Have you read Mc Carthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy? It's hysterically funny and got me strange looks on a train from Edinburgh to London because I was laughing so much!
Anything by Anita Brookner is usually a relaxing but well-written read!
Cath....can't resist a last suggestion, : Flanaghans Run by Tom McNab. Because you are a runner, I know for certain that you will love this book, and you will thank me time and again for having given you the title. Happy hours. Billyboy.
Cath - I agree with Nessie, Timeline is a super read, as is anything by Tolkien, not only LOTR but The Hobbit as a good prelude, childish but fun, or The Silmarillion - that's a bit heavy but gives reams of background detail. I read almost anything, including all the Lovejoy books by Jonathan Gash - I'll never be tempted to buy an antique after reading all his hints on how to fake anything from Queen Anne silver to Chippendale! Fascinating. Definitely the best ever book in the spy-type genre, just re-read it again, The Brotherhood of The Rose by David Morrell, I love that book. Absolutely nothing to do with the book/film The Name of the Rose starring Sean Connery.
If you like historical fiction (and a darn good yarn) try Bernard Cornwall's "Sharpe" series. There's the added bonus that a number of them have been turned into a very good series of movies staring Sean Bean.
Another vote for If this is a man by Primo Levi (and the follow on - The Truce). Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck. Billy - Pamela Stephenson (On biography front) Anything by Joseph Connelly for a laugh
What's wrong with Swallows and Amazons? Still pick up my Narnia books after 30 odd years occasionally . . . otherwise . . got to agree with Billyboy, Flanagan's Run is excellent - haven't read it for years, must dig it out. And also have to agree with FANY, Birdsong and Charlotte Grey are good reads. Also almost anything by Thomas Keneally, most recently Bettany's Book, Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks, The True Story of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey, When we were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro. Enjoyed them all this year. richk
A friend recommended 'Forget You Had A Daughter' by Sandra Gregory, I started it today and it is really worth a go. She was jailed in Thailand for drug smuggling, has now been pardoned by the King of Thailand and is now studying at Oxford Uni. I probably was guilty of pre-judging her from media coverage at the time but reading the book just shows how easy it is to get false ideas about people.
The Heart is a lonely hunter by Carson McCullers The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan The Shipping News E Annie Proulx (or something!)
Wild Will -- I've read all the Michael Palin travel books ) Have you read "Sahara" yet..? I was recently bought it but haven't started that one yet.
Jon -- have read the John Steinbeck books too )
Daisy -- The Shipping news..? Is that the one that was recently out as a movie..? That was supposed to be really good.
RichK -- re-read Lion, Witch & Wardrobe when I was in hospital )
Barkles -- I know hon, I often see people say I was mentioned in other threads, it's okay )
Multi -- um, I know I said I don't mind non-fiction but I don't think that even exists. I appreciate the joke though.
Shufflebuster -- I am going shopping today and the "Billy" book is on the list - I saw them both interviewed by Michael Parkinson a few weeks ago and Billy Connolly is well... he's just mad isn't he ) So it's be interesting to see what the story behind him really is!
As you've probably guessed guys, I'm a bit of an avid reader - with alot of suggestions coming out having already been read (in some cases a couple of times). I've made a huge list of stuff to get though )
Gaz & Pernickety Butt -- have read all SK's books!! My favourites were "Gerald's Game" and "The Girl who loved Tom Gordon". Both recent(ish) and both really good I thought.
Agree with BK about Bill Bryson. On a grown-up kids theme, loved the Harry Potter series. There's also a great drugs trilogy by Louis De Bernieres that I read over the summer. Hated "On Green Dolphin Street" (don't get the hype on Faulks at all). If you can get copies of the Regeneration trilogy by Pat Barker then they are good.
Iain Banks is good - read The Business while back and was hooked. Now reading the Wasp Factory - seriously weird, I'll let ya know how it turns out - could be a good one !
Hi Cath, If you fancy something to get into, try David and Leigh Eddings. They did a series which I think was called the Belgarion - there are about six books or so. I'd never read anything like them before and stormed through them.
Otherwise, Harry Potter, as mentioned by others, (absolutely fab!) and The Wind Whistler, but I can't remember who it was by (sorry, hopeless woman!).
Have to admit I tend to go for easy reading like Last Chance Saloon et al if I want to kill some time - less taxing for the brain cells, or if I want something a bit heavier, then Schindlers List, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Robsinson Crusoe, War of the Worlds, or, my favoritist books, Little Women (Louisa May Alcott), What Katy Did, and What Katy did next (Susan Coolidge) and the Secret Garden (Brain dead - can't remember!).
Any of the books by Rohinton Mistry are good, though I'm waiting for his latest to come out in paperback. Try "Such A Long Journey".
