My annual 'what shall I read on holiday' question

[BelligerentGhoul]

It's J, for anybody who knows or cares.

You know how picky I am and how many books I've already read so if you can still be bothered to think for me, please tell me what to get to read on holiday (only one week this time, so it should be a bit easier!).

I've got:

Jane's Fame - How Jane Austen Conquered The World

Mr Pip

A non-fiction one about the Roman Empire that I've been meaning to read for about five years

Paxman's book about Victorian art

I'd like some big fat historical mysteries or something like that - or anything really but not chick lit and not pretentious literary twaddle (ie no Sebastian Faulkes or Ian McEwan!).

Oooooooooooooh to Turn Of The Screw. I watched it on the television and said I would read it, then forgot all about it! Thank you so much for reminding me.

have read and loved all the Pullmans.

Books I'm packing:

Maggie O'Farrell, The Hand that first held mine
The Privileges, JOnathan Dee
Tony & Susan, Austen Wright
Short Cuts, Raymond Carver
Black Narcissus, Rumer Godden
Philippa Gregory, Wideacre (mainly bcs MN always banging on about it)

recent standout reads:
When we were Bad, Charlotte Mendelson
Legend of a Suicide, David Vann (OMG this is a stonker)
The Hidden, Tobias Hill

On subject of historical mysteries; assume you've read R Harris: Fatherland? (The Ghost?)

Thank you - am busy googling now as I haven't read ANY of those!

I think The Little Stranger would be worth a go for you BG, - I just started it yesterday am finding it very good so far, - I haven't read any of her other books though.

Am really posting to mention Headlong by Michael Frayn which I remember enjoying when I read it several years ago. Here

Thank you Kurri. Have read Headlong.

I think I will give The Little Stranger a go.

Thanks Jajas. It's in my basket!

I quite liked Headlong but I really, really wanted to be able to see pictures alongside.

Have you seen Frayn's 'Noises, Off' at the theatre? Very funny!

Okay - have just got back from the library with:

The Little Stranger (now out of my basket!);
The Turn Of The Screw;
Human Croquet by Kate Atkinson (I may have read this before years and years ago but have forgotten! Also, she irritates me, so I may or may not read this);
England, England by Julian Barnes.

Now - where shoukd I hide them, so I don't read them before we go?

Oh and Light - if my comment about Human Croquet somehow proves your point, oh well. You know what, I don't remember every meal I've ever eaten or conversation I've ever had either. I am still really quite cross at your comment...

Don't worry BG - I regularly either forget I've read a book, and halfway through reading it again think 'this seems familiar'. Or I read a book, enjoy it, then when someone asks me what it's about I can't remember. I also always have several books on the go at once which is probably completely against the rules.

Agree about the pictures in Headlong.

Your basket sounds good to me

Thank you Kurri. I also tend to have several on the go at once but usually one fiction and one non-fiction.

Unusually at the mo I have two non-fiction and no fiction (both of which I was SUPPOSED to be saving for my holiday!). On what I've read so far though, I can heartily recommend the Paxman art one and the Jane Austen one.

If you're after a sort of 'golden age' mystery, why not Nicola Upson's (contemporary) novels - set in the 30's and featuring Josephine Tey (the real-life crime writer/playwright) as her detective? 'Angel with Two Faces' and 'An Expert in Murder'. Good fun.

For that matter, have you read Josephine Tey's own books? 'The Franchise Affair' is brilliant - ditto 'The Daughter of Time', which is about a detective recovering from an illness and getting fascinated by the story of Richard III and the Princes in the Tower. Now that really is an historical whodunnit!

Thanks Mrs D. Not heard of those, so googling now.

yy to WOlf Hall or try A Palce of Greater Safety also by Mantel about the French Revolution.

WOuld also suggest White Mughals by WIlliam Dalrymple. Its non-fiction but so readable and is aboutthe early white European settlers to the Mughal courts in INdia. They integrated to the extent of wearing Indian dress and taking INdian wives. THen the wave of uptight VIctorian colonialists pitched up and the two sides just couldn't understand or tolerate eachother. Fascinating.

I have The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver for the hols.

Those Josephine Tey mysteries are really good. I've got Brat Farrar lying around somewhere and never read. I will go and find it NOW. Thanks for jogging my memory!

Thanks all. Have read White Mughals and enjoyed it.

Jajas - you will be fine with Headlong. It's just us 'visual learners' (groan) who struggled!

I found The Poisonwood Bible absolutely unreadable, so don't think I'll bother with her new one (v judgie-pants of me I know).

Am still not convinced by Hilary M after the horror that was that one about the fat medium, which was tosh imho. I may try it though.

Thanks again everybody.

If I remember rightly, Sarah Waters was partly inspired by 'The Franchise Affair' (that Josephine Tey mystery) when planning 'A Little Stranger'. Seem to recall a big article about her influences when the book came out. The Tey book's pretty old-fashioned now (written in the 30's/40's I think - anyway, the plot revolves around people who have 'servants') but still a real page-turner...and personally I couldn't have guessed the final denouement!