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Heading on hols soon - book recommendations

Discussion in 'Books & Literature' started by RMCF, Jun 7, 2005.

  1. RMCF

    RMCF
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    Can anyone recommend a few good books to read while on holiday?

    Will consider anything.
     
  2. chard

    chard
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    recently went away and enjoyed reading the Bill Bryson book - a Brief History of nearly Everything. Excellent holiday read as you can dip in and out of it, fascinating info as well...
     
  3. spocktra

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    Anything by jeffery deaver.His new book is in tesco at £3.80
     
  4. CooperUK

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    Dan Brown, Clive Cussler (Sahara is a good book), Bill Bryson, Ben Elton.

    Some of my more recent reads!
     
  5. MRW

    MRW
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    I'll second this - this Bryson b*stard gave me sunburn, I couldn't put the book down.

    Such a lot of massive subjects, written in such an understandable way.

    I've read it twice now.
     
  6. tomson

    tomson
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    2 i've enjoyed lately:
    The time travellers wife by Audrey Niffenegger
    The Five People You Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom
     
  7. la gran siete

    la gran siete
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    Any "Wilt" book by Tom Sharpe, guaranteed to have you in stitches
     
  8. Garrett

    Garrett
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    Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, and if you like fantasy the Icewind Dale trilogy.
     
  9. chard

    chard
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    second that....I have read all of the Sharpe series and am moving onto some other Cornwell stuff. I am also halfway through 'Death of Kings' from the Emperor series, excellent and a sort of 1st century Sharpe.
     
  10. zAndy1

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    Anything by Ian Patterson or Richard Laymon
     
  11. themoid

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    Donna Tartt's books are excellent - "the secret history" and "the little friend".

    Catch 22 if you've never read it is great
     
  12. Achy

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    Christopher Brookmyre - The Sacred Art of Stealing.... Be My Enemy...

    Actually any Brookmyre book.
     
  13. rhoamish

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    Tim Moore's latest travelogue 'Spanish Steps: travels with my donkey' is excellent. In fact, any of his travelogues are excellent, although the donkey gives him more room for 'ass' jokes.
     
  14. Dr Diversity

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    Lord of the Rings? That should see you through most of the holiday
     
  15. Beobloke

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    James Patterson has about 3 new books out.

    Have read "Honeymoon" and it's well up to his usual high standard. :smashin:
     
  16. Garrett

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    You will have to try the Harlequin trilogy by him the first is the best, so if you do not like it the rest are a waste of time but it is an interesting period in history to read about.

    I would also would like to recommend The Blue Nowhwere by Jeffery Deaver I not one much for crime stories but I got this one recommended me and loved it.
     
  17. Garrett

    Garrett
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    By the way if you like science fiction please, please, please, please, please, please, read this book Midnight at the Well of Souls by Jack L. Chalker which is my favorite book of all time. I read it on holiday as well and luckily had the next 2 in the series to read. :clap:
    To me it is the perfect sci-fi book which gets everything right, not to technical, yet opens lots of new ideas, not over descriptive, yet does not move too fast that it is farcical.

    I have known people who read the first book and have gone to extreme lengths to get the whole series. Before eBay I was in a sci-fi book shop and saw some guys looking through Jack Ls books and got talking to them and they were after the 4th in the series which must have been out of print and when the found I had it they started offering me silly money for it.
     
  18. Squiffy

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    Rather than Lord of the Rings, I'd recommend you read a genuinely good epic fantasy series. (Cue howls of outrage from Tolkien fans! :rolleyes: )

    The "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" written by Stephen Donaldson, comprising...

    The First Chronicles of Thomas Covenant, the unbeliever
    Lord Foul's Bane
    The Illearth War (plus an originally unpublished excerpt "Gilden Fire")
    The Power that Preserves

    The Second Chronicles of Thomas Covenant
    Wounded Land
    The One Tree
    White Gold Wielder

    The Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenent (still being written - only first book released so far)
    The Runes of the Earth

    I recommend a small amount of perserverance with this series as the very first book is by far the weakest one. And you DO need to read all of them to truly get the benefit. IMHO it is worth reading all six just so you can read Wounded Land again and appreciate how intelligent a writer Donaldson really is. A truly epic story, intelligently portrayed characters, and very well written - even if sometimes you feel he is making up a few words.* :rolleyes: About half the people I know who have read them rate them as their favourite books ever.

    It is also a testament to the books that I chose white gold for my wedding ring.

    One of my favourites being 'carious'. Usually used in the book with stuff like like "With eyes, carious as fangs".
     
  19. Dr Diversity

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    Talking of Trilogies, how about Philip Pulman's His Dark Materials? Excellent read, to good for youngsters!
     
  20. SanPedro

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    I'd second it as a good read. Better than Tolkien? Bit like saying red wine is better than white wine. Nor better, just different (IMHO). But a cracking read all the same. And squiffs right about the 1st book - it does drag a little. Its been about 20 years or more since I read them, though.

    If you like techno thrillers then Tom Clancy's stuff is always worth a pop - especially his Jack Ryan series. Much of his stuff is surprisingly prescient.

    CL
     
  21. chard

    chard
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    thanks for the suggestion , I will look it up - I have left my job and have a summer free before starting anything else and reading more than ever.
     
  22. Squiffy

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    The second book "Fatal Revenant" is out now.

    Great book, especially the conclusion to the first section.

    Anyone who is a fan of the previous books MUST read this. The way Donaldson brings the backstory from the first two trilogies to life is fantastic.
     
  23. Simon_143

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    Lee Child and his Jack Reacher series, very entertaining and perfect for a holiday
     
  24. Solomon Grundy

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  25. thefragile

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    The kite runner - Khaled Hosseini (they've just made it into a film)

    A fortunate Life - A.B Facey

    Mr Nice - Howard marx
     
  26. tigermad

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    I think the OP has come back from his hols now, it was in 2005 :)
     
  27. seafoodmix

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    Fup by Jim Dodge

    a short book but a great book
     
  28. mjn

    mjn
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    Recently read:

    Nikki Sixx - Heroin Diaries.....you shouldn't really laugh out loud at people hooked on heroin, but you can't help it sometime. Very good book.

    Slash - Autobiog

    Motley Crue - Dirt
     

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