To ask you what you are reading?

[notnearlythereyet]

Just that really.

I fell in love in Zadie Smith's prose, just finished 'On beauty'. In the middle of 'Anna Karenina' now and eyeing up 'A hundred years of solitude' in my handbag.

Interested in books that you would recommend, as this summery weather makes me want to curl up in a hammock and read, read, read..(don't have a hammock just yet so a beanbag has to do for now).

Have just read The Lemon Grove and thought it was fairly dreadful, ploughed on as it was recommended by a friend but it really wasn't me.

I read The shock of the fall this summer and loved it. I also resd The Humans which was a good, easy read.

I read The Luminaries for my book group and was a bit meh about it, quite clever but confusing, and I don't think it merited all the fuss made about it.

I'm currently reading Heatwave which I'm enjoying so far.

hates shock of the fall
Love the undertaking

currently reading abook about Mallory and Everest

I'm reading The Way You Look Tonight by Richard Madeley. I'm liking it but I had a big "oooh" moment several chapters in when I realised it's a vague (and several years later) sequel to his first novel. It's a good job I've already read that because within the first 50 pages basically all the twists of that book have been mentioned in passing.

TheAmazing

Richard Madeley's new book got a really good review last week from one of the broadsheets. Was it the Guardian magazine?

migonette

I don't know which it was, I didn't see it. But I'm not at all surprised because it's pretty good so far. Better than his first one.

Yes the interviewer did that "I'm amazed to admit how good it is- that difficult second novel" but the man can write. I sensed he went to the interview looking to sneer at him or look down on him and found it impossible

Just started We Were Liars by E Lockhart and A Brush with Nature by Richard Mabey.

Now on A Clockwork Orange. Struggling - wish there was a glossary inside.

I've given up on A Clockwork Orange several times Southeastdweller, good luck with it

Have just finished we were liars duchess. I loved it. Have just started the detectives daughter but in not really enjoying it.

A suitable boy

It's dragging in places.

Have just started the first in Elizabeth Jane Howard's Cazalet series - The Light Years. Enjoying it so far. I will take my time over this series, probably stretching it out up to Christmas, intermingling with other novels.

I've started reading several series recently, am part way through S J Parris's Giordano Bruno series, which is fab so far. And Ben Aaronovitch's Rivers of London series too - decidedly odd, but think I like it. And loving Susan Hill's Simon Serrailler series - have three more to go (inc the one due out in October).

I'm half way through Anne of Ingleside, which I bought in a charity shop; I don't know how I've never come across this book before. I'm enjoying it hugely.

Oh I'm so tempted to read an Anne book now, years since I read one. But not Anne of Green Gables. I don't think I can cope with Matthew dying right now.

Have you read the Emily books by the same author NoSnowJustSand? I think they are better.

I enjoyed 'The Shock of the fall' ....

Currently reading 'The Middlesteins' about a Jewish American family and specifically the matriarch of the family who is eating herself to death

I don't think I have read them TheAmazingZebraOnWheels ~ will have to investigate.

hmc I loved The Middlesteins, it's very moving on many levels. I might read it again actually.

Oh good NoSnow - its kind of heartening when someone enjoys the same book as you

I might well re-read it too. Got a lot from it in the first instance but expect to get still more from a second read

I've read the Middlesteins too and I quite liked it.
I just finished Richard Madeley's The Way You Look Tonight and liked it all the way through.
Not sure what's next, something totally fluffy and ridiculous perhaps.

The truth about the Harry Quebert affair by Joel Dicker. Mammoth book but quite easy reading and really enjoyable. Murder mystery set across 1970s and present day.

I also enjoyed The Shock of the Fall.

Also recently enjoyed Tuesdays with Morrie (very sad) and Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer. Really liked both.

Have read a few free books on my ipad recently too - mostly a load of guff but ok for the train commute.

I'm currently half way through Barracuda by Christos whatsit and i'm enjoying it so far. Even though the main character is an obnoxious little so and so!

I saw someone (sorry, can't find who it was) mentioned re-reading I capture the Castle by Dodie Smith each year. Just thinking about that book makes me smile!

For anyone who needs a good laugh I can recommend The tent the bucket and me, and I left my tent in San Francisco by Emma Kennedy. You dont have to be the slightest bit interested in camping to enjoy them (i'm most definitely not). They made me howl

I've recently read the Goldfinch and enjoyed it, though it could have been about 300 pages shorter imho.

I'm addicted to the Chief Inspector Gamache books. Love them so much I don't want to finish the series. About to start the Luminaries for book club.

Just back from holiday and read 7 books!

My favorited were lemon grove by Helen Walsh and the wrong knickers by bryony Gordon. Both great reads for different reasons. I also read vanished years by Rupert Everett. It was ok some interesting stories.

I also read always, alys by Harriet lane which I really enjoyed too.

The heart broke in by James meek which wAs ok.

The lie by Helen duns more again was ok but a bit repetitive with the descriptions of the trenches.

The 7th book called who I'm supposed to be or something was rubbish.

Not a bad run!

Tonight I'm starting red Joan by Jennie Rooney for book club.

Struggling to decide on a book to read next. I've been reading a lot recently, and think I may just have reached saturation point . Odd feeling.

Picked up Rubbernecker by Belinda Bauer to read, but am wholly unenthusiastic about it. Not the book's fault, because it looks like it's a great story, and I know I like Belinda Bauer's novels - have read all of them so far. So, just me then. Taking some time out from reading may be the answer.

I'm reading a terrific book called Far from the Tree by Andrew Solomon. It's a very long, non-fiction book about how parents cope with having children who are "different" - so children who are deaf, or autistic, or have dwarfism or Down's Syndrome schizophrenia, and many other conditions. There's a chapter for each condition. He's interviewed loads of parents and their children for every chapter, very sensitively and sympathetically.

The question that seems to arise in each case is: do the parents try to make their children "normal"? Or do they accept them as they are? So you can actually get limb-lengthening procedures, for example, to help children with dwarfism grow to a near-average height, but they're incredibly painful and require the child to spend a lot of time in hospital. Or do you teach the deaf child to lip-read, or have them fitted with cochlear implants, or do you encourage them to learn sign and celebrate deaf culture? It's completely fascinating, but heartbreaking too.