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!

Batters - just got back from holiday and actually managed to read Sebastian Faulks' "Birdsong". I howled all the way through! I found myself really tense in places, particularly the night before they all go over the top. I'm off down to the bookshop to get his other books - it's been along time since I've wanted to read all an author's books one after the other! Hope you enjoy 'Green Dolphin Street'!!

Batters, it was excellent. And so was Lorna Sage's Bad Blood, which was my other holiday read. But the best of the lot was Barbara Kingsolver's Prodigal Summer, a warm, sensuous, back-to-nature read. Mmmm. What did everyone else enjoy on their hols (apart from prising sand out of nappies, earwigs out of nostrils etc)?

Over the summer I read very little! I only managed White Teeth by Zadie Smith, Foetal Attraction by Kathy Lette and Little Altars Everywhere by Rebecca Wells. I'm now part way through English Passengers by Matthew Neale. I have the Barabra Kingslover ready to read next - glad to hear it's worth the effort.

Or Barbara Kingsolver, even!

chairmum have you read the poisonwood bible by barabra kingsolver?
its absolutely gripping

Yes, I have, Cos, and an excellent book it is, too. A couple of friends who lived in Zambia at that time say they found it illuminating, to say the least. Because of the lack of communications back then, they had no idea all that stuff was going on in the Congo, while they were living their daily lives. I guess it's different today, with mobiles, computers etc.

There are a couple of questions I have about When We Were Orphans by Kazuo Ishiguro. Would anyone who's read it care to clarify some points? And, more importantly, would anyone mind me asking-- don't want to spoil it for people. It's a good book, but slightly surreal to me.

My summer fun books have been the ones by Ian Rankin as Jack Harvey and, especially, books by Carl Hiassen. Sweet Thames by Matthew Kneale was good, too. It was not as involved as English Passengers, but still interesting historical fiction.

Chairmum did you like White teeth?
my book club (and I)all really disliked it

That's funny, Cos, as I read White Teeth for my bookgroup, too! The meeting was last night. The overall feeling was that we enjoyed it but got a bit bogged down at times (I certainly did at all the eugenics/genome/mousie bits). We also felt that it was typical of lots of novels today, in that it was episodic with loads of intertwining stories, rather than one grand story a la Jane Austen. Some of those in WT didn't seem very relevant, either. I felt, too, that Zadie Smith had tried to cram in every experience and event she had ever come across in her short life!

What didn't your group like about it? My group said they would read her again, if she writes another book.

Jj, I found "When we were orphans" disappointing and uninvolving because of the way it was written. I enjoyed "Remains of the Day" so knew about Ishiguro's low-key style, but thought he'd taken it too far this time. Are you as confused as I was about the hasty explanation of the fate of Christopher's father? And did you scratch your head at the scenes in war-torn Shanghai? (I don't think I'm giving too much away here).
I am nearing the end of White Teeth now and agree with Chairmum's group's comments. I do think it's a bit throwaway and episodic in places, but having grown up in multicultural London during the timespan of the novel, I think it's funny and accurate too. Apart from the Chalfens. Oh PLEASE. I'd read her again but wonder how long it will be before that difficult second novel appears. What didn't your group like about it, Cos?

I just read White Teeth and also enjoyed it because I grew up in the area during that time too. I thought some of the characters were very funny but also thought the mouse stuff was boring! Has anyone read Bee Season by Myla Goldberg? I read it in the summer and loved it. Started reading Blackberry Wine but can't get into it,the story is told by a bottle of wine!

the group found the characters unconvincing, the book overhyped and all in all she did'nt have the maturity needed to bring it all together. esoecially as we had just read the poisonwood bible ..

Yes, I've seen comments in the press that White Teeth has been overhyped. Having said that, I'd have been pretty chuffed with myself if I could have rattled off a book like that at the age of 25!

I've just finished reading The Olive Farm by Carol Drinkwater. Entertaining and both funny and sad.

Is she the same lady that used to be Mrs Herriot in All Creatures Great and Small?

You must read False Memory by Dean Koontz. Traditionally a horror writer but this isn't very horrific. A brilliant story and all very plausible. I couldn't put it down.

