We have a book swap at my workplace. Ive brought in books but they seem to just sit there.. I'm a Sci-fi/Fantasy person... not much into the mainstream stuff... but I will read it and then politely put it back.

What do umm.... *normal* people like to read? I thought in order to contribute that I could Mooch out my unpopular books and get some more mainstream stuff to share.

So far Ive seen: Handmaid's Tail,Secret Life of Bees, Memory Keeper's Daughter, 44 Scotland Street Number One Ladies Detective Agency, etc... on the shelf.

I'm guessing books along those lines would do, any suggestions would be appreciated!

Maybe look at Oprah's recommendations? Also maybe mysteries, especially the popular series (Janet Evanovich, for example).

The Memory Keeper's Daughter was one of my book club's selections that I refused to even try--so in that vein, anything by Anita Shreve or Jodi Picoult.

Me, I like sci fi and fantasy, too . . .

I don't know how to answer this question, except to suggest that you check out the most mooched/wishlisted/available books on BookMooch. I suppose popular or bookclubby books would be the type you're looking for.

For the record though, The Handmaid's Tale is definitely sci fi (it's set in the future).
Get more Atwood if you can though, she's written some excellent books, although IMHO, she's at her best when she's writing sci fi. Wish she'd do it more often.

Edit: Also look for anything that's been made into a film - Atonement, Perfume, The Virgin Suicides, The Prestige, Mystic River. All of those, incidentally, are good or great books, with good or great movie adaptations.

Message edited by its author, Mar 27, 2009, 5:03am.

1: More sci-fi/fantasy available? *perks*

Emidawg, whatcha got? :)

Ask your colleagues at work what kinds of books they like, then bring in those.

Anything on the NYT bestseller list is usually very popular, or any literary fiction by a well-known or prize-winning author (you can often figure this out from the cover). I read a LOT of popular books and consider myself a very mainstream reader. If you have a look at my books mooched that might give you some idea (or the books tagged "fiction" in my LT account.

Or the next time you're in Costco or Target check out the book selection. That tends to be popular, mainstream stuff in demand. And you can pick up toilet paper at the same time.

PortiaLong tries mightily to avoid quipping the obvious (and fallacious) one-liner that follows >7....but can't do it...

There's a difference?

(I don't mean that, really, but I couldn't resist.)

Message edited by its author, Mar 28, 2009, 2:20pm.

LOL. Yes, toilet paper is a necessity!