What are you reading at the moment

Glad someone else enjoyed "On Chesil Beach". You hit it on the head, Georgette.
I also enjoyed C J Sansom's books - especially Sovereign, which I lent to my son and he hasn't given it back yet! He's not having Wolf Hall until he does! He introduced me to Simon Scarrow and I have read them all up to Gladiator, which I have hit a bit of a brick wall with. The Boy is a great fan of Conn Iggulden, though I have only read two of his books, in the Ghengis Khan series.

The Elephant Keeper, heard an abridged version on Woman's Hour and felt complled to find out more.

Hattie64-You will love The Secret Life of Bees. Be sure to see the movie too, it's very well done and follows the book.

I've written down many suggestions from this thread and look forward to finding out more about some of the recommended books.
I do most of my research on a very helpful site www.fantasticfiction.co.uk If you are an avid reader, this site is definitely worth a look.

just started When God was a Rabbit - hope I like it more than Hattie64, have recently finished reading Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes - very disturbing read.

I have just started the Siege of Krishnapur by J.G.Farrell for my book group.
Its about the British community in 1857 in that part of India, and how their lives become threatened by the uprising of native troops. Have only just started it so can't really comment. On the face of it is not the kind of book I would normally read, but it is one of the delights of being part of a book group that it encourages me to broadenmy horizons!

I have just started the Siege of Krishnapur by J.G.Farrell for my book group.
Its about the British community in 1857 in that part of India, and how their lives become threatened by the uprising of native troops. Have only just started it so can't really comment. On the face of it is not the kind of book I would normally read, but it is one of the delights of being part of a book group that it encourages me to broadenmy horizons!

Like notsogrand I have made a note of a number of books on this thread . I intended to log onto Amazon but on reflection will log on to my local library site and put the books on order. Just a reminder that if we don't use our local libraries we may loose them. I have just started Jean Auel's Earth Children series starting with book one. Can't believe I missed these but I guess our taste in books changes over time.

I totally depend upon the library ordering service elderflower1. I read 2/3 paperbacks a week and could not afford even supermarket prices of up to a dozen books each month.
Our library charges 50p for ordering a book in and emailing you to say its ready for collection, worth every penny. I agree that we need to support our libraries!
I'm off to check out Jean Auel's books now.......

Hope you enjoy them notsogrand

Silverbirch
I enjoyed The Siege of Krishnapur and Troubles and The Hill Station which are the only Farrell works I've read.
His is a strange writing style, a sort of rich pastiche. It reminded me of Peake's Gormenghast with some Dickens and some John Buchan stirred into the soup.
I was surprised that he wrote during the 1960s and 70s and was so highly acclaimed then, winning two Booker prizes, as his style harks back to an earlier period.
He does create sympathy for his central characters and their difficult and unusual situations. I think he will provide an interesting discussion at your book group.

Aurelia

I am on the final chapter of The Island by Victoria Hislop, recommended by my sister in law. It is about life on the island of Spinalonga which was once used to house lepers. I have really enjoyed the story as the characters range over three generations and I grew to care about them as the story developed.

Having enjoyed Rosamund Lupton's book 'Sister' I'm now reading her next book 'Afterwards' so far so good. To Grannyactivist: have you read any other Jodi Picoult books? I enjoy them very much. My only criticism that I think she is a wanna-be lawyer as so many of her books end up as a court case. I tried to join a local book club at my library but gave up for several reasons, mainly their reading list was dire.

I too enjoyed Sister, and have ordered Afterwards from the library. At the moment I am reading a thriller by a Scottish author Denise Mina, after seeing her on BBC2 Review Programme. I have just started it, upto now it seems interesting. I don't read so many crime novels now, every now and then is enough. A book I would recommend is 'I was Lost' by Catherine O'Flynn.

Hello everyone . The book I was reading byVikram Seth was a very dragged out tale . Not a good read . Looking for something else now . Love C J Sansom books and.Ken Follett.

Has anyone else read Major Pettigrew's Last Stand? Lovely gentle love story with an interesting take on prejudice.

I enjoyed the first few of the Earth's Children series, and read them as they came out. Felt latterly that she was dragging the whole thing out and rather went off them. Think I might try the newest one by ordering from the library, but we only have a mobile one that comes once a fortnight for 30 mins. Can't stagger home with enough books to last two weeks!

Ian McEwen's Solar was a very good read. And a good sideways look at climate change and human frailty.

Heartily recommend Kathryn Stockett's 'The Help'. About black maids in the deep South at the beginning of the civil rights movement and the rearguard action fought by some of the white employers. Funny and sad, with great characters each with her own distinctive voice.

Annobel I loved Kathryn Stockett's 'The Help' brilliant book.

I'm reading two books on my kindle at the moment, Life and Laughing, My Story, Michael McIntyre's autobiography and The Midwife's Confession by Diane Chamberlain who is similar to Jody Picoult.

I'm reading William Boyd's Restless. I've not read any of his before and I can't put it down [well, I have because I'm writing this ]. It's basically a spy story. The 'spy' has written her story and given it, in sections, to her daughter who had no inkling of her mother's background. I've no idea how it's going to end so I must go back to it........I should be doing other things, but hey! it's Friday afternon

jamjam, I read Major Pettigrew a while back and enjoyed it. I've forgotten the story so maybe I should read it again!

This thread is really useful for ideas of what to look for in the library.

Just finished Consequences by Penelope Lively from the library. Delightful multi-generation love story with period features to evoke one's lost youth.

I have recently started reading The Finkler Question by Howard Jacobson (2010 Man Booker prizewinner). Although the Observer described it as "full of wit, warmth, intelligence, human feeling and understanding", I'm not getting on very well with it. Partly, I keep forgetting what has gone on before and have to backtrack to chapters I have already read – but that's my fault rather than the author's. However, I don't find the three protagonists very engaging or even interesting. I shall persevere for a little longer as I hate abandoning a book half read.

littlemo I shall get hold of the Victoria Hislop book. I visited Spinalonga many years ago and it was a strange, sad and eerie place.

hattie64 and sally I enjoyed The Secret Life of Bees – both book and movie.

Re-reading Richard Dawkins' The God Delusion

Gives you some great ammunition when dealing with those trying to sell religion to you.

Yes, The God Delusion is very good, isn't it? Well written and, whatever people say, totally unaggressive. Remember when people used to say you were aggressive just for sticking up for women's rights? Other people call it saying what needs to be said.

I would also recommend Ayaan Hirsi Ali's book Infidel.

Currently reading 'Minding Frankie' by Maeve Binchy - a lovely, easy, get away from it all, read. Recently finished The Help, Sister and One Day - loved them all. Also read Jo Nesbo's The Snowman (loved it) and have bought the rest of her books to read in order. Just wish 'life' would slow down a bit to give me more time with my books!