Tina Nole's Favorite Books

shelved under Personal Favorites

Flashlight Worthy says:
Here at Flashlight Worthy Headquarters we've enjoyed reading Tina's blog, The Only Living Girl in New York — her humorous tales of adjusting to life in New York City make for a good workday break. With her love of books became apparent in her writing, it was time to ask her for a list of her favorites.

 

A Fine Balance

by Rohinton Mistry

Undeniably flashlight-worthy, I loved this book; the story is delicately unraveled before you, exposing the intricacies of life in India, surviving and sometimes defying the caste system... oh gosh and so much more.

 

East of Eden

by John Steinbeck

Ohhh it’s a meaty tale, this one and sometimes feels like an epic soap opera-slash-biblical journey-slash coming of age-slash-well... it’s great, trust me.

 

The Glass Castle

by Jeannette Walls

This is a common story of tragic poverty and crazy parents... but I think it's the way Walls tells it with such non-judgmental innocence that I like.

 

Beloved

by Toni Morrison

I think this is Toni Morrison's best book, although that could be argued... she's pretty amazing. Another dark and tragic tale, both heart-wrenching and oddly inspiring.

 

Interpreter of Maladies

by Jhumpa Lahiri

I think this title is soooo fantastic and just says it all. Lahiri here does quite a bit of interpreting maladies on this collection of short stories.

 

I Was Told There'd Be Cake

by Sloane Crosley

There's everything to love about Sloane, she’s charming and witty and a great writer. I laughed out loud while reading this in the subway and had no care that I looked like a crazy person.

 

A Wolf at the Table: A Memoir of My Father

by Augusten Burroughs

This one had my head spinning for a few days, so if you have a crappy father, beware... this is one of his darkest books, not at all the funny Burroughs. This exposes some of what makes him a deep writer — I read it in only 2 days and I'm a very slow reader.

This book also appears on Every Book by Augusten Burroughs

 

A Widow for One Year

by John Irving

I'm in the middle of this book now and it's fan-freaking-tastic — and sometimes feels like I shouldn't be reading it in public as it gets a little racy at times — but is funny and sad and strange.