I want to read something really intelligent and beautifully written

[SalveRibena]

I have been reading crap on my Kindle for too long and now want to go back to reading Proper Books. Past favourites include Atonement, Bring Up The Bodies, The Poisonwood Bible, The Sea and The Line of Beauty.

Any advice?

'Middlesex' is okay, but I love 'The Virgin Suicides' more (his debut). It is beautifully written and more spare than Middlesex, and to me works better because it tries to do less.

Talking of Steinbeck too, The Pearl is another that packs a real punch in not too many words.

Assume you've read, 'The Outsider' by Camus? Another one - but only read it when you don't mind being thoroughly miserable for a while!

Oh Remus I have been meaning to get hold of a copy of the Virgin Suicides. Inspired to go and find it now.

There is a book called 'Room' which is a modern book but one of the best things I have read in a long time.

Recently been re-reading Graham Greene, amazing, also Mister Pip by Lloyd Jones is lovely but devastating. Some great suggestions inspiring a rummage on the bookshelves for lost treasures!

How It All Began by Penelope Lively, The Stranger's Child by Alan Hollinghurst.

Mr Pip is good. It didn't turn out to be at all as I expected.

On a similar note, Evelyn Waugh's 'A Handful of Dust' is exquisite.

1984 - George Orwell

I'm re-reading it now, for the 1st time since my teens and am finding it horrifyingly accurate in its socio-economic analysis and predictions of Doublethink and Newspeak ("extraordinary rendition", anyone?)

Isn't it funny Cote how those kind of books will do that? The more you learn about the world around you the more prescient they seem. I had that experience with Brave New World, in it's analysis of the cult of youth and the rather contradictory attitude towards sex we have now.

I second all the Marilyn Robinson recommendations. Housekeeping, for me.

Has anyone tried Ondaatjie's 'Fugitive Pieces'? Heartbreakingly beautiful, and so incredibly well-written. Also that one set in Sri Lanka during all the troubles there - but I've forgotten its title - oh yes, I think it's 'Anil's Ghost'. I'm humbled before such talent and his ability to reach straight into one's heart, through his words.

Cote I am a huge Neal Stephenson fan. Currently working my way(slowly) through 'Quicksilver' - first of a trilogy - a huge fat book that you just can't rush, it's so packed with amazing and riveting detail! Found that I couldn't put down either 'Snow Crash' or 'Reamde' - but they were easier reads. 'Diamond Age' was weird and a bit more of a struggle; but I still had to read it all. 'Cryptonomicon' was the first I ever read and I loved it....

Dapple - I'm a huge Neal Stephenson fan, too Yes, I loved Cryptonomicon, too. Snow Crash blew my mind - totally in awe of the story he constructed, especially re the Sumerian mythology angle. I loved Diamond Age, too, even before I had DC. Insights into how to raise a child with an independent mind, cultural analyses (Victorian, Chinese, etc), even a bit of martial arts instruction. Brilliant stuff

I was actually quite disappointed with Quicksilver and its two sequels remain the only books by this author that I haven't read. The flippant tone and implausible characters (Blackbeard the pirate? A former harem slave who is now a French Countess? ) ruined it for me, I'm afraid.

You really must read Anathem. Truly brilliant and rather brain-hurty

Can't believe I've only just remembered Robert Graves: I, Claudius and Claudius the God.

Also wondering whether to suggest Patrick O'Brien, Master and Commander and all the rest. Superb writing, intelligent and gripping. He's been described as Austen- sur-mer, so depends if that takes your fancy.

Another O'Brien - Flann O'Brien. I confess At Swim-Two-Birds is still on my to-read pile, but The Third Policeman was rewarding though demanding.

How about (as IloveGC suggests above) some Graham Greene - his prose is the best ever.
The End of the Affair or Stamboul Train are good, or, if you want a lighter novel, Our Man in Havana is great.

Have you read Snow Falling on Cedars?
The Kite Runner or A Thousand Splendid Suns?

I wouldn't call Thousand Splendid Suns "intelligent" in any sense of the word. It is a 400-page tug on heart strings. Not a terribly well-written one at that.

I know lots of people hate it. I don't. It does tug the heart strings and isn't as strong as Kite Runner, but it is still a classic. Hardy and Dickens were mawkish - they are still classics, for what they reveal of the societies they are writing about. Hosseini is worth reading for that alone, imo.

It's not a question of like or hate. OP asked for "really intelligent" books and 1000 SS is anything but, since it does not engage the brain at all.

