read any good books lately?

[Candy]

Hi everyone!
I was wondering what you are currently reading or have read recently and enjoyed? Having just read several by Joanne Harris (Chocolat and Blackberry Wine) and two history books by Giles Milton (Nathaniel's Nutmeg and Big Chief Elizabeth) I'm stuck for what to read next. Any suggestions much appreciated!

It's fiction not documentary, but I couldn't see how someone with a 5yo and a baby and that demanding a job could raise the energy to consider an affair. And I was annoyed that we were supposed to share her view that the nanny was useless and then the nanny behaved heroically when the husband left. But I did like the bit at the beginning when she was trying to avoid sex so she wouldn't need a shower in the morning. And the bit about trying to find grown up excuses rather than telling the truth to the boss.

hi everyone

have just finished "the corrections" - highly recommended! what an interesting study of identity, family relationships, modern american values - very dark and funny at the same time.

have also recently read "the dwarves of death" by jonathan coe. not as good as "what a carve up" or "the rotters club" - found the latter rather too self consciously trending and zeitgeist surfing (a la "white teeth" of which i'm not a huge fan - vastly overrated).

have just got back into "the blind assassin" by margaret attwood - started it months ago, but for some reason left it aside. good so far.

oh yes, have also just finished "fatal voyage" by kathy reichs. her best yet - not unqualified praise as i have not been enormously impressed by previous work, but am a sucker for this genre.

next up are "daniel deronda" - didn't watch the tv adaptation and another go at "atonement". started the latter by found it a bit of a yawn...

have not yet acquired any anita shreve...

doh! that's obviously "trendy" and not "trending" - preview was obviously made for me if i could only remember to use it!

I would love something good to read atm. Have just read A Perfect Arrangement by Suzanne Berne which was ok but not exceptional. Atonement is on a pile to read but is not calling to me...started The Lawnmower Celebrity but couldn't carry on once he started talking about his mothers' death. Ho hum, all this time on from my dads' death and I still can't really cope with reading about it. Also have The Devils Larder by Jim Crace (I think) to read, love the cover but haven't had time to start it yet.

I've just started a good one - Altered Land by Jules Hardy - it was recommended to me. I'm about a third through and I'm really enjoying reading it on my train ride to work! Had teary eyes this morning! It's about a mother and son. The strap line on the back says "This is a story about being in the wrong place at the wrong time, and the life-altering effects of that one moment".
The review from Time Out says "A truly wonderful book; a heart-rending, heart-lifting tribute to many kinds of love".

Anybody read any Patricia Duncker? Hallucinating Foucault or James Miranda Barry? Kathy Reichs is always a favourite and the non-Rebus Ian Rankin books - particularly the trilogy of assassins

I just finished and adored Carter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold. Real ripping yarn and suitable for dps also. Bk, I loved The Corrections, I can't get it out of my head. Thought the Lithuania subplot was the only weakness...

just thought i would resurrect this thread to recommend "independence day" by richard ford. dh has been singing its praises and at only 50 pages in i can already say it's marvellous. he won a pulitzer prize for it. i've previously read "the sportswriter" (a number of years ago) which i think is the predecessor novel - i've been hunting for it on our shelves to check without success.

it really is the best thing i've read in months, including a number of george eliot novels, which have been fantastic. only just got around to them after BBC adaptation of "daniel deronda" last year.

only close runner-up is "the human stain" by philip roth - a writer of genius, but sadly a misogynist.

have also read a number of toddler rearing books and the collected works of scott turow for light reading!

what's everyone else reading atm?

ps - marina we really enjoyed "carter".

Loved both Carter and the Corrections. Haven't read much since I'm afraid, still reading Allen Carr's Only Way to Stop Smoking...

I'm reading mumsnet
I started reading 'Tis by Frank McCourt while I was in hospital when ds was born. I got about a third of the way through and one of the midwives said that once I was home it would take two years to finish it. She was right. I haven't picked it up since - and ds was 2 last month!

Anyone else read Donna Tartt's latest book?
I enjoyed it but not nearly as much as The Secret History.
Have also just read Fingersmith my Sarah Waters - brilliant, much better than her other books.
Strangely, both my mother (a fan of books with a lot of action, thrillers etc) and myself (a fan of books with no action to speak of at all) liked these books - so I reckon they must have pretty wide appeal!
I also enjoyed Tracey Chevalier's Fallen Angels.
I am now looking for some new books to read on holiday!