Paula, yes. Christopher Timothy & the Yorkshire Dales versus sexy Frenchman and sunny olive farm...hmm, I'd have to think about that.

I don't know, I've always had a bit of a soft spot for Christopher Timothy (but as per previous thread about men we fancy mine were Jimmy Nail, Chris Evans and Mick Hucknall - my taste does not suit all!!)

Marina, yeah, the parts in Shanghai had me confused.

SPOILER ALERT: don't read more if you're going to read When We Were Orphans!

So, I think he was self-deluded in a lot of ways and his memories of events aren't to be completely trusted. But, even with that, the general idea that one person (either Sir Cecil or Christopher Banks) could make a difference in Shanghai during the first stages of the war seems to me absurd. I think I'm missing some historical knowledge of the time. And I don't know what to make of the returning of his childhood home. By the time the scenes in the warren came around, I felt like I was in the Twilight Zone. Rethinking it, some things fall into place, but I still have some questions. If you're at all interested in talking about it, you should email me.

In other books, I enjoyed White Teeth, but hadn't heard the hype.. luckily! And it helped that I enjoyed the mousey bits. But it is so hard to enjoy overhyped books, movies, whatever. I usually come away disappointed.

Has anyone tried Miss Garnet's Angel (Sally Vickers)or Girl with a Pearl Earring (Tracy Chevalier) - I really enjoyed both of them. Have also been reading Barbara Trapido's books lately and particularly enjoyed Juggling.

I've been saving this thread until I had time to go through it all. And now I have, I can't believe that no-one's mentioned Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell, or is that just too "lowbrow". For me, she's one of those writers that I thank God is still alive, 'cos I've read all her books, and am always looking forward to the next (although they do get a bit "samey" after 10 years of reading them!). Maeve Binchy, I love, too, but I've heard that she's giving up writing, as she feels she can't compete with all the sex in contemporary literature. I was vvv upset when I heard that - I hadn't even noticed there was no sex in her books until then!
Dh and I have to stop ourselves going into bookshops these days - we both start hyperventilating and getting v. excited when we go in them, as there's just so much choice. But so much to spend money on! Thank God for the public library - it's one thing that I'm really pleased that I've taught my children, for them , the library is somewhere you go every week, and get some great books, not somewhere that's boring and of no interest. We're v. lucky with our main library where I live, it's really well stocked, with a v. large children's section, and it's in the same building as the (free) town museum and art gallery - with the cafe and the shop, you can easily spend the best part of a day there, and not spend too much money.
There's hundreds of other authors I could mention, but my post would occupy too much space!

LOL at the hyperventilating, Emsiewill! And go on, tell us about the authors you'd recommend. I, for one, need inspiration at times.
I must admit, I don't read Ruth Rendell/Barbara Vine genre books as I'm completey rubbish at following the plots. I reach the last page as bemused as when I read the first one!!

I'm a bit loath to say I "recommend" any authors, as I can't take the responsibility that entails! But, I will say I enjoy reading many different authors, some more "intellectual" than others, but I make no apologies for my choices - sometimes I just can't deal with any intellectual stinulation, sometimes I need it to counteract the brain-numbing effect of repeating and agreeing with everything my 2 year old says!
So, I enjoy (In no particular order, and this is just a few of them)- Dick Francis, Ian Rankin, Elizabeth George, Minette Walters, Francis Fyfield, Harry Potter (yes I know he's not an author!), Nick Hornby, John Grisham, Iain Banks, Marian Keyes, Bill Bryson (LOL), Joanne Harris, PD James, Susan Howatch, Joanna Trollope, Ian McEwan. I wonder if it's possible to analyse someone's personality by the books they read?!

I'd never read any Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell until my mum recommended the Chimney Sweep's Daughter (I think that's what it was called) which I really enjoyed. At the moment I have a real thing for chick-lit (don't really like that phrase but you know what I mean - like magazines in paperback) they're just such good fun and easy to read. Also Iain Banks never dissapoints me, but I've never read any of his sci-fi stuff. My boyfried has really got me into Terry Pratchett, I'm reading the discworld books in order and they're so funny.