Whats the best book you've read this year???

[Love2bake]

Mine would be The Kite Runner.

Noonar - RE: Atonement. I read this for a book club and if I hadn't I probably would have given up after about 150 pages. However am sooo glad that I had to finish it because it was well worth and I ended up loving it. So don't give up!

Am loving this thread, thanks for all the great suggestions

Might read 'miracles of life'.
Watched empire of the sun when I was akid and it was one of them films that stayed with me. Probably the 1st film I enjoyed.

Precious Bane.

Not a new one but a real discovery for me. Loved it.

1984

am trying to nurture the culture of modern classics

this is great

peasholme - What kind of books do you like?

I ask this because I can divide Ballard's books into several kinds:

1. mild but interesting (Empire of the Sun, Kindness Of Women, his autobiography Miracles Of Life)
2. controversial but still 'sane', dealing with the pathology and even psychosis of current social dynamics (Cocaine Nights [not really about drugs], Super-Cannes, Kingdom Come)
3. completely out there but imho very interesting (Crash, The Atrocity Exhibition)

He also has several short story books. I read one called 'Vermillon Sands' which would fall half way between (1) and (2).

That last group I would only recommend as an introduction into Ballard's world if you like the kind of book/film that can only be called 'weird and twisted' - like early films of Cronenberg (one of which was Ballard's 'Crash'), peasholme - What kind of books do you like?

I ask this because I can divide Ballard's books into several kinds:

1. mild but interesting (Empire of the Sun, Kindness Of Women, his autobiography Miracles Of Life)
2. controversial but still 'sane', dealing with the pathology and even psychosis of current social dynamics (Cocaine Nights [not really about drugs], Super-Cannes, Kingdom Come)
3. completely out there but imho very interesting (Crash, The Atrocity Exhibition)

He also has several short story books. I read one called 'Vermillon Sands' which would fall half way between (1) and (2).

That last group I would only recommend as an introduction into Ballard's world if you like the kind of book/film that can only be called 'weird and twisted' - like early films of Cronenberg (one of which was Ballard's 'Crash')peasholme - What kind of books do you like?

I ask this because I can divide Ballard's books into several kinds:

1. mild but interesting (Empire of the Sun, Kindness Of Women, his autobiography Miracles Of Life)
2. controversial but still 'sane', dealing with the pathology and even psychosis of current social dynamics (Cocaine Nights [not really about drugs], Super-Cannes, Kingdom Come)
3. completely out there but imho very interesting (Crash, The Atrocity Exhibition)

He also has several short story books. I read one called 'Vermillon Sands' which would fall half way between (1) and (2).

That last group I would only recommend as an introduction into Ballard's world if you like the kind of book/film that can only be called 'weird and twisted' - like early films of Cronenberg (one of which was Ballard's 'Crash') and William S. Burroughs' books.

Possibly the safest bet is to start with his autobiography, 'Miracles of Life'.

What happened there? This was the post:

peasholme - What kind of books do you like?

I ask this because I can divide Ballard's books into several kinds:

1. mild but interesting (Empire of the Sun, Kindness Of Women, his autobiography Miracles Of Life)
2. controversial but still 'sane', dealing with the pathology and even psychosis of current social dynamics (Cocaine Nights [not really about drugs], Super-Cannes, Kingdom Come)
3. completely out there but imho very interesting (Crash, The Atrocity Exhibition)

He also has several short story books. I read one called 'Vermillon Sands' which would fall half way between (1) and (2).

That last group I would only recommend as an introduction into Ballard's world if you like the kind of book/film that can only be called 'weird and twisted' - like early films of Cronenberg (one of which was Ballard's 'Crash') and William S. Burroughs' books.

Possibly the safest bet is to start with his autobiography, 'Miracles of Life'.

Oo, thanks for comprehensive response, CoteDAzur.
I think I head some of the autobiography on the radio recently and enjoyed it. I am deeply ashamed for not having got round to reading him before. Books I like (recently enjoyed and all time favourites) include David Mitchell, David Gates, Edward St Aubyn, Jonathan Coe before he went crap, Ian McEwan before he went crap, Henry Miller, Brett Easton Ellis, Michael Faber, Michael Frayn, Carol Shields...can't think of anything else off the top of my head. I shall follow your suggestions at the local library. Thanks very much.

ps love early Cronenberg. So should be alright!

very interesting, love2bake, that you found the beginning of atonement a bit hard to get into, too.

trouble is, have now seen the film, so i think i've missed my opportunity to finish the book.

John MacEnroe's autobiography. Excellent for anyone who remembers when Wimbledon meant proper volleys, and men in short snug shorts. Includes pics of Bjorn Borg in his prime.... and in his little shorts.....

Now available FFP.

Big Breasts and Wide Hips- sounds odd, it's not porn(!)-
but is a very interesting read. Set in wartorn China, follows the life of one mother, through the eyes of the anti-hero son.

I've never read a book like it. Highly recommended. Very weird. Very uncomfortable. Thought-provoking, well written/translated(?)....

I'm sorry but I daren't ask for that in the library BTulip!

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi, about a girl's life in Iran. It's in the form of a comic book. So funny and moving. I know it might sound worthy but it s brilliant.

Yes, I can see you might think that a little embarrassing(!)

Ask your library if they happen to have any books by Mo Yan instead..... I came across it in the Guardian Literary Section, so it's quite reputable(!), honestly!!

seven types of ambiguity.

by a country mile, it is an absolutely amazing book.

The Great Gatsby
A Spot of Bother

Revalation by Sansom

love falls by esther freud

Oooh I've got my eye for the Esther Freud. And Persepolis looks amazing too. Cracking thread!

It has to be "Journey of souls" by Dr M Newton. Bloody fasinating book. Its one where you have to pass on to anyone who will listen

Agree with Sophable, Seven Types of Ambiguity is fab. As is Fall on Your Knees by Ann Marie MacDonald.

Time Traveller's Wife and Wuthering Heights (ok, I have read that one about ten times but I do love it!) also loved this year:

The kite runner
A thousand splendid suns
The book thief
Randoms acts of heroic love (think that is the title)

Now onto the 'Other Bolyen Girl' - anyone else read that? Should I press on as I am quite liking it so far?

bluebumedfly - I loved time traveller's wife, found it really funny and touching. It suprised me. Was The book thief good? I'm looking for a really good book to read next

Mollsawally - TTW was wonderful eh? My friend said she thought it was contrived!? Well duh! (Very adult reaction from me of course) it is a book about a man who can travel through time for goodness sakes, it was hardly going to be real was it. What she missed was the total and unending love that they held for one another.

The Book Thief is great, again, really touching and it has the most amazing characters who surprise you right till the end. Not saccharine sweet by any means, if fact it has some hideously sad truths but that is half of its wonder.

Have recently plumbed (mined?) a rich seam in discovering the contemporary American writer Joyce Carol Oates.... Fantastic thick meaty reads; Middle Age, Mother Missing, The Falls, We Were the Mulvaneys - there are enough to keep you going for about a year! I highly recommend them. Also finally got round to reading the Ghost Road trilogy by Pat Barker which was brilliant.