Time for a book recommendations thread

[Tooting Gull]

It's been a while since the last one, and what with holidays fast approaching etc I'm looking for some inspiration.

My two penn'orth for what it's worth from the past month:

'Miracles on the Water' by Tom Nagorski. A bloody amazing book, tragic and shocking, but laced with some hope as well. Tells story of the City of Benares ship taking 100 evacuee children to Canada during the war. It was torpedoed, and only 13 survived some after being in a lifeboat in the North Atlantic for eight days. I felt knackered just reading it.

'5th Horseman' by James Patterson. I'm a sucker for these on holiday, this one is more of the same, thriller-stylee. And the sooner Beach Road is made into a film, the better.

 

[Dave the OAP]

Last Harry Potter book out in July - that will be worth waiting for.

Just finished the last Terry Pratchett book ( Going Postal) that is ok if you like that sort of thing.

Robert harris - Pompeii and Imperium are both extremely readble books about ancient Rome.

 

[Icy Gull]

C S Sansom

Dark Fire or Sovereign . Who dunnit based in Henry V111's England. Well written giving, what to me was, a real feel of what it must have been to be alive in those days and an easy holiday read.

 

[Lokki 7]

A good holiday book is 'Caught Stealing' by Charlie Huston. It is the first book in a trilogy but I think the best of the three. It is easy reading but a very slick and clever crime story. Basically it's about an ordinary Joe that gets caught up in a whirlwind of events after agreeing to look after a neighbours cat. This simple start quickly degenerates into violence, drugs, kidnap and murder. A proper blokes holiday book and very enjoyable.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

We need to talk about Kevin by Lionel Shriver - Brilliant book, had me hooked from beginning to end

 

[Dave the OAP]

of course you could just get a load of TinTin picture books and let yourself be taken back to your childhood when things seemed simpler

 

[Gwylan]

Great British Bus Journeys by David McKie.

Exactly what it sounds like: bloke catches the bus and describes his journeys. Absolutely fascinating snippets of history, geography and general trivia.

 

[Starry]

Possibly a little girly for some of you

But The Memory Keepers Daughter, by Kim Edwards is a really great book.

I've just reread Sometimes A Great Notion by Ken Kesey as well, it's one of my favourites.

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Possibly a little girly for some of you

But The Memory Keepers Daughter, by Kim Edwards is a really great book.

I've just reread Sometimes A Great Notion by Ken Kesey as well, it's one of my favourites.

Have you read Beautiful Child by Torey Hayden? That's a brilliant book

 

[Superphil]

"Ooh Ah Stantona", hilarious and poignant book, read it.

Fatherland, Robert Harris, brilliantly written, excellent story, and, it makes you think what might have happened.

 

[Woodchip]

Reading Ben Elton - Chart Throb. Seems to be very good, and it's quite comical. Also recommend any Toby Litt books.

 

[Lokki 7]

Seems to be very good, and it's quite comical.

I thought you said it was by Ben Elton?

 

[Tooting Gull]

I thought you said it was by Ben Elton?

Wahey

You've been a great audience.

 

[Woodchip]

I thought you said it was by Ben Elton?

Jesus, Lokki cracked a funny.

 

[Behind Enemy Lines]

Twelve Grand by Jonathan Rendall is an hilarious book about his obsession with gambling and booze.

 

[Stat Brother]

'Edward Trencom's Nose', by Giles Milton.
Described as A Novel of History, Dark Intrigue and Cheese.

Although I'm finding it a little repetative it's certain a jolly good fun book, well written and slightly different to my normal summer read, and surprisingly a little bit rude, in places.

I've only 60 pages to go, by which time my copy of 'In search of Robert Miller' (or something like that) arrives, which I'm really looking forward too.

 

[Kenhead]

I'm currently reading Stephen King - Cujo.

I've finally started reading the Harry Potters and will start the fourth one next week, hoping to time it so that i finish the sixth in time for when the last one comes out.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Driving over Lemons by Chris Stewart.

Cracking book by the first drummer of Genesis.


From Amazon:

A funny, generous, wonderfully written account of an family making a life and home in remote but enchanting southern Spain.

At seventeen, Chris Stewart, the first drummer for the rock group Genesis, left the band and launched a career that included stints as a sailor, a sheep shearer, and a travel writer. And he has no regrets.

If he'd become a rock star, he might never have moved with his wife, Ana, to El Valero, a mountain farm in Andalucía, Spain, studded with olive, almond, and lemon groves -- but with no access road, water supply, or electricity. He might never have forged the friendship of a lifetime with his resourceful neighbor Domingo. He might never have had the adventures that resulted in both hilarious disasters and blissful serendipity. He might never have experienced the satisfying complexity of a simple life lived in one of Europe's most beautiful regions, among peasants, farmers, ex-pats, New Age travelers, and a growing family, or come to understand a place and its people with such depth and affection. And certainly Stewart, the eternal optimist, would never have written this delectable book and made us his utterly captivated audience.

 

[Schrödinger's Toad]

Driving over Lemons by Chris Stewart.

Cracking book by the first drummer of Genesis.

Just read that; top book ... I'm sure there's a sequel, but I haven't found it yet.

Currently reading Call of the Wild by Guy Grieve ... decent book, although it's getting a bit dull in the middle.

 

[Monkster]

Inn-Genius - The art & mastery of surviving business trip hotels

by John O'Hare

Written by my cousin

www.inn-genius.com