on the shortcomings of adulthood and all the phonies you meet along the way.

5. Indecision by Benjamin Kunkel: Though he’s not technically an adolescent, Dwight B. Wilmerding’s early midlife crisis after being fired at the age of twenty eight sure feels like teenage depressions. Unable to decide on a new career or on a girlfriend, an indecisiveness that he attempts to alleviate with a trial pharmaceutical, he heads to Ecuador to search for Natasha, an exotic former classmate.

6. All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy: Cut off from the life of ranching he has come to love by his grandfather’s death, sixteen-year-old John Grady Cole flees to Mexico, where he and his two companions embark on a rugged and cruelly idyllic journey to a place where dreams are paid for in blood.

7. White Oleander by Janet Fitch: The struggle to build an authentic identity lies at the heart of Astrid’s life as a foster child in Los Angeles after her poet mother, who has kept Astrid isolated from the world, is imprisoned for murder.

Do you think books about teenage angst are good for kids, or do they just feed the flame? What books do you recommend for the tortured teenage soul?

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What Would Don Draper Read? | Books on Advertising

June 7, 2012

in Classic Reading,Contemporary Reading,Controversial Reading,Self Improvement Reading

The books Don Draper reads helped get him to the top of the advertising world. Don’s bookshelf on the AMC series Mad Men is a much-talked about nuance of the show, a glimpse into the inner-workings of the flawed yet likeable protagonist. So much has changed in advertising since the 1960s, we wondered what books Don might read if he worked today. Here are a few books we thought deserved a home on the modern-day Draper bookshelf.

Then We Came to the End by Joshua Ferris: Don Draper would do well to look in on the day-to-day work life of his creative team. Ferris’ novel offers looks at the lives of the remaining employees at an office affected by a business downturn. They spend their time competing for the best office furniture left behind and enjoying secret romances, gossip, elaborate pranks, and frequent coffee breaks, while trying to make sense of their only remaining “work,” a mysterious pro-bono ad campaign.

Confessions of an Advertising Man by David Ogilvy: Could Don have written this book himself? At the age of 37, Ogilvy founded the New York-based agency that later merged to form the international company known as Ogilvy & Mather. Regarded as the father of modern advertising, Ogilvy was responsible for some of the most memorable advertising campaigns ever created. This book is the distillation of all the Ogilvy concepts, tactics, and techniques, many of which Don has put into play himself at Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Pryce.

Ulysses by James Joyce: Leopold Bloom will always be the best man in advertising. He’s the original ad man of modernism, with a mind far more obscene and confused than anything even Don Draper could work up. This controversial work changed the course of literature with its puns, parodies, allusions, stream-of-consciousness writing and clever structuring.

Social Media is a Cocktail Party by Jim Tobin: If anyone loves a cocktail party it’s Don Draper. Ever wonder how Don might have navigated the world of social media advertising? This book compares social media to a cocktail party, and how explains how to stop being a wallflower and start reaching people online.

Thank You for Smoking by Christopher Buckley: If the characters on Mad Men like anything more than a tall glass of gin it’s a cigarette. And after working on the Lucky Strike account, Don could really relate to Nick Naylor, chief spokesman for the Academy of Tobacco Studies, as he undertakes a media blitz to defend the rights of smokers, a job that has unexpected repercussions when he is targeted by someone out to prove just how hazardous smoking can be.

Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert T. Kiyosaki: The secrets of Don’s past and his humble, tumultuous upbringing have haunted him since he began his ascent in advertising. Hopefully he takes the lessons he learns on Madison Avenue and passes them down to his own children. Sally shouldn’t have to learn the hard way how to handle money. This book shows explains what the rich teach their kids about money that poor and middle-class families do not.

Freakonomics by Steven D. Levitt: To be good at advertising Don would need to have a full understanding of the modern economy. Fortunately, Freakonomics offers an alternative view of how the economy really works, examining issues from cheating and crime to sports and child-rearing — details that get to the heart of what moves consumers.

Zero Moment of Truth from Google: As the search engine giant puts it: Whether we’re shopping for corn flakes, concert tickets or a honeymoon in Paris, the Internet has changed how we decide and what to buy. Google calls this online decision-making moment the Zero Moment of Truth. And if you work in advertising, it’s a moment you absolutely have to win — and nobody likes to win more than Don Draper.

Do you have a favorite book about advertising? What do you think Don Draper should have on his bookshelf?

