Thursday, July 19, 2007

Suggestions welcome on a page-turner

It is only a few more sleeps until I take a nice long flight, otherwise known as the time that busy people from the antipodes catch up on sleep and reading when travelling to the old world.

For some reason I am not inspired by any of the many unread books on my bookshelf, and I'm keen to splash out on a page-turner or two. I'm not in the mood for trash, rather something well written and neither depressing nor overly joyful.I'm fond of the classics, don't mind the odd bit of crime, or a historical work, or an autobiography. I've been recommended A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini.

Any other suggestions very welcome....

6 comments:

I'm not Craig said...

I recommend "The Sunne in Splendour" by Sharon Penman, which is excellent despite the title.

I base this recommendation on the fact that I once quoted a lengthy passage from another Sharon Penman book on my blog and you left a comment saying "Swoon..."

If you prefer something a little more contemporary, Anne Tyler's "A Patchwork Planet" makes for excellent in flight reading

redcap said...

Ooh, Missy Scarlett, where's you goin'? I'm glad you're having a holiday away from the cold :)

I just can't read on planes. I don't know why, since I could read in a bricked up toilet on the ground. In the air, I prefer to watch the movies or get drunk. The latter course of action is not particularly successful, I'm afraid, as when you do it in a group, it just makes the trolley dollies hate you.

So, if you like unlikely situations, I'd recommend Ice Station by Matthew Reilley. It's sufficiently implausible, easy to read and contains both killer whales and alien craft.

But if you don't go for the mass market and you haven't already read it, I'd suggest Running With Scissors. It's marvellous writing that sucks you in from the first sentence.

Or if you would prefer chick lit that doesn't talk down to you or presume you're obsessed with Armani and Posh Spice, please do try Running in Heels by Anna Maxted. It's a lovely story that I've recommended to at least six women of vastly different literary tastes and they've all adored it.

PS Have a fabulous time and be sure to post a travelblog :)

Ms Batville said...

Thanks for the suggestions - I spent yesterday madly packing but found time to go to the bookstore and pick up a nice selection. I'll be trying to post - at the moment the exact plan o' the holiday is a bit rubbery. We land, we get warm and then we do...what we want@!@!
I promise to have a fabulous time.

meva said...

I'm late, as usual!

For your flight home, I don't think you could past the Dalziel and Pascoe crime fiction of Reginald Hill. It's addictive, so start at the start and work your way through the many well-written and witty novels.

For something completely different, I adored East of the Mountains by David Guterson, if you haven't read it already.

Enjoy your jaunt!

DonkeyBlog said...

Snow, by Orhan Pamuk - was fantastic, and neither happy nor sad. Just thoughtful and thought provoking.

DonkeyBlog said...

I agree with INC, as well. Sharon Penmann good - Falls the Shadow a great read.