Books in a series discussion

Hi! I think it probably started way back in 4th grade with the "Little House on the Prairie" series, but I have come to love, and look for, books that have the same character or characters over a series. Again, going way back, I loved the "Sweet Valley High" when I was a pre-teen and now love to read anything where I can get to "know & love" (or at least appreciate) the characters. Some of these that come to mind are (again, I am usually noting the character, not the author):
1. Kay Scarpetta (Patricia Cornwell)
2. Lucas Davenport (The Prey series)
3. Alex Cross (James Patterson)
4. Becky Bloomwood (Shopaholic series)
5. Anything with the Tudors (fiction & nonfiction, for example, "The Other Boelyn Girl")
7. Abram's daughters (Beverley Lewis)
8. Certain Jodi Picoult books (her charcters often pop up in more than one book)

Does anyone have others they'd like to share? I look forward to reading all recommendations!

I've heard The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan, which won the 2006 National Book Award, is excellent. I haven't read it yet. Your post reminded me I need to put it in my To-Read list.

I LOVED The Worst Hard Time! I wanted a book that dealt with the social aspects of the Great Depression. I tried The Great Depression by Robert McElvaine first, but it was more of a political history (well, at least the first half - I didn't finish it because it wasn't what I was looking for at the time - it seemed like a decent book if that's what you're interested in). The Worst Hard Time was exactly what I was looking for.

added to my list-thanks i'd heard it was good as well

The Invisible Scar by Caroline Bird - 1966 - The subtitle is "The Great Depression and what it did to American life from then until now." I read parts of it years ago in graduate school and always meant to get back to the rest of it. . .

Also, John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath; and if you're interested in more about the Dust Bowl, there's a book by that name by Donald Worster that delves into ecology's effect on history.

I only read Grapes Of Wrath but still remember some quotes from it and feeling of what it was like 4 the people leaving the Dust Bowl and the total failure of government to help its customers.

After all the government is a member of the service industry and has the same components as any service industry company.

In the Great Depression, the government let the stock industry go crazy and everyone was betting money they had and didn't have 2 become rich by speculating on stock which is only a piece of paper and isn't something you can use to build a house, a plant where people can manufacture goods. and stock isn't something you can eat etc

Every few years, the government lets some industry which is motivated by just pure greed go unchecked.

recently, it was the subprime industry. It works for a while and some people/groups make huge profits where nothing is actually created.

in that case, more and more individuals/companies/banks saw that a lot of money could be made by speculating in housing.

the demand for houses sky rockets, the price of houses goes up, builders can't build houses fast enough, SOME lenders get greedy and "relax" loan requirements and along with SOME real estate agents, SOME mortgage brokers, SOME appraisers defraud buyers who can't afford to buy a home into buying a home that now is ending up in foreclosure .

Thus the artificial demand for houses collapses, there is an oversupply of houses, the market values of houses goes down etc etc

So I would think the best book about The Great Depression's cause would be about the stock boom and why the government let go unchecked stock speculation.

I think The Grapes of Wrath would be a good book to explore what happens to people who had nothing to do with the cause of the depression.

Is the beginning of Spring a good time to explore The Great Depression?

If you don't mind biographies, I would recommend reading both Ralph Moody's "Little Britches" series (starts in 1908, but runs until the middle of the Depression, and the first books are definitely worth the read) and Frank McCourt's "Angela's Ashes." Between these two books, you get both the optimistic and pessimistic views of the time in engaging narrative without tons of names and dates.

Murry Rothbard's The Great Depression is a useful book on the economics of the great depression. It is pretty accessible, but from an Austrian school perspective. If you are looking for a book which transports you back to the dustbowl, I'd recommend The Grapes of Wrath any day.

The Saga of the Seven Suns series by Kevin J. Anderson. I'm on book five now Of Fire and Night. I have absolutely loved every one of these books so far. The transition from one book to the next is perfect as well. If you love books in a series you will love this.

