Book/Author Recommendations

If you are just getting back into reading I would strongly suggest that you join your local library and so can try out diiferent styles of books until you are happy. Also a lot of book are not worth keeping and so why add to the unnecessary need for recycling when you can get it from a library ( My mother works in a library so maybe I am biased!!!)
 
Charity shops are also a great way of expanding your horizons without blowing the budget.
 
Ditto to what fobs and rd said re library and charity shops! I'm a big fan of both. Its a great way to find out what you like without having to fork out a fortune for books you'll never finish. Also a good way to find out-of-print books.

As for my suggestions, I'd recommend the following random selection which I've enjoyed (some have already been mentioned):

J. D. Salinger - most famous book 'The Catcher in the Rye'. The only book I've read in one sitting and the only book I've read twice ... but that's the kind of devotion you can muster when you're 16. Went on to enjoy all his books but Catcher in the Rye is the best IMO.

John Grisham - cheesy courtroom dramas but great page-turners. Exception is 'A Painted House' which is a completely different kettle of fish but very good too. 'The Pelican Brief' was my inter-exam reading during my finals in college. Great escapism.

Ben Elton - cheesy humourous page-turners

Oscar Wilde - not at all heavy going and often very funny (witty?). The plays are surprisingly easy to read too - and I was always a bit of a dunce in English class so I'm not a particular fan of reading plays.

John Irving - just really enjoyed pretty much all of his books. 'Gripping reads' as the dust-jackets would say.

Leslie Thomas - Sometimes its hard to separate your enjoyment of a book from your state of mind when you were reading it but Leslie Thomas has provided me with several enjoyable holiday reads including 'The Adventures of Goodnight and Loving' and 'Arrivals and Departures'

Arthur Hailey - for a read that's cheesier than a four-cheese pizza doing the backstroke in a cheese fondue then give any of Arthur Hailey's novels a whirl - I couldn't read 'Airport' without picturing scenes from the flick 'Airplane' ... "This woman has to be gotten to a hospital!" "A hospital? What is it?" "It's a big building with patients but that's not important right now".

Joseph O'Connor - The 'Irish Male' books. More journalistic humour. Possibly a bit dated now? But I enjoyed them.

My most recent read was non-fiction, 'Stiff: The Curious Life of Human Cadavers' by Mary Roach which I highly recommend ... but not if you're squeamish.
 
Thanks everyone for your replies I will take then all on board and make out a list and possible get some for Christmas.
 
Any Robert Goddard book; all that I have read have very convoluted plots that keep you guessing to the end.

Edward Rutherford tells a good tale based on the history of various places e.g. The Forest (about the New Forest in England); Mazurka (Russia); London; Sarum (Salisbury from Stonehenge to the present day. There is of course his latest - Dublin (the first half of this has recently been published) All of these 800+ pages.

Louis de Bernieres from "Captain Corelli's Mandolin" to "Birds Without Wings" via "The War of Don Emmanuel's Nether Parts.

From the classics "The Woman in White" by Wilkie Collins - brilliant!
 
For well written mysteries/thrillers - try Val McDermid, Elizabeth George, Nikki French
For recent sucesses - I echo the recommendations for Time Travellers Wife and anything by Jodi Picoult (sad but true - Richard and Judy sure know how to pick 'em!)
For something a little racier (oo-er) try Fingersmith by Sarah Waters - what Dickens would be writing if he was around today
By the way - all of the above are by women but IMHO not designed to be read solely by them!
I have to say I find James Patterson apallingly written but that again is MHO!! My classic choice would be To Kill a Mockingbird - disgracefully, I didn't pick it up until last year and was absolutely gripped - worth the wait.
 
RainyDay said:
Charity shops are also a great way of expanding your horizons without blowing the budget.
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And even better again....your local library! Thanks Bertie.

They even have and online search engine complete with a booking service, well they do in the home of the 2006 Champions League anyway! Bless em!
 
Has anybody read "The rule of Four"? I have it at home but only read the first couple of chapters a few months ago. Am thinking of restarting again if anybody thinks its worth it?
 
Has anybody read "The rule of Four"? I have it at home but only read the first couple of chapters a few months ago. Am thinking of restarting again if anybody thinks its worth it?
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I found it a bit disappointing myself - after all the hype about it. It was no page turner, in fact I had to keep pushing myself to finish it which is no good sign!!
 
Ceist Beag said:
I found it a bit disappointing myself - after all the hype about it. It was no page turner, in fact I had to keep pushing myself to finish it which is no good sign!!
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That was my feeling as well when I started it too. It didn't really grab me in the same way that Dan Browns books did or John Grishams. Have read all of John Grisham's books and find them very entertaining. The new book, "the Broker" was very interesting. The story moved a little slowly, but really created the mood and atmosphere of the mans journey to Italy. (Won't say anymore so as not to spoit it!)
 
I am looking at getting a few books for myself to pass away the longer nights so are there any recent recommendations that people have enjoyed.
I have just joined the library so will be looking at the list above but if there are any new ones I would love to hear about them thanks
 
For murder mysteries I would recommend Ian Rankin's Rebus books, Peter Robinson, Jonathan Kellerman, Faye Kellerman, Stuart McBride, Val Mc Dermaid, Reginald Hill ( Daziel and Pascoe books), Stephen Booth, Michael Connolly, John Connolly, Peter James, Mark Billingham, John Harvey, Ruth Rendall and Henning Mankell.

For medical murder mysteries, try Kathy Reichs and Patricia Cornwell.

For espionage try John Le Carre , Len Deighton( London Game, Mexico Set and Berlin Match), William Boyd and Ken Follett.

For thriller I would recommend Frederick Forsyth, John Grisham.

Ruth Rendall writing as Barbara Vine writes some very interesting twisted tales. Hope all this gets you started on one of the most enjoyable activities of all.
 
I am reading "Tears of the Desert" by Halima Bashir and Damien Lewis. It was the recommended book of the month in the Barker & Jones in Naas. It is about a woman born in Darfur and an account of the Genocide.

I am only on the first part about her childhood and cant wait to pick it up again.
 
I generally don't enjoy thriller/murder mysteries much but ended up reading a few in the holiday apartment we rented earlier this year.

James Patterson & Harlan Coben (sp?) were the two I read (can't remember titles) and I was pleasantly surprised.

Otherwise, I would second almost anything by John Irving for great insightful, evocative, incident packed, quirky reads. In particular, The World According to Garp, The Cider House Rules and The Hotel New Hampshire. He can be regarded as 'intellectual' but that's only because they are very well written IMO - they are not heavy going at all really.
 
Not a novel, but I'm currently reading (or flicking through to be more accurate) The Truth about the Irish by Terry Eagleton.

It's witty, articulate, thought provoking and pretty fair.

It's an 'exploding myths' type lighthearted observational thing. Some real truths there too though - and it can be very funny.

Slightly dated since it was written in the early celtic tiger days but much of it is still very current.
 
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