Hello everyone. I hope you are all off to a great summer! Summer is my 3rd favorite season, but that doesn't mean I don't enjoy it. I love all the seasons, all times of the year, just not evenly. I'm a guy from Santa Clarita, California in the wonderful United States of America! I am an entertainment freak. I love to be entertained. Wether it's movies, books, sports, games, music, theater or recreation. If I'm going to have a good time doing it, I'll do it.

So on to the subject of this post. I became a constant reader about 7 years ago. Thanks to my dad, my first books were the Odd Thomas series by Dean Koontz. I found them very entertaining and fun to read, however the second in the series, Forever Odd I believe, was a little too much on the dark side for me. The next Koontz book I pulled off my dad's shelf was Life Expectancy. It didn't take long after starting this book that I truly fell in love with reading. For the first time ever I felt like not just reading a character but knowing a character or characters. From Beezo and Ponchinello to Jimmy and Lori, I fell in love with them all and the book. And because of this I believe that Life Expectancy is the first book I have read numerous times. It is also the reason why I have become very picky when I try and find new books to read. Life Expectancy had an element to it that nothing I had read prior to it had or had in such an abundance. That was humor. The humor in Life Expectancy was like gold and I haven't been the same since. I loved it so much I honestly found it hard to enjoy any other of Koontz's books. Several I couldn't even make it through the first few chapters. Cursed! But I knew what I wanted in a book and I was going to get it. Through the incredibly awesome and priceless internet over the last seven years I have been fortunate to find exciting and thrilling books with the same style of humor added to it.

My reason for registering here (being very fortunate for finding such a site!) is that I'd like to list my favorite books/writers and get many many great suggestions from members here which lead me to exactly what I love in a book. For the last 6 months I've been searching all over the internet and striking out sadly in every area. So here it goes....

David Rosenfelt - Andy Carpenter series. Chock-full of humor making this series the top of my list.

Harlan Coben - Myron Bolitar series. Chock-full of humor making this series the top of my list.

Donald Westlake - The Dortmunder series. Chock-full of humor making this series the top of my list.

P.J. Tracy - Moneewrench series. Chock-full of humor making this series the top of my list. Can't wait for their next book in August!

Joseph Keller - Catch 22. Chock-full of humor making this one the top of my list. I found out why this is a classic.

So that is the top of my list. Not very crowded up there so I'd like to add many more to it. The following are books I have enjoyed as well, due to their..... guess.......humor! These, I guess, you can say are at the next rung down from the top of my list.

Stephen Bly - The Code of the West series. Not as well written, but the humor is great, as are the characters.

Bill Bryson - Adds wonderful humor to his biographical stories.


So there you go forum. Give those a good chewing on and I appreciate beyond words any suggestions you could give me.

Welcome to BookTalk.org.

Check out our current fiction selection World War Zombie.

Have you read Mark Twain? Not just Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, but his other works? I especially like The Diaries of Adam and Eve.

diaries of Adam and Eve sound good!

It is; my favorite line is the epilogue.

Adam at Eve's grave: "Where she was,there was Eden."

Thank you for the suggestions. I'll be giving them a go soon. I laughed when you said "other than Tom Sawyer & Huckleberry Finn". I guess those are the only two most people, me included, have read. Thanks again. Please keep the suggestions coming. It is amazing to me how hard it is to find similair books to the ones I've described above. They have got to be out there! I'm gonna find em! Thanks a third time.....and a fourth!

Congratulations on your new web sanctuary. Many have trumpeted their arrival in this grandiose virtual vestibule, and yet only a select stolid few have endured.

Is it impolite of me to doubt your authority on the seasons? My summer has resembled the Russian thaw, only brighter, and I grimaced when you pegged the sun festival-for those lucky enough to experience it with regularity-on the third rung. I expect the Californian spring would suit me perfectly, but when the mercury never flirts with zero you have to ask what you're missing out on when it comes to weather.

No offense taken whatsoever Mitya. Other than my family and my possessions, I claim authority to nothing in this wondrous world of ours. I've always known one's geographical location would determine which order on the seasonal ladder each would fall. My rungs are soo close together a toe nail couldn't fit between them. I do love them all. I work outside for a living so I am inclined to enjoy the more comfortable temperatures in both the spring and autumn. Therefore I place summer at comfortable 3rd. Oh how I do love the winter as well. It is a marvelous season. A joyful season. However spending most of my time laboring in the weather, winter is on the much loved, even though it is the lowest, 4th rung.

Thanks again Robert and Cattleman for the suggestions. Surprisingly I've found more input from people in a gaming website forum (Pogo.com). I thought this would be the place. The internet works in mysterious ways! Anyway, I may be back here if I find that I have any deep feelings/thoughts on any particular book I've read or am reading. Currently I'm enjoying The Lonely Polygamist by Brady Udall. Equal parts sad and funny. Lots of rambunctious kids always makes for humorous situations. Take care and enjoy the rest of the summer!