Has anyone read any good books lately?

It took some researching but I found it!  Left it off previously because the story stayed with me but could not remember the title or author for the life of me!
 
I laughed, I cried, and I rejoiced so I think it covers all the bases!  LOL 
 
Sight hound : a novel / Pam Houston.
Houston, Pam.
Review
Starred Review. Postfeminist toughness and post-hippie sentiment are the alternating currents of this wry, tender novel by Houston (Cowboys Are My Weakness; Waltzing the Cat; etc.) about a Colorado playwright and her beloved Irish wolfhound. Rae hasn't had much luck with men, but her love for her dog Dante is pure and uncomplicated. When he is diagnosed with cancer, she puts all of her energies into prolonging his life, volunteering him for experimental surgery. The ups and downs of the three years he spends in remission are narrated from the perspective of the motley friends who float in Rae's out-sized orbit. Chief among these is Howard, the adorably histrionic actor whose love is Rae's main consolation for the looming loss of Dante; there's also Darlene, Rae's tough-as-nails housekeeper, who keeps things running at the ranch while Rae's at her Denver apartment or traveling to exotic places. Then there's restless, jaded Jonathan, Rae's fellow playwright and best friend; Jodi, the young bride of a surrealist painter, who moves to Colorado and finds a soul mate in Rae; Dr. Evans, the driven vet who labors to save Dante; and Brooklyn Underhill, Dr. Evans's idealistic young ex-soldier assistant. And of course, Dante has his own say, as does Rae's rambunctious second dog, Rose, and Darlene's cat, Stanley. Houston isn't afraid to venture into boggy terrain?readers who squirm at the notion that dogs have human "moms" and "souls as deep and authentic as anything in creation" will resist being carried along at first?but the novel's humor and irony are bracing, and different voices provide welcome contrasts in tone. Houston's gift for capturing the dynamic of unorthodox webs of relationships is on pleasing display in this gruffly warmhearted novel. Copyright ? Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. Copyright Reed Business Information
Author Biography
Pam Houston is director of the Creating Writing Program at the University of California at Davis. Distributed by Syndetic Solutions, Inc.
 

A couple of my favorite dog-themed books are:
Bark If You Love Me, by Louse Bernikow (a memoir by a single woman in NYC who reluctantly rescues a boxer, only to fall in love with him and become a "dog person."  Funny and sweet, a quick read.)
A Dog's Life, by Peter Mayle (he wrote A Year in Provence, also seen on PBS.  It's the story of his family dog, but told from the perspective of the dog.  It's really good - also a quick read).
 
My favorite fiction author is Martha Grimes.  She's an American who writes mostly British pub-style mysteries.  If you like Agatha Christie, PD James, and the like, then I'd recommend her Inspector Richard Jury series.  The first one that introduces all the regular characters is The Man With a Load of Mischief.  I wait for her to write each new one, and my wish is that someone would make them into a Mystery! series on PBS.
 
I've read mostly non-fiction lately -- lots of memoirs and essay collections.  My favorites are anything by David Sedaris, two titles by Paul Feig (the co-creator of TV show "Freaks and Geeks" (Kick Me--Adventures in Adolescence and Superstud, or How I Became a 24 Year Old Virgin).  The Day I Turned Uncool by Dan Zevin is another one.  Those last three titles made me laugh outloud -- they're especially funny to anyone in the mid 30's/early 40's age bracket.
 
Another incredible book along the lines of Oprah's selection by Elie Weisel is The Pianist (forget the author's name - the movie with Adrian Brody was based on it). Upsetting to read, yet life affirming also.  I like memoirs by people who've overcome incredible odds - Michael J. Fox's autobiography was great, Frank McCourt's Angela's Ashes, etc.
 
Gosh - I've got to get more fiction on my nightstand.  I need to escape reality more!

I just read On The Run by Iris Johansen and I also read Manhunt by Janet Evanovich. Really good books.
 
I also really like Barbara Delinsky(spelling)

i love the harry potter series...i am currently rereading the whole series..i am on book 5. also the sisterhood of the traveling pants series is a good quick read.

Harry Potter is great. I was so upset to hear the book she is doing now will be the last.

Here are some that I've read in the last couple of months:
 
Come Back, Claire and Mia Fontaine - I LOVED this book. I bought it for my mom for Mother's Day and then I read it before she did. I finished it in a day and half. It's a memoir written by the mom and daughter, both of them telling their sides of the story. The daughter gets really into drugs and it's about her mom trying to help her and pull her out of it and what she has to do to get her to "come back". Very good book.
 
The Devil Wears Prada, Lauren Weissberger (or something like that) - a good beach read. It's amusing to read about the things the character Andy has to go through for her boss, Miranda. I also saw the movie and it's VERY different from the book, IMO. I LOVED Meryl Streep as Miranda Priestly. I know the Academy usually doesn't hand out awards for movies like this, but Meryl Streep deserves one for this part.
 
The Partner, John Grisham - I love John Grisham and I really liked this one too. It took me a little bit longer to get into it, but I still ended up enjoying it. It's about a lawyer (of course) who stole millions of dollars from his firm and fled the country. They end up catching him, bringing him back to the states, and  . .well you have to read it.
 
I know I read more than this, but I can't think of them right now.

Thanks everyone, this is so great.  []

Lori, DO NOT go to Borders, go to the library!!! SAve your money; your taxes already support your library.

I try to read for at least an hour every day on break from work..

 Steven King,tho i have almost read and reread everything by him...some Koontz

 Historical Revolutionary and civil war stuff,WW1 and 2,,

 straight fiction and any biog or auto biogs by people that interest me..

 i am also all about keeping a daily journal about dreams and events in my life...

I like going to the library too.  But, it's so aggravating, you always have to wait for the new books.  By the time I get them, I want the next new book out. 
 
MhadDog--I am a big Stephen King fan too.  I'm reading the Colorado Kid right now.  Short book for him[]

Robin, I loved Sight Hound too. Excellent book.

Lor, our public library is online is yours? it's great I have a shortcut on my desktop for it, and then if I hear a good review on tv or on idog I just go on and put a hold on it, I get an email telling me it's ready to be picked up then I only have to go to the desk and get it. But for books I want to keep like my dog books I only buy used from amazon

ORIGINAL: willowchow

I like going to the library too.  But, it's so aggravating, you always have to wait for the new books.  By the time I get them, I want the next new book out. 

MhadDog--I am a big Stephen King fan too.  I'm reading the Colorado Kid right now.  Short book for him[]

I love the library tho i rarely get to go..used to take the young uns long ago to story hour,and would sit downstairs in the peace and quiet and look for anything new,or old..

there are a couple of Kings newer works i havnt gotten ahold of yet..When i finished the Dark Tower series i laid off for a bit...What a great work that was...

I am reading 2 books right now...one is Blood Of Angels(i forget the author)and it is about a prosecuter in a souther district attorneys office who may have been responsible for sending the wrong man to the lethal injection table...a bit outside my ussual reading,but i am enjoying it....

i am also rereading Black House by King...i read it a year ago,not realizing that The Talisman (released in the early 80's)is sort of an epiloge to this book..I went all this time without reading The Talisman and once i finally devoured it,i wanted to read BH again.The Talisman really had me with the introduction of the character of Wolf...loved that guy...

ORIGINAL: rredbird

I love almost anything by Dean Koontz

I loved the book Koontz wrote about the super intelligent Golden Retriever and the monkey(?) from the govt.lab...Was it WATCHERS? i forget...I had my  retrievers when i read that and loved the book...