not read a proper book in over a year..

[stuffitllama]

by which I mean it's been lots of thrillers and easy reads and I seem to have lost the ability to "work" at a book. Does anyone have any recommendations to get me back into it? I need something with a real plot, kind of a page-turner, but with body, y'know? I can't really explain it. I mean something like a Dickens, basically, gripping but worth reading! I would really appreciate some recommendations. I think I might be looking for a translation. Am struggling through Name of the Rose at the moment and waiting for it to become rewarding. Really don't like fiction which has a precious gimmick (Time's Arrow eg) or is fatally introspective, and I am not keen on American fiction or (sorry) Virago type stuff (sorry for the appalling generalisations).

If anyone can help it would be great. Thank you v much.

Don't know if I need to bump or if somebody might find it in topic later so just giving a bump anyway.

Anybody?

please?

Um ok
would like to try to help
have had the same problem since I got pregnant, dd now 31/2 still have not managed anything big, but I was probably not well read as you in the first place, and I am a bit Virago ish.
Have just checked my book shelves, and realise I am a light weight

Gone with the Wind. (my fave)

Ta glucose and VS x

Tell me about GWTW -- does it grip from the first page

It's hard reading at first, very dickensian in the wording, extremely descriptive iyswim, but I absolutely love both the book and the film, I'd say it's quite quick to get used the writing style and then yes, it grips.
So farking sad too.
Scarlett rocks.

Right ok it's on my list tks x

oh boy I really could do with four or five recommendations

What about osme of the ones based in China?
Wild swans kind f thing, but nore recent?

Or a Margaret Forster one? Not really hard to read, but interesting.

Sorry, probably no good.

I've read GWTW and found it brilliant.

Yes, a Wild Swans kind of thing .. never heard of Margaret Forster will google.

Why have I never read GWTW?

oh dear everyone is struggling and you are trying so hard stuffit
other than gripping what other things do you look for?
My favorite read of the last year has been Restless by William Boyd

Daphne du Maurier? Or is that too much of a page turner type thing?

Or Olivia Manning, The Balkan Trilogy, that's a grea book, lots going on.

I second Margaret Forster, esp The Battle for Christabel

Or, I've just remembered, Rohinton Mistry, A Fine Balance or Such a Long Journey. Both v good

the bookthief. very clever and very readable. can't remember who wrote it I;m afraid

hi glucose and thanks I am bashing on!
Guardian has a nice review of Restless -- that looks like a really good bet
MF has produced a lot! Will need to investigate further

Hoping for a list of five for Amazon order tomorrow night

Love finding insights into other cultures.. I was in a book club but got a big fed up of the books, I think there might be a "book club" type of book which I find off-putting .. I really did not like "Kevin" at all, and found the "Girl with a Pearl" author most irritating, also lots of American family introspection ..

The sort of book I need is the Time Traveller's Wife.. except I've already read it.

shreddies was going to day Du Maurier, but I have never read Dickins so I was not sure if it was of similar standing.
Have really enjoyed Du Maurier Rule Britannia in particular

wow thanks everybody
Rohinton Mistry is on our shelves. Maybe I'll try it again. Last time I tried I was a bit over-asia'd in book terms but it's been so long since then maybe it will grip again.
there was a thread about the book thief, I'll go and hunt it.
(I was just thinking a book like Rebecca might do the trick as well shreddies)

This publishers always have something I like

www.persephonebooks.co.uk/

also enjoyed this, and it was reviewed in the Guardian too, I now feel much more well read than before I got onto the thread!

books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/history/0,6121,1519031,00.html

possibly getting a bit too virago ish now

that's a great link glucose, i fancy a bit of that
hopefully nothing to woolf-ish, find her and bloomsbury completely unreadable

'the testament of gideon mack' was also very good - really readable and gripping, and fascinating! I don't know anyone else who has read it unfortunately..

thanks ratbunny it's in my amazon basket with restless and gwtw.. still not sure about mf and haven't had a proper look at persephone yet
you guys are great

I agree with Testament of Gideon Mack, was very original.
Half of a Yellow Sun was absolutely excellent and about a topic I never would have known anything about, read it!

I could go on, as am a complete nerd about books but those I'm sure you'll get 101 great suggestions.

anything at all by amy tan (kitchen gods wife/bonesetters daughter/recent one ?saving fish from drowning? etc) really well written page turners about chinese women sometimes in china and sometimes in america

Bel Canto, ann pratchett.....a hostage story set in south america....engrossing, realistic flawed characters, funny and moved me to tears...

Restless was a great book

yellow sun looks interesting tks have just googled, but would like to see it in a bookshop for the style --
i'm so out of practice that if it's written in a certain style, for example with odd punctuation (er like me) or with three "first persons" i could really struggle

Rebecca got me back into reading after having DS, it's fantastic