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Original poster

Books, what other authors would I enjoy? I like......

63 replies

RockingRosebud · 02/06/2003 21:09

I am currently enjoying Sophie Kinsella's Shopaholic series.

Just read Betty Mahmoody's Not Without My Daughter.

Have read all by Lesley Pearse some better than others.

Tend to enjoy stories about families and set within the last 50 years or so. Can anyone suggest more authors for me please? TIA

OP posts:
EJsMum · 02/06/2003 21:17

I have just finished a fab book called "I don't know how she does it" by Allison Pearson (ISBN 0-99-42838-5). It's a story about a working mother and her struggle to 'be the best' it's a great read - funny, touching, and definitely full of "Deja-vu" moments.

Give it a go and let me know what you think.

P.S. Am not on Allison Pearsons PR team !!!

ForestFly · 02/06/2003 21:21

The best book to read for me has been "How to be Good" by Nick Hornby Not set from the last 50 years but very true to life as a wife and mum!

lilibet · 02/06/2003 21:26

Try reading things by Anita Shreve, the best one to start with is 'the last time they met', but all of them are good.

Linnet · 02/06/2003 22:28

Carole Matthews books are good. Also books by Jill Mansell, Katie Fforde, Fiona Walker, Victoria Corby and Amanada Brookfield. Can you tell I read a lot? LOL If you go to your local library they should have a book that has lists of Authors who write like other authors. In my local library it's kept at the enquiry desk you just ask them if you can have a look at it.

eidsvold · 02/06/2003 22:34

Betty Mahmoody has another book which sort of follows on from Not without my daughter but also talks of other parents who are forced to live without their children and the lengths they will go to - to be together... very powerfulr eading.

What about Princess - written by a princess in the Saudi royal family... quite interesting ( a little disturbing at times) but also has a follow on that then talks about her daughter's lives. Can't think who wrote it off the top of my head sorry.

What about Angela's ashes and the sequel Tis by Frank McCourt.....

Morgan's Run by Colleen McCullough ( quite long but not a bad read)

beetroot · 02/06/2003 22:56

This reply has been deleted

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Claireandrich · 03/06/2003 10:54

EJsMum - I have just finished that book too. Got it cheap from ASDA. I found it a bit slow to start with but then really got into. I ended up reallu enjoying it.

Currently got another cheap book from ASDA called The Nanny - started it last night and it seemed okay so far.

doormat · 03/06/2003 11:14

eidsvold
Angela's ashes love the film. It inspired me to read the book. Very good.

I cant suggest anymore to you Rockingrosebud as I am love reading all about true life crime and conspiracy theories.

LadyP · 03/06/2003 11:58

EJ's mum, Ive just finished reading that book as well - I thought it was good.

Now reading one of the many books that my mate Metrobaby lent to me. 'Sisters and Husbands' by some author or other

Frenchgirl · 03/06/2003 13:11

EJsmum, I enjoyed 'I don'tknow how she does it' too, don't you feel some parts should be made compulsory for dp/dh to read? Not the bits about Jack Abelhammer though, although might keep him on his toes

EJsMum · 03/06/2003 15:56

Definitely Frenchgirl, if there was a syllabus for potential fathers then this would be on it

donnie · 03/06/2003 16:05

anything by Anne Tyler, she's wonderful. A patchwork planet ( by her ) is fabulous.

Metrobaby · 03/06/2003 16:50

Sisters and Husbands is by Amanda Brookfield. I've also just read Family Man by her which was also pretty good. Love Ann Tyler and I too liked Allison Pearson's book (v v funny), and Angela's Ashes. Jill Mansell is a good author too if you like that easy to read - boy meets girl feel good factor.

I can also recommend Do the Right Thing by Shyama Perera (fairly quick read), and also After You'd Gone by Maggie O'farrell.

On the other side of the scale if you want a real biggy read with a generation of family saga I can whole heartedly recommend the classic John Steinbecks 'Grapes of Wrath'. East of Eden by him is also fab.

I also enjoyed The Pursuit of Happiness by Douglas Kennedy which was my fav read of 2002 (has love, betrayal, death, twists etc)

I'll stop now or else I could go on and on ...

Happy reading RR

crystaltips · 03/06/2003 16:55

"What Lies beneath" - Good family stuff - cannot remember the author though.

lilibet · 03/06/2003 17:34

Another vore for Anne Tyler, I loved 'back when we were grownups' thought it was such a good title as well

lilibet · 03/06/2003 17:34

vote !!

runragged · 03/06/2003 19:03

Linnet, love your list, best author I think is Catherine Alliot has me crying with laughter, her observations are so accurate.

Rockingrosebud, have you read Sally Bauman, Destiny, it's set over a long time and is excellent.

tamum · 03/06/2003 19:05

The Pursuit of Happiness is fab, I agree with you Metrobaby. And another vote for Anne Tyler; I also love Sara Lewis who I'd highly recommend,especially to Anne Tyler fans (her latest is called Second Draft of My Life, a fantastic book)

Pancake · 03/06/2003 19:43

If you like Lesley Pearce (brilliant escapism) then you may like Penny Vincinzi (spelling of surname probably very wrong) ...similar kind of stories where you get completely lost in the characters!

Enjoy!

Original poster
RockingRosebud · 03/06/2003 19:49

OK, I'm well armed for the boot sale on Sunday, thanks ladies.

I did once start a Joanna Trollope but she spent pages describing the contents of a woman's dresser and it all got very tedious!

OP posts:
janh · 03/06/2003 20:05

Almost anything by Nancy Mitford eg The Pursuit of Love, Love in a Cold Climate, Don't tell Alfred (all dead posh but very entertaining.)

Almost anything by J Trollope (I love her, sorry, Rhiannon!)

Also Maeve Binchy (although the latest ones are a bit incestuous.)

Anne Tyler as previously recommended.

Mavis Cheek.

I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith - worth reading before you see the movie.

Ditto the Shipping News by F Annie Prieulx (??sp???)

All the Elizabeth Jane Howard books about the family with the fancy name (forget it just now.) (Cazalet???)

Oh, and Mary Wesley although her characters pop up all over the place so it's hard sometimes to know if you've read it or not.

HTH!

lilibet · 03/06/2003 20:10

janh, is I capture the Castle good?

janh · 03/06/2003 20:43

lilibet, I loved it!

It is very period (1930s?) and very upper class but a great story and you really want everything to turn out right - bit of a fairy story really - do try it if you can find it!

tamum · 03/06/2003 20:49

Cazalet is right, and I completely agree they're immensely absorbing books. I'd like to read her autobiography, they serialised bits of it in the Sunday Times and it sounds as though a lot of the books were based on her life. The books are called The Light Years, Marking Time and Confusion.

Linnet · 03/06/2003 22:23

Chris Manby, Donna Hay and Elizabeth young are a few more good authors. Is it the Nanny Diaries that you are reading ClareandRich? I've read that and it was a good book. I read so many books that I tend to forget what authors I've read, but if I see the book again I know if I've read or not.