Recommend A Book

I didn't want to hamper the book crossing thread but I'm always looking for a good read so wondered if folk would recommend their favourite book /author.

Here's a few of mine

Tess Gerritson ( the surgeon, the apprentice, vanish etc)

Mo Hayder (Birdman was my fave and scary too!)

Thomas Harris ( Red dragon, Silence of the lambs, Hannibal)

Anne Rice ( the vampire chronicles, Lestat, Interview with a vampire etc)

Terry Pratchett ( The discworld series good, dry humour)

Paul Brittons books on criminal psychology

Dante Alighieri The Divine comedy - hard going but beautifully composed

Whippets racing and rearing by Pauline Wilson - Vicky recommended this to me and I thought this was a great little book.

The Billy goats gruff ? don't know who wrote it but I loved it as a kid and it still makes youngsters smile now.

some good authors there :thumbsup:

for crime, go for jonathon kellerman, james patterson, or, if you fancy a more trashy, but still infinately enjoyable crime read, see sue grafton (i adore her alphabet series)

if you like animal stories theres michael morpurgo's 'war horse', a modern(ish) black beauty, or william horwoods 'duncton' series about a community of moles.

on a more serious note, you have nicholas evans with the horse whisperer and the loop, both excellent in content and writing style.

thrillers? hmmm only gerald seymour springs to mind, his book 'the waiting time' being my favourite

chick books, i recommend jill mansell (her debut 'fast friends' still being the best, though 'open house', 'head over heels', and 'solo' come close)

or marian keyes with 'watermelon'. following books are rather disappointing, but 'lucy sullivans getting married' is still comical and good fun.

a more adult 'chick' author is penny vincenzi, and 'into temptation' is hard to put down.

trashy chick author goes to olivia goldsmith, who even in her last novel (wish upon a star) kept up the quality seen in first wives club. a sad loss to the world of fiction

my favourite genre, fantasy. david eddings with his series 'the belgariad'. the sequel series 'the mallorean' is still good, but i feel he stretched it, and frankly ruined my opinion. why have a happy ever after, then do a sequel?

terry goodkind with his 'sword of truth' series is superb, with 'wizards first rule' being the strongest debut i've come across. the hook with his work is that he challanges the readers thoughts, forces you to look into morality, and open your eyes.

science fiction has to be michael crichton (he of jurassic park fame)

horror. i prefer dean koontz to stephen king, hands down. king gives you all out gore, but koontz (especially 'the watchers') evokes that spine tingling, a deeper sense of fear, but can flip you so that you can empathise, pity, and feel sorrow for the monster. altogether more satisfying.

but NOTHING beats bram stokers dracula, and the film version was the worst drivel i have ever had the misfortune to scar my eyeballs with.

sorry for droning on :b i'm a bit of a bookworm

ps just in, :lol: favourite poem is 'porphyrias lover' by robert browning

I am an avid reader and also a bookcrosser. As far as bookcrossing is concerned I have mixed emotions and really only use this as a way to release books that I do not wish to keep.

As far as recommending books I could probably go on all day but I thought I would use this opportunity to mention a book that I am currently reading. It is not major literature and would probably only take a few days to read. It is entitled Narrow Dog to Carcassonne by Terry Darlington. The tales of a couples trip down the canals of Britain and France with their whippet Jim.

Would love to know if any of you read it. :cheers:

I think Helen's read it? :unsure: I think she enjoyed it too

Thanks Laleena, I'll keep my eye out for them :thumbsup:

theres, to many to mention, from terry pratchett to arthur c clark.........readint the trigger at the mo

whippetsrus said:

I am an avid reader and also a bookcrosser.  As far as bookcrossing is concerned I have mixed emotions and really only use this as a way to release books that I do not wish to keep.
As far as recommending books I could probably go on all day but I thought I would use this opportunity to mention a book that I am currently reading.  It is not major literature and would probably only take a few days to read.  It is entitled Narrow Dog to Carcassonne by Terry Darlington.  The tales of a couples trip down the canals of Britain and France with their whippet Jim.

Would love to know if any of you read it.  :cheers:

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I've read the book and really enjoyed it so would recommend it. I like his sense of humour and there are some lovely descriptions of Jim. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: I bought it at a local Historic Narrowboat Rally when Terry and Monica Darlington were promoting the book. We got to meet Jim the whippet too which was good. :wub: :wub:

Nice thread Jacquie.