Tagged as: Advertising, Don Draper, Mad Men

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7 Books About the Apocalypse

June 5, 2012

in Books Turned into Movies,Classic Short Stories,Contemporary Authors,Famous Horror Authors,Horror Reading

As far as we know the world is not coming to an end anytime soon. But if it were, the best course of action might be to supply your bunker with plenty of food and water, and plenty of good books to read. In the event of the apocalypse these books will do more than entertain — they could provide to roadmap for survival.

I Am Legend by Richard Matheson: Robert Neville is the last living man on Earth…but he is not alone; he’s surrounded by vampires. By day, he is the hunter, stalking the sleeping undead through the abandoned ruins of civilization. By night, he barricades himself in his home and prays for dawn.

Blindness by Jose Saramago: A city is hit by an epidemic of “white blindness” whose victims are confined to a vacant mental hospital, while a single eyewitness to the nightmare guides seven oddly assorted strangers through the barren urban landscape

Zone One by Colson Whitehead: In a post-apocalyptic world decimated by zombies, survivor efforts to rebuild are focused on Manhattan, where civilian team member Mark Spitz works to eliminate remaining infected stragglers and remembers his horrifying experiences at the height of the zombie plague.

Cat’s Cradle by Kurt Vonnegut: This satirical commentary on on the future and Earth’s ultimate fate this classic twentieth century work is at once fatalistic and hilarious — the apocalypse deserves a little brevity.

The Road by Cormac McCarthy: Set in an indefinite, futuristic, post-apocalyptic world, a father and his young son make their way through the ruins of a devastated American landscape, struggling to survive and preserve the last remnants of their own humanity.

The Stand by Stephen King: A monumentally devastating plague leaves only a few survivors in a desert world who move toward the ultimate confrontation of good and evil, handled masterfully by perhaps the best-equipped writer for the subject.

The War of the Worlds by H.G. Wells: On October 30, 1938, Wells terrified American radio listeners by describing a martian invasion of Earth in a broadcast that became legendary. The broadcast came from his novel of interplanetary conflict in anticipation of war in Europe, and in it he predicted the technological savagery of twentieth century warfare.

If you had to bunker down for the end of days, what books would you pack for the bombshelter to bring along to the apocalypse?

Tagged as: apocalypse, Colson Whitehead, cormac mccarthy, horror, kurt vonnegut, stephen king

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Up-and-Coming Writers to Watch | 5 Young Authors on the Rise

April 24, 2012

in Contemporary Authors,Contemporary Reading

Up and Coming Writers

Up and Coming Writers

If eReaders are the future of books, these five up-and-coming writers represent the future of literature. From gritty short stories and introspective narrators, to multicultural perspectives and critically-acclaimed novelists, keep these writers on your Blio radar.

1. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie attracted new readers to African literature with her first novel, Purple Hibiscus, released in 2003. Her second novel, Half of a Yellow, set against the backdrop of the Biafran War, was awarded the prestigious Orange Prize for fiction in 2007. The Things Around Your Neck, a collection of short stories published in 2009, has been featured in The Best American Short Stories.

2. In 2010 Philipp Meyer was named in the New Yorker’s list ’20 under 40′, largely on the strength of his novel American Rust, which captures the post-industrial decline in small town Pennsylvania and the trials of the residents as they struggle to find a new America. His forthcoming novel, The Son, is scheduled to be released in 2012.

3. Jonathan Safran Foer is known for thoughtful works like 2002’s Everything is Illuminated and 2005’s Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close. His offbeat characters are some of the most memorable in fiction, even the “seeing eye dog” Sammy Davis Jr. Jr. In 2009, he published a work of nonfiction titled Eating Animals, and Tree of codes in 2010.

4. Téa Obreht, born in 1985 in Belgrade, Yugoslavia (now Serbia) is the youngest novelist to with the Orange Prize, which she took home in 2011 for her book The Tiger’s Wife. That same year she was also a finalist for the National Book Award. The Tiger’s Wife is, as she put it, the saga of a Balkan doctor and his relationship to his granddaughter.

5. Wells Tower’s Everything Ravaged, Everything Burned (2009) is one of the most vivid and surprising collections of short stories to appear in recent years. Tower is the recipient of two Pushcart Prizes and the 2002 Plimpton (Discovery) Prize, among other awards. Tower’s compelling stories will have you on the edge of your seat. Exhibit A: The video trailer for the title story:

Did we miss any up-and-coming writers? Who are your favorite young authors?

Tagged as: Critically-Acclaimed Writers, Literary Fiction, Up-and-Coming-Writers

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Great Books that Didn’t Win the Pulitzer Prize

April 17, 2012

in Classic Reading,Contemporary Authors

Yesterday’s Pulitzer Prize awards marked only the 11th year an award was not given in the fiction category. The last time was 35 years ago the Pulitzer Board snubbed Norman Maclean’s “A River Runs Through It.”