Scoobysnax, I enjoyed The Little Friend too, but agree that it is virtually impossible to follow The Secret History, which is in my top three all time novels. I thought there was a bit too much borrowed Southern Gothic in The Little Friend - too much Night of the Hunter and To Kill a Mockingbird. Still think she's one of the best.
I am saving Margaret Atwood's new one, Oryx and Crake, for my mat leave, and must read some Sarah Waters as so many people enjoy her writing. Also waiting for Jonathan Coe to pull his finger out and write the promised follow-up to The Rotters' Club, I've just re-read that and enjoyed it just as much as first time.
bk, Indpendence Day is the companion piece to The Sportswriter, you are right.
Oh, and I haven't read it, but dh just finished and raved about Michael Chabon's Kavalier and Klay, so I have ordered his first two novels (Mysteries of Pittsburgh and The Wonder Boys) for him and might have a go at these as well.

I just read the best book I've ever read - it was fab - called 'The Other Boleyn Girl'. It's fab, really intersteing, well written, gets you hooked straight away, I couln't put it down.

I enjoyed the beginning of the corrections then It got weird. liked attonement and white teeth and the melvyn Bragg trilogy.

quite liked corrections, really liked atonement and white teeth. recently finished the poisonwood bible by barbara kingsolver which I really enjoyed - quite unlike anything else I've read recently.
the little friend was quite good but nothing like as good as mysecret history, completely agree with marina's analysis.
girl with the pearl earring a nice, gentle, contemplative read. haven't read fallen angels.
recently re-read HE Bates Fair Stood the Wind for France in the bath - god it is a wonderful, romantic, tragic book. very hemingway-esque, another of my favourite authors. also re-read Vikram Seth's a Suitable Boy for about the 4th time - if anyone hasn't read it PLEASE don't let the length put you off, it is wonderful. Fantastic story of intertwining lives and the best writer in the English language alive today (well perhaps head to head with Salman - funny that it takes Indian writers to show you what you can do with English!)
only decent biog I've read recently (and I hardly read any) is Katherine Grahams My History (very cool woman - editor of the washington post) - really good.
Bit short of reading material now - may investigate some of these recommendations...

The Little Friend is languishing on top of the piano, 100 pages in; started Corrections and abandoned it, bored; reading Kathy Reichs' Grave Secrets, so obviously can only cope with gory thrillers with biggish writing

I'm reading Autograph Man by Zadie Smith, I really like White Teeth and this one is just as good.

If you like cookery writing/biog I'm very much enjoying Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain - AA Gill says on the back "Elizabeth David written by Quentin Tarrantino" and that's proving to be fairly accurate so far.

Loved The Virgin Blue by Tracy Chevalier..incredibly absorbing! I loved her The Girl with the Pearl Earring too - must read Fallen Angels.

I loved the Secret History.

Reading The Wind-Up Bird Man at the moment by someone japanese (can't remember who) which is brilliant.

Other faves

The Magus by John Fowles
A Prayer for Owen Meaney by John Irving
Dangerous Parking by Stuart Browne
Anything at all by Ian McEwan

The Dark Stuff by Nick Kent is a fabulous collection of NME journalism from late 60s to late 80s, really entertaining.

I must have about 2000 books, so hard to pick out individual favorites, my main hobby is reading.

sambo, my dh is always going on about how fantastic the wind up bird chronicles is, but I haven't got around to reading it yet. sounds like I should do. there is another one by the same author with a bizarre name that he likes as well - the great something-or-other race. damn, can't remember

Am reading Autograph Man by Zadie Smith, like webmum. I am ejoying it altho I have to admit to finding it and White teeth just slightly disappointing; they are just not quite what I expected from the reviews. Clever and well written but I dont feel enough empathy for the characters maybe.
I really enjoyed Life of Pi by Yann Martel recently: not usually my cup of tea abut it was wonderful, lots of food for thought and it really carried me away with it.
Guess it will be HPotter as soon as ds has finished it(he wont be long).
The Coorections was good. I loved Atonement, having disliked Amsterdam previously.
Just read Anita Shreve: oops cant remember the title but it was a lovely easy but enjoyable read.

Fortune's Rocks it was called.
Also Balzac and the little Chinese Seamstress by Dai Shijie which has frecently been made into a film, tho I havent seen it.
Discovered Ann Tyler recently, wd recommend Patchwork planet and Back when we were grownups. And I love Annie Proulx.

Sambo - The Magus was the other best book I've ever read. As you listred that as one of your books and I coulndn't agree more I've listed all the other books you wrote doen and will be investigating them a bit more! There's nothing quite like being totally absorbed by a great book is there.
I can't recommend 'The Other Boleyn Girl' enough (Story of Mary, George & Anne Boleyn, Henry IV etc, it's just so well written, it's factual fiction and everyone should give it a go in my humble opinion!)