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Original poster

I want a damn good book for autumn (please)

61 replies

travellinghopefully12 · 16/08/2016 12:04

Hello,

I want a damn good book to get really, really involved in. Something to carry round and keep me company for weeks on end.

Long Books I love are

The Cazalets
The Crimson Petal and The White
Middlesex
Brick Lane
Anna Karenina

Recently I've picked up a few things, but it's like I'm skimming the surface instead of getting properly into them. I have Villa America, which looks promising, but not long enough to be along term companion

OP posts:
Original poster
travellinghopefully12 · 17/08/2016 11:02

I love Kazuo Ishiguro newlabel

Has anyone read Vila America? I have it out of the library and am struggling to get into it but was old by a colleague it is excellent.

OP posts:
newlabelwriter · 17/08/2016 09:51

Recently read (and loved) The Buried Giant by Kazuo Ishiguro, I thought it was amazing. Also loved Just Kids by Patti Smith, very different but I loved it. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen was my holiday read that I couldn't stop banging on about last year - it's great. Agree re a Little Life, I am about two thirds through and finding it a bit relentless misery at the moment, although having said that it's brilliantly written and will definitely will finish it (and then read something a bit more jolly!) Have Fates and Furies and The Girls lined up for my holiday. Can't wait to read them (I love books.)

SimplyNigella · 17/08/2016 09:45

The Poisonwood Bible is my favourite book of all time so another vote for it from me.

Blerg · 17/08/2016 09:44

Also This Thing Of Darkness by Harry Thompson. That and the Lamb books were recommended to me when I asked for good long reads to get me through a difficult time.

Blerg · 17/08/2016 09:42

Anything by Wally Lamb is long and generally diverting. I liked I Know the Much is True and She's Come Undone.

Original poster
travellinghopefully12 · 17/08/2016 09:35

Thank you Agent -great to meet someone with the same taste, I will order all of those from the Library, apart from a Little Life - I don't think I can deal with harrowing at the moment; sad, yes, but harrowing no.

Clawdy ah I've read and loved those. They were my companions last winter gone. Is there a release date yet for the final one? I have Googled it without success. Would love it if anyone on here knew?

Flight Behaviour and Poisonwood also sound good - I keep seeing Barbara Kingsolver books and thinking they look intriguing. Thanks 101

OnlyLivingBoy I think my parents have Wild Swans, and I am seeing them at the end of this month so I'll grab it from their bookcase then.

Another favourite of mine is Tremain's The Road Home, but it's not long - although anything similar to that is also good.

thank you all

OP posts:
AgentProvocateur · 16/08/2016 20:04

You've got all my favourites there, OP.

Based on your list, try:
A little life - very sad and harrowing
A Fine Balance - also very sad!
Poisonwood Bible - not so sad
The Corrections.

JemimaMuddledUp · 16/08/2016 19:53

Petrograd by William Owen Roberts. Make sure you get it in English rather than Welsh though (presuming you don't read Welsh!)

TheOnlyLivingBoyInNewCross · 16/08/2016 17:26

Wild Swans. Best "long book" I've ever read.

Clawdy · 16/08/2016 16:52

Wolf Hall followed by Bring Up The Bodies, but I bet you've read them.Or the two Kate Atkinsons, Life After Life, and A God in Ruins, brilliant pair.

Room101isWhereIUsedToLive · 16/08/2016 12:24

I've just finished reading flight behaviour by barbara kingsolver. It isn't very long though. But if you combined it with her two other books, the poisonwood bible and lacuna, the three would keep you going for a while.
Otherwise there is a trilogy by neal Stephenson which starts with Quicksilver which would keep you going for quite a while