6 of the best - A thread for book lovers...

[LowMan]

We've just reached our eighth anniversary of life with our Cali. It's been life changing in many ways and we've certainly had some incredible adventures.

One of the unexpected spin offs though, has been the rediscovery of the joys of reading... When I was younger I was unquestionably a bookworm, but sadly it was a passion I allowed to lapse a little later in life. Probably the usual stuff... life just getting in the way.

But spending time away, often in a state of peace, quiet and escapism, has certainly allowed that passion to reignite. Just looking at the bookshelves, it's been nice to recall just how many books we've had time to get through over the last eight years.

So in an attempt at creating a positive thread, and as I couldn't spot another on here similar, I thought I'd set this simple challenge. To name 6 books you've read in the last couple of years, that you'd happily recommend to others.

It can be any genre, fiction or non-fiction. Doesn't have to be a new book. You may have just conquered 'Ulysses' and feel you'd recommend someone else trying. No need to give any reviews or commentary on your choices either. Just 6 books... titles and authors so we can find them.

Thanks in advance for anyone taking part...

Here's my 6:

'This Is Memorial Device' by David Keenan
'Broken Greek' by Peter Paphides
'What Just Happened' by Marina Hyde
'From Manchester With Love: The Life And Opinions Of Tony Wilson' by Paul Morley
'The Gallows Pole' by Ben Myers
'My Name Is Why' by Lemn Sissay

x

 

[Gavin123]

What a good idea:
A Boy in the Water by Tom Gregory
The last fighting Tommy by Richard van Emden
We were Warriers by Jonny Mercer
Barefoot Soldier by Johnson Beharry VC
Diddly Squat by Jeremy Clarkson
A walk from the wild edge by Jake Tyler

 

[GrannyJen]

I am reading "A history of Ireland in 230 episodes" ... basically a collection of podcasts put together as a chronological history.

Johny Mercer's book, mentioned above, is excellent.

 

[Loz2286]

Great idea.

I'm not really into fiction so my choices tend to be factual....the world is fascinating enough and the villains are scarier....

"Red Notice" - Bill Browder
"Freezing Order" - Bill Browder
"The Killer in the Kremlin" - John Sweeney
"Loose Head: The confessions of An (Un)Professional Rugby Player" - Joe Marler
"Landslide: The Final Days of the Trump Presidency" - Michael Wolff

Fiction:
"11.22.63." - Stephen King

You'll note a distinct interest in politics....sorry!

 

[marchugo]

Because I think all good comes in sevenfold, here's my top-7 of page turners.

I've added five Dutch writers who have broken through on the world market with amazingly good books, translated in English.

Hope the ISBN numbers are helpfull in your search.


Annejet van der Zijl - "Sonny Boy" - ISBN 9021424088

Hillary Mantel - "Wolf Hall 1" - ISBN 9780805080681

Annejet van der Zijl - "An American Princess" - ISBN 9780805080681

Jonathan Coe - "Middle England" - ISBN 978-0-241-30946-9

Roxane van Iperen - "The Sisters Of Auschwitz" - ISBN 9781841883755

Geert Mak - "The Dream of Europe" - ISBN 9781787302440

Pieter Waterdrinker - "The Long Song of Tchaikovsky Street" - ISBN 978-1925849134


We read all our books on a California-friendly Pocketbook e-reader. Hope you'll find the English translations as an e-book too.


Regards from Amsterdam,

Marc.

 

[66tim99]

Waterlog: Roger Deakin
Do No Harm: Henry Marsh
The Science of the Earth: DK (and Chris Packham)
Mafia Democracy: Michael Franzese
What doesn't Kill Us: Scott Carney
Perfume, The Story of a Murderer: Patrick Suskind

Thanks for this great thread @LowMan

 

[The Tall Luthier]

How to be a liberal - Ian dunt - is a fascinating read on how the UK, France and USA all transitioned from autocracies to liberal democracies. A very messy business indeed.

The fifteen lives of Harry august - Clare north - Nice take on time travelling fiction.

52 times Britain was a Bellend - James Felton - well worth the 99p to discover how very silly we’ve been in the past.

 

[Velma's Dad]

Okay a half dozen from me:

Guns, Germs and Steel (non-fiction) - Jared Diamond
The Aubrey-Maturin naval novels - Patrick O'Brian (yes all 20 of them)
The Spy and the Traitor (non-fiction) - Ben Macintyre
The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver
All Hell Let Loose (non fiction) - Max Hastings
This is Going to Hurt - Adam Kay

 

[Winston Rumfoord]

Great idea and agree with you re: reading whilst away in the van.

Other minds - Peter Godfrey-Smith
Sum: forty tales from the afterlives - David Eagleman
In order to live - Yeonmi Park
Children of time - Adrian Tchaikovsky
Sirens of Titan - Kurt Vonnegut
Too many reasons to live - Rob Burrow

 

[Amarillo]

Having seven and eight year old boys:
The Iron Man - Ted Hughes
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dhal
James and the Giant Peach - Roald Dhal
Danny the Champion of the World - Roald Dhal
The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe - CS Lewis
Why the Whales Came - Michael Morpurgo

Unable to find The Iron Man.

 

[Drpps]

Waterlog: Roger Deakin
Do No Harm: Henry Marsh
The Science of the Earth: DK (and Chris Packham)
Mafia Democracy: Michael Franzese
What doesn't Kill Us: Scott Carney
Perfume, The Story of a Murderer: Patrick Suskind

Thanks for this great thread @LowMan

Agree with both Do No Harm and Waterlog
My 6-ish follow in a similar vein. Mainly read non-fiction.

An astronauts guide to life on earth: Chris Hadfield
The worst Journey in the world: Cherry Apsley-Garrard
Maus: Art Spiegelman
Mountains of the mind: Robert Macfarlane
Shantaram: Gregory David Roberts
Prisoners of geography: Tim Marshall
Medic: John Nichol & Tony Rennell

A few other slightly lighter reads include Bill Bryson: Notes from a small island
Frost on my moustache :Tim Moore
Congo Journey: Redmon O’Hanlon
but I was banned from reading them in confined spaces such as the Cali due to too much uncontrolled laughter.

 

[willwander]

Hard to choose just 6. A few that come to mind.

Midnight’s Children- Salman Rushdie
The Call Of The Wild - Jack London
Siddhartha - Hermann Hesse
Heart Of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
The Stranger - Albert Camus
Broken Promise - Linwood Barclay

I love classics, but some can be hard work, so I mix them up with lighter page turners, enjoy both, for different reasons.