Holiday reads

[janeite]

I need suggestions please, for books to take on holiday with me.

Things I like:

Jane Austen (well of course!) but I've read them all a zillion times and don't want to take them

Sort of literary historical crime fiction eg: Sherlock Holmes, The Matthew Shardlake novels by CJ Shansom

Terry Pratchett (read em all though); Stephen King (ditto) Isabel Allende (and again); teenage fiction, especially gritty urn=ban stuff and fantasy (hate adult fantasy though, except Pratchet and King); v well written and gripping history books (non-fiction obv)

Literary-ish fiction that isn't poncily over-written - eg: I liked "The Kite Runner" but hated "A Quiet Belief In Angels"; liked Douglas Coupland but hated Attonement; if that means anything!

No chick lit, no Richard and Judy (their suggestions are getting worse and worse) please. What I'd really like is a big fat historical trilogy thing that will last me days - i am a hideously fast reader and hate being without a book.

Please help me! Thank you!

[janeite]

urban

[EachPeachPearMum]

Haruki Murakami- wind-up bird chronicle is nice and long

Neil Gaiman- American Gods

Julian Barnes- Arthur and George

Harry Thompson- 'This thing of Darkness'- all about the Beagle's voyage, and Darwin & FitzRoy's subsequent lives- historical, fascinating, and a really good read

Neal Stephenson- Quicksilver

Do you like Tad Williams (fantasy, but NOT like Donaldson et al)? He has written many trilogies

You would probably really like Mary Doria Russell's 'The Sparrow' and its sequel 'Children of God'- extremely thought provoking sci-fi

Perhaps Vernor Vinge in a similar vein (Fire upon the Deep)

[Lucycat]

Sarum - Edward Rutherford?

huge weighty tomes - you aren't flying are you?

[janeite]

I AM flying - I thought one big, fat git book would be easier than several smaller ones!

"This Thing Of Darkness" - read it; loved it.

"American Gods" - read it; loved it - so you're on the right tracks EachPeach!

I don't like Sci-Fi, sorry - and only read teenage fantasy, not adult. "Arthur And George" sounds a good bet and I'll google "Quicksilver" and "Sarum".

Any more?

Has anybody read Andrew Taylor's new one (wrote "The American Boy" which I really enjoyed)?

[EachPeachPearMum]

What is gritty urban stuff Janeite?

[Lilymaid]

Rose Tremain - The Road Home. But it may not fit your criteria as I started reading it on the train and found I had read nearly 80 pages in an hour. Well written and obviously very readable.

[zippitippitoes]

what about cryptonomicon neal stephenson

or don delillo underworld

[zippitippitoes]

i am reading the road home at the mo

that wont take you long

but its only 2.99 with a times from smiths

[janeite]

Gritty, urban teenage stuff - you know, Melvyn Burgess sort of thing.

The Road Home - used to like her but then thought she got a bit samey; what's this one about?

[EachPeachPearMum]

Cryptonomicon is indeed huge.

I am trying to remember the title of a book- its set at the turn of 19-20th century, in USA (maybe NY) and is about an ivestigation, but I;m struggling- its a nice thick book though! [dim emoticon]

Have you read Matthew Pearl-the Dante Club?

[zippitippitoes]

not the freud one its not thick so probably not

[Bbbee]

not likeing atonement.

i am really enjoying julian clary 'murder most fab' - it is very light but a insight into another gay world. But I think might be too light for you.

[Bbbee]

EACHPEAH - tell me about the dante club - I bouight it and it is sat on my shelf - have not met anyone who has read it. Please.

[janeite]

Just googled "Cryptonomicon"; sorry but I still don't like Sci-fi!

I don't think I've explained myself very well tbh. This is the book I've enjoyed most this year:

revelation; I also really liked "Winter In Madrid".

Is there anything else like "This Thing Of Darkness" - I think it was his only novel, wasn't it?

[Bbbee]

the book theif

[janeite]

Read it! Liked it a lot.

[EachPeachPearMum]

It was his only novel, though he did a biog of Peter Cook, which I'm sure would be worth a read.

I would say cryptonomicon is fantasy not sci-fi- neal stephenson is a bit like william gibson- cyberpunk type thing.

BBBee- Dante Club was quite interesting- I wasn't too sure when i picked it up- I don't usually read 'crime' novels, but its set historically, and the characters are interesting, and I learnt a bit about Dante's work which I knew nothing of before.

Janeite- try again-
William Brodrick 6th Lamentation

[zippitippitoes]

lol well its not really science fiction exactly..here is a comprehensive review very comprehensive

[EachPeachPearMum]

x-post Zippi!

[janeite]

The Dante Club looks a possibility.

I know I said no Richard and Judy but does anybody know anything about this? resuurectionist

[EachPeachPearMum]

Have you read Janet Fitch 'White Oleander'? its quite gritty...

[wheresthehamster]

EPPM - do you mean "The Interpretation of Murder"? Turn of the century mystery/murder in NY all about Freud and Jung?

[Bbbee]

ohohohoh - the um, kate atkinson one, the case histories.

loved it.

[EachPeachPearMum]

Ooh- wheres.... that might be it! I can never rememebr the title of anything!

[janeite]

Nope, I've definitely not explained myself very well. I only do "gritty" for teenage novels; I'm actually a bit of a traditionalist for adult novels - and a bit of a snob too I'm ashamed to say! I like "good" writing but not poncy, over-written, overly self-concious writing - why can't they just fnd some lost novels of Jane Austen's?!!!!