This year’s shortlisted authors—Denis Johnson, “Train Dreams”; Karen Russell, “Swamplandia!”; and David Foster Wallace, “The Pale King”—can take heart; some of the world’s most beloved books and authors have been close enough to taste the award, only to fall short.

In 1971 the board did not award a prize, despite a selection of notable works from big-name authors: Eudora Welty “Losing Battles,” Saul Bellow’s “Mr. Sammler’s Planet,” and “The Wheel of Love” by Joyce Carol Oats. Just three years later the board shot down Thomas Pynchon’s “Gravity’s Rainbow,” and even Hemingway was turned away by the board in 1941 when “For Whom the Bell Tolls” was deemed immoral.

If it’s truly about the company you keep, perhaps not winning the award isn’t all that bad afterall. Even in years that a fiction award was given, many notable books didn’t win, for example: JD Salinger’s “The Catcher in the Rye,” William Faulkner’s “Absolom Absolom!,” Joseph Heller’s “Catch-22,” and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s “The Great Gatsby.”

Here are 10 famous novels that lost out the Pulitzer competition.

Do you have a favorite book you feel doesn’t get the recognition it deserves? Leave a comment and let us know which authors deserve more credit.

Tagged as: Brad Pitt, Fitzgerald, Gravitys Rainbow, hemingway, Pulitzer Prize

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Spring Reading | New Blio eReader Book Releases for April

April 10, 2012

in Contemporary Authors,Romantic Reading,Seasonal Reading,Uncategorized

April showers bring more than May flowers; the impending spring brings to life a new world of reading with Blio eReader releases that will keep you cozied up in the house on a rainy day, and give you an excuse to read outside when the sun is shining. Here are a few of our new selections:

New Fiction

The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani: This intricately woven tapestry of love and family, war and loss, risk and destiny follows star-crossed lovers Enza, a practical beauty, and Ciro, a strapping mountain boy, who, after their first meeting in the Italian Alps, find their destinies inexplicably entwined as they build their lives in America.
The Beginner’s Goodbye by Anne Tyler: A wise, haunting, and deeply moving new novel in which Anne Tyler explores how a middle-aged man, ripped apart by the death of his wife, is gradually restored by her frequent appearances—in their house, on the roadway, and in the market. A beautiful, subtle exploration of loss and recovery, pierced throughout with humor and wisdom.
Sacré Bleu by Christopher Moore: Baker-turned-painter Lucien Lessard and bon vivant Henri Toulouse-Lautrec vow to discover the truth behind the untimely death of their friend Vincent van Gogh, which leads them on a surreal odyssey and brother-crawl deep into the art world of late-nineteenth-century Paris.

Hot New Romance

Lover Reborn by J.R. Ward: #1 New York Times bestselling author J.R. Ward’s novels of the Black Dagger Brotherhood continue as a vampire warrior crosses the line between life and death… and ventures into an erotic world of dark dreams and darker desires.
Letter from a Stranger by Barbara Taylor Bradford: A documentary filmmaker searches for her estranged grandmother and uncovers family secrets dating back to World War II.
The Seduction of Lady X by Julia London: The would-be Earl of Ashwood sets his romantic sights on a forbidden prize in the enchanting third novel from Julia London’s addictively sexy new series.

New Nonfiction

The Big Miss: My Year Coaching Tiger Woods by Hank Haney: A noted golf instructor who worked with Tiger Woods discusses his experiences with the golfer, who was at the top of his game until a public scandal threw him off track.
Wishes Fulfilled: Mastering the Art of Manifesting by Wayne W. Dyer: The author of the Power of Intention shows readers how one can truly change the concept of self, embark upon a God-realized way of living, and fulfill the spiritual truth that, with God, all things are possible.
Drift: The Unmooring of American Military Power by Rachel Maddow: Identifying what the author believes to be a battle between the priorities of civilian life and the war, the host of the critically acclaimed The Rachel Maddow Show explains that today’s focus on national security is actually compromising national stability, tracing the historical events and contributing factors that have promoted a deeply militarized American culture.

New Mysteries and Thrillers

The Lost Years by Mary Higgins Clark: America’s Queen of Suspense has written her most astonishing novel to date. At its center is a discovery that, if authenticated, may be the most revered document in human history—”the holiest of the holy”—and certainly the most coveted and valuable object in the world.
Gypped by Carol Higgins Clark: When Regan Reilly returned to the West Coast, where she began her career as a PI, she never imagined that her unsuccessful appearance on a game show seven years earlier would throw her trip totally off course.
Capitol Murder by Phillip Margolin: Dana and Brad are brought together once again when the convicted serial killer they put away in Executive Privilege escapes from death row and a new terrorist threat emerges, in this fast-paced thriller.

