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Original poster

If I told you what books I have read and enjoyed, could you recommend me my next read?

39 replies

Dragonbutter · 27/07/2008 16:37

Just finished A thousand splendid suns by Khaled Hosseini and loved it.
Also loved The Kite Runner.

Other favourites include...
The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver
Small Island by Andrea Levy (also like andrea levy's other stuff)
Brick Lane by Monica Ali

So, what else might I like?

Thanks

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Original poster
Dragonbutter · 18/08/2008 17:34

I can't believe this thread is still going.
Thanks

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hotcrossbunny · 18/08/2008 17:32

Am watching this with interest. Will suggest a book, when I remember its name!

Blu · 18/08/2008 17:16

Notes From an Exhibition, Patrick Gale

MrsSprat · 18/08/2008 17:13

I think you'd like Shantaram

It's a doorstopper, but I found that I got through it quickly. Such a fascinating story and really richly told.

It's supposed to be the true story of an Australian guy who skipped prison and laid low in India (mainly Mumbai). If you've ever been to Mumbai, it's instantly evocative and if you've not, it's still great.

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 15/08/2008 22:46

Ah yes, blood river, i'm waiting for MIL to finish it. I bought it for her birthday. Sneaky.

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GloriaStits · 15/08/2008 14:30

Glad you liked the outcast. will go visit your thread on it now. William boyd is fab isn't he? Every book he writes is so different from the last. Reminds me of Michael Faber in that respect.
Northernrefugee- so glad its not just me! I loathed lovely bones also- thought it was sentimental claptrap (but did like timetravellers wife - hmm...guess I like sentimental claptrap sometimes)
Have new recommendation for poisonwood bible lovers- Blood river. Non-fiction. journalist travelling through the congo. So good.

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 14/08/2008 21:16

I was enjoying it but wasn't getting much reading time (on here too much) and lost momentum.
I tend to either devour a book in a short period of time or plod on for a while, take a break from it, forget where i'd got to and lose interest.
And i wasn't really 'liking' any of the characters. I didn't feel i was identifying with any of them.

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northernrefugee39 · 13/08/2008 11:00

GloriaStits- those three are on my top favourite list too- I love Willian Boyd and would recommend anything by him.
Restless is his latest- it's great.
What I loved by Siri Hustvedt is fab too- she has a new one out - The Sorrows of an American.
Donna Tarrt - The Secret History
Patrick Gale- Notes from an Exhibition
Edward St Aubyn- Mother's Milk

I didn't enjoy Ali Smith-The Accidental either Gloria- nor did i like The time trveller's Wife ot The lovely Bones- whch lots of my friends loved.

I've just bought The Outcast and Half of a Yelow sun for holiday- why didn't yopu like half of a Yellow sun Dragonbutter? On another thread people who had read A Thousand Splendid suns- which I loved- and said they didn't think it was as good as the hype- recommended Half a yellow Sun which is why I bought it...interested as to what you thought.

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 12/08/2008 12:48

Thanks Gloriastits, surreylady and sugarpig!
The Outcast was brilliant.
Think i might start a thread about it if there isn't one already.
I had a couple of questions about why Lewis did what he did towards the end.

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Original poster
Dragonbutter · 06/08/2008 23:09

I know. not sure what i'm doing on here. That book is calling me.

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SugarPig · 06/08/2008 23:08

Couldn't put The Outcast down.

surreylady · 06/08/2008 23:04

Another vote for the Outcast

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 06/08/2008 22:44

The Outcast.
bloody hell it's good.

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Original poster
Dragonbutter · 30/07/2008 01:00

hey, i never made it to the bookshop on account of DH's kind shopping on my behalf (grr but mmm, that's nice). still i think he did well.

Quint, I think i heard of that controversy when the book was first published. Things didn't end well between the author and the bookseller. Is that in the book?

I need this thread to be archived so i can look it up every time I need a new read.
Nobody swear or say anything controversial please, i need this thread to stay where it is.

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muffinmum · 30/07/2008 00:50

i loved all your listed ones and my fave book of all is the bone people by keri hulme, also loved mister pip recently,jealous of your book shop trip,mmmmm the smell of new books!

QuintessentialShadows · 30/07/2008 00:24

The Bookseller of Kabul.... Author is norwegian. Been in the press a lot. Interesting debates. She has of course made millions out of her books. She has not once donated a single penny nor given thanks to the bookseller that inspired her book and made her famous. Why should she? Her inspiration, Her writing, Her money.

Anyway.

The Cairo Trilogy

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 30/07/2008 00:16

I've never read any Ali Smith. Not sure why. Thankfully it's only a little one, so if it's bad at least it's not going to last long.

Have always been very disappointed with Zadie Smith.

Right, am going to start with midnight's children.

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GloriaStits · 29/07/2008 18:01

ooh midnights children is fantastic. Don't get on with Ali Smith at all- think hugely overated but would be interested to hear what you think

katierocket · 29/07/2008 15:15

second The Island - Victoria Hislop and her new book is brillant too.

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 29/07/2008 15:08

Oh hello, didn't know anyone was still here.
I'll have to remember this thread next time i'm looking for another book.
It might be some time however, as DH presented me with 4 books this morning. He didn't know I had started this thread but knew I'd just finished my book. He went to the bookshop and told the lady there what I like.

She came up with a few, he also mentioned The book thief being one of them but he had to narrow down his pile of 6 he says.

So, I've got
Midnight's children by Salman Rushdie
The Pirates Daughter by Margaret Cezair Thompson
East of the Sun by Julia Gregson
Girl meets boy by Ali Smith

and also The Outcast by Sadie Jones (that I bought myself the other day) but think it would be rude to start with the one i chose and not one of his IYKWIM.

It feels like a lot of new books at once! Am intrigued by them all but not sure which to read first.
Any of those you think i won't like?

Thank you lovely adult fiction mumsnetters.

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Love2bake · 29/07/2008 14:55

Ive read three of your books OP.

I also loved,

The Book Thief - Isaak Markus

and

The Island - Victoria Hislop

essjayo · 29/07/2008 14:45

If you've not been to the bookshop yet try looking for something by Rohinton Mistry - I loved "A fine balance" one of best books I can remember reading (and I loved the kite runner et al)

Another great read, but not fiction, is Stasiland by Anna Funde - all about east germany after reunification, historical, full of amazing facts and some heart breaking stories.

Original poster
Dragonbutter · 27/07/2008 21:54

great. all good suggestions and i've just negotiated a trip to the bookshop this week while DH looks after the kids on his lunchbreak.
will look out for all those.
thanks everyone

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MrsMuddle · 27/07/2008 21:29

Your favourites are similar to mine, so I think you'd like The Corrections by Jonathan Franzen (sp) and Gift Of Rain by Tan Eng.

barnsleybelle · 27/07/2008 21:24

The pillars of the earth, by ken follet.

The best book i have read by far, and i re read every 4 years or so.

1st time i read it, i was dreaming about the characters!

others i recommend are,
Time travellors wife, audrey niffeneger
memoirs of a geisha,
the lovely bones,

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