Topic: Books of not gardening variety

[mysticmog]

I need help n assistance...and also, we've done music n film...so...

I'm a voracious reader (rarrrrr - voracious noise) and I've read all me books and most of me friends books and I've run out...I'm going to invest some dosh in some new ones (cos I love em..) but haven't a clue what to get next..  Generally I'll read owt, but I love clever, quirky, alternative books.  Also love mythology and all things mystical.  I'll give anything a go though.  so help me out here, am bookless and desperate.  Any recommendations?

[budgiebreeder]

Have you tried any Bryce Courtenay  books .He is my very fav. author.The Power of One,Tandia,The Potato Factory,Tommo,Hawk these are all about the same families and follow through from one generation to another.But he has written allsorts of different novels.At the moment i am heavily into Bernard Cornwell books.

[Palustris]

We like Terry Pratchett, Anne Mcaffrey and Dianne Wynn Jones. (amongst others)

[allotment_chick]

Hi Mystic - I rarely read anything unless it had to do with gardening, art deco decorative arts, craft or cookery ... but I NEVER miss a ripping good yarn by Wilbur Smith - the man is a master and paints with words about Africa!  

If I am in the mood for a read I scour the local charity shops - brilliant books .... often for pennies!
AC

[Mrs Ava]

hmmmm......for my, anything by Stephen King, James herbert, Dean R Koontz or Anne Rice.  Then I would wander down the auto/biographical books, and of course gardening and crafts.  I love Shakespear and Charles Di-ck-ens but I guess my fave book is The World According to Garp.  Not very worldly wise with books, will pretty much read anything to be honest.

(hahahaha charles thingyens!)

[MagpieDi]

Have you read any by Paulo Coelho ?.........soul-stirring, poetic and poignant.
I'm sure you'd love them, Mystic!

[ava_banana]

........must confess, I am a bit of a readaholic.........but tend to stick to similar authors as EJ.........also tend to read the Screwfix catalogue quite a lot ::) ::) and Haynes manuals as necessary :o

Went through a real Sci-fi period during my late teens and early twenties (OK a few years ago now)......and find myself being drawn back into the genre.......but time with young children...(and computers ;)) reading time can be scarce........

......bit of a plug really (as my mother runs some of the area libraries)......but have you a nearby library that you can raid for books.....they do offer a surprising amount of services........and can get hold of just about anything you need.........(end of plug. ;D)

[campanula]

please, i beg you - look out for anything by Robertson Davies, especially ;What's Bred in the Bone' - a truly fantastic writer, shame he is dead. also, angela carter - what an imagination, and erudite too.
love sci-fi (and am not ashamed to say so but.....there is a small amount of good sci-fi and endless piles of rubbish fantasy drivel. William Gibson- terrific.
also, greg bear, greg egan, theodore sturgeon, neal stephenson- frankly would rather die than be force-fed pratchett but it got my boys reading avidly, so no complaints there.
Marquez - a genius, specially 100 years of solitude
Steinbeck - cannery row taught me a whole new way of parenting- ie. a handful of beans, strewn around floor while rugrats feast on floor - brilliant
and as for grapes of wrath, anyone not moved to tears by the joads deserves a thrashing with nettles.
have been known to indulge in 'crime' stuff - Martin Cruz-Smith v.good

could go on for ever as our whole house is festooned with books, every wall, floorspace, desk, table and staircase is stacked to ceiling - makes real good insulation and soundproofing tho;
cheers, suzy

[Derekthefox]

Ha ha banana, I am not the only one who peruses the Screwfix Catalogue then!

[tina]

:)When I was ill earlier this year, a friend lent me a copy of a book called 'Blackberry Wine', cannot remember who wrote it, but they also wrote 'Chocolat'. One of the best books I have read in  a long time, all about gardening and magic!!! Highly recommended!
Tina.

[mysticmog]

Lots of new names for me there, and lots of old loved ones too (I really enjoyed Blackberry Wine too Tina).  Got to do me own plug now...

Ben Okri, The Famished Road is just beautiful

Jeff Noon - Vurt, Pollen and Needle in the Groove are all brilliant brilliant postmodern books - social comment has never been so entertaining (and I've met him  ;D)

The Gnole, Alan Aldridge - ecological small furry animal yarn that almost had me in tears - v gripping and says much about the nasty orrible stuff we do to the planet

I notice no-one has mentioned Harry Potter or Philip Pullman  :o

[Ragged Robin]

Cant stand Harry Potter!

Wilkie Collins,if you're into victorian mysteries,
Sybil Marshall
Robert Goddard
Anita Shrieve
Charles Palliser "TheQuincunx"
Hemingway

Just a few. Also read a variety of other stuff, some good, others trash rediscovering reading for pleasure after a couple of study, so reading allsorts at the moment.

[aquilegia]

My favourite author is Kurt Vonnegut, I'd recommend any of his books, but my favourites include Slaughterhouse Five, The Sirens of Titan and Bluebeard (which I think is the best and most beautiful book I have ever read!) They are certainly clever, quirky and alternative.

And I also like Chuck Palaniuk - his latest, 'Diary', was IMHO his best book.

And again I can't think of anymore at the mo!

[Ceri]

Recommend anything by John Irving - World According to Garp as EmmaJane said, also Son of the Circus

If you like quirky, imaginative and a bit magical (not the Harry Potter kind) try Angela Carter - Nights at the Circus, The Magic Toyshop

Elizabeth Von Arnim - The Caravanners - turn of the century but bitterly, funnily sarcastic and vicious

If you want to well and truly break your heart - Birdsong

Cold Comfort Farm, Stella Gibbons
Love in a Cold Comfort - Nancy Mitford

Stop me, stop me now - I can go on for ever and ever

[Tenuse]

If you want something that will make you want to top yourself, (in terms of complexity not subject matter), try anything by Thomas Pynchon.

Ten x

[ciaozzy]

okay, have found a way...

Fat Freddy and the fury Freak brothers

good book/paperback.. okay.. comic..

really do envy you peeps so much, be nice to read a book from start to finish and stuff like that... ah well, me life aint over yet.. so who knows

Oz

xxxx

[mellie]

Anything by Jeffrey Deaver is good for me, also just started reading Lee Childs, Martina Cole and Nikki French. All crime stories but gripping stuff. :)

[Muddy_Boots]

Love Jeffrey Dever, must have a macabre mind! ;D

Kate