Could someone recommend some books like A Change of Climate by Hilary Mantel please?

[jamtomorrow1]

I think the publisher rather w*nkily describes it as a 'literary family saga'. I liked the way that the language and ideas were a considerable improvement on the usual Aga saga sort of thing. Any thoughts?

[Cornishblues]

Isabel allende's house of spirits.
Jane gardam's old filth.

[bethshart]

If you like good story telling, modern missionary tales set in Africa and very creative writing, Barbara Kingsolver's The Poisonwood Bible is superb.

[jamtomorrow1]

The Poisonwood Bible looks really good! So does House of Spirits. I have read Old Filth already. Thanks very much bethshart and Cornishblues.

[OnlyLovers]

Yes, Barbara Kingsolver is AWESOME but personally I think Prodigal Summer is better than The Poisonwood Bible.

Jane Smiley's A Thousand Acres. American farming family from just before the Great Depression to, I think, the mid-sixties.

Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet Chronicles. About a million of them, so they'll keep you going for ages. A middle-class extended family before, through and (I asssume; I'm still reading!) after WW2. Told from everyone's point of view: all the adults, the servants and staff, the children. Lots of idyllic summer stuff like messing about in fields, but proper adult stuff like unwanted pregnancies, unfaithfulness etc too. Completely brilliant.