Have you read any good books lately?

Great Circle by Maggie Shipstead.

Bumping to take the spammer down the list

“All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr.
Wonderful book, possibly the best I’ve ever read, and i read a lot! It’s top heavy with reviews from quality newspapers from both sides of the Atlantic, and totally deserved.

A couple of good reads I have enjoyed and would recommend would be The Belle Fields and its sequel Ashes of Roses by Lora Adams. Well written, very descriptive, quite a few 'surprises' and totally unexpected end to the first book, couldn't wait for the sequel Ashes of Roses to see how everything turned out!

I have just finished Lessons in Chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed it - fiction with an educated woman as the main character facing the challenges of the male dominated world of the 50s. I did laugh out loud in parts although I wouldn’t describe it as a funny book per se.

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Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
The Beekeeper of Aleppo by Christy Lefteri
The Sixth Wife by Suzannah Dunne
The Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger

Favourite Authors: Maggie O'Farrell, Anita Shreve, Victoria Hislop

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This is a great thread. I run a small book club and have read and discovered books that I never would have done otherwise.
My favourites…
Violeta by Isabelle Allende is a beautiful, interesting and well written book.
The Dictionary of Lost words by Pip Williams is a fascinating read based on the foundation of the Oxford English Dictionary. Sounds boring but it definitely isn’t.
As others have said, Lessons in Chemistry is great and much better than the TV adaptation (which is still ok).
A short read, is A Month in the Country by J L Carr. The film adaptation wasn’t great but the book is lovely and can be read in a couple of days.
I have only read one of Rose Tremain’s books, Absolutely and Forever. I loved it, it’s another short book but definitely made me want to read more of her works.
My absolute favourite from 2022 was Sarah Winman Still Life. Everyone I know who has read it loves it.
Separately from my book club I’ve read some Nina Stibbe books and really enjoyed them.

I am halfway through Lesley Pearse’s autobiography The Long and Winding Road. She has sold millions of books and has had a very interesting life. I actually don’t rate her books that much but she is very popular and is now extremely wealthy.

Sorrow And Bliss by Meg Mason, a really good read.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver ( recommended on here)
Mantel Pieces by Hilary Mantel, plus every other book that she wrote.
Any book by Kate Atkinson
Has anyone noticed that today there are more female writers than male? Or at least it looks that way in libraries and
bookshops.
Or the amount of books with jobs or hobbies in the title.😁

For those interested in WW1 and don’t object to a gay narrative then the trilogy by Pat Barker is a wonderful read.

teachkate

I’m an avid reader - I’ve read a lot of the suggestions already made.
Recently I’ve just completed The Road by Cormac McCarthy, I can honestly say it’s one of the most profound thought provoking books I have ever read.
I know I will read this book again but I need a little while to recover from it! Very relevant in the current climate

That book stayed with me for a long time though I did think it leant heavily on an earlier book called The Ice People by a female author, Maggie Gee?

Yes I agree Oreo, looking at my personal reading lists, I read far more books by women, not by design I might add, I often look for male authors to redress that balance, but they do seem to be outnumbered by their female counterparts. Just lately I'm finding some wonderful writing in the books of John Boyne and Patrick Gale.

Whilst on this thread, I read it last year, but Demon Copperhead, definitely remains best book I've read for ages.

JennyCee

“All The Light We Cannot See” by Anthony Doerr.
Wonderful book, possibly the best I’ve ever read, and i read a lot! It’s top heavy with reviews from quality newspapers from both sides of the Atlantic, and totally deserved.

I loved this book too and would definitely recommend it. However, avoid the film, it was very disappointing.

My two best reads ever: The Leopard Giuseppe di Lampedusa and The Cazalets by Elizabeth Jane Howard. Thoughtful, very well written a total delight. Thoroughly recommend

Goldieoldie15 Totally agree about The Cazalets. Excellent series. Can’t imagine anyone not enjoying the books

TerriBull i have just bought a Patrick Gale book.

Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver. Brilliant update of David Copperfield.

I've enjoyed all of Julia Roberts books, very easy to read.

Elly Griffiths - on book 9 of Dr Ruth Galloway series I think there are 15. Then I have the 6 Brighton mystery books waiting on the shelf which are set in the 50s with different main characters.

I have just finished Two Women in Rome by Elizabeth Buchan - her books are always thought-provoking.

I have books that I simply have to re-read on a regular basis; The Forsyte Saga by John Galsworthy, I Capture The Castle by Dodie Smith, The Cicero Trilogy by Robert Harris and My Cousin Rachel by Daphne du Maurier. I never fail to find something new, even though I've read them so many times.

Books I’ve read in the last year or so include
The Whalebone Theatre - liked very much
Demon Copperhead - took a long while to get into it but it got better as the book went on
The Romantic - William Boyd, my absolute favourite
Lessons - Ian McEwan ok
Slow Horses - love the TV show but the first book not so much.

I like Maggie O’ Farrell. Reading Hamnet at the moment. I always feel a bit lost if I don’t have a good book on hand.

Having just read Kate Atkinson’s Shrines of Gaiety with great enjoyment of both the story and her style I feel a need to re-read all her previous books. Her work has a rare depth and richness.