Book for DP for Christmas?

[Sadik]

It's actually for my DF to give to my DP (I know, I know, but DF is elderly & has limited shopping options, so buying a book through Amazon is a simple answer for him). He'd like something to wrap & we only do small presents, so ideally but not essentially in paperback.

DP reads lots of thrillers, but it's hard to know what he'd like but hasn't read. He's interested in history, likes things like the Bernard Cornwall Saxon books, has read all of William Boyd. Definitely not 'literary-books-in-which-not-much-happens' (hated Remains of the Day for example). Also definitely no SF or fantasy, it just bemuses him.

Yet again the answer to all book questions is Master And Commander by Patrick O'Brien. Naval life in napoleonic wars. Lots happens. Subtlety funny as anything, and there are 19 more in the series if DH likes the first one :) you're welcome

Previous poster has reminded me of the Flashman series which are fantastic and I think would be interesting to people who like history. (I must reread them!)

Shantaram is also excellent.

C. J. Sansom: Shardlake series. Can't recommend them highly enough. If he liked Bernard Cornwell, he'll like Sansom.

Roberts Graves wrote a lot of very good historical fiction as well. The obvious place to start is I Claudius.

Sorry, should say he's read flashman, shardlake, O'Brien etc - he's in his 50s & reads a lot, so probably not the obvious ones IYKWIM

He might like:

Sweet Tooth - Ian McEwan
Some of Robert Harris’s books - eg Enigma, Archangel, Fatherland
The Stieg Larsson trilogy - not for everybody but if he likes thrillers, he might enjoy them.

Actually, Fatherland is a good thought. I know he's read the Roman books by Harris, but not the alternate history ones.

Also, i've prodded and he HASN'T read Shardlake! (Has read all the Hilary Mantel Tudor books, but not those.) So that's two good suggestions for dad.

But having said that if anyone has any more recent suggestions, I can pass those on too (as both the above easily available from the library).

what about Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir. Not history (more about the potential future) but a bit of a thriller. Or I am Pilgrim which is pure thriller.

I've just finished Judas 62 by Charles Cumming and it's brilliant. Easy to follow and un-putdownable. It's a spy thriller (Russia, Dubai. London, USA). The author is very knowledgeable about Russia and involves modern real-life events (poisonings). Lots going on. What else can I say? I loved it.

I thought Rose Tremaine's Restoration and it's sequel were similar to Shardlake, but better.

Too late to edit my post but it's just occurred to me that Restoration has swearing and lots of bawdy sex in it so maybe not a suitable gift from your DF! Worth getting from the library, though.

If he is interested in Scotland he may enjoy Nigel Tranters historical fiction?

Has he read any of the books by Elly Griffiths about Ruth Galloway. She is an archaeologist who gets called in by police when bodies of an unknown date are found and the stories are usually a mix of something archaeological and a modern day crime. I like the Bernard Cornwall Norman series and I like these.

Sebastian Faulks, The Seventh Son. Gripping!

Ok as he's read o'Brien I offer the Wool trilogy. A.mazing dystopian mind boggling wow cor blimey it's a corker, stuff!

Of go USA and offer Lonesome Dove. Again first in a trilogy. Superb writing, lovable characters, non stop action

What about Dan Jones’ Essex Dogs? Haven’t read them yet but am a big historical fiction fan and they are on my Xmas list.

Definitely no sci-fi / dystopia etc (I think not even near-future like the Faulks). But otherwise, keep 'em coming!

@Jecstar this looks perfect!

Robert Harris, Act of Oblivion, history mixed with thriller. My in laws, my mum and me all read it and enjoyed it and we are quite a mix of ages.

An Instance of the Fingerpostby Iain Pears

Devil in the White City by Erik Larson. It's an amazing book.

All the light we cannot see? Historical