recommendations for clean novels?

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Recommendations for clean novels?

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ceo

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 9:42 pm

Has anyone read any clean secular novels recently? I am getting bored by a lot of the characters in all the Jewish books....they always seem the same! I have read all of the typical "classics," and I am looking for new novels to read- but specifically, I want ones without any foul language or s-x. Any suggestions for books you read recently?

timeout

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 9:46 pm

The Power of One is excellent I just finished it it's old but good the writing is amazing, so is the story.

DefyGravity

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 9:48 pm

It's a great book, but isn't it not the cleanest? (I haven't read it since high school, so I might not remember so clearly).

timeout

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 10:00 pm

maybe I skipped the not so cleanparts but I really don't remember any
the movie wasn't clean

DefyGravity

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 10:06 pm

I thought of a few!

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

Some clean Stephen King (probably has some cursing):
Dreamcatcher
Pet Cemetary
The Cell
The Colorado Kid
Firestarter
The Talisman
A lot of his short story collections are clean

Maeve Binchey has some clean books

A lot of Dean Koontz's books are clean (but the more recent ones are stupid)

Star Trek books

amother

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 10:09 pm

John Grisham tends to be cleaner than others.

Flowerchild

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 10:09 pm

Belva Plain books are not bad.

Flowerchild

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 10:14 pm

I am also reading Ursula Hegi right now, so far so good.

FINKEL

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 11:00 pm

john grisham s are excellent and almost very clean

Mama Bear

Sat, Oct 28 2006, 11:18 pm

I loved Rochelle Krich's books. THeyre about jewish charachters but with a dash of romance (clean) put in, youll love them if you like mystery an crime.

also I LOOVE Emilie Richards's Shenoandah Valley series (Wedding Ring, Endless Chain, Lovers Knot). Pretty clean and profound.

momontherun

Sun, Oct 29 2006, 6:40 pm

sophie kinsella's books are pretty clean, esp her shopoholic ones. I think the undomestic goddess though isn't. can u keep a secret isn'w either.

Chayary

Sun, Oct 29 2006, 7:12 pm

This is a problem I struggle with all the time. Does anyone else feel the guilt in all the "almost clean" "pretty clean" answers we give? I have a ton of guilt. I love to read too, and I cannot handle most "frum" books. Not many are written well, and many are preachy, so that I put them down feeling either annoyed, guilty or both. But I love reading...I get crazy and cranky if I have nothing to read.
Some Jewish authors who don't write specifically for "frum"audiences only that I have really enjoyed are Ruchama King, Allegra Goodman, and Risa Miller. I wish they would write more!! Especially Ruchama King. I loved her book Seven Blessings.

As far as other authors, I don't remember the author, but "Much ado about Jessie Kaplan"...a very cute fluffy book about an older woman who thinks she wasWilliam Shakespeare's muse for his sonnets. Also, I think Maeve Binchy is pretty good...the themes\plots are not necessarily all totally clean,(they involve romance, adultery, etc.) but not graphic at all.
But isn't that the problem? We are looking for books that are not too graphic, but really the problem is that the themes and values are off, and even if it's rated pg, the problem is still there.

chocolate moose

Sun, Oct 29 2006, 7:55 pm

Have you read the Avi Gold Jewish history type books? I liked htem.

purplegirl

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 7:43 am

Chayary wrote:

This is a problem I struggle with all the time. Does anyone else feel the guilt in all the "almost clean" "pretty clean" answers we give? I have a ton of guilt...

But isn't that the problem? We are looking for books that are not too graphic, but really the problem is that the themes and values are off, and even if it's rated pg, the problem is still there.

Oh, we so need a separate thread on this. Does it already exist? I would really love to discuss it. This has been a debate for me all my life.

klotzkashe

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 8:28 am

Jodi Picoult amazing stuff!!!

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 12:06 pm

If only Mitch Albom had more books.
Tuesdays with Morrie is incredible, and I also liked 5 People You Meet When You Get to Heaven

tziviakayla

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 12:18 pm

Ayelet Waldman has a series of "Mommy Track Mysteries" . I can't remember the exact titles of each book in the series. They are light reading and very funny. Nothing graphic and, for the most part, clean language.

amother

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 12:30 pm

I have a relative who sends me books when she is finished reading them and she has sent me all of the Nursery Crimes series by Ayelet Waldman. While they are about a married couple I wouldn't exactly call them clean. Besides always talking about the intimate relations between the DH and DW (although usuallly not explicitly) they also disuss things like adutery and previous episodes in her love life. Also, don't forget that one fo the books is about a good frum girl who gets romantically and physically involved with a secular Israeli. While a lot of people will say it is accurate, the portrayal of Frum Yiden is that book is not one I think is accurate or complimentary.

If you are looking for clean mysteries try Charlotte MAcCleod's Kelling/Bittersohn series (although the main charaters are an intermarried couple) and the later books about Aaron Elkins' Skeleton Detective.

amother

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 1:01 pm

I read the Ayelet Waldman series.
Nothing was expicit or too intimate.
Don't frum novels even discuss people going "off the derech" (the frum girl and her relatioship)

Any secular novel is bound to have something a frum person would consider inappropriate (language, intimate relations, inappropriate topics such as adultery)

Hashem_Yaazor

Thu, Nov 09 2006, 1:40 pm

Isn't there a Mrs. Polifax or something like that series that is clean? I heard one of the books on tape once.
I found it:
http://www.amazon.com/Elusive-.....15237

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