Have you read any of these new releases or other good books yet this spring? Tell us what you’re reading in the comments below.

Tagged as: Book Releases, Spring Reading

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Earth Day eReading List

March 20, 2012

in Classic Authors,Contemporary Reading,Holiday Reading,Inspiring Reading,Seasonal Reading

Flickr photo by Miles Wolstenholme

With spring now upon us, we can finally get outside with a good book. Few places are more enjoyable for reading than in nature – at the beach, at the park, or deep in the woods. If you’re doing your April 22nd Earth Day reading on an eReader instead of traditional books you’re already speaking for the trees – cutting out paper and consuming less fossil fuels. So now that you’ve reduced your carbon footprint, head outside, kick up your feet, and enjoy some of the best books for Earth Day!

A Walk in the Woods – Bill Bryson

 

No city dweller has taken to the woods with as much vigor – and humor – as Bill Bryson.  Follow along as this outdoor novice hikes the Appalachian Trail and discovers the beauty of the outdoors. Bryson’s insights into fellow hikers and man’s relationship to nature are a one-book argument of conservationism.

The Lorax – Dr. Seuss

Speak for the trees, you say? The Lorax is one of the original conservationists, speaking out against the dangers of pollution, and celebrating the earth’s beauty in his own gruff way. This classic children’s book is a starting point for any young (at heart) reader who loves the outdoors and a perfect book for Earth Day.

Why I Wake Early – Mary Oliver

Poetry is best appreciated sitting by a spring and listening to the wildlife. Mary Oliver is famous for bringing the natural world alive in a poem, and this collection is filled with plants, animals, and insects – welcoming the morning with the sounds of nature with some inspiring reading from Mary Oliver. 

The Giving Tree – Shel Silverstein

What could be more simple and inspiring than a story about a boy and a tree? In Shel Silverstein’s timeless book, a boy and his favorite tree grow old together, and using his trademarked drawings and sparse language Silverstein gives a reader pause to consider the meaning our relationship to the natural world.

A Brief History of Time – Stephen Hawking

To understand the world we live in, it helps to understand the universe around us. If you’re tuned into the cosmos on Earth Day, let Stephen Hawking answer some of the big questions about the start of the universe, its boundaries and its dimensions. Seeing the big picture of creation makes the small details of nature all the more enjoyable.

What are you reading this Earth Day? Any additions to our reading lists or advice for celebrating nature?

Tagged as: bill bryson, dr. seuss, earth day, ereader, she silverstein, stephen hawking

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Best Short Story Collections | Daylight Savings Reads

March 9, 2012

in Blio Bestsellers,Classic Authors,Classic Short Stories,Contemporary Authors,Contemporary Reading,Famous Horror Authors

The Lottery, The Tell-Tale Heart and Children of the Corn are some of the best short stories ever written. In time for Daylight Savings, here’s a list of the best short story collections of all-time to help you get your reading in on the day of the year that’s only 23 hours. Don’t forget to set your clocks ahead on March 11!

The Complete Tales – Edgar Allan Poe
A perfect read for any Poe fan, this famous short story collection has it all. What better way to spend the last few nights of winter than with the chilling short stories and poems of Edgar Allen Poe?

Night Shift – Stephen King
The first of King’s short story collections, Night Shift contains notable classics like Children of the Corn, The Lawnmower Man, and Grey Matter. A perfect choice if you want to stay awake all night!

The Lottery & other stories -  Shirley Jackson
Enjoy a unique view of the world from Shirley Jackson’s perspective in this famous short story collection, including one of the greatest short stories of all-time, The Lottery. From the hilarious to the horrifying, Jackson has a unique ability to unveil the true human condition.

Continue reading…

Tagged as: daylight savings time, edgar allan poe, ernest hemingway, henry james, J.D. Salinger, kurt vonnegut, neil gaiman, shirley jackson, short stories, short story collections, stephen king

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8 Stories of Revenge

March 1, 2012

in Blio Bestsellers,Classic Authors,Classic Reading,Contemporary Authors,Contemporary Reading

Revenge is a dish best served cold. Sure, we’ve all thought about revenge one time or another but how far is too far when seeking retribution? What does revenge do to the soul? Is there a lighter side to this seemingly dark theme? Explore these and similar issues with eight different books ranging from classics like Moby Dick to more contemporary titles.

