More ideas for your next book from patrons and staff -
(1) "Our Souls at Night" by Kent Haruf features a 70 year old widow who has an active life but proposes to her widower neighbor that he come over at night to sleep with her (no sex) to alleviate their loneliness. This is a poignant story made even more so knowing the author was dying at the time of writing it. This is one not to miss. Short but packed with memorable moments. It has been made into a movie starring Jane Fonda and Robert Redford.
(2) Jeffrey Archer's Clifton Chronicles series is a multi-generational saga over the course of the 20th century with seven books. The first one is "Time Will Tell". Several patrons mention this series as being a favorite. The author has been a popular author for what seems like the whole of the 20th century! He was born in 1940 and his life is almost more colorful than that of his characters. He's been a member of Parliament, imprisoned for perjury and perverting the course of justice and sold more than 330 million books worldwide. He definitely has staying power.
(3) "My Grandmother Asked Me to Tell You She's Sorry" by Fredrik Backman was mentioned by several patrons as being charming and almost better than his wonderful "A Man Called Ove".
(4) Mary Kay Andrews is an author who has several books with southern settings. These are fun and witty, great for summer reading.
(5) "Gone Girl" by Gillian Flynn is of course one of the most talked about books of the past several years. Scary and convoluted and boy oh boy, if you were Ms. Flynn's husband you may want to be wary. She also wrote "Sharp Objects" and "Dark Places" which readers have said are just as good.