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Original poster

Holiday reading recommendations - no chick lit

107 replies

BugBearisBugBear · 22/04/2008 18:34

Imagine you're off to sunny France next month with DH, the DCs and the grandparents for a week. You have little time to read, but because of the gps you are hoping to manage at least a couple of afternoons lounging by the pool. You can only take one book because of weight restrictions. So the book you take must be gripping and not one you will give up on after 40 pages.

What would you recommend?

Am not into chick lit at all. I read the Booker shortlist/literary fiction blah but want something easy to read and non-depressing. It must not be at all challenging.

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chunkychips · 31/05/2008 23:41

The rupert everett autobiography is entertaining. red carpets and other banana skins. I HAVE to read bill bryson on holiday, especially on the flight as I hate flying and I can just sit there sniggering.

BirdyArms · 31/05/2008 22:59

Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is one of my all time favourites.

Have recently enjoyed Notes from an Exhibition by Patrick Gale, the Piers Morgan book I enjoyed a lot more then expected and currently reading the Night Listener by Armistead Maupin.

themoon66 · 29/05/2008 23:13

I loved Shadow of the Wind, but I know it was badly translated. We read this at our village book group and the people who loved it were the ones who knew Barcelona well.

probablyaslytherin · 29/05/2008 23:11

When I am on hols I want something engrossing, tho'and you can't get lost in short stories the way you do in novels.

DO NOT READ Shadow of the Wind, which I notice two people have recommended. I took it on hol once and thought it absolutely appalling - so badly written. I wondered if perhaps it was just badly translated, but suspect the original was not too great either.

loisstella · 29/05/2008 20:30

David Sedaris' short stories are entertaining, witty and dometimes even thought provoking. Great for holiday reading.

flipflopper · 29/05/2008 20:25

I would take a Fannie Flagg- either redbird christmas or fried green tomatoes.

Really easy reading, lovely atmosphere books

bakealot · 29/05/2008 14:55

Like Water for Chocolate - Laura Esquivel. A story of love, life and food in Mexico (as you can guess from my name, I like anything with food!)

squilly · 28/05/2008 23:37

I really enjoyed both Cloud Atlas by David Mitchell and Thirteenth Tale by Dianne Settlerfield.

I don't know if either of them are new (I picked one up at the car boot...but the Thirteenth Tale is quite new I think)

I'm not much of an intellectual reader I'm afraid, so I found the first book a bit difficult to read in places, though it was ultimately v. satisfying.

The second book, Thirteenth Tale was totally addictive from page one and an easy read, without being cotton woolish.

Will keep looking on here for ideas for new books. Am currently addicted to reading.

letuseatcake · 28/05/2008 22:59

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

pollywobbledoodle · 28/05/2008 22:47

just read the book thief which was very moving and rupert everett's autobiography, red carpets and other banana skins, which is really witty and well written....

StripeyKnickersSpottySocks · 28/05/2008 22:44

The Poisonwood Bible.

bakealot · 28/05/2008 16:51

The Rosetti Letter - Christi Phillips. Moves between Venice present and past (1618)

FlossieTCake · 14/05/2008 21:50

Secret Life of Bees - Sue Monk Kidd, I think. Haven't read it but BookMoch keeps trying to recommend it to me for some reason!

tazmosis · 14/05/2008 21:19

The Secret Life of Bees is nice. cant remember the author and my friend has borrowed it. sorry if I'm duplicating but haven't read whole thread. Alternatively Hanif Kureshi - The Body - excellent book

McDreamy · 11/05/2008 18:49

I have just finished reading "noughts and Crosses" by Malorie Blackman. It's classed as children's literature but it is a brilliant read.

onlygirlinthehouse · 11/05/2008 18:45

Brick lane good but maybe you already read it, as I was late to get it. Loved thousand splendid suns like evryne thats read it

CocodeBear · 11/05/2008 18:36

Came across the Mary Lawson book that was recommended in the charity shop on Sat for £1 so it is now in my pile and may make it into the suitcase. In hardback no less.

ipanemagirl · 29/04/2008 10:43

Thanks Shreddies!

shreddies · 28/04/2008 19:10

Barging in to say Ipanemagirl In the footsteps of MR Kurtz is fantastic. Also Ryszard Kapuscinski is brilliant on Africa

For a holiday read, Olivia Manning or Daphne du Maurier? Have just started Half of a Yellow Sun and have high hopes

MarsLady · 28/04/2008 18:48

Sky Burial by Xinran.

Blardy brilliant and compelling and haunting and sad and amazing..... (running out of superlatives here).

squeaver · 28/04/2008 18:47

If you want something that'll make you laugh and is nice and easy to read (but not fluffy), I'd recommend anything by Matt Beaumont.

I'm loving Then We Came to The End, btw, but only one-third of the way through.

CocodeBear · 28/04/2008 18:38

Yes, read Kite Runner, and recently Thousand Splendid Suns. Both extremely harrowing though!

ipanemagirl · 28/04/2008 17:35

suedonim, me too, that 'In the footsteps of Mr Kurtz" looks good doesn't it?

I also wondered why he didn't put any charity links at the back? Maybe he didn't feel it was journalistic enough! But he could have said, these organisations would appreciate your help as they try to alleviate the inconceivable suffering of the Congolese people blah blah whatever. But that would be nice wouldn't it?

Also I found a website of photos of a congo river trip which were interesting see here

Sorry OP again!!!

witchandchips · 28/04/2008 16:06

One big damn puzzler by john harding
see review here

Book of Dave is great but can take ages to get into so would recommend you chuck out a toy or two and bring something like a jodie picoult as well for light relief

MrsWobble · 28/04/2008 15:52

have you tried Flashman? i think they're very readable and fun without being silly. and there's a lot of them so if it does grip there's a few holidays sorted