What are you reading now?

Seems to be a season for older writers I've just finished Margaret Drabble's The Dark Flood Rises. Can't say it was my favourite book and it isn't something to read if you are a bit depressed or worried about growing old and death. Strange to be reading her again she was so much a part of a different time in my life.

Just finished The Girl in the Red Coat by Roma Ligocka. Heartbreaking and true, a small girl's bewildered impressions of living in occupied Poland. I've never seen Schindler's List but must do so now. I'd avoided the film in spite of many recommendations.

Trisher - I'd enjoyed Margaret Drabble's books until The Radiant Way (named after my 1940s school reading book!)

Oh I remember both of those Eirel. Also a reading scheme called "The Gay Way" -that had to change!

I've just finished 'The Invention of Wings', by Sue Monk Kidd, set in America during pre-abolition of slavery days. The heroine, Sarah, Is from a well to do family and is given a slave, Handful, as a birthday present but is horrified by the thought of slavery and of owning a slave. The book is told by both these characters and charts their lives and shows Sarah's increasingly important role in the anti slavery movement. At times, an uncomfortable read but too engrossing to put down, I was even more moved when I discovered at the end that it was based on the real life of Sarah.

elrel do watch Schindler's List. It's well worth it, although possibly a film you only want to watch once. It's the last scene which tends to reduce people to tears.
I've just started reading The Durrels of Corfu by Michael Haag. It's the real story of their life in Corfu and what happened afterwards.

I am new to this thread - hello.

I have just started reading a collection of short stories written by Elizabeth Jane Howard called 'Mr Wrong'...they are gripping and a wry observation of life and relationships...

One of the short stories is so surprising...

I'm reading The Seven Sisters by Lucinda Riley. Sublime, light escapism, apparently there is a follow up book for every sister, who were adopted from various parts of the world by a rich adoptive father who dies at the beginning of the book, leaving each, now adult daughter, a clue to her origins. Loving this book, partly set in Rio switching between a very recent past and the 1920s when the statue of Christ the Redeemer was being created to place on the top of Corcovado Mountain. I was lucky enough to go to Rio and up the Corcovado a couple of years ago.

I`ve just finished The Steel Kiss, by Jeffrey Deaver, really enjoyed it, but then I love the Lincoln Rhyme books. My next book will be Never Never, by James Patterson and Candice Fox.

Just started reading Paula Hawkins' new one. Loved Girl on the Train, loving this one so far.

Deedaa - you're right, I must watch it.
Also I think I might reread Gerald Durrell's 'My Family and Other Animals' plus his other books.
I've just begun Wulfruna, a gory tale of rivalry in Saxon times.

Never Never is set in Australia, unusual for James Patterson, unless his co-author is an Australian?

Oops - I'm actually reading Wulfsuna, the Wolf Spear Saga part 1 by ES Moxon and very dramatic it is too!

I have reached the second book in a quintent of books by Tariq Ali set in Islamic countries and with Moslem characters. The first book was set in Spain when the Christians were retaking the area back from the Moslems, the second one is set in Mesopotamia in the 12th century. The books are about ordinary people, families and war, but set in a culture, time and place that I don't know much about, very readable and fascinating.

Never Never was alright, but not really James Patterson`s best effort. I`m now reading A Mother`s Sacrifice, by Kitty Neale, set in the 1940s. OK so far.

I have just read 'The Cellist of Sarajevo' for our WI book club. It was enjoyed by all of us and given one of the highest ratings (we do a /10 ) and this averaged 8/10.
Has anyone else read this? I thought it was so very clever at putting the reader in the heart of a place and provoked a great deal of thought as to how individuals might react in a war /occupation situation. it was moving without being mawkish or sentimental.

I picked up a book called 'The Wolf Border' by Sarah Hall from the library on Thursday. There was a blurb on the back from Val McDermid who said she 'struggled to put it down' (having said that there are no similarities with the sort of stuff she writes). Well so did I. I had read it by Saturday morning. Some would say it's a fairly improbable story (although there are parallels) but she is a mesmerising writer who had a book shortlisted for the Mann Booker Prize, and her characters are thoroughly believable. It is a bit "earthy" in parts but not extensively. I would recommend it.

I`ve just finished Doorstep Child, by Annie Murray, loved it. My next book, not started yet, will be A Cold Heart, by Jonathan Kellerman. I love his books, but haven`t read one in ages.

I've just finished 'The End of the World Running Club' by Adrian J Walker; very gripping and difficult to put down (also nothing like my usual book choice!)
Next is 'Just One Evil Act' by Elizabeth George- I started it ages ago, so long ago that I'm reading it from the beginning. I love her books, especially the Inspector Linley ones. It's a thick tome too, 708 pages!

Monty Don's "Nigel My family and other dogs"
I am one of (millions of?) Nigel's biggest fans!

Just in Case by Meg Rosoff, YA novel. On Tuesday I heard the author speak, an interesting woman. The book is a surreal take on teen angst.

I've just finished reading "This must be the place" by Maggie O'Farrell. It was worth persevering with. Well written. Need to find something else now, not sure what. I've a few downloaded ones still to read on my kindle, so it might be one of those, though I do love the feel of real books in my hand!

I have just started "The Mandibles" by Lionel Shriver. It's a family saga. Can't see me finishing it.

I am reading the autobiography of Allan Johnson (former home sec) - very well written and interesting.

I am enjoying (for 3rd time) "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society" by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows.
It's a story set in the Channel Islands during the German Occupation and, as I am very interested in this period of history, I am really enjoying it again.