Reply With Quotenot strictly on your list but worth a read IMO, only wish UK prisions were as harsh !
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Damage-D.../dp/184018275X
Gents (/ladies)
I fly to the South of France on Monday to meet up with the better half who is already in country with her family - I need some quality books to keep me sane during the evenings whilst they are babbling about Plus belle la vie (i can't even think of an equivalent, maybe some bastard son of eastenders / hollyoaks). She has been telling me to buy some for the last few weeks, of course I have ignored this until the last possible moment.
Things I like;
Military (fact & fiction)
Thrillers
Fantasy
Science written for non-phd's.
Biographies (heroes, legends, industrial magnates - 21 year old 'pop' stars & footballers can fuck right off).
Anyway, if you had one recommendation from the books you've read in the last few years, what would it be? I can get one day delivery on Amazon prime so I have hope yet!
not strictly on your list but worth a read IMO, only wish UK prisions were as harsh !
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Damage-D.../dp/184018275X
Have you done the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child? Military(ish) action thriller stuff, and very easy to read. I'm on the latest one now "Never Go Back" and I don't think there has been more than one dud in the entire series.
Into the Walking Dead? There are at least three of those books out now (not the comics - actual books!) that are pretty good reads, and easy 'holiday fodder'.
I have a small box of a couple of dozen books due for the charity shop, I'll PM you first thing in the morning, if you want any I can have them with you by weekend.
Mostly Lee Child, Clive Cussler, Robert Ludlum etc.
Originally Posted by Seamaster77
Thanks kev, I'd definitely be interested in Lee Childs / Robert Ludlum, in both cases I've seen the movies but not read the books which is almost always an oversight!
Seamaster thanks for your recommendation pal, i'll definitely have a look - I do like prison stories, especially ones where bastards suffer - although i'm on the fence as to whether the buggers should get royalties for my entertainment
House if leaves
http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/1417...&robot_redir=1
Hard going at first but worth it in the end
Hey Mike -Thanks kev, I'd definitely be interested in Lee Childs / Robert Ludlum, in both cases I've seen the movies but not read the books which is almost always an oversight!
Seamaster thanks for your recommendation pal, i'll definitely have a look - I do like prison stories, especially ones where bastards suffer - although i'm on the fence as to whether the buggers should get royalties for my entertainment
Sounds like you are into the same stuff I am. I HIGHLY recommend the Swagger "sniper" books by Stephen Hunter. Especially the early ones. I've read them all and they are uniformly excellent. let me know if you need recos.
Prison lit you say? Check out Hunter's "Dirty White Boys" and "Pale Horse Coming".
We have a large selection of tests gerritsen novels that I tend to go for, can recommend them for a decent holiday read.
Agree with Lee Child. Perfect holiday reading.
Also, if your after non phd science, try some of Michael Crichton. Prey and Airframe being particularly good.
Another Lee Child fan here.....
Max Hastings - Bomber command. Just read it on hols myself. Very interesting
A South American War. It's about the Falklands war.
I like reading books about the Vietnam war. Some of the best Ive read include......"Chickenhawk".......... "Dispatches" ............."The 13th Valley".
edit! Just remembered another one! Fiction this time, about the Falklands war. "Rainbow Soldiers" by Walter Winward.
Chickenhawk was written by Robert Mason, Dispatches was written by Michael Herr and Dispatches was written by John M. Del Vecchio.
Last edited by valleywatch; 27th August 2014 at 08:51.
The new one "Personal" is out tomorrow.
Also C J Box, Joe Pickett novels about a ranger in Wyoming. Thrillers with a difference.
If you fancy some lightweight thrillers written with humour try Mike Ripley's "Angel" series. I read them years ago and am working my way through them again.
Last edited by brigant; 27th August 2014 at 10:09.
My recommendation would be Wolf of the Plains, the first in a series of 5 books by Conn Iggulden about the life of Genghis Khan. It's historical fiction so he does take some liberties with timelines (which he explains at the end of each book). I enjoyed reading the whole series back to back.
