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Books & Reading

LargeAddick
LargeAddick Posts: 32,543
in Not Sports Related

I used to be an avid reader, mainly because of a 1hr 40 mins each way daily commute. I’d read everything by Patricia Cornwall, Dick Francis, Peter James, Harlen Corban, Ken Follett and of course John Grisham. The Pillars of the Earth by Ken Follett being my favourite ever novel.

Since giving up my daily commute seven years ago I don’t think I’ve read a novel, just a couple of historical books about The Somme etc. However, at the airport yesterday my wife bought the latest by Richard Osman and as it was buy one get one half price I plumped for The Hotel Avacado by Bob Mortimer.

I’m half way through after the four hour flight and I’m thoroughly enjoying it.

So the questions are, favourite author and favourite novel?

Comments

  • usetobunkin
    usetobunkin Posts: 2,177
    Wolf Hall, Bring up the bodies, The mirror and the light. By Hilary Mantell. 
    Stunning story telling and historically accurate.
  • LargeAddick
    LargeAddick Posts: 32,543
    usetobunkin said:
    Wolf Hall, Bring up the bodies, The mirror and the light. By Hilary Mantell. 
    Stunning story telling and historically accurate.
    Watched the TV series, might have to give the books a bash.
  • Chunes
    Chunes Posts: 17,333
    Remains of The Day by Kazuo Ishiguro

    Lonesome Dove by Larry McCurtry
  • Rufus is a dogs name
    Rufus is a dogs name Posts: 1,516
    Lonesome Dove is probably my favorite book of all time, alongside 11/22/63 by Stephen King - would highly recommend both @LargeAddick!
  • ForeverAddickted
    ForeverAddickted Posts: 94,286
    edited October 8
    Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell; if I had to pick one it would be Sharpe's Eagle, ironically the one that began the series

    Simon Scarrow and Conn Iggulden are honourable mentions for the Historical Fiction genre
  • North Lower Neil
    North Lower Neil Posts: 22,927
    I've got a few favourites!

    The Lord of the Rings
    World War Z by Max Brooks
    Also The Beach by Alex Garland and The Book Thief by Marcus Zusak.

    Big believer that when you read a book/where you are in your life etc plays a big part in your favourite book - I think The Beach and the Book Thief (whilst both very good) are probably not quite as good as other books I've read but they mean more to me for various reasons.

    Whereas LOTR is just amazing as a story, as a piece of writing etc.
  • CafcWest
    CafcWest Posts: 6,163
    No single specific book - but the Sci-fi (ish) writer Philip K. Dick.  Probably the Three Stigmata of Palmer Eldritch one of the best and some of his psycological observations in books like Ubik and Valis.  Books to make you really think.
  • Frankie_de_Toro
    Frankie_de_Toro Posts: 154
    My favourite author is John Wyndham. My favourite novel is Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis. Still makes me laugh out loud 45 years after I first read it. 
  • Greenhithe
    Greenhithe Posts: 772
    Favourite book Skinny Legs n All by Tom Robins. 

    Favourite author John Niven by a mile. I’ve got every book and love every one of them. Especially The Second Coming. 

    Honourable mentions to 
    the outsider by Camus
    jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach 
    slaughterhouse five by Vonnegut. 
  • Jints
    Jints Posts: 3,486
    Rufus is a dogs name said:
    Lonesome Dove is probably my favorite book of all time, alongside 11/22/63 by Stephen King - would highly recommend both @LargeAddick!
    Funny thing, taste. Lonesome Dove is right up there for me too. Wonderful book and I must re-read it soon. But I thought 11/22/63 was absolute tosh! 
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  • Jints
    Jints Posts: 3,486
    usetobunkin said:
    Wolf Hall, Bring up the bodies, The mirror and the light. By Hilary Mantell. 
    Stunning story telling and historically accurate.

    Try her book on the French revolution as well - A Place of Greater Safety. Just as good and arguably even slightly better than the Wolf Hall trilogy. 
  • valleynick66
    valleynick66 Posts: 4,874
    Not new but I’ve always enjoyed anything by David Lodge and David Nobbs. Light hearted stuff that is quite funny. 

    Also recommend Ben Elton. Surprisingly good. 
  • WHAddick
    WHAddick Posts: 1,145
    ForeverAddickted said:
    Sharpe series by Bernard Cornwell; if I had to pick one it would be Sharpe's Eagle, ironically the one that began the series

    Simon Scarrow and Conn Iggulden are honourable mentions for the Historical Fiction genre

    Anything by Cornwell is good. If you havent tried his other books, I thoroughly reccommend them
  • LoOkOuT
    LoOkOuT Posts: 10,846
    Don't read a lot of fiction, but two standout as favourites from the past:

    1. Umberto Eco's The Name of the Rose
    2. Barbara Kingsolvers' The Poisonwood Bible
  • jonseventyfive
    jonseventyfive Posts: 3,351
    Still like a good book,  TV off, glass wine , music in the background and a book is a great way to end the day. 
  • Stuart_the_Red
    Stuart_the_Red Posts: 1,847
    I don’t think I could pick a favourite book, but my favourite authors are:

    John Steinbeck
    William Boyd
    Henning Mankell
    Dick Francis
    Bernard Cornwell
    Robert Harris
    Philip Kerr

    just off the top of my head!

  • CafcWest
    CafcWest Posts: 6,163
    Greenhithe said:
    Favourite book Skinny Legs n All by Tom Robins. 

    Favourite author John Niven by a mile. I’ve got every book and love every one of them. Especially The Second Coming. 

    Honourable mentions to 
    the outsider by Camus
    jonathan Livingston Seagull by Richard Bach 
    slaughterhouse five by Vonnegut. 
    Excellent book.  Have read everything Tom Robbins (RIP) wrote.  Jitterbug Perfume I think my favourite.
  • Carter
    Carter Posts: 14,237
    John Niven, Charlie Owen, DC Alden, John Birmingham, Bernard Cornwell, John King, Irvine Welsh, John Grisham, JD Kirk 

    I do my best to read a bit every day, my wife is an intelligent woman who does a hard job and one way she relaxes is by watching some of the most mind-numbing awful hateful reality shite imaginable and doing a couple of hours reading while she is watching that nonsense is my way of not switching my brain off but definitely goong somewhere else for a bit. 
  • BOWAddick
    BOWAddick Posts: 16
    For anyone a bit concerned about what's happening over in the States Sinclair Lewis's It Can't Happen Here, written in 1935, is 'thought provoking'. It's about someone called Buzz Windrip winning an election for President and then becoming a dictator.
  • captainbob
    captainbob Posts: 934
    Favourite author:  Charles Dickens
    Favourite novel:  David Copperfield
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  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 578
    captainbob said:
    Favourite author:  Charles Dickens
    Favourite novel:  David Copperfield
    Only read Tale of Two Cities by Dickens when I was a kid, absolutely loved it.
  • CaptainRobbo
    CaptainRobbo Posts: 578
    edited October 8
    When around 21 I was working as a courier and had quite a bit of spare time on my hands waiting for the next job.
    I randomly bought a book by an author I'd never heard of before and was one of them books that you could not put down.
    Finished it in one or two days and thought that it would make a fantastic movie.
    The author was Nicholas Pileggi and the book was Wiseguys.
    Within a couple of years Goodfellas came out and everything clicked into place.

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