Holiday reads

[janeite]

I need suggestions please, for books to take on holiday with me.

Things I like:

Jane Austen (well of course!) but I've read them all a zillion times and don't want to take them

Sort of literary historical crime fiction eg: Sherlock Holmes, The Matthew Shardlake novels by CJ Shansom

Terry Pratchett (read em all though); Stephen King (ditto) Isabel Allende (and again); teenage fiction, especially gritty urn=ban stuff and fantasy (hate adult fantasy though, except Pratchet and King); v well written and gripping history books (non-fiction obv)

Literary-ish fiction that isn't poncily over-written - eg: I liked "The Kite Runner" but hated "A Quiet Belief In Angels"; liked Douglas Coupland but hated Attonement; if that means anything!

No chick lit, no Richard and Judy (their suggestions are getting worse and worse) please. What I'd really like is a big fat historical trilogy thing that will last me days - i am a hideously fast reader and hate being without a book.

Please help me! Thank you!

interpretation of murder was the one i thought she might be thinking about

its ok not brill

it would be an easy holiday read

Have read "The Interpretation Of Murder" - must admit, I was a bit disappointed by it.

Arghhhh - sorry everybody: this is why dp gets frustrated with me in libraries - I've read too many books and have ridiculously high/fussy standards.

Janeite- I saw that on waterstones front page too- havent read it though...

Aplogies for all the typing errors btw - am trying to do lesson planning at the same time and flit between about 4 different screens.

All of the Kazuo Ishiguro's are great, but Remains of the Day and Never Let Me Go are essential

Shadow of the Wind was fantastic

Carter Beats The Devil by Glen David Gold, and Lovely Bones by his wife were both brilliant

Shadow of the Silk Road is a travel book through China and the Stans, Colin Hubron I think

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre is hilarious.

And Stef Penney's The Tenderness of Wolves I've only read a chapter of so far, but really lie it.

It's a pity you won't entertain sci-fi. Stephen Donaldson's Gap series is heart stopping

what about the betrothed alessandro manzoni

whats that australian book someone and someone

ok peter carey oscar and lucinda

managed to look it up by googling australian novelists

i have a terrible lack of memory cells

the chymical wedding lindsay clarke

Lol at someone and someone - read it!

Also read: Lovely Bones (liked a lot except the silly sex scene) / Case Histories / Tenderness Of Wolves (didn't like it) / Remains Of The Day / Never Let Me Go (sorry but I didn't like either of them they were what I'd call overly self-conscious writing) / vernon God Little (mad! ) / Carter Beats The Devil (can't remember much about it but know it didn't inspire me to read another by the same).

I haven't read Shadow Of the Wind or Shadow Of The Silk Road - so will look both of them up. Will google the others now as well.

Thanks everyone - keep em coming!

have you read many victorian novels

waht about the ragged trousered philanthropist
robert tressell

Ooh ooh - no I haven't read it but I know it's huuuuge isn't it? Tell me more!

Ooh ooh - no I haven't read it but I know it's huuuuge isn't it? Tell me more!

So excited I asked you twice!

it is quite readable i think..it is more like a victorian novel than a modern novel but a lot of the thesis is still relevant

it is important in its influence in socialism and the early labour party

Thanks. Think dp has a copy, so will dig it out.

DP has just had a major de-clutter though and a bin bag full of books (including all of the Thomas Hardys) have gone to the charity shop. Good excuse to buy new ones though!

Did you read Fingersmith?

How about

The Master by Colm Toibin.

American Pastoral - Philip Roth (or any of his later ones -very good).

Rachel Seiffert - The Dark Room

Shadow of the Wind is great!

What about Les Miserables?
Its massive, and is a must-read...

Papillon was great, although still not sure I agree with his reasoning.
Catch 22 is worth a re-read
American Psycho is great, but had to read the first 100 pages twice as nearly didn't give it time to get going.
The God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy was wonderful. I have A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth, but haven't read it yet. That's also supposed to be great
The Final Confession of Mabel Stark by Robert Hough is a true story about the last great American Tiger Trainer. It's outstanding. I bought it because the blurb had a quote from Kate Winslet saying that Mabel Stark was one of the heroines she would love to play in a film.

Janeite,do you mean 'Bleeding Heart Square' Andrew Taylor's new one?
Bought it from Amazon as soon as it was out,I love Andrew Taylor.I really enjoyed it.The description of 1930's London excellent.
Can recommend Philip Kerr too,he has written a series set in pre and post war Berlin which is magnificent.
You can buy the first 3 together in 1 copy,called'Berlin Noir'
Have also just read 'The Resurrectionist'. Didn't enjoy as much as Andrew Taylor,but not a bad read at all.

Great! Thank you. Right the Andrew Taylor is a must then; maybe Resurrecionist; am still trying to catch up on googling other stuff.

Any more please? Nothing too intellectual but still well-written.

You mentioned history books in your op - what about Georgiana, Duchess of Devonshire? It's a biography of Georgiana (obviously!) but really well-written & researched. Don't let the fact that they're doing a film of it with Kate Winslet put you off!

Agree with Mag7 about The Final Confession of Mabel Stark, I really enjoyed it, bit different!

Or the His Dark Materials trilogy by Philip Pullman? Bet you've read that one though!

Read the Pullman's - fab!

Georgiana looks good - but something I think would be better saved for snuggling up in Autumn with, if that makes sense!

I have just started reading The Red Tent by Anita Diamante. Fascinating biblical novel 'written' by Dinah the daughter of Jacob and Leah about her life.

Am enjoying it so far - it was recommended by other mumsnetters!