Panic! looking for something lovely... 4 hour train ride today

[popflos]

ive downloaded a pile of samples and im panicking that i cant find something to hold my interest thats worthwhile enough for a long train ride..
the last books ive loved were The history of the Rain, all the light we cannot see, the ocean at the end of the lane.. maybe the night circus or miniaturist come in to the same category, whereas my recent bout of the bees/imaginary friend/pilgrim etc just not quite beautiful enough to lose myself in, dont want to miss this opportunity to devour something lovely if anyone has something up their sleeve to hit the spot??

The Goldfinch

Yes Chippy that would be perfect but I've read it, on a long haul tour of Singapore and Oz, traveling is such a great opportunity to read something chunky I don't want to waste it! The nightingale? Not sure i fancy war right now.

The Signature of All Things by Elizabeth Gilbert? I found it a really engrossing read.

Perfect duchess thank you!! A bottle of wine and few miles under my belt and this is perfect. I'm big on botany, one of my all time favourites is eucalyptus by Murray bail. I suspect the botany won't last for ever but it's right up my street thank you. Happy train ride.

I also loved The signature of all things.
If you like botany I can recommend Amitav Ghosh,The sea of poppies.
There are 2 more books in that series but I haven't read it yet.

Loved signature of all things , not sure about sea of poppies having read the sample. Anyone else got a cracker that's written beautifully? Amazon told me to read a bit of chic lit called November 9 and now I really need something better!

I always recommend The Poisonwood Bible, amazingly written and completely engrossing.

Going back in time, I'd suggest I Capture the Castle. Or maybe Brideshead Revisited, or The End of The Affair or Cold Comfort Farm.

Or how about Kate Atkinson's Life After Life?

Yes to life after life

Big fat no to I capture the castle (never been so disappointed in a book) and poisonwood bible (tedious in the extreme)

Thank you. I loved LafterL and maybe a new Atkinskn is a good idea. Also enjoyed flight behaviour but havnt read poisonwood, it's on the list, I've heard it on many peoples top ten reads.

The sea of poppies takes fww chapters and then you are in the storry. I listened tobit on Audible though.

The night circus by Ellen morgenstern (I think). It's beautiful.

Oops, just spotted the date of your op. Keep it in mind for your next journey

Try A God in Ruins which is the companion book to LafterL. I loved it but it does get mixed reviews.

I've recently finished Out of the Darkness by Katy Hogan -- it's easy to read, so perfect for a long journey, but is definitely thought-provoking. In a nutshell, it's about friendship, fate, love, grief and the idea that maybe there's more to life than meets the eye. But make sure you have a hanky, as I cried buckets (in a good way!) x

I came here to recommend The Night Circus but Kanyesvest has beaten me to it. Not my kind of thing at all, usually, but I was absolutely entranced and read it like a child with a big smile on my face. What an imagination that author has ...

For traveling, I bring a handful of magazines from my stack of older ones that I haven't finished yet. That way I can toss them out along the way.

If you like a bit of Joseph banks try the conjurers bird by martin Davis.

And changing the subject slightly as I plan my own long haul flight , how about 100 years of solitude?

reviving this thread with a few long weekends planned and need a book!

loved conjurers bird, and nightcircus, but read out of the darkness in an afternoon and wish i hadnt.
100 years of solitude you really have to commit to and 25% im not sure its for me, so for a bit of down to earth i picked up Blackmoor by Edward Hogan. beautifully written prose set around coal mines and strikes, just lovely. and will make all the crazy mums feel quite sane!