Worthwhile books: Romance category

[emmline]

Yes, 17 in April.
I have found a couple bargains on Amazon from among the suggestions, and will refer to the thread
for further ideas.
Thanks folks!

[herbivore12]

How about some adventure with a bit of romance, and good literary merit to boot? I'd have fallen all over myself in delight if I'd discovered the Aubrey/Maturin books by Patrick O'Brian at 17. Heck, I fell all over myself in delight when I found them in my late twenties. I still pick them up from time to time -- they're like old friends -- and think they represent one of the finest long efforts in English literature. (There's the added fun benefit of learning the English Navy origin of many of our day-to-day idioms: "the bitter end", "the devil to pay", "toe the line", and so on.)

Along the same lines, and maybe(?) more age-appropriate, are the Horatio Hornblower books by C.S. Forester.

These are maybe more romantic in the broad capital-R sense, as opposed to the little-r smooching sense, but may be pure joy for a boy your son's age.

[dwest]

Anne McCaffrey, she writes bodice busters in every genre.

[I.D.10-t]

"For Whom the Bell Tolls"? Plot: A professor meets the love of his life in the lovely hills of Spain.

Humm, come to think of it the closest I have come to reading a romance novel is "The Story of O". I still have to read "The Remains Of The Day", that seems to have more of a love story built into it.

[dwest]

"For Whom the Bell Tolls"? Plot: A professor meets the love of his life in the lovely hills of Spain.

Humm, come to think of it the closest I have come to reading a romance novel is "The Story of O". I still have to read "The Remains Of The Day", that seems to have more of a love story built into it.

Don't you mean Gary Cooper falls for Ingrid Bergman and shoots up some of Generalísimo Francisco Franco's(who is still dead BTW) fascists before buying the farm?

[I.D.10-t]

"For Whom the Bell Tolls"? Plot: A professor meets the love of his life in the lovely hills of Spain.

Humm, come to think of it the closest I have come to reading a romance novel is "The Story of O". I still have to read "The Remains Of The Day", that seems to have more of a love story built into it.

Don't you mean Gary Cooper falls for Ingrid Bergman and shoots up some of Generalísimo Francisco Franco's(who is still dead BTW) fascists before buying the farm?

I think that was a minor part. The plot seems to be more about the motherly care and advice Pilar gives María that helps to develop a new relationship as Pilar reminisces about her own relationship with Pablo and how it has changed over the years. She still sees the young strong man she fell in love with, but she also sees the years that have changed him and diminished him.

[Charlene]

Most books that get classified under "Historical Fiction" have a love interest - Gone With the Wind, Outback, any of Mitchner's books (after you get past the first 6 chapters about the dinosaurs that he almost always puts in!), Clan of Cave Bear, etc.

In the romantic thrillers, J.D. Robb is another pen name of Nora Roberts. Zane Grey's westerns have actual stories, not just shoot-em-up gore.

Do you have a used bookstore nearby to browse in? If you were close I'd say stop in at my husband's store. You can find "penny books" on Amazon but S&H is going to cost you $3.99 - that's how we can make a small profit on those books, since postage usually runs around $2.50.

[brewerpaul]

How about Romeo and Juliet, if he hasn't already read it in school?

Princess Bride

Shogun by James Clavell contains a beautiful romance but a whole lot more too about Samurai society. The TV miniseries years ago focused largely on the romance at the expense of a lot of terrific political intrigue. I'm about due to read that one again.

[cowtime]

Shogun by James Clavell contains a beautiful romance but a whole lot more too about Samurai society. The TV miniseries years ago focused largely on the romance at the expense of a lot of terrific political intrigue. I'm about due to read that one again.

Me too.

[Innocent Bystander]

Princess Bride is good, and I don't know why I mentioned "American Gods" when I could have mentioned "Stardust". (both by Neil Gaiman).

[buddhu]

I second IB's suggestions of the Gaiman books.

How about Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy? A bit heart-breaking in the end, but admirably uncompromising and unpatronising.

[chas]

I'll second or third or whatever The Princess Bride.

Some of Sinclair Lewis's less-preachy books are very romantic and also great reads. My absolute favorite book I've read in the last 10 years or so is Free Air. Our Mr Wren and Bethel Merriday are a couple of others that come to mind.

[emmline]

I second IB's suggestions of the Gaiman books.

How about Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy? A bit heart-breaking in the end, but admirably uncompromising and unpatronising.

That trilogy is one of my favorites.
I'm going to check out Gaiman. I like the movie version of Stardust. Most likely, and as is often the case, the book is better.

[Thomaston]

I second IB's suggestions of the Gaiman books.

How about Pullman's His Dark Materials trilogy? A bit heart-breaking in the end, but admirably uncompromising and unpatronising.

That trilogy is one of my favorites.
I'm going to check out Gaiman. I like the movie version of Stardust. Most likely, and as is often the case, the book is better.

I actually found the movie to be better in this case. Stardust is one of the few things I can that about, though.

[brianormond]

-Seconding Patrick O'Brien's Aubrey/Maturin volumes. Not romance per se i.e. ripped bodices, but an involving history with yearning, fine personal and social characterization and "hooks" to propel interest in the tale.

-For Japanese romances-
"The Tale Of Genji": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Tale_of_Genji

-or the Musashi stories of Eiji Yoshikawa, the latter an epic, violent feudal tale of humor, noble hearts and a long-developing love story suitable for tender years.

-John Steinbeck's "The Acts Of King Arthur And His Noble Knights"- fighting, romance, nobility
scandal, human weakness