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What we're reading

Find your new favourite book or recommend one on our Book forum.

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Original poster

If I share my taste in books can you suggest what I could read next?

50 replies

Miaou · 31/01/2006 15:00

Here's what I have read recently:

The Bonesetter's Daughter
The Poisonwood Bible
The Sweetest Dream - Doris Lessing
The Fifth Child - Doris Lessing
Eden Close - Anita Shreve
Lots of Ruth Rendells
The Dark-Adapted Eye - Barbara Vine (Ruth Rendell)
Roccoco - Trigiani
Instances of the Number Three - Salley Vickers

Any suggestions of what to read next? Am just finishing The Fifth Child (mumsnet recommendation!)

OP posts:

Turquoise · 31/01/2006 17:12

If you like Barbara Vine/Ruth Rendell you might like Minette Walters.

How did the library interview go?

cull · 31/01/2006 17:18

the river king, the blue diary, the probable future are all good. just checked amazon and she has a bunch of new ones i haven't read yet.
and joy luck club by amy tan is really good as well.
i could make a very long list of my faves....

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 17:26

Got the job Turquoise

All those lovely books...!

Minette Walters rings a bell ... what did she write?

OP posts:

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 17:28

I am going to get myself a notebook and write a wishlist and keep notes on what I have read I think.

OP posts:

Turquoise · 31/01/2006 17:34

FAntastic, well done! Any tips?

MW did The Scold's Bridle and The Sculptress which have both been adapted for tv, the most recent one I read was Disordered Minds which was really good. Iread one recently that was about someone obsessed with Christie and 10 Rillington Place, think it was either her or B Vine - similar style of getting into psychos heads.

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 18:04

Yep Turquoise - I got asked what I felt constituted a community library and where did education fit in - I said it had to appeal to and welcome all sectors of the community, and education is a lifelong opportunity not just open to schoolkids (our library is part of the secondary school building).

Also got asked what experience I had working with children, handling cash, and dealing with enquiries.

Got given a "what would you do" scenario - phone ringing, people at the desk, someone wanting information and three schoolkids mucking about. I said I'd leave the phone, warn the kids, process the people at the desk then help the person needing info. If the schoolkids escalated I would call for backup (it was the right answer apparently )

Got asked how important IT was - said it was vital part of modern working life, libraries aren't just about books, that people coming in to use internet access may well be unfamiliar with it (none at home). I got extra brownie points for knowing that they have just got a new booking in system in place

Also got asked what qualities I thought were necessary - I said friendly and welcoming manner, calm and efficient when busy, knowledgable, and able to control the wayward teens (didn't put it quite like that though!!)

OP posts:

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 18:05

I remember the Sculptress on tv (Pauline Quirke?) - mmm, thanks for that.

More suggestions welcome!

OP posts:

WigWamBam · 31/01/2006 18:09

Rose Tremain is excellent - she wrote Restoration (which was turned into a film), The Swimming Pool Season, Sacred Country, The Stillness The Dancing, The Way I Found Her and loads of others.

harpsichordcarrier · 31/01/2006 18:19

can't bear Joanna Harris myself
have you read any AS Byatt? she rocks
Margaret Drabble

snowleopard · 31/01/2006 20:03

The Rose Tremain I really loved is Music and Silence.

drosophila · 31/01/2006 20:10

Alice Hoffman if you love stories with a slightly sureal/spooky feel to them. Great story teller.

Margaret Atwood

Patrick Gale-really good story teller.

Isabella Allende - Another great story teller.

Can you tell I like a really good story teller.

TwoIfBySea · 31/01/2006 20:30

Another really good Amy Tan book is The Kitchen God's Wife. Another good one set in China is The Girl Who Played Go by Shan Sa.

Also Tracy Chevalier, in particular The Lady and The Unicorn and Falling Angels. I really enjoyed Girl With A Pearl Earring too but it depends if you are bothered they made a mediocre film from it!

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 20:40

drosophila

AS Byatt - did she write Angels and Insects? One of only five books in my adult life that I didn't finish - really couldn't get into it.

OP posts:

beasmum · 31/01/2006 20:45

definitely definitely read 'Restoration' by Rose Tremain, such a brilliant book.

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 20:45

Harpsi - recommend me a good AS Byatt then. I quite liked the start of the story iirc but couldn't get on with all the proselytising in the middle and gave up.

OP posts:

Wallace · 31/01/2006 20:49

Do what I do: Go to the mobile library where the choice is very poor, then pick three books off the shelves at random.

Oh, and let your four year old dd choose all the books with pink covers/pretty flowers/ladies in dresses for you.

This method means I read a surprising range of books Some that I would never have chosen I really enjoy.

Original poster

Miaou · 31/01/2006 20:50

Have done that in the past Wallace, but my reading time is severely limited atm, so I want to savour every moment reading something really good!

OP posts:

Posey · 31/01/2006 20:53

Miaou - can recommend all of Barbara Vine except The Blood Doctor which I couldn't get on with, and all Ruth Rendell.
Have you read any Jonathan Coe? Brilliant, all different styles but totally readable.

bumbleweed · 04/02/2006 21:19

Read Carol Shields and Helen Dunmore - they are fab!

KateF · 04/02/2006 21:23

If you liked the Doris Lessing books you could try the Martha Quest series, they're my favourite Lessing novels.

Rowlers · 04/02/2006 21:52

If you like Ruth Rendell, try PD James. Such a quality writer. Murder mysteries like Ruth Rendell - fantastic characters and atmosphere. Very grown up.
(Not keen on old Minnette Walters personally.)
Can second Alice Hoffman. Have read everything she's written and loved them all. Would maybe recommend Turtle Moon or White Horses. Any though. All fabulous.
Also, try The Giant's House by Elizabeth McCracken, not too well known and not prolific, she's only written two novels as far as I know but is a real talent.
Have recently read Jennifer Donnelly's A Gathering Light. I'm sure I've mentioned it before but it is a good book.

lionhearted · 04/02/2006 21:53

How about Gail Anderson-Dargatz, The Cure for Death By Lightening (which is worth it just for the opening page), Alice Sebold, The Lovely Bones, or Jane Hamilton, The Book of Ruth?

Rach69 · 04/02/2006 22:50

How about all the other Barbara Vine books? I recommend them all - much better than Ruth Rendell's detective novels. I recently re-read the Chimney Sweeper's son and the Blood Doctor while on the antenatal ward. I really like Nicci French too (killing me softly etc).

Aloha · 04/02/2006 22:51

Ripley books good. PD James. Paul Auster.

mandylifeboats · 14/02/2006 15:02

The River by Tricia Wastvedt
Light on Snow by Anita Shreve
For a bit of humour, anything by Kate Long, Sinead Moriarty or Fiona Gibson

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