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Hello. Having been at home with morning sickness for two months I have got through a lot of books. And I'm starting to run out of ideas. My favourite books are by Jonathan Franzen / David Foster Wallace / American 20/21st century - but then again I also just read Caitlin Moran's How to be a Woman and thought it was great! And I love non-fiction books about the mind/brain/psychology ie Oliver Sacks.

I love the quality of writing and usually my favourite books are those with complex characters and family situations.

Can anyone help me with some more ideas?? thanks so much!!

If you like psychology type books I think you'd find The Psychopath Test by Jon Ronson really interesting (I did and now keep applying the test to everyone I know....)

Have you read any Don DeLillo? Maybe White Noise?

Revolutionary Road is good too, by Richard Yates.

Philip Roth?

Oh, how about The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields? that's fabulous.

hi guys thanks for your help!

read lots of DeLillo and Roth - not as keen on Roth, but it depends on the book. I think I've read R.Road and the Stone Diaries, but I'll go and look them up to check...i have a terrible terrible terrible memory!

deesus I read the article in the Guardian, was great!

Hmm, I'll have another thing then while I load the dishwasher .

Have you read The Second Coming by John Niven. It's fiction ( unfortunately) but really funn , especially if you aren't religious. If you were really religious you might be a bit offended.

Steinbeck - any of it, but Cannery Row and Sweet Thursday are my favourites, fabulous characterisation.
AS Byatt - Possession
Have you tried any Irene Nemirovsky? She was a French writer who was killed in a concentration camp in the war, Vintage have republished her works. Start with Le Bal and Suite Francaise.
Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close by Foer? His new one's meant to be really good too but I forget the name.
The Slap
John Updike?
I second Philip Roth, he really is great. Have you tried American Pastoral?
Henry Roth - Call it Sleep
Have you tried Peter Carey as well? Awesome

Oh yes, Cannery Row is great!

I've just bought the Irene Nemorovsky Suite Francaise for £5.99 on offer in WHS. Good to know that it's recommended.

Do you like short stories OP?

oooh good list jennifer thanks. I loved American Pastoral actually, an amazing book, but some other Roth left me cold so I'm always a bit wary of it. John Updike - the Rabbit books are also among my favourites. Love some Peter Carey, not all....Haven't tried Possession/Nemirovsky/Henry Roth so will check em out.

Thanks for Niven tip mymum - will check it out one day but need a serious piece of fiction first to get my teeth into this summer

John Irving? I liked A Prayer for Owen Meany very much.

sorry x-post!!

I do like short stories, but that's all I've been reading for last 2 months so sick of them - need something chunkier right now!

Owen Meany one of my favourite books - we have similar taste!

is

Or Flannery O'Connor? She is (was) a marvellous writer, possibly my favourite. There are lots of short stories and I also recommend 'The Violent Bear it Away'.

Raymond Carver short stories also brilliant - there's a good collection called 'Where I'm calling from'.

Sorry, x-posts. the Flannery O'Connor one I mentioned is a novel.

oooh never read any Flannery O'Connor, or indeed heard of her. interesting - will look it up.

You might like:

I Know This Much is True by Wally Lamb
and Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides

Oh you must - American, southern, kinda gothic, and quite brilliant.

Oooh, John Irving. Awesome. His latest one (goddamn baby/pg brain, can't remember what it's called again - last night at something river?) is supposed to be fantastic.
If you like short stories, then maybe try Grace Paley - she's an American Jewish writer, but she has characters that are followed throughout her short stories, so it's more like reading a novel, her complete collection is fantastic.
Read much Hemingway?
Twisted River! That's the Irving one

oh I didn't know about twisted river!! thanks for the tip jennifer

aaaah the wonders of technology - I just searched online for the library close to where I'm staying on holiday next week and reserved a copy of Twisted River to read on holiday! Can't believe I missed the fact that John Irving had published another book!! I didn't actually like the last one that much but after Owen Meany I'm always excited to try again.

will see if they've got any F. O'Connor....

no - might just buy myself that one instead

Oh I loved Jonathan Franzens The Corrections. It's one of my favourite books.
Have you read The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay? By Michael Chabon. It's a great read.

The Corrections is possibly my favourite book of all time I haven't read anything by Michael Chabon, will check it out right now!

This is so great - thanks so much for everyone's help - can't wait to get reading!!