can someone recommend me a book?

[Stargazing]

used to read voraciously, but had 2 children in 16 months and have no time/ energy/ concentration for ages ... am fed up with trying to convince myself that Closer is the modern day Pride & prejudice ... can someone recommend a book that they've enjoyed?

If it helps, I love classics, and some of my favourite modern novels are: The Kite Runner, True History of the Kelly Gang, A fine Balance, Possession, The Lovely Bones, The Famished Road, My Life as a Fake...

would really appreciate some help! thanks

I have just finished "The Electric Michaelangelo" by Sarah Hall.

About the life of a tatto artist starting in Morecambe in 1907. Sounds bizarre but I wanted to follow every word rather than skim read as the descriptions are amazing.

'tattoo' artist....

What I Loved by Siri Hustvedt
Restless and The Blue afternoon by William Boyd
Daughter's of Jerusalem by Charlotte Mendelson
Mother's Milk Edward St Aubyn
Port Mungo Parrick McGrath
Faith Fox Jane Gardam
The Slow Train to Mila Lisa St Aubyn de Terain
Secret History Donna Tartt
Seventh heaven, Here on earth, The Probablre Future by Alice Hoffman

Anything bt Anita Shtieve

Half of a Yellow Sun by Chimamanda Adichie.

Small Island by Andrea Levy

Tipping the Velvet or Fingersmith by Sarah Waters

The Attack by Yasmina Khadra

Total, I'm going to get Half of a Yellow sun this week, can't wait to read it, though it sounds a bit harrowing....

And Small Island was great, loved it.
I liked White Teeth and On Beauty by Zadie Smith, ( but couldn't get on with Autograph man)

I loved the Sarah Waters ones too. Affinity and The Night Watch are also good.

On Green Dolphin Street by Sebastian Faulks was book which stayed with me for ages; has anyone read it?

Is On Green Dolphin St the one set in the States?

Yes, it's 1950's 60's irrc New YorkWashington. The main charater is English. Very romantic. Not really the sort of novel I usually would have picked, but I was away and it was all I had left. I really loved it. very well written.

I know. Yes, I loved it too.

nfk- I've never met anyone who's read the Siri Hustvedt, What I loved- also US ( she's Paul Auster's wife) Have you read it?

Yes. It's wonderful. She's very gifted.

Oh you've read everything... recommend some more good books - go on- please!

What sort of books do you like?

Recently I've read:

Novel About My Wife, Emily Perkins. Very good. Still in hardback though.
Beijing Coma. Totally superb. Also still in hardback.
The latest Lee Child. Can't remember the title. Usual fare.
The Great Gatsby. Never fails.
The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. Again, never fails.

I am currently reading Suite Francaise which is sad and scary and also good.

Siri Hulvesdt has a new book out.

I found the latest Jonathan Coe (Rain before it falls) and the latest Sebastian Faulks (Engleby) v. readable.

Thanks nkf. I had the Emily Perkins on my list of to reads.
Bejing Coma sounds interesting
Yes, The Sorrows of an American is hustvedt's new on isn't it? Will wait for pb to come out.

Wheely I think I'm going to try Jonathan Coe, he keeps cropping up and sounds good.

I've not read Johnathan Coe. Perhaps you could read and report back.

Yes! Tho have a long list atm... reading Patrick Gale- tried him?

Message withdrawn

I think Elizabeth Jane howard is very underrated- isn't Confusion hers? Great read.

I just finished A Thousand Splendid Suns (Khaled Hosseini) it was amazing, I cried when I got to the end.

I just finished The Interpretation of Murder by Jed Rubenfeld. Could NOT put it down. Had to send dh out with dcs.

All Jonathan Coe's books. I've loved every single one but they are all very different.
Recently read The Danny Scheinmann one, Random Acts of Heroic Love, and really enjoyed that.
Will ponder some more...

I really enjoyed 'My French Whore' by Gene Wilder. It's really funny and touching.

I've got 'My French Whore' on my shelf to read soon.

Tried any Kazuo Ishiguro ? He wrote Remains of the Day. His last novel, 'Never Let Me Go' is fantastic

The Final Confession of Mabel Stark by Robert Hough - The story of the great American female Tiger trainer. It's gripping.