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

[RockingRosebud]

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

The last Cazalet novel is Casting Off. Fabulous, fabulous books.

The Poisonwood Bible by Barbara Kingsolver is superb.

Ooh, goody, a book thread! I'd second (third, fourth??) Anne Tyler, Mary Wesley, Douglas Kennedy (fab story!), Annie Proulx and so on. Carole Shields is excellent, as is Gail Anderson-Daargatz, Rosina Lippi, Charlotte Bacon, Sheena Mackay, Marika(sp)Cobbold, Laurie Graham, Fannie Flagg, Helen Dunmore, Amy Tan and Kazio Isugaro.

I love the books by Kate Atkinson - especially - Behind The Scenes at the Museum.

Also - was very moved by A Prayer For Owen Meany;it's a bit weird at first but such a good read.

have just finished Five Quarters Of the Orange by Joanne Harris (of Chocolat fame) - also v.good.

Cheers

Definitely agree with Finbar about Joanne Harris (five quarters - v good - family in WW2 France) ditto Kate Atkinson.
Sebastian Faulks - On Green Dolphin Street is also v enjoyable - 1940s.

Anyone read the earth's children series by Jean Auel? I really like the descriptions of stone-age anthropology but can't help feeling that she has a rather rosy view of human psychology. Also cannot stand her pages upon pages of steamy sex scenes.......maybe I just have no imagination!

I enjoyed 'five quarters' more than any of Joanne Harris's other books. I have jsut finished 'The single girls guide to Hunting and Fishing' whch was a really good read too. On 'The Hours' at the moment, has anyone seen the film?

I love Joyce Carol Oates ( 'Middle Age', 'We were the MUlvaneys' 'Because it is bitter because it is my heart' and lots lots more - she's really prolific.
I'm reading 'Birds of America' by Mary McArthy written in 1976 i think and have just read Lillian Hellman's memoirs which were also great. Have you read Dorothy Parker ? I could go on (and on and on etc!)

Ladies can you tell the outline of Five Quarters of the Orange please?

I had read American Homemakers of America by Laurie Graham and really enjoyed it. Would def. recommend it.

Sorry that was meant to say outline of the story

Not in the least related to the story types here but I have just read 'The Blue Nowhere' by Jeffrey Deaver which is about an internet hacker who hacks into his victims computers to find out more about them and lure them to their death.

I don't normally read this kind of book because I can't sleep afterwards but the whole internet thing was fascinating. I did get spooked that evening though when my keyboard got sluggish and the graphics were looking a bit blurred - or maybe it was just time I went to bed.

RockingRosebud...it's about a family of three children in Occupied France and their mother who suffers big time from migraines - so they are left to their own devices a lot. They become friends with one of the Nazi soldiers and the story is all about loyalty, bertayal, families, tragedy, and has heaps of yummy french recipes - just what you'd expect from the author of Chocolat!

I don't think I have done the book any favours in my description- it's very good and I couldn't put it down!

I like Joanna Trollope. I think she tells a good story and I like the way that they story is told from several points of view and all the characters are treated fairly - there are no "goodies" or "baddies", just very human people.

Love Maeve Binchy but was disappointed with "Quentins".

I recently borrowed a library book called "Girls Night Out/Boys Night In" which was a compilation of short stories by different authors. Quite helpful as you get a taste of each author's style. Can't remember many names but Sophie Kinsella was one of them. The "Boys Night In" section was a collection of male authors and a couple of them were pants (IMHO!!) but otherwise I would recommend it.

Fab book thread!

Anita Shreve is wonderful - one of my favourites -I get really excited when she's got a new one out! Anne Tyler aswell.

For something a bit different you could try Christopher Brookmyre - v. funny/dry sense of humour, and also thriller-y.

I'm just reading Zadie Smith's The Autograph Man, which I'm really enjoying.

Also love Mavis Cheek - funny, easy to read, good stories!

Could go on and on.... Love love love Sebastian Faulks' Birdsong - made me cry my eyes out on the tube! Also William Boyd - Blue Afternoon (I think that's what it's called) is brilliant.

ooh - I've just read a book which was fantastic but I can't remember the author or title (not much help then...). It was a Booker prize winner - male author - I think it's called The Song of Names or something. Hmmm, will have to go home and look it up.

Love reading!! Am all inspired to nip out and maybe buy a book (I work near 3 bookshops - big mistake!)

I know they're a bit beyond the 50 years, but what about Zola? He's a fantastic read (Germinal', L'Assomier ' -sorry can't spell.

Lambchops, I liked the Earth's Children series too. Read them when I was a teenager so enjoyed the sex scenes!!! Dh recently read the first book so it must have been good, he hardly ever reads fiction.

Dot 1, I don't want to give too much away to all those who have yet to read any Anita Shreve, but have you read 'The Last Time they met' and 'Weight of Water'? If so, in which order and what did you think?

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I think we've gone off the plot a bit, I definitely need books set less than 50 years ago about families for my little trip to Minorca next month.

So out of all those authors listed, who should I be looking out for please?

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sorry your thread got hijacked! Perhaps we should hve a more general reading thread? IMO Anita Shreve, Robert Goddard, Joanne Harris, Anne Tyler

RR, try Tony Parsons' "Man and Boy" and "Man and Wife", Joanna Trollope's "Other People's Children", Nick Hornby's "How to be Good".

Family Happiness by Laurie Colwin - - actually anything and everything by Laurie Colwin; I've read and re-read her books year after year and was gutted when she died in 1992. Domestic Pleasures by Beth Gutheon; Slightly more family saga-ish but not really: Almost Paradise by Susan Issacs. ChickLit/family: The Only Boy for Me by Gil McNeil.

Glee, I have one called Happy All the Time, I think that's Laurie Colwin too, I know I love it!

Oh, and Compromising Positions by Susan Isaacs!

Mary Higgins Clark - mystery /murder mystery threads but woman as central characters...