Some books that I read are just for fun. The content is seriously lacking in depth, the plot is implausible, and the characters have "super powers" that those of us who live outside the pages of fiction don't possess. (Like they live on three hours of sleep, eat candy bars for breakfast, and the lead male seems to be able to read the lead female's mind at just the right moment.) Nevertheless, every now and then it's fun to read a book like that. I've affectionately dubbed them Kentucky Fried Chicken books. I guess because they are sort of the junk food of literature. I find myself reaching for KFC books when I'm really stressed out, or on a long plane ride, or on vacation- who wants deep, heart-wrenching books at times like that?!?
Well, the three books I recommended in my book club post (Want to Read Along?) are not KFC books. Recently at nap time, I found myself craving a KFC book as I just wanted to unwind after a cranky morning with the kids. However, I don't have any shallow and vapid books to read! Bummer. Instead I chose to read Choosing to SEE. Actually, it was probably just what I needed as it reminded me that the moments I have with my (sometimes cranky) kids are fleeting. This book has also helped me to slow down a bit and not rush through the nap and night time routines with my little ones. Plus The Read Aloud Handbook has reminded me to not short change the reading times with the kids as reading aloud to them is so beneficial.
Anyway, I was just pondering how some books can add so much to our lives, and others are just a source of entertainment. When I was a teen and in my early twenties, almost all the books I read were KFC type books. Now that I'm getting "older", I find myself choosing literature that will enrich my life rather than just entertain. But, we all need balance and some time to just let our brains rest from real life now and then- right?! Here are a few fiction writers I've enjoyed reading, some are KFC and others have more depth... Dee Henderson (extremely KFC but enjoyed her O'Malley series), Kristen Heitzmann, Lynn Austin, Francine Rivers, Tamera Alexander, Julie Klassen, Lisa Samson, Jane Kirkpatrick, Lauraine Snelling, Tricia Goyer, & Elyse Larson (Women of Valor series is a favorite). If you have any fun KFC books (or good fiction writers) that you'd like to recommend, please share in the comments. I look forward to hearing from you!
HUGE Dee Henderson fan! Very KFC, but good reads.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit that my reading taste for KFC books kind of travels to the dark side of things: I am a lover of any Ted Dekker and Frank Peretti book. I also like odd books, like Stiff: The Curious Lives of Human Cadaver by Mary Roach. I have yet to fully make my way through that book, but it's very eye opening and revealing. I also like the old school fantasy like Tolkien and C.S. Lewis (in his Lion, Witch, and the Wardrobe series). When I want a middle of the pool read (not too shallow, but not deep), I reach for John Green's young adult fictions. I cried many tears over The Fault in our Stars.
I tend to read things over and over again instead of branching out to new authors! I'm kind of lame like that :D
Hi Ana, I'm so glad you chimed in! I really enjoyed Ted Dekker's triology: Black, Red, White. It was so different from anything else I'd ever read, fun and fast paced too, but also gave me a lot to think about. I also read his book Three, very clever but a bit too weird (creepy) for me so I haven't revisited his work since. It's been a long time since I've read Peretti, but I liked This Present Darkness & Piercing the Darkness. Do you have any other favorites by him? Tolkien and C.S. Lewis are huge favorites in our house too. Now, John Green I haven't heard of, so I'll check him out. Thanks for the suggestion!
ReplyDeletePeretti's This Present Darkness and Piercing the Darkness are my faves as well! I also am a fan of Monster, though I learned to never listen to that or House (a Dekker/Peretti collaboration) while driving at night! Totally creepy! Three was insane!
ReplyDeleteJohn Green is one of the vlogbrothers off of YouTube. We found them through a goofy song (A Song About an Angler Fish--Isaac loves that one along with I Know (A Song in Ten Words) very creative), then checked out John's books. They aren't clean--a few bad words, but I still cried over The Fault in Our Stars.
I also recently read a book called My Name is Mary Sutter by Robin Oliveira. It was a good read about a midwife who wanted to be a surgeon in in the Civil War. I'm starting to really enjoy the library :) I finally figured out how to put books on hold! haha!
My Name is Mary Sutter sounds like a book I'd like; thanks for the suggestion. I'm a big fan of historical fiction. Partly because I feel like I'm learning something while I'm reading for entertainment's sake. Also, I like to imagine what life would be like if I'd lived in a different time period.
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