Moby Dick – Herman Melville
With one of the most famous opening lines in the history of literature, Moby Dick introduces you to Ishmael. The young narrator is logging his experiences with Ahab, the tyrannical captain of the Pequod. What Captain Ahab lacks in bipedalism he makes up for in an intense ferocity against his mortal enemy – a giant, white whale. In a previous encounter, the great white whale not only destroyed Ahab’s boat, but bit his leg off. In addition to exploring the themes of revenge, Moby Dick also examines obsession and the human soul. The themes in this novel have been cherished for generations and will undoubtedly continue to do so for generations to come.

Carrie – Stephen King
Let’s face it. Sometimes being a teenager just plain sucks. But for Carrie White, a young high school girl in a small town in Maine, that’s the understatement of a lifetime. Between the psychological and physical abuse from her fundamentalist mother and the constant bullying she experiences from classmates, Carrie is truly vulnerable. When Chris and her boyfriend Billy ruthlessly plan a hoax to humiliate her at the school prom, Carrie is pushed over the edge. Her tormentors are all in for a surprise when they discover Carrie has violent telekinetic powers. Inspiring a movie starring a young John Travolta, this epic revenge/teen thriller is a repeat contributor to banned books lists all over the world.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest – Steig Larsson
The third and final installment to Steig Larsson’s best-selling “Millenium” series, The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest picks up right where The Girl Who Played with Fire ended. We find Lisbeth Salander, the book’s protagonist, under investigation for the murder of three people. Incapacitated from the bullet wound that ended the previous book, she is assisted by journalist Mikael Blomkvist. The two must not only prove Lisbeth’s innocence but uncover the truth about the man who shot her. Jam-packed with unexpected twists and turns, many argue Larsson saved the best for last in this “Millenium” series finale.

The Count of Monte Cristo – Alexandre Dumas
Some say that success is the best form of revenge. Sadly, it’s the success of young Edmond Dantès that makes him a target for revenge, not the avenger. Three of Dantès’ “friends” conspire against him by drafting a letter that accuses him of treason. When he is jailed for crimes he did not commit, Dantès befriends Abbé Faria, a political prisoner. Faria makes Dantès an educated man, and promises him a treasure in the island of Monte Cristo. When Dantès escapes from prison, he finds this fortune, which he considers to be a gift from God. With this gift, he can reward the good…or punish the wicked.

The First Wives Club – Olivia Goldsmith
“Till death do us part” has very little meaning to the husbands of Annie, Elise, and Brenda. These men couldn’t have made it to their positions in life had it not been for the support of their wives. Despite the affection these women gave, they still find themselves dumped for younger trophy wives. Joining together, these women form the “First Wives Club”, aimed to make things right. Inspiring the classic comedic film starring Diane Keaton, Goldie Hawn, and Bette Midler, this is a perfect read for anyone stewing over the damage done by past lovers.

Les Miserables – Victor Hugo
Define cruel and unusual punishment – serving nineteen years in prison for stealing a loaf of bread, perhaps? After serving his time (and then some), Jean Valjean is left to wander the streets of Digne. No one will help him due to the stigmatization of “ex-criminals”, with the exception of the town’s bishop, M. Myriel. When Valjean steals from Myriel, the local police attempt to arrest him. Myriel covers for Valjean’s transgressions, protecting him from more prison time, but makes him promise to be a better man. Valjean delivers on his promises and starts a new life. But despite Valjean’s efforts, his past will come back to haunt him again and again.  Just how far will society go to punish someone for mistakes of the past? You’ll find out when you read this timeless classic about democracy, spirituality, and of course, revenge.

The Lovely Bones – Alice Sebold
The story starts off with the chilling depiction of the rape and murder of 14-year-old Susie Salmon. She ascends to her own personal heaven, from where she can see the investigation surrounding her death falling to pieces. With no leads, the police drop the investigation even though her father suspects Harvey: and he’s absolutely right. It is this suspicion, combined with the unrelenting grief and anger surrounding Susie’s death that sends the Salmon family in a downward spiral. But Susie might just be able to set things straight, by joining the earth once again.

The Nanny Diaries – Emma McLaughlin
What is it like to grow up in the privileged life of an upscale Manhattan child? For Annie Braddock, the answer is simply…weird. After graduating from college, she accepts the position of a nanny for the wealthy “X” family. Now she must answer to every whim of the elitist Mrs. X, and her bratty son Grayer. In a book that discusses the theme of socioeconomic divide, this is the perfect story for anyone who has ever wanted to get back at their boss.

Can you think of other great books that deal with revenge as a theme? Let us know in the comments section below!

Tagged as: carrie, count of monte cristo, les miserables, lovely bones, moby dick, nanny diaries, steig larsson, stephen king, stories of revenge

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