If my ideal novel is...what shall I read this summer?

[RemusLupinsBiggestGroupie]

Okay. Going on holiday for a week soon. I read VERY quickly and I am VERY fussy (and I have read lots and lots and lots already).

If my ideal novel would be Persuasion, mixed with The Stand, mixed with A Town Like Alice and with a soupcon of Lolita thrown in, what the heck will I enjoy next? Ideally it will be BIG. Non-fiction okay too, providing it is history-related and ideally a bit quirky.

Please help!

Wooops too late! Have a good holiday whatever you read!

If you are still after dystopian type reads, The Last Testament of Jessie Lamb by Jane Rogers is a decent, if short, read.

Have read Middlesex and both the Donna Tartts and Henrietta thing.

Googling the others now, thanks.

Oh yes, Cold Mountain. Wonderful. I imagine the film would be disappointing in the extreme, frenchfancy!

Very evocative, captures an atmosphere beautifully. Here

If you like The Stand I'm guessing you've read Under the Dome?
I've just come back from holiday and read The Night Circus which I thought was brilliant, Zadie Smith's On Beauty which was great too and the new Patrick Gale
Recently read Pure and thought that was bizarre but really good

and if you like a bit of real life drama, books about climbing Everest tend to be good - the best is Climb by Anatoli Boukreev

Thanks for reminding me about The Night Circus - I quite fancy that.

Have read Under The Dome - not a patch on The Stand though.

Have read the Zadie Smith. Patrick Gale doesn't do a lot for me - they're a bit nothingy, imho. They promise but only deliver in part.

Only like real life drama stuff if it is historical.

assuming you've read the Book Thief?

I have! I really liked it.

me too, bawled my eyes out
American Wife?

Read it - thought it was terrible though!

I've got similar tastes to yours. While I think about something better, have you read any Flashman novels? They are an easy read but full of historical (Victorian) detail and very funny

ooh how about Haruki Murakami ?

'Persuasion, mixed with The Stand, mixed with A Town Like Alice and with a soupcon of Lolita thrown in'

I actually really want to read this, could you write it please? [places order]

Was going to suggest Middlesex, at least I wasn't way off.

In the meantime, Claire Tomalin's biographies? I'd thoroughly recommend all of them but maybe Mrs Jordan's Profession?

It's hardly an original recommendation but if you haven't got to it yet, Robert A Caro's biography of Lyndon Johnson (now up to 4 volumes) is just lipsmackingly, unbelievably good. The first and the third volumes are maybe the best.

Have read several of Claire T's.

Flashman - nope, I tried one and it's deffo not my sort of thing.

Murakami - I liked After Dark but hated the others I read of his, especially the stupid sheep one.

So do you reckon I'd make my fortune if I wrote the novel described in my OP? :)

The End of Mr Why by Scarlett Thomas. Uses some period setting (victorian), involves a bloody good mystery, and has strong fantasy/horror running through.

Tis good stuff.

Have you read all the Game of Thrones novels? Or Ben Lane's Rome series. And if you haven't read them already Jean Auel's Clan of the Cave Bear novels are mostly superb.

Not arf.

I assume you've read other Nevil Shutes? Ruined City is a good 'un.

Ooh I HAVEN'T read Ruined City - adds to list immediately. Thought I had read most of NS' too.

Read Mr Y - it was okay but had a v stupid ending. I didn't like it enough to read the next one.

Don't like Game Of Thrones - have read the first two but only to be polite when a friend lent them to me. A couple of interesting characters but horribly written and full of unnecessary (and pretty tedious) padding. Can't get on with Jean Auel much either. I like big but I don't like going on and on just for the sake of padding out a huge series.

Mr Y was a great suggestion though - it's the sort of thing that I deffo go for.

Yes! [pumps fist]

My top favourite is probably Trustee from the Toolroom, with Pied Piper a close second [pushes luck].

Sounds weird but have you re-read/read any Swallows and Amazons? I read Great Northern? as an adult and I must say I thought it was very, very good.

I'm assuming you're up to date with William Boyd? Not that I am, but I have enjoyed every one of his that I have read.

Agree about the ending of Mr y. Forgot til you mentioned it. Am reading the night circus at the moment. All good so far.

Just finished the ressurectionist. Interestong. but very gory.

Have you read angela carter? Magic toyshop and nights at the circus are my favourites.

There's also a new terry pratchett collaboration that's in my pile to read.

Have I recommended J G Ballard's autobiography to you before? It's called Miracles Of Life.

I enjoyed The Resurrectionist. Have read a couple of non-fiction books about body snatching too - right up my street!

Have read most of Angela C's - quite like some of them but she sort of gets in the way of herself at times and lets point overtake plot.

You have, Cote - I just don't understand why I'd want to read a biography/autobiography unless it was somebody I'm actually interested in.

Will check out William Boyd - I think I've only read one of his and can remember absolutely nothing about it.