The Word Cloud

Am just coming to the end of Gautam Malkani's "Londonstani". Initially it was hard work, but I've really got into it. Something completely different for me. Looking for the next book now - any recommendations?

Eli

I wish I had. I've just found Max by D.M. Mitchell. (A psychological thriller) It begins well...

I've just finished My name is Mina by David Almond. He's the one that wrote Skellig. In fact, this is a prequel to Skellig but written afterwards if that makes sense. Anyway was such a pleasure to read - beautiful language and a moving story and not hard to get into but hard to put down! Very compelling reading.

Just coming towards the end of Bright Shiny Morning by James Frey.

Last Friday after a gruelling week I needed something mindless and so it was the new(ish) Grisham for me. I'm enjoying it although it's rubbish, if that makes sense. Does anyone else find that when you start writing you read novels differently? I am fascinated by what exactly it is that makes Grisham so gripping even though there are plenty of passages where I think 'what lazy writing'. If I could work out what it is, I guess I would have a chance of ending up as rich as he is!

Isn't he the one that does novels around consipiracy theories - everyone loves a consipiracy theory

I'm trying to read The Elegance of the Hedgehog by Muriel Barbary (french novel translated). It's a bit out of my comfort zone - a book group read - and I admit I'm struggling with it a bit. Two main characters - one I sympathise with a little and the other I don't understand at all and so far no plot to speak of. I'm about 100 pages in. Anyone else read it? Worth keeping going?

I discovered M.M.Kaye in a charity shop in Presteigne and never looked back and have now finished three great stories based on 'Molly's' experience of living in India and Zanzibar with her illustrious husband. Try out these for size, The Far Pavilions, Shadow Of The Moon and Trade Winds. Wonderfully woven stories, romanticism linked with time and place and some interesting historical perspective especially The Indian Mutiny. I was sad to read the last page.

I having go at Faulkner's The Sound Of The Fury. I am falling sleeep after few pages.

That was my experience too when I tried to read it about ten years ago. Should probably give it another go sometime but my 'books to read' list is very long.....

I am reading something so terrible, I am almost ashamed to admit it. RA Salvatore's Gauntlygrm. And it is awful. More than once, I have throught about putting it down and getting something good off my shelf just to wash away the bad taste. Once upon a time, I used to enjoy his Drizzt books, but now it feels he is just flogging a dead horse. He should have killed off Drizzt about 7 books ago and started a new character, in my opinion... but hey. I'm not the multi million dollar fantasy writer he is, so what do I know?!

I'm reading some appallingly bad military SF by Mike Shepard. I keep wishing he'd posted it on the Cloud so we could have given him some decent editing suggestions...

Just about to re-read 'Letter To Daniel - Despatches from the Heart' by Fergal Keane. (As the blurb describes it, '...a heartfelt message addressed to his newborn son'.) It was gift from my own son and has been on my bookshelves for many a long year. Somehow, as I browsed the shelves, it 'spoke to me' to re-read it at this time. I'm sure there is something special in there of which I am meant to be reminded....

Lol Malcom - I've found myself wishing that a few times when reading bad books. Would be fun!

Just finished "Shadow of the Wind" by Carlos Ruiz Zafon. You know that thing we lose between childhood and adulthood, I just found it again. What a wonderful tale. And I was surprised to see that Mr Zafon actually composed and recorded (himself) a piano soundtrack to the book:

Half way through ' 'Henderson the Rain King'' by Saul Bellow. Has anyone been there? It's beautifully grumpy and a little sweet at the same time. I have ''The Old Patagonian Express'' by Paul Theroux and ''On the Road'' by Jack Kerouac to read after Bellow, any comments on these books?

I have just finished The silent Land by Graham Joyce and am poised to start either The Last werewolf by Glen Duncan or another Graham Joyce (The tooth fairy). I usually have trouble choosing the next after so thoroughly enjoying the last.

I'm reading "How to be a better person" by Seb Hunter, hilarious. I'd recommend a read x

Having avoided Lord of the Rings as a student - everyone was reading it - I'm catching up 35 years later, after persistent pressure from my son. And enjoying it. Jubilee by Shelley Harris awaits by my bed.

I read lots of books at the same time, but I just finished before I go to sleep by sj Watson. Finished it in a day and a half...could not put it down! Guessed the ending, but still a good read... :)

Having avoided Lord of the Rings as a student - everyone was reading it - I'm catching up 35 years later, after persistent pressure from my son. And enjoying it. Jubilee by Shelley Harris awaits by my bed.

Jubilee's by mine too, John. Went to the launch last week. Shelley's lovely, and the book sounds terrific.

...Trouble is, I've got two on the go (Murakami's 1Q84 and Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind), plus Bret Eaton Ellis's Glamorama, Peter Carey's Jack Maggs, Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal and a couple by comedian Mark Thomas all await too! And I know I'll want to read the sequel to the Rothfuss, and part 3 of 1Q84, and, and, and...!

I know that problem, GD. The pile by my bed gets ever taller. Now that I know some of the authors, and know how hard they have worked to create something in words that wasn't there before, the problem takes on a different dimension. One book has acheived promotion to the top of the heap, however: Shelley's reading at York 2010 was so memorable that quite a lot of us have been waiting for Jubilee ever since!

The pile by my bed got so tall that my husband requested I moved half of it onto the windowsill as it was blocking the light from the lamp...awaiting my attention are (amongst others): Jubilee (wheeeee!), the second two of the Millenium trilogy, Audrey Niffenegger's Her Fearful Symmetry, The Stone Testament by Celia Rees who wrote the fantastic 'Witch Child' and a couple of ghost stories by Catherine Storr - and I'm thinking of getting S J Watson's Before I go to Sleep as it's taking a long time for the book group copy to get to me.....

Just finished The Book of Fate by Brad Meltzer which was a very long-winded, rambling disappointment. I was so bored by the end that the Big Twist had no impact at all. Not really sure why I perservered to the end except that I seem incapable of putting a book down unless it is very, very, very, very bad!

I just finished Matthew Reilly's Scarecrow and the Army of Thieves. I am not usually an army/ military thriller person but I love Scarecrow so much! I mean he is a hero in my heart, loyal to friends, smart and brave.

...Trouble is, I've got two on the go (Murakami's 1Q84 and Patrick Rothfuss's The Name of the Wind), plus Bret Eaton Ellis's Glamorama, Peter Carey's Jack Maggs, Zoe Heller's Notes on a Scandal and a couple by comedian Mark Thomas all await too! And I know I'll want to read the sequel to the Rothfuss, and part 3 of 1Q84, and, and, and...!

I read 1Q84 in Mandarin, now I will be reading it in English hopefully. I like Rubin's translation more though.