Recommendations for leisure/holiday reading 2011

Its been a while since we had one of these threads, so I'm interested in what people have enjoyed reading lately. Doesn't have to be lightweight but I'm unlikely to get into anything really worthy or very serious (just call me shallow ). But not into autobiographies of minor or irritating celebs either.

And probably looking for things published in 2010 or 2011.

So what's been on your kindle/Ipad/in your carry on this last year that you would recommend?

Regards
R3dV

[Decker]

"The Ask" by Sam Lipsyte
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/07/books/review/Millet-t.html

"Pocket Notebook" by Mike Thomas
http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/books/reviews/pocket-notebook-by-mike-thomas-1884954.html

Found the latter particularly good.

Any of the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" triology.

A much older book but a cracking read "All the Pretty Horses" by Cormac Macarthy.

Another oldie "A suitable boy" by Vickram Seth

Thanks Decker, both of those look interesting! An American satirist - not many of those around, and I have great affection for our friends across the pond.

(PS - your link to the latter has acquired a rogue parenthesis which makes the link ineffective)

Regards
R3dV

A Fine Balance, by Rohinton Mistry (one of the best books I've read in my life)

Alone in Berlin, by Hans Fallas - very atmospheric, I felt I was there as I read it.

Just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I couldn't put it down and loved it.

Sunshine

I wish I could suggest something newer as I love reading however my current iPad downloads have consisted of books on bipolar disorder and things along them lines.
So I will recommend a book I read last year on holiday, it's abit of a slow starter but once you get into it you can't put it down and once you get to the end it's one of them 'aha!' moments!
It's called 'this charming man' by Marian Keyes I admit I am a chicklit fan however I found this one alot more interesting than others I read and it's written very well

Just finished reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I couldn't put it down and loved it.

Sunshine

I read that recently too and would recommend it, I couldn't put it down either! Mt reading trends tend to be crime books - so anything by Tess Gerritsen, Karin Slaughter - currently reading 'Black Market' by James Patterson.

All in good old-fashioned paperback

[Decker]

(PS - your link to the latter has acquired a rogue parenthesis which makes the link ineffective)

Thanks R3dv - corrected - my bad

Any of the "Girl with the Dragon Tattoo" triology.

I would also recommend the "Millennium" series as well.

For those of you with Sony Readers etc there is always the opportunity to revisit the classics with free downloads.
A Tale of Two Cities, Crime and Punishment etc etc. Must say I have enjoyed these so much more now that I am older and have chosen to read them for entertainment rather than for 'O" Levels.

For those of you with Sony Readers etc there is always the opportunity to revisit the classics with free downloads.
A Tale of Two Cities, Crime and Punishment etc etc. Must say I have enjoyed these so much more now that I am older and have chosen to read them for entertainment rather than for 'O" Levels.

Ditto those with Kindles.

Free stuff from Amazon and also http://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Main_Page

Hi R3DV,
I enjoyed Maeve Binchy's latest. "Minding Frankie". An easy read (not much concentration required) but entertaining characters and kind of soothing.

But if you want hot action and the like, this is probably not for you....
I found it was just the what I needed after a stressful pre-holiday week!
IzzyRose

[honey lamb]

It's called 'this charming man' by Marian Keyes I admit I am a chicklit fan however I found this one alot more interesting than others I read and it's written very well

I wouldn't describe "This Charming Man" as chicklit exactly as it does have a dark and serious side and I believe that mdvipond should read it because of the trannies! That was hilarious. I enjoy Marian Keyes, especially the books based on the Walsh family. Some had me laughing and crying in equal measure and are perfect for sitting by the pool reading.

My recommendations are:

Any of the Millennium trilogy (SRB autographed my copy of "The Girl who kicked the Hornets' Nest" on board VS18. He too was reading it)

The Secret Scripture by Sebastian Barry. Beautifully written and unputdownable

Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. Can't remember the author as I've lent it to someone but it is a delightfully quirky book and again unputdownable

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

The Dark Tourist by Dom Joly - haven't been able to put it down!

As DocRo I am intending revisiting some old favourites:

Hard copies of David Niven's "The Moon Is A Balloon" and "Bring on the Empty Horses" and Robert Graves wonderful "I Claudius" and "Claudius the God" are already in my suitcase as is Marquez "Love In The Time of Cholera."

And now to find a Jilly Cooper!

A bit of an old one and read many years ago, but Bill Bryson, notes from a big country raises more than a few smiles for anyone who's visited the US.

David

Thanks all for the recommendations so far. Some are getting repeat mentions, which can only be a good thing. I have read quite a few of some of them, including the "The Girl....." series.

David, I've ordered a Bill Bryson that I didn't read when it first came out - Mother Tongue, which is about the english language. I loved "Made in America", which follows what happened to the language when it was exported to America, and then some of the history, innovations and disasters that befell our American cousins. So I've high hopes for that one. I've read all of the "Notes from" too.

I've managed to find at least five books from these recommendations which should keep me going for a couple of weeks, and the good thing was I got them all on Greenmetropolis or Ebay, for an average cost of £3.50 a book, including postage.

Thanks again to all contributors. Hopefully others are getting some good ideas too.

Regards
R3dV

I started reading Dean Koontz a few years back and have never stopped, I simply love his style of writing and short chapters making every book fast paced, I have just ordered two more for Barbados a week on monday......get in!

cheers

alex

Just finished "Dead or Alive", Tom Clancy - if Clancy is your thing, then it's worth reading. Although nothing like as good as the earlier Ryan books, it's got plenty of action and a pretty good story - and the characters are still there.

I have a penchant for the works of Michael Connolly, Reginald Hill and Lee Child when beach bound. I've yet to prise "my" Kindle out of my wife's hands (it was a birthday present from her!) but I have downloaded a bunch of free classics - Dickens and Conan Doyle in particular.

[HighFlyer]

Another fan of the Millennium series here too.

What have I enjoyed recently? New stuff includes Stephen Fry's 'Moab is my Washpot', Terry Waite's 'Taken on Trust', Obama's 'Dreams of my Father' Niffenegers 'The Time Travellers Wife', and of course a re-read of my perrenial favourite; The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time. A must read for absolutely everybody.

Thanks to Kindle I've also been working my way through many classics such as Tess and the d'Urbervilles, Dracula and Wuthering Heights - and all completely free to download.

[Darren Wheeler]

I go for the classics too. Something I never get to read. I even took The Complete Works of William Shakespeare once.

Thanks to Kindle I've also been working my way through many classics such as Tess and the d'Urbervilles, Dracula and Wuthering Heights - and all completely free to download.

Looks like these ebook devices are turning us into culture vultures. Like High Flyer I loved Wuthering Heights - not at all what I expected.
Might draw the line before Beowulf mind you.
Doesn't hurt to read a bit of Stieg Larrson or Michael Connelly now and again although Harry Bosch is running out of places to go and as for Lee Child's Jack Reacher- well what more can a very large, crackshot, drifting, clothes recycling, pugilistic, underdog supporting, military policeman do?