A 'non-holiday' book to read on holiday....

[ClashCityRocker]

Ok, so in a couple of weeks DH and I will be going to stop in a log cabin in Scotland for a week and I'm hoping you lovely mn'ers will be able to help me.

I have visions of days spent lolling grandiosely about with my head stuck in a good book during down time. This will be the first physical book purchase in awhile, as I usually just read on my kindle (due to DH operating a strict one in, one out policy on actual books as the spare room now resembles a library) however, the place we are staying has a hot tub, and therefore, using my kindle in it might not be the best idea...

So, I'm looking for two or three really good books to take with me.

My favourite authors are: Stephen King, Terry Pratchett, Chuck Paulanuik, Brett Easton Ellis, Irvine Walsh, Lionel Shriver....however I've read pretty much all their offerings.

I also enjoyed the hunger games trilogy and GoT books.

To be honest, I can get on with most books, but am not a big fan of 'chick-lit' (confessions of a....and Bridget Jones Diary etc) or the typical 'holiday book club' type reads....(I'm thinking of the type that used to make up Richard and Judy's bookclub type with the swirly writing on the cover and 'a secret that threatens to ruin everything' included in the blurb)

Does anyone have any suggestions?

Thanks all

SWounds to me like you'd like JG Ballard's writing. The only two I've read are Cocaine Nights and SuperCannes both of which are weird and brilliantly written. He's really prolific so maybe look at his wiki page or on Amazon and see what you fancy.

Douglas Coupland maybe? Girlfriend in a Coma or Generation X?

Have you ever tried Kate Atkinson's crime novels - When Will there Be good News or Started early Took My Dog? You might quite like her. Or Donna Tart - The Goldfinch is good imo.

You also might like some classic crime fiction if you like the darkness of King and Ellis.

Miss Peregrines home for peculiar children.

Anything by Scarlett Thomas

Kate Atkinson - any of the Brodei ones or Life after Life
Colin Bateman - quirky

Oooh or Kiss Me First by Lottie Moggarth

Nightingale Wood

I'm loving "We are all completely beside ourselves" by Karen joy Fowler. I can't tell you what it's about because it would spoil a big twist in the plot!

Douglas Coupland - 'Life After God' and 'Miss Wyoming' are his best imho.

The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenedes

You might like Haruki Murami, but, 'After Dark' is the only one of his that's done much for me tbh.

Waterproof covers are available for Kindle.

I'd go for Middlesex over The Virgin Suicides.

How do you feel about Iain Banks?

Just read and loved The Rosie Project
Can't remember who by.

Non chick lit but not my usual crime/mystery/detective style

Rather humorous.

Thank you. Gonna have a bit of a google....quite excited at the thought of discovering some 'new' (well, new to me anyway) authors. There's nothing quite like getting into a book by someone you've never heard of and thinking 'wow...what have I been missing!'

Or Donna Tart - The Goldfinch is good imo.

If you are going to read Donna Tartt start with 'The Secret History'. I've just discovered Sarah Waters of Tipping the Velvet fame, I loved Fingersmith, it was such a page turner and more mysterious than I was expecting, her plotting is fab.

'Virgin Suicides' far better than, 'Middlesex' in my view - latter too long and rambling: needed some serious editing. Former much neater and punchier.

I was going to recommend The Goldfinch too. It's a wonderful book.

What, waterproof covers for a kindle?! How I wish somebody had told me that before I tried to read mine in the bath ok, I actually did this twice before realising it's a really stupid idea

I was going to recommend The Goldfinch too. It's a wonderful book.

Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. It's an acquired taste for some people, but it's the best book I've ever read, massive, and I think it'll be up your street.

irvine welsh has a new one out called the sex lives of siamese twins....not yet read it keeping it for my holidays next week

I'm doing similar but got some old books I've always meant to read, got Dracula, Jekyll and Hyde and War and Peace! Hope they're good!

Erm... Kith by Jay Griffiths? Not a novel but an excellent piece of work

To kill a mockingbird

The Stand by Stephen king, if you've not read it already, would be great in a hot tub in Scotland!

"f you are going to read Donna Tartt start with 'The Secret History'.
Agree with this.

Something by Margaret Atwood?

Scottish authors would be particularly appropriate for your holiday. I know this is Adult Fiction, but two excellent memoirs that read like novels and that are by Scottish authors are This is Not About Me by Janice Galloway and What to Look for in Winter by Candia McWilliam.

Try Kathleen Jamie - Sightlines and Findings. Scottish nonfiction nature writing but not like it sounds.

I was going to say The Stand as well, moo - it's always good for a reread :)

If you like Pratchett and GoT, OP, you might like Robin Hobb's books - start with Assassin's Apprentice and see how you go from there. Another good fantasy author is Joe Abercrombie - start with The Blade Itself. I also second Margaret Atwood; The Handmaid's Tale is superb, as is Oryx and Crake. John Wyndham's books might be a bit short for a proper reading holiday, but you could always take Triffids, Chrysalids, and Midwich Cuckoos and read the lot. Or perhaps Flowers for Algernon by Daniel Keyes - beautifully written and thought-provoking.

It sounds like a lovely holiday, anyway - let us know what you pick and whether you like it, I love hearing whether or not recommendations worked out for people :)

yy to Joan's suggestion of Kathleen Jamie. I've read both and thought them evocative and beautiful pieces. I did prefer Sightlines though.