Suggestions for holiday reading

[Fuschia]

Yes, I'm optimistic!

Any ideas? Please make suggestions of books I can get from the library, preferably.

I like all sorts, some historical fiction, women private eyes, the woman who wrote death du jour, the sort of general paperbacks you biy at stations in the 3 for 2 offers (but not chicklit) science fantasy... thrillery sort of books but not too gorey.

[buggie]

One of my best holiday reads has been "No time for goodbye" by Linwood Barclay, it's a thriller (I don't normally go for thrillers) but isn't too heavy going and is v easy to read (think I read the final half of it in one day - mainly as I was desperate to know what happened!).

Am reading at the mo "One Day" by David Nicholls which is really good and is fairly easy to break into chunks (if distracted by kids!).

[sanity girl]

You may have already read it but my all time favourite read is the Count of Montecristo by Dumas - action and suspense all the way!

[bumpy]

The Shadow of the Wind by Carlos Ruiz Zaf?n

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

[sanity girl]

Also Star of the Sea by Joseph O'Connor - about a ship taking irish emigrants to the US during the potato famine - totally gripping and great if you love historical fiction

[sanity girl]

Sorry keep thinking of more - Ingenious Pain by Andrew Miller - again historical fiction and a real page turner. But he wrote it a while ago so you may well have read it...

[Keef]

some historical fiction, women private eyes,

Lydsay Davis' books about Didius Falco, a Roman private eye of sorts. Good fun, apparently taking care to be historically accurate, so quite interesting, and funny in a very dry humoured way.

[Fuschia]

I think I've read the Linwood Barclay, but not the rest...

[Vickster]

You might have read them already, but the Larsson trilogy are good (Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is the first one). Easy reading and real page turners.

Time Traveller's Wife is one of my favourite books of recent years, and the follow up called Her Fearful Symmetry is also really good.

In terms of historical fiction, The Other Boleyn Girl, and the others by the same author (forget her name) are very readable.

I also really liked 'One Day'.

[Fuschia]

Time travellers wife is one of my fave books so I will try the follow up... Read eveyrthing by Philippa Gregory...

[Alec John Moore]

I read English Passengers, by Matthew Kneale, last summer and it was the best read I've had in ages. Funny, thought provoking and a narrative that whisks you along it concerns an expedition led by a slightly deranged Victorian English curate to find the Garden of Eden. He believes it is located in the centre of Tasmania. The ship they use is crewed by a band of Manx smugglers and the play with language is really intriguing since it involves seafaring slang and the aboriginal English of the antipodean protagonists. I hope I'll find something equally enjoyable this year.

[Belle]

I recently read American Wife by Curtis Sittenfield, very loosely based on the life of an American First Lady (but not at all a biopic - won't say which First Lady just cos I found it quite fun working it out). It's a beautifully written story, more about the characters than the events although there are several life-shaping events which happen to the protagonist which will stay with you. I'm rubbish at explaining why books are good but I thought this was the best book I've read in several years.

ooh - you know who's great for holiday reading - Maggie O Farrell. All her books are fab (and quite moving) - but the latest, The Hand that First Held Mine - is about two different women, in different eras, both mothers, and how thye're connected. I read this on holiday and loved it. I did cry loads though! But in a good way.

[sanity girl]

thanks for reminding me about Maggie O'Farrell. I look forward to reading her latest - sounds good

[Vickster]

I have finished with my copy, so you are very welcome to borrow if it is not in the library.

Fuschia Wrote:

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> Time travellers wife is one of my fave books so I

> will try the follow up... Read eveyrthing by

> Philippa Gregory...

[Fuschia]

Vickster Wrote:

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> I have finished with my copy, so you are very

> welcome to borrow if it is not in the library.

Ooh, yes please!

I will sit myself down and see what they have in stock I can order. I just love reading when I get the chance.... and no internet where we're going so I will get loads read in the evenings. I usually manage to get through a book in a few hours, so I will need a big pile to last two weeks!

[Fuschia]

By the way, I recommend this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Hand-Chris-Cleave/dp/0340963425/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279118957&sr=8-1

[Fuschia]

So is this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Other-Impossible-Pursuits-Ayelet-Waldman/dp/0552772925/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1/203-8977762-9719937?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1189964461&sr=8-1 and anything by Lolly Winston

[Vickster]

No worries, let me know if you need it.

My other suggestion, although very old so you have probably read it, is Life of Pi. Loved that book and still have a copy if you wanted to borrow as well.

[jenc]

Maggie O Farrell's The Distance Between Us is fab, and I'd second One Day by David Nicholls. One of my fave books is The Rotters' Club by Jonathan Coe, v absorbing but easy to get on with and amusing too. Also love Nevil Shute's A Town Like Alice, about a woman who goes to Australia after WWII, and I Capture the Castle by Dodie Smith. Neither are difficult to get into. Happy holidays!

[bumpy]

Another very easy holiday or even plane read is White Tiger

[Vickster]

The Other Hand sounds great, I will get ac opy for my hols I think.

[new mother]

Anything by Kazuo Ishiguro....

[sophiechristophy]

Just read The Help - black perspective of working as domestic help in Mississippi in the 1960s, really good:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Help-Kathryn-Stockett/dp/0141039280/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279127027&sr=8-1

[Fuschia]

Vickster Wrote:

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> No worries, let me know if you need it.

>

> My other suggestion, although very old so you have

> probably read it, is Life of Pi. Loved that book

> and still have a copy if you wanted to borrow as

> well.

I prob would like to borrow both if poss! I am good at giving books back, btw

[The Nappy Lady]

Shadow of the wind is fab - I second that suggestion.

Also from our hols last year - the Gargoyle - bear with it as first couple of chapters quite hard going but after that - amazing.

Company of Liars - a really great read and hard to put down.

My hubby loves the Falco books that Keef mentioned but I don't get on with them.

I enjoy most Libby Purves books.

Will post again if I think of more.....

M