Posted by Hugh on February 10, 2019, at 13:57:06
In reply to What books for a lazy reader?, posted by Lamdage22 on February 5, 2019, at 3:49:54
"Seabiscuit" by Laura Hillenbrand is one of my favorites. It's the true story of a champion racehorse, its owner, its trainer, and its jockeys. Even if you have no interest in horses or in sports, it's still well worth reading.
"Act One" is the autobiography of the playwright Moss Hart. It's about his years-long struggle to become a successful writer. Very funny.
For fiction, I'd recommend "The Stories of John Cheever."
Ireland has produced some of the English language's most lyrical writers. One of my favorite short stories is "Guests of the Nation" by Frank O'Connor. It takes place during the Irish War of Independence (1919-21). It's about how IRA guards bond with their two English prisoners. You can read the whole thing here:
https://www.csus.edu/indiv/m/maddendw/the-oxford-book-of-short-stories_29guestsofthenation.pdf
Another one of my favorite short stories is "The Pump" by William Humphrey. It's about a poor Oklahoma farmer in the 1930s who suddenly becomes rich when oil is discovered on his land. You can read the whole thing here:
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