Have you read any good books lately?

Love all Paulina Simons, especially 11 hours.

Also Phillapa Gregory and Jill mansell

I have just finished House of Sand and Fog by Andre Dubus III and highly highly recommend it. Totally took me by surprise. The author gave great insights into so many interesting areas like migrants who have been granted asylum, recovering addicts, a man who leaves his wife, being a copper. I am curious to see the movie now (with Ben Kinglsey) even though I know that movies are never as good as books, I would still like to see what they did with it.

I just finished the Republic of Love by Carol Shields. The two main characters are a 35 yo single female - never married but bit of a serial monogamist and the second is a 40 yo man, 3 times divorced - a bit unlucky rather than a bastard. I loved it, as I have the other Shields books I have read. I must admit that she died quite recently of breast cancer and this has also motivated me to read all of her works as a kind of tribute.

Has anyone read Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell?
It had a good write-up in the ST and was sold out when I asked for it.

Marghanita Laski, Little Boy Lost - not easy to find, published many years ago, small re-issue recently, Amazon have it. Am very fussy about books, almost nothing is ever good enough but this one IS.

JanHR... couldnt be bothered reading the whole thread but saw that you liked the Kay Scarpetta books. I read them and loved them but then found James Paterson who is FANTASTIC and I can read a book of his in a day (if uninterrupted by nagging ds and dh!!!) The writing is brilliant and are all real page turners though not for the faint hearted and definitely not chick lit!!

Just finished Life of Pi, it was brilliant! Found the first section a bit slow and difficult to get through but well worth it as the book quickly picks up the pace and after that it was hard to put down. Also recently read The Beach, which I also really enjoyed and I Don't Know How She Does It, which I thought was great too, it was the first novel I had read in a long time.

Just ordered His dark materials. Hope it's as good as you say Willow2..They also mentioned this novel in my English class. Will get back to you when reading it..

jampot i went through a stage of reading chick books here are a few ideas of authors (MammyShirl was right Rachels Holiday was fab i laughed so hard and went on to read all of Marian Keyes books so she s my no 1)

Marian Keyes
Lisa Jewell
Louise Bagshaw
Jenny Colgan
Olivia Goldsmith
Wendy Holden
Susan Lewis
Zoe Barnes
Mike Gayle
Shannon Olson
Maeve Haran
Laura Wolf

I just went through my box of chick books and looked at all the authors but if you want any names of specific books just ask.

I also really enjoyed the 3 books about David Peller (i think that was his name) A boy called It/The lost Boy and I forget the third one.

I also just recently read a book called Sickened about manchausen by proxy and right now I'm quite enjoying Martina Coles crime novels.

When I was pregnant I read a few good books too one good one was about a group of women who met at an antenantal class it was bril (cant remember the name of them all then gave them away to pregnant friends)

Hello, this is the first time I've been on Mumsnet for over a year, and look!, a thread about adult books! thats progress for you, and they say our brains shrink after pregnancy... I'm reading Frankenstein at the moment, didn't expect to enjoy it but am loving it. I also read The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime, and thought it was great, though possibly not one you can read and re-read, it says all it has to say in one go I think. Last books that stood out before that were JM Coetzee's 'Disgrace', Angela Carter's 'Wise Children'.

Just read 'A Round Heeled Woman' by Jane Juska which is about a university lecturer and long time single mother who decides at the age of 60something that she wants to live a little so places an ad saying 'before I reach 67 I want to have a lot of sex with a man I like - if you want to talk first, Trollope works for me'. Better in theory than reality, I thought - I felt it ran out of steam a bit but I know it's had lots of good reviews and is selling well. Before that I read 'Allison's Diary, the Nappy Years' which was a Bridget Jones type rip off by a scottish radio/tv presenter about her pregnancy which was not v good, to paraphrase Bridget herself Can't think what else I've read recently, there's so much I can't think without going and having a look at the book mountain! Loads of pregnancy books of course - oh I know - Spiritual Midwifery by Ina May Gaskin but that's non fiction. Well worth a read though!

Mammyshirl have you read Christmas Mystery or Through A Glass Darkly, also by Jostein Gaarder? They are both excellent, especially the latter book.

Philip Pullman's "His Dark Materials" - read it in the run up to Christmas and could not put it down. Magical.

I'm reading The Lovely Bones at the moment and I keep bursting into tears, it's so sad.

Ooooh thanks Welshmum!

Had heard of Astonishing Splashes of Colour but didn't know of anyone who'd read it!

Shall add that onto my Wish List for when I do my next Amazon order!

Thanks

Jampot - Have you read Rachels Holiday? After reading your entry, I think you would like it. Its a girly read and very funny!

juniper68 - im on the last chapter of Lovely Bones. found it a lovely read. even if you leave it down for a week or so, its so easy to pick back up. since having a baby ive had to ease myself back into reading...

one of my favourite books is "Solitaire Mystery", its by the same author of the best seller "Sophies World" - Jostein Gaarder. But its a much lighter read and opens up your inner childs imagination. Its one of those books that eave you feeling satisfied at the end. I read it when i was off work ill and read it in two days - i just could not put it down.

If you want a book to escape everyday life that Solitaire Mystery is highly recommended.

male friend of mine (who seems to have similar taste in books to me) suggested:
Seabiscuit, Laura Hildenbrad
Rings of Saturn, WG Seabold
the New City, Steven Amidon
Princes Bride, William Goldman

Asonishing Splashes of Colour is achingly sad and very good. It was shortlisted for the Booker it's about children - your position in a family and having none of your own.

meant lovely bones lol (think I need to do more reading!)

I read the God squad and am waiting for lovley bones. My mate's passed it to other mate then me

My sister just brought back all the books I read when preggers , easy going funny stuff.

Did the earth Move - Carmen Reid
I dont know how she does it-Allison Pearson
Spellbound - Jane Green
Babyville - Jane green
My secret Lover - Imogen Parker
Back after the break- Anita Notaro
Elegance - cant remember author

There are a few more , but my sister has them. I will let u know. If they werent do heavy you could buy them all off me.Postage would be a fortune.

I really enjoyed The Crimson and The White.

I recently read The Moonshine Mule by Tom Freemantle, very funny account of a Brit walking from Mexico to New York with a mule.

Quite liked Brick Lane, ditto Crimson Petal & The White (though I thought it was a bit too self-important. Is that possible for a book?). Have just finished Everything Will Be All Right by Tessa Hadley which was excellent. Currently reading Heligoland by Shena Mackay, haven't got into it yet. More suggestions please!

Am currently reading "A Venetian Affair" by Andrea di Mobilant... letters between an 18thc venetian nobleman and the love of his life, documenting the whole relationship over their lifetimes, translated and compiled by a descendant of the nobleman. Completely compelling.