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Original poster

If you like reading Jonathan Coe, who else do you really love?

64 replies

pruners · 11/03/2008 15:33

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hoxtonchick · 12/03/2008 15:07

marina you have a treat in store if you've never read any barbara trapido - she's wonderful.

lots of good suggestions here. am racking my brains for different ones to add....

SheherazadetheGoat · 12/03/2008 12:08

do go to the library oo. you can pick things up just cos you like the cover and discover allsorts of things.

sorry sue, where is your library

suedonim · 12/03/2008 12:06

@ SheherazadeG.

FlossieTCake · 12/03/2008 12:03

David Mitchell occurred to me after I switched the computer off last night. Black Swan Green is great for Englishness/the trials of being an adolescent boy. And I loved Cloud Atlas.

Neither of those much like What A Carve Up! though... in fact, I am struggling to think of any that are!

+1 vote for Douglas Coupland, although I know he's not to everyone's taste. I haven't actually read the two most recent, and all the reviews I read of the Gum Thief were not complimentary.

What about David Lodge?

I have had to switch out of buying mode now that I have used up my bumper Amazon voucher

Oliveoil · 12/03/2008 11:40

well my library is about a 5 min walk from my house but I never get the chance to go in

I have a wonderous Gothic one I can view from my window here so may investigate that for leisurely lunchtimes at work

SheherazadetheGoat · 12/03/2008 11:16

i am more of a library person atm. library is about 3 mins from my front door so no excuse. it is nice to own a book though.

Oliveoil · 12/03/2008 11:11

do you all buy books or do you go to the library?

I am in buying mode but dh tuts at every package

but I do not have time to go to the library

DaDaDa · 12/03/2008 11:00

I read this years ago, but it's stuck with me, which is quite unusual. It's quirky and dark. Definitely closer to House of Sleep or Dwarves of Death than the political/historical Coe books.

Did anyone else find The Closed Circle as diappointing as I did?

SheherazadetheGoat · 12/03/2008 10:52

Paul Auster is my fave! i have loads i could lend you! boyd is good too.

atonement is not a good intro to mcewan try enduring love or chessel beach.

MaryAnnSingleton · 12/03/2008 10:50

And Iain Banks, thanks for reminding me Unquiet...

MaryAnnSingleton · 12/03/2008 10:50

I like Hilary Mantel, also Patrick Gale,

UnquietDad · 12/03/2008 10:49

Well, none of these is especially "like" Coe but I like him and also enjoy:

Douglas Coupland
Iain Banks
Ian McEwan
David Nicholls
Rhidian Brook
Graham Swift
William Sutcliffe

PeatBog · 12/03/2008 10:49

Not Jonathan Coe-ish I don't think, but I've just been laughing out loud at Charlotte Mendelson's When We Were Bad - fabulous and delicious.

mybabysinthegarden · 12/03/2008 10:45

Clicked eagerly on this thread as I'm desperate to find something that can make me laugh like Jonathan Coe-- I find most 'humourous' writing deeply unfunny. As I'm a miserable git. Will definitely be checking out some of these recommendations, only others I can think of are classics everyone's probably already read: Evelyn Waugh (especially Scoop and The Loved One) and Cold Comfort Farm.

marina · 12/03/2008 10:26

Whereas I love House of Sleep (and The Rotters Club) best
Have never tried any Barbara Trapido, thanks for the recommendation

Original poster
pruners · 12/03/2008 07:28

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FlossieTCake · 11/03/2008 23:07

Which Jonathan Coe is your favourite, pruners? I'd recommend something quite different for someone who had particularly loved The Rotters Club and The Closed Circle than I would for someone who had loved, say, The House of Sleep.

Pleased to find some more Coe enthusiasts

Have you read any Barbara Trapido? Lighter reading than JC but some of the same elements. Quite funny. Pushes the idea of coincidence to its absolute limit though.

Hari Kunzru - Transmission for the slapstick/satire end of things.

Just finished a great book by last year's Booker winner Anne Enright - What Are You Like? Fabulously surreal.

I could go on...

DaDaDa · 11/03/2008 16:21

Another vote for Paul Auster, especially Mr Vertigo. Murakami hits the same kind of notes about youth, music and friendship.

francagoestohollywood · 11/03/2008 16:16

I really second Jonathan Franzen's The corrections

I really liked The dwarves of death!!!!

Daniel Pennac

any novel by Georges Simenon

orangina · 11/03/2008 16:16

ugh Atonement is the only McEwan book I just couldn't do. Try Saturday, or Enduring Love.

happystory · 11/03/2008 16:07

Thank you

Original poster
pruners · 11/03/2008 16:04

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orangina · 11/03/2008 16:03

Edward St Aubyn. Disturbing, but brilliantly written.

Original poster
pruners · 11/03/2008 16:02

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orangina · 11/03/2008 16:01

I loved all her books (Kate Atkinson).... her 2 books post Emotionally wierd, very good. A bit more in the vein of Ian Banks (Have you read The Crow Road or Complicity? Both fab....)
Ian McEwan?
Who is that English bloke who wrote 3 novels, (perhaps semi autobiographical?) about coming from and living in a supremely disfunctional upper class family?
(racks brains)

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