Running Bare - "View From The Summit" is a wonderful book.
And, coming in from a totally odd angle, try reading "Have A Nice Day" by Mick Foley. OK, so it's about wrestling-WWF style, but it's very funny and an excellent read...
Comments
Have you read Mc Carthy's Bar by Pete McCarthy? It's hysterically funny and got me strange looks on a train from Edinburgh to London because I was laughing so much!
Anything by Anita Brookner is usually a relaxing but well-written read!
Happy reading and take lots of care
T
Stephen King's earlier works make quite good reading. If you want a nice long one then James Clavell's Shogun is good.
Flanaghans Run by Tom McNab.
Because you are a runner, I know for certain that you will love this book, and you will thank me time and again for having given you the title. Happy hours. Billyboy.
Definitely the best ever book in the spy-type genre, just re-read it again, The Brotherhood of The Rose by David Morrell, I love that book. Absolutely nothing to do with the book/film The Name of the Rose starring Sean Connery.
Or Jilly Cooper if you want trash, But readable trash
Oh yes, Paullina Simons is good too
Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck.
Billy - Pamela Stephenson (On biography front)
Anything by Joseph Connelly for a laugh
Not the right forum, I know, but we do think of you, even if we don't visit the non dark side very often. Hope you are well.
Or Swallows and Amazons. The girl needs something to transport her ot new delights, not bl**dy fly fishing.
Anyway I reckon they were making that advert up.I've been to Hay on Wye and there's no such book.
Still pick up my Narnia books after 30 odd years occasionally . . . otherwise . . got to agree with Billyboy, Flanagan's Run is excellent - haven't read it for years, must dig it out.
And also have to agree with FANY, Birdsong and Charlotte Grey are good reads.
Also
almost anything by Thomas Keneally, most recently Bettany's Book,
Year of Wonders by Geraldine Brooks,
The True Story of the Kelly Gang by Peter Carey,
When we were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro.
Enjoyed them all this year.
richk
I probably was guilty of pre-judging her from media coverage at the time but reading the book just shows how easy it is to get false ideas about people.
The Heart is a lonely hunter by Carson McCullers
The Grass is Singing by Doris Lessing
The Bonesetters Daughter by Amy Tan
The Shipping News E Annie Proulx (or something!)
Brighton Rock (Graham Greene)
Time Machine also very good
Jon -- have read the John Steinbeck books too )
Daisy -- The Shipping news..? Is that the one that was recently out as a movie..? That was supposed to be really good.
RichK -- re-read Lion, Witch & Wardrobe when I was in hospital )
Barkles -- I know hon, I often see people say I was mentioned in other threads, it's okay )
Multi -- um, I know I said I don't mind non-fiction but I don't think that even exists. I appreciate the joke though.
Shufflebuster -- I am going shopping today and the "Billy" book is on the list - I saw them both interviewed by Michael Parkinson a few weeks ago and Billy Connolly is well... he's just mad isn't he ) So it's be interesting to see what the story behind him really is!
As you've probably guessed guys, I'm a bit of an avid reader - with alot of suggestions coming out having already been read (in some cases a couple of times). I've made a huge list of stuff to get though )
And Harry Potter kicks ass too, obviously.
The Sound of One Hand Clapping - Richard Flannagan is great, but a bit harrowing
Driving Over Lemons - Chris Stewart and also the follow up A Parrot in the Pepper Tree
If you fancy something to get into, try David and Leigh Eddings. They did a series which I think was called the Belgarion - there are about six books or so. I'd never read anything like them before and stormed through them.
Otherwise, Harry Potter, as mentioned by others, (absolutely fab!) and The Wind Whistler, but I can't remember who it was by (sorry, hopeless woman!).
Have to admit I tend to go for easy reading like Last Chance Saloon et al if I want to kill some time - less taxing for the brain cells, or if I want something a bit heavier, then Schindlers List, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, Robsinson Crusoe, War of the Worlds, or, my favoritist books, Little Women (Louisa May Alcott), What Katy Did, and What Katy did next (Susan Coolidge) and the Secret Garden (Brain dead - can't remember!).
Hmm think I may have to re-read a few....
The Gringo Trail - Mark Mann is so funny I had to buy a replacement when someone stole mine
The God of Small Things - Arundhati Roy
Satanic Verses - Salman Rushdie is actually completely different to what most people expect!
And definitely read McCarthy's bar.
And if you haven't already read it Edmund Hillary - View from the Summit
Any of the books by Rohinton Mistry are good, though I'm waiting for his latest to come out in paperback. Try "Such A Long Journey".
Running Bare - "View From The Summit" is a wonderful book.
And, coming in from a totally odd angle, try reading "Have A Nice Day" by Mick Foley. OK, so it's about wrestling-WWF style, but it's very funny and an excellent read...