can you reccmoned some novels fo me please( esp modern ones)

TALK TALK by TC Boyle. Its really good, guarantee no dead babies.

Its about a woman who has her identity stolen, and tries to track down the thief.

My Cousin Rachel is brill.

The Broken Shore by Peter Temple is very good if an Oz crime novel would float your boat.

If you are interested in the Plath/Hughes saga, I am reading quite a good biog of Assia Wevill, "The Lover of Unreason"

If you want to read more about the Mitfords, there are various separate biogs available of Nancy and Unity.

Just read some great books, Fatwa, and then the follow up. Has anyone read these??

Anything by Rose Tremain. Her books vary a lot in subject matter, but all the ones I have read I have liked, especially The Way I Found Her and Music And Silence.

No, Wheelybug, nothing sorry. Should've done really. According to the bio details there is at least one more. His first novel is apparently called Musungo Jim and the Great Chief Tuloku. There may be more now. Hope so.

I am kicking myself for not mentioning DdM. Jamaica Inn. THat's just spifflingly full of blood and thunder. What about The Birds? I only read that really recently - totally unlike the film.

Oh, and Can We Talk About Kevin isn't a standard Dead Baby book, I don't think. It is gory, but good with it. IMO.

Oh, you'd probably like Anne Tyler. Very american, but kitchen sink stuff. Not chicklit, no.

David Mitchell is good, but quite experimental.

What about The Accidental? I loved that one.

I'm enjoying Book of Dave by Will Self atm ... can you stand him?

Definitely agree with any Jonathan Coe (House of sleep and what a carve up my favourites)

John Irving - great - Prayer for OM, Cider House Rules

Daphne Du Maurier - Rebecca def. the best (that I have read so far)

(Quattrocento - I have read and enjoyed TWelve bar blues - have you read anything else by him ?).

Hi I am new on Mumsnet and a bit of a bookwork so I couldn?t resist posting.

The book that I have most enjoyed this year is the Kite Runner. It?s a bit harrowing but genuinely unforgettable.

Ian McEwan is wonderful. In fact I think I am a complete Ian McEwan groupie. If I were ever to meet him, I know I would embarrass myself.

Also Iain Banks. Iain Banks writes some really interesting novels but he also writes some scifi stuff that he publishes under the name Iain M Banks. I love him without the M, but don?t enjoy anything of his with an M in the author?s name.

Someone?s already voted for Margaret Atwood. She's fab, of course. My favourite of hers is A Handmaid's Tale.

A little-known modern(ish) novel that I really enjoyed is Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys. This is a fabulous retake on the madwoman in the attic.

Don't know if you'll like funky but how about Twelve Bar Blues by Patrick Neate? That's not especially well known but I couldn't put it down.

Also Angela Carter. Absolutely anything by Angela Carter. The Passion of New Eve is my all-time favourite. It's a bit surprising and unsettling so not a comfortable read.

Finally I do like Pat Barker and all the Regeneration books which are about WW1. I think of these as being honest books, which sounds ridiculous but I just had a feeling that they weren?t being written to please critics or to further some literary debate.

Secret River - transportation to and settling of Australia, focuses on one man and his family - presents conflict between settlers and natives in a more subtle and thought-provoking way than usual and Australia itself is haunting. Stunning book.

Remains of the Day - originally read it to teach as an A level text but it's become one of my favourite books. Describes relationship between an emotionally repressed butler and a housekeeper set against backdrop of WW2 - so all these major events are going on round the edges of the novel while the reader is drawn into Stevens' preoccupation with the silver and the napkins, etc. Absolutely gorgeous to read and so so moving.

Ship of Brides - describes English girls (who married Australian soldiers posted over here in WW2) being shipped out to Australia to meet their husbands - barely knowing these men they were crossing the world to join. Fascinating to read and understand a bit more about that period.

Right - my offerings are Secret River by Kate Grenville, Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro, Ship of Brides by Jojo Moyes.

purple monkey - i thought Until i find you was brilliant! one of his (nearly)best!

Agree - Anne Tyler not chicklit. The one where she walks away from her family is called "ladder of years" and everyone I know who has read it really enjoyed it.

Hi There
The Shipping News..Annie Proust[i think]
Digging to America[Anne Tyler]nearly finished it..v.good
Margaret Forster[anything i think she is great]
Happy reading..spoilt for choice

John Irving - Brilliant! (prayer for OM, and the hotel new hampshire. i agree that he lost it with until i find you)

Amy Tan - anything. just read her. she is awesome. if you are a fan already i would recommend her book of essays - the opposite of fate.

carol shields. She. Was. A. Genius.

Margaret Atwood. ditto

oooh yes birdsong!

A few random books-

Alice Munro short stories.

Katherine Mansfield short stories.

Sleep With Me by Joanna Briscoe.

Things We Knew Were True- Nicci Gerrard.

Cod, Anne Tyler isn't chick lit, she's a fantastic writer. I see you like Carol Shields and I think you'd enjoy Tyler as well.

Shena Mackay- The Orchard on Fire.

After You'd Gone- Maggie O' Farrell.

Douglas Coupland is good. You may not like "Hey Nostradamus" as it features a high school massacre. (Not giving anything away as this happens in the first chapter and is revealed in the blurb.) But I also recommend "Girlfriend In A Coma" and "Eleanor Rigby".

What about Maggie O'Farrell? DW and I both liked her first one. And her hubby William Sutcliffe has done some entertaining novels - has four out, I think.

I've always enjoyed Iain Banks, but avoid "The Wasp Factory" if you don't like yuk. Try "Espedair Street" or "The Crow Road".

There is a recent book by Andrew Cowan called "What I Know" which is a bit odd-but-interesting. Narrator is a private detective who finds things out about his neighbours.

If you want a man's take on the thirtysomething family thing, try Daniel Blythe's new one "This Is The Day".

For a light contemporary read try David Nicholls' "Starter For Ten".

People tell me David Mitchell is good, although I have yet to investigate him fully.

haven't read the whole thread, so sorry for any duplication (supposed to be working!)I'd agree with the "Gentleman and Players" recommendation. Also have just read "Winter in Madrid" by C.J.Sansom, it reminds me a bit of "Charlotte Gray" by Sebastian Faulks. "BirdSong" by SF supposed to be better, but haven't read it myself. "Secret History" by Donna Tartt.

Our library has a reference book (can't remember name) but basically suggests authors who write in a similar style, so if you like one author, there's a good chance you'll like others they suggest. Not explaining that very well, but hope you know what I mean (or that your library will!)

'Love in the Present Tense' and 'The Lovely Bones' are two books I have just read and they are excellent. Can't remember the authors and I've lent them out to other people so can't check now.

haven't read thread so sorry if i duplicate but :

lorelei's secret - can't remember

the little friend - donna tartt

The world According to garp - John Irving (or anything else by Him)

are some

this one sounds like daphne twin thing. she is excellent holiday reading, get a compendium if you can.

why not go to library? i always sneak about 6 huge hardbacks into dp luggage. you can take a few risks then too.

In fact I have it here with 1 phillipa gregory one, if you want them.

Michael Faber, the crimson petal & the white. Read this last year and thought it was good. Not sure how new it is though.

Also Phillipa Gregory books, not modern as set yonks ago but very good.