Some candidates :
Any of the Ben Hope books by Scott Mariani (I prefer them to the Jack Reachers personally, but similar).
"The Hundred Year Old Man Who Climbed Out of a Window" - Quirky book, quite funny as our old hero recounts his adventures with history (and gets up to some new ones).
"The Limit" - Story of F1 in the late '50s, early '60s - Very good
"Dunkirk : The Men They Left Behind" - An interesting look at the fighting and captivity of men in the rearguard at Dunkirk.
Also, generally, "Band of Brothers" (If you've not read it) or "Pegasus Bridge". "The Longest Day", by Cornelius Ryan was very readable and very good, better than more than a few modern military histories I've read, I expect "A Bridge Too Far" is at least as good.
Roger Moore's Autobiogaphy ("My Word is My Bond"?) is rather good as are both of David Niven's books.
I could go on
M
Read any of the Culture books by Iain M Banks or any of his books at all :)
I'd go along with Lee Child's Jack Reacher stories
Also highly recommend 'Think of a Number' or any other of John Verdon's Dave Gurney series.
Are you in to music? Its fairly narrow and specific but "Telling Stories" by Tim Burgess was a cracking read.
The meltdown by Ben Elton is also decent, however the stories are a bit depressing to be looking back on now that we're steering clear of financial strife.
'The Martian' by Andy Weir. The best book I've read this year. Absolutely gripping and very funny also. I read it on holidays back in March, couldn't put it down.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Martian-...ds=the+martian
Mike, here's my little shelf clear-out.
Lee Child - The Enemy, Tripwire, Echo Burning, Persuader and The Visitor (not pictured).
Clive Cussler - Atlantis Found, Vixen 03 & Pacific Vortex.
Robert Ludlum - The Bourne Ultimatum & The Matlock Paper.
The Walking Dead; Rise of the Governor.
George Orwell; 1984.
Also have a few Poker related books;
Ghosts at the Table, Swimming with the Devilfish (both by Des Wilson)
Big Deal; a year on the professional poker circuit. Bigger Deal; A year on the new poker circuit (both Tony Holden)
Shut up and Deal (Jesse May).
Oh, and the excellent Viz Profannisaurus!
All are well read, I bought most of these second hand and have read all of them at least once, but in good clean condition and fit to go again.
If you (or anyone else) wants any of these just give me a nod. First pick to Mike since it's his thread, but if anyone else wants to hoover up the remaining ones then be my guest, just pay the postage.
(post on the whole lot will be under a tenner through Hermes).
Of the current crop, I am pilgrim - Terry Hayes
Very good spy/thriller/terrorism which will keep you entertained.
I enjoyed Chickenhawk (U.S Army helo pilot) very much, and if that's your era, try Matterhorn by Karl Marlantes.
In Cold Blood- by Truman Capote
I don't know anyone who didn't think it was an excellent book-
Without doubt you must read HHHH by Laurent Binet. It is about the assassination of Reinhard Heydrich but it is written in such a great style.
Tom Clancy Rainbow Six
+1 on this...finished it last night, thought it was the brilliant best thriller I've read in ages so I'd definitely recommend it. Would make a great film too and I think there are plans to make one.
I'd also suggest the Wool Trilogy too. It's a sci-fil thriller (sci-fi is not usually my thing) and is a cracking read.
http://www.thisiswool.co.uk/
"Ooh aah Stantana"
The autobiography of Phil Stant the footballer which includes his time playing football for the SAS and his time in the Falklands war. A brilliant read.
LuvWatch / Embles - funnily enough 'I am pilgrim' by Terry Hayes was the last book I put down - for a debut novel (heck, for any novel) I thought it was very good. All you chaps you are into your thriller stories and your Jack Reachers or Jason Bournes will enjoy it.
Kev I really appreciate your offer, but don't think we'll be able to get any of those over to me in time so if you were going to pass them on to a charity shop, please do pal. I was a big texas hold'em fan at one point so sure some of the poker books would have made good reading!
Anyways, I've bought 4 books..........
As there seems to be a serious amount of love for Mr Lee childs and