You could also try Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt adventures. These are all great books. F. Paul Wilson's Repairman Jack novels are all a lot of fun to read too.

I just started reading the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich. She's a bounty hunter, so it's got good suspense and the books are hilarious! Also pretty cool that the series is based in Trenton, so street names and such are semi-familiar.

Shannon wrote: "Hi! I think it probably started way back in 4th grade with the "Little House on the Prairie" series, but I have come to love, and look for, books that have the same character or characters over a ..."

I have been reading An Alphabet series by Sue Grafton. It's based on a female character Kinsey Millhone who is a private detective. It's filled with mystery, suspense and lots of actiona and wit. Her first book is called A for Alibi. She is releasing V somethime this year. Sue Graton has created a great strong female charachter who doesn't follow the rules and seems to get herself in some pretty sticky situations. Kinsey Millhone is unique, funny and risk taker. I love how Sue Grafton has woven a surperb supporting characters that has you entertained so you can't put down the book and can't wait to the next letter in the alaphabet.

I have one more to recommend. Harlan Coben's Myron Bolitar series. Love it. Myron is a sports agent/law school grad who tends to get himself in trouble with bad guys. He's full of heart, and is always trying to help out a friend, and clients with a little help from his long time sidekick Win. Lots of action, funny and heartwarming at times. I think you'll love Myron and enjoy Coben's writing style.

Shannon wrote: "Hi! I think it probably started way back in 4th grade with the "Little House on the Prairie" series, but I have come to love, and look for, books that have the same character or characters over a ..."

I recommend Lisa Lutz's The Spellman Files (so far the first in a four book series; the fifth installment is scheduled for March). The main character is an adult private detective named Izzy Spellman, whose parents own the detective agency. Every one in her family is slightly dysfunctional but loveable. These books are laugh-out-loud funny.

The Jasper Fforde Eyre Affair series started off awesome; it's about Tuesday Next, a time-traveling detective who solves issues with some help from ficitonal characters from the classics. However, I suspect the author must be under too much pressure to crank one out every year or so; the last offering was so bad I couldn't bring myself to buy it. But the four previous were great.

Have you considered Hunger Games?

Amy wrote: "Have you considered Hunger Games?"

Yeah, the Hunger Games was a fast-paced adventure, but the second book was so clearly just a bridge to the third book, which had that horrible tacked-on afterthought of an ending.

My favorite author is Catherine Coulter. But, I have only read her FBI series. They are amazing and they use the same characters. Each new book in the series always introduces a new character as well. They are full of drama and suspense.

Anyone ever read any of the Black Dagger Brotherhood books? They don't follow one particular character, but rather a band of "brothers"through their lives. Great reads..highly recommend them!

I am up to Lover At Last. I think I'm a little obsessed.

It is such a good series!

Lucas Davenport, The prey series is written by John Sanford. I love his books. James Patterson has several different series, Alex Cross, The Women's Murder Club, Michael Bennett, The Private Novels, NYPD, and Confessions of....I love Janet evanovich. She is hilarious. Nora ROberts always does a good trilogy. She also does Eve and Roark in the IN Death series by J D Robb. Fern Michaels The sisterhood is a must read series.

Janet Evanovich also does several other series and they are all a hoot. I laugh so hard when I read any of her books.

I haven't ready anything by any of those authors. I'll have to check them out!

You will enjoy them. I read a lot. I like series. So I have more. LOL.

I just picked up Divergent. Have you read that?

I can't read the books until I've watched all the movies because the movies are so disappointing if I read the books first.

Lol! I am the opposite. I don't want to see the movies until after I read then because I feel the books are always so much better! That's why I haven't watched game of thrones yet...

No I haven't. I am going to have to try it. I just figured out how to get ebooks from the library on my computer. It is 4 in the morning and all I want to do is read!!! LOL I usually can't ever watch the movies because I agree.