It is not a classic except maybe among chic-lit readers. It is a sob-fest written in English by an American whose "knowledge" about Afghanistan dates to his childhood. The book is not only far from well-written but is full of factual mistakes. (And I'm choosing my words here not to offend its fans'

Back to Neal Stephenson - yes, Cote, 'Anathem' is on my 'to read next' pile, and I'm grateful for your recommendation - from the blurb, I hadn't thought it would be as good as it obviously is. 'Quicksilver' is indeed somewhat heavy going at times, but I find his writing about Reformation/post-Cromwell England etc really fascinating - he must have done loads of research into that historical period! (I'm not yet halfway through it, so haven't yet encountered Blackbeard et al...) What a mind that writer must have. - I'm also impressed that I hardly ever encounter the usual irritating/intrusive Americanisms in his writing, as one would expect. I agree with you too about the themes of interest in 'Diamond Age' re: children's education, the pre-eminence of China in his futuristic world, and the extraordinary way he uses the much-maligned Victorian era as a kind of role-model of an ideal future society!

'Snow Falling on Cedars', notagiraffe - sorry to say that I tried hard with it but in the end just couldn't stand it. It seemed to me to be just semi-autobiographical wish-fulfilment daydream by an American who really fancies Japanese girls! I'm probably being unfair; still....[hmmm]

It's not a question of like or hate. OP asked for "really intelligent" books and 1000 SS is anything but, since it does not engage the brain at all.

It is not a classic except maybe among chic-lit readers. It is a sob-fest written in English by an American whose "knowledge" about Afghanistan dates to his childhood. The book is not only far from well-written but is full of factual mistakes. (And I'm choosing my words here not to offend its fans)

I will just pretend I didn't see you liken Hosseini to Dickens

dapple - I enjoy reading difficult books so have read many, but Anathem is really a challenge. There were parts of it where I had to put it down because I started getting a headache from trying to keep up with author's reasoning. Very intelligent and rewarding book. Like you, I also wonder what sort of a weirdo genius Neal Stephenson is.

After Anathem, I was very disappointed with Reamde. I hope he didn't have a lobotomy or something, because it seems impossible that the brain that wrote Anathem then went on to wrote the light action movie Reamde is. I wonder if he presold film rights.

I am reading Mansfield Park. I read it when I was in my early twenties, but have found I have got so much more out of it with, ahem, more life experience.

Agree entirely that Dickens is mawkish. Can't stand him, myself.

I liked The Kite Runner but detested Splendid Suns one - I thought it was shoddily written and that the characterisation was lazy.

Jane Austen is the best, of course. In fact, OP, ignore everything else on here and read/re-read her immediately.

Seconding Wally Lamb. Have read all three mentioned but could not step away from I Know This Much Is True.

The Ocean at the End of the Lane, Neil Gaiman
Life After Life, Kate Atkinson
The Light Between Oceans, ML Stedman
The Night Circus Erin Morgenstern

just finished and really enjoyed The Winemaker by Noah Gordon (he has written others, can anyone recommend?)
and just starting feast of the goat
and sounds like i should give Cryptonicum another go..
and happy to see The Book Thief on this list, very beautiful

Hi again Cote ( = fellow NS-fan, so more of the same here!). Interested to read your comments on 'Reamde': I do agree that towards the end it just turned into a superficial action-movie-type thing - it got rather silly and pretty superficial (though admittedly breathtaking, with Forthrast and Zula's multiple hairbreadth escapes from the rather intriguing ruthless terrorist Jones...) I also thought it had a cast of far too many characters, with consequently limited depth and development of same. But, as action-movie type novels go, it kept me well gripped (unto reading it into the small hours of morning and yawning all the next day, for quite a while!) The end was a let-down, like he just couldn't be bothered with it any more after 1042 pages. - What I did really like about it was the very topical exploration of virtual reality games/worlds (T'Rain etc), and computer viruses (a bit like Snow Crash) which are indeed a real threat in RL. Also liked the way the Chinese hacker was shown mercy, and then turned out to be one of the good guys! so some nice touches there. I don't know that much about computers but am interested, so NS's writing also helps me get up to date on IT through the medium of fiction!

I think he is just vastly talented, and likes to explore all the different kinds of writing that he can do...(a bit like Iain Banks/Iain M Banks who is also one of my heroes, now sadly deceased). - Well I'm getting keen now to get on to 'Anathem' once I've finished 'Quicksilver' (which makes me laugh because Hooke, Newton etc keep swigging mercury, thinking it is a cure-all! )...I like my brain to be a bit hurted, in a literary sense, mainly because it gets so little other (refreshing) stimulation, in these days of motherhood!! Which bit hurt your brain most? (so I can look out for it... then we can see who is the more rocket scientist of us maybe...)