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Heading on hols soon - book recommendations

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Old 07-06-2005, 6:50 PM   #1
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Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
Can anyone recommend a few good books to read while on holiday?

Will consider anything.
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Old 07-06-2005, 7:16 PM   #2
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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...
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Old 07-06-2005, 8:45 PM   #3
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Anything by jeffery deaver.His new book is in tesco at £3.80
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Old 07-06-2005, 9:27 PM   #4
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Dan Brown, Clive Cussler (Sahara is a good book), Bill Bryson, Ben Elton.

Some of my more recent reads!
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Old 07-06-2005, 9:50 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chard
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...
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.
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Old 07-06-2005, 10:18 PM   #6
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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
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Old 07-06-2005, 11:21 PM   #7
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Any "Wilt" book by Tom Sharpe, guaranteed to have you in stitches
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Old 08-06-2005, 12:47 AM   #8
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Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, and if you like fantasy the Icewind Dale trilogy.
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Old 08-06-2005, 1:05 AM   #9
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Quote:
Bernard Cornwell's Sharpe series, and if you like fantasy the Icewind Dale trilogy.
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.
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Old 08-06-2005, 6:36 AM   #10
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Anything by Ian Patterson or Richard Laymon
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Old 08-06-2005, 7:24 AM   #11
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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
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Old 08-06-2005, 8:25 AM   #12
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Christopher Brookmyre - The Sacred Art of Stealing.... Be My Enemy...

Actually any Brookmyre book.
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Old 08-06-2005, 8:38 AM   #13
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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.
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Old 08-06-2005, 8:43 AM   #14
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Lord of the Rings? That should see you through most of the holiday
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Old 08-06-2005, 8:49 AM   #15
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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.
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Old 08-06-2005, 9:01 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chard
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.
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.
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Old 08-06-2005, 9:18 AM   #17
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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.
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 L’s 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.
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Old 08-06-2005, 9:27 AM   #18
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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! )

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.* 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".
Last edited by Squiffy; 08-06-2005 at 9:30 AM.
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Old 08-06-2005, 2:55 PM   #19
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Talking of Trilogies, how about Philip Pulman's His Dark Materials? Excellent read, to good for youngsters!
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Old 08-06-2005, 3:12 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Squiffy
Rather than Lord of the Rings, I'd recommend you read a genuinely good epic fantasy series. (Cue howls of outrage from Tolkien fans! )

The "Chronicles of Thomas Covenant" written by Stephen Donaldson, comprising...
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
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Old 08-06-2005, 4:04 PM   #21
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Quote:
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.
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.
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Old 10-01-2008, 12:45 PM   #22
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
Quote:
Originally Posted by Squiffy View Post
The Final Chronicles of Thomas Covenent (still being written - only first book released so far)
The Runes of the Earth
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.
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Old 10-01-2008, 12:50 PM   #23
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
Lee Child and his Jack Reacher series, very entertaining and perfect for a holiday
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Old 10-01-2008, 1:48 PM   #24
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
If you were into all that Harry Potter stuff you might like to try "Tunnels", it's supposed to be the next big thing.

http://books.guardian.co.uk/review/s...125639,00.html
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Old 10-01-2008, 5:07 PM   #25
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
The kite runner - Khaled Hosseini (they've just made it into a film)

A fortunate Life - A.B Facey

Mr Nice - Howard marx
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Old 10-01-2008, 11:34 PM   #26
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
I think the OP has come back from his hols now, it was in 2005
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Old 11-01-2008, 2:16 PM   #27
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
Fup by Jim Dodge

a short book but a great book
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Old 11-01-2008, 3:14 PM   #28
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Re: Heading on hols soon - book recommendations
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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