Summer reads

really agree with Pillars of the Earth - far better than the TV adaptation

The Slap by Christos Tsiolkas.
At a party in a Melbourne suburb, an angry adult administers a slap to an out of control four year old whose parents have allowed him to become an intolerable brat. Consequences follow, sides are taken, life is never the same again for those involved. Both man and child behaved badly in the heat of the moment, but......
Some ripe Australian language, but none the worse for that!

Before I Sleep by S J Watson.
Chilling and intriguing.

How To Be A Woman by Caitlin Moran
Non fiction, she's the 21st C Germain Greer. Feminism with a very modern slant. She cleverly uses her own experiences to illustrate her point and articulates what we're all thinking about society today. It's a funny and intelligent read.

"The Horse Boy" by Rupert Isaacson - The true story of a fathers miraculous journey to heal his son. Rupert and Kristan Isaacson were heartbroken when they learned that thier three year old son Rowan was autistic.

If you know of anyone or have worked with anyone with autism you'll connect with this straight away.

A very interesting, informative and pleasurable read.

I'm thinking of rereading Barbara Pym this summer too as the GCs are here and as I remember most books thoroughly if not the title it will help that I don't have to concentrate fully. Also Elizabeth Taylor is a wonderful read and I feel there is a biography out quite recently. I agree about Donna Leon-just reading Beastly Things with a Venice full of tourists making me want an autumn visit. While doing an emergency babysit in the heat of Europe I read Borkmann's Point by Hakan Nesser-and the weather is always part of the story . A good read.

Am I depriving myself? I love reading and always have a book open.I love a wide range of subjects, historical,detective, family sagas, romance etc. etc.but when I pick up anything set in USA I put it down .I just know I can't get interested. Now and again I try again but not managed it so far.Any advice?

I am the same geordiejoy but I thought I would really make an effort and read The Help, it was very good.

After loathing history at school I now can't get enough of it! My favorite author is Sharon Kay Penman - her books are so well written. She has a new book out about Richard the Lion heart and I can't wait to get started. If you haven't read any of her novels start with The Sunne in Splendour set during the war of the roses - brilliant!

geordiejoy have you tried Ann Tyler, Jane Smiley (especially "A thousand Acres) ?

I thought Brixton beach was a fantastic book, not many people of my acquaintance have read it. Capital by John Lancaster, Monica Lewycka's new on Various animals dead and alive and a really quick read was The Death of Bees by Lisa O'Donnell

I'm also reading a book on the Kindle, a freebie, Surviving Schizophrenia, A Memoir by Louise Gillet, very interesting and thought provoking as I always wondered about this illness.

sunflowersuffolk I loved The Greenhouse, strange but had to read to the end and it was quite good

Jerusalem by Simon Sebag Montefiore - or Young Stalin by same author.
Charles Dickens by Clare Tomlin
Katherine of Aragon by Giles Tremlett
Wolf Hall and it's sequel by Hilary Mantel [sequel due out this week can't remember name sorry]
The Help by Kathryn Stockett

I absolutely loved Prodigal Summer by Barbara Kingsolver. Not as heavy as Poisonwood or Lacuna - it is about people and nature. A lovely book set in the states.
As is The Help. Gripping.
What other suggestions do we have to introduce geordijoy to the delights of US novels?
I also recently read "The Guernsey Literary and Potato etc" and thought it was absolutely delightful. Very sad that it was the author's only work.

One of my favourite authors is C J Sansom. He has written about a hunch back lawyer in the reign of Henry V111 and Oliver Cromwell. I don't usually like historical novels but couldn't put his books down. I can't remember the names of the books as I have passed them on to friends, but there are 4 in the series.
Hope this helps. They are all on Amazon!!

The Poisonwood Bible, Barbara kingsolver is brilliant & my best ever read

I've just finished 'The Kashmir Shawl' by Rosie Thomas. An intriguing tale, set in two time lines, but not confusingly so. The descriptions of Srinagar are stunning as the author travelled there herself and also studied the methods by which the exquisite shawls are - or were - made. I enjoyed the characterisation of Nerys and her grand-daughter Mair who is trying to find out about her life in Kashmir.

Thanks Ariadne.I'll look for those authors next time I'm in the library.
Grandmanorm the C J Sansome book you are thinking of is about Shardlake and the first in the series is Dissolution.It was recomended to me but I didn't get past the first two chapters.

An American classic is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn-by --Smith I think-lovely book about Irish Immigrants-

I loved the Kashmir Shawl too - another book with two time zones is Random Acts of Heroic Love by Danny Scheinmann - read it a few years ago but think I should read it again.

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is my very favorite book, I first read it at 14 and have returned to it often. Also Rebecca and Gone With the Wind. Maeve Binchy was a great author, so sad to hear of her death. Any good reads set in small English villages in the 40s and 50s? Love that era,would love reccomendations.

Re.Instance of the Fingerpost-Both my husband & i thought this was one of the best books we had read- I wanted to start it again as soon as I'd finished it!
He has another book out - can't remember what it is called but the library had it- also very good!

Just finished reading Kate Furnivall's 'The White Pearl' Anything she writes is such a good read. Finished the White Pearl at 2.00am! Connie, wife to Nigel and mother of Teddy. A loveless marriage on a rubber plantation in Malaya just before the fall of Singapore.
Full of nail biting adventure, right up until the very last pages.
I have read all Kate's books and can't wait for a further book.

The Help is one of the best books I have read lately. Really worth reading. So full of tension and fear.

Bit of a fantasy fan myself,just finished Game of Thrones very good. its a series on tv too.

Grandmanorm, I absolutely agree with you regarding the C.J.Sansom Shardlake books, but there are actually five of them. I`ve read them all, and am avidly hoping that there will be another!
I`ve just finished re-reading Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott, closely followed by Good Wives. I last read them when I was about 12, and really enjoyed reading them again. Am now looking out for Little Men and Jo`s Boys, the follow ups.