One of the best books I have read lately is "The Analyst" by Joh Katzenbach. It is a really unusual thriller and a proper page turner. I love Kathy Reichs books and also Nicky French is a good thriller author. I am currently (still) reading Labyrinth by Kate Mosse, it is describes as Chick Lit with A levels, and is funnily enough also based in Carcasonne (narrow boat to) :teehee: . I am enjoying it, but you need to concentrate. I loved The Time Travelers Wife, very unusual and beautifully and tenderly written. Also a real makes you think book is "My Sister's Keeper" by Jodi Picoult.

Two books I adored by the same author were "Fallen Angel" and "The Infernal" by Kim Wilkins.

I like the sound of some of your choices Jac so will look out for them.

Thanks again, nice to have recommendations :thumbsup:

I've read the book and really enjoyed it so would recommend it. I like his sense of humour and there are some lovely descriptions of Jim. :thumbsup: :thumbsup: I bought it at a local Historic Narrowboat Rally when Terry and Monica Darlington were promoting the book. We got to meet Jim the whippet too which was good. :wub: :wub:






Lucky you. Was Jim quite the character he was made out to be?

If you're looking for a book that will keep you on the edge of your seat then I would recommend

Honeymoon by James Patterson and Beach Road by James Patterson. These are two of my favourite books by him and wow. They kept me engrossed for a few hours.

I'm reading 'Animals in Translation' and 'Thinking in Pictures' by Temple Grandin. She's a brilliant American scientist who is also autistic and can think very clearly from an animal's point of view.

:thumbsup: Just finished Julian Barnes 'Arthur & George' ; fictionalised story of Arthur Conan-Doyle and one of the causes he fought for. Kind of dry but very readable and I couldn't put it down.

:wacko: Also just finished Ali Smith's 'the accidental' which won the Whitbread and was shortlisted for the Booker. This was brilliant writing but curiously unsatisfying.

'Labyrinthe' by Kate Mosse - very good and very long! -_-

:blink: Ian McEwan - just read 'Saturday'. His books are dark but really human!

:- " For junk reading I've just finished 'The twelfth card' by Jeffrey Deaver and I've read all the Dan Brown books (Da vinci code etc.)

'Tony, Tony, Tony!' by Donna Clementoni; a kids story about an Italian Greyhound (need I say more :lol: )

All time favourites have to be Philip Pullman's 'Dark Materials' trilogy, any Stephen King before his rubbish Dark Tower stuff (I must have 20 of his). And I love Oliver Sacks books too.

o And I always have a classic that I'm re-reading like Virginia Woolf, Joseph Conrad etc.

:wub: OH gave me a book of poetry called 'The Poetry of Dogs' by Olwen Way which is wonderful.. of course

I've read Narrow Dog too, Terry Darlington has quite an unusual style doesn't he. Liked his humour and looked forward to all the little Jim bits

One book I can read over & over and never tire of is Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, it's so funny and just wonderful

I think this is such a great thread and a perfect chit chat topic that it would be nice for it to stay around. How about if you read a really good book, you come here and give a brief description and marks out of 10. we could start a sort of reading group?

Jo x

Joanna said:

I think this is such a great thread and a perfect chit chat topic that it would be nice for it to stay around. How about if you read a really good book, you come here and give a brief description and marks out of 10. we could start a sort of reading group?Jo x

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Brilliant idea!

I've just ordered 'Long dog' from Amazon and a couple of others too....

I'm always asking what people are reading and love hearing about other people's 'good books'!

I forgot to add I always read the 'Dog World' every friday and read art magazines and catalogues too... but I never have time for a daily newspaper :teehee:

zilloot said:

Joanna said:

I think this is such a great thread and a perfect chit chat topic that it would be nice for it to stay around. How about if you read a really good book, you come here and give a brief description and marks out of 10. we could start a sort of reading group?Jo x

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Brilliant idea!

I've just ordered 'Long dog' from Amazon and a couple of others too....

I'm always asking what people are reading and love hearing about other people's 'good books'!

I forgot to add I always read the 'Dog World' every friday and read art magazines and catalogues too... but I never have time for a daily newspaper :teehee:

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I really like that idea aswell. I'm reading (shock horror) the Dr Who books so I'll pop a review on here when I'm done :thumbsup:

ponygirl said:

One book I can read over & over and never tire of is Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, it's so funny and just wonderful

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That's one I'm on the look out for, I used to watch the T.V. series as a kid and loved it.

I think Joanna's idea is good as there's a lot of books being mentioned here which I wouldn't normally give a second glance at on the bookshelves but the way people have described them make them sound like rewarding reads. :thumbsup:

wild whippies said:

ponygirl said:

One book I can read over & over and never tire of is Gerald Durrell's My Family and Other Animals, it's so funny and just wonderful

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That's one I'm on the look out for, I used to watch the T.V. series as a kid and loved it.

I think Joanna's idea is good as there's a lot of books being mentioned here which I wouldn't normally give a second glance at on the bookshelves but the way people have described them make them sound like rewarding reads. :thumbsup:

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Great, just pop your review on this topic then. Really loooking forward to discovering some new authors :thumbsup:

I love the David Eddings books,have read Belgariad and Mallorean series several times,i also like Terry Brooks' Shanara books.....Stephen King,Richard Laymon,Graham Masterton,Shaun Hutson if i'm really bored. Dean Koontz is brilliant. I don't read any chick books at all, much prefer fantasy and horror.

Thoroughly enjoyed Anne McCaffreys dragon books esp Dragonsong and Dragondrums.

Best non-fiction i've read for a while is A Dog Called Perth,can't remember the author but it's a story about their Beagle....it moved me to tears but also made me laugh out loud.

Jasper Fforde - The Big Over Easy was clever and funny

I loved Malcolm Pryce's Aberystwyth series

Mainly I read urban fantasy trash but I like it

another book that decided it wanted a mention too

minette walter: the shape of snakes. its brutal, i found the writing style very difficult to relax into, but this book has 'it'. had me in tears, feeling deep sorrow, regret and pity for one character.

ok, cant help myself...jack london: call of the wild, white fang. i loved both, but do prefer call of the wild, only regretting its shortness.

couple of questions...

whippets rule: have you read eddings follow on books, belgarath the sorcerer, polgara the sorceress? if not, tread warily. both good books, but they detract from the belgariad, take away the breath taking magic of it all (it didnt happen until the second time i read them, because i wasnt devouring the pages :b )

wild whippies: whats your favourite disc world book? i love 'small gods', but anything ankh morpork related is hysterical :teehee:

zilloot said:

I'm reading 'Animals in Translation' and 'Thinking in Pictures' by Temple Grandin.  She's a brilliant American scientist who is also autistic and can think very clearly from an animal's point of view.
:thumbsup: Just finished Julian Barnes 'Arthur & George' ; fictionalised story of Arthur Conan-Doyle and one of the causes he fought for.  Kind of dry but very readable and I couldn't put it down.

:wacko: Also just finished Ali Smith's 'the accidental' which won the Whitbread and was shortlisted for the Booker.  This was brilliant writing but curiously unsatisfying.

'Labyrinthe' by Kate Mosse - very good and very long! -_-

:blink: Ian McEwan - just read 'Saturday'. His books are dark but really human!

:- " For junk reading I've just finished 'The twelfth card' by Jeffrey Deaver and I've read all the Dan Brown books (Da vinci code etc.)

'Tony, Tony, Tony!' by Donna Clementoni; a kids story about an Italian Greyhound (need I say more :lol: )

All time favourites have to be Philip Pullman's 'Dark Materials' trilogy, any Stephen King before his rubbish Dark Tower stuff (I must have 20 of his).  And I love Oliver Sacks books too.

o And I always have a classic that I'm re-reading like Virginia Woolf, Joseph Conrad etc. 

:wub: OH gave me a book of poetry called 'The Poetry of Dogs' by Olwen Way which is wonderful.. of course

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temple grandin was the lady i posted about here a few weeks ago.there was a tv program on about her,and her methods.it was amazing.i couldnt remember her name at the time but i remember her and the things shed done to help animals that are going to slaughter and how to keep them calm etc.

i too love stephen king,i love his storytelling abilities as to me they are incomparable.i love the books he writes like 'stand by me' which takes us back to our childhoods and what life was like then.ive become a fan of tess gerritson since jac introduced her to me.i love the conan doyle sherlock holmes books and anything by agatha christie,especially the one featuring a manchester terrier!old time classics like 'to kill a mocking bird','rebecca','my cousin rachel',also 'the prince' by machiavelli,and anything by gerald durrell.i read 'my family' when i was at school and was hooked!i also like true crime books by well known profilers and criminal psychologists.i read biographies and autobiographies like theyre going out of fashion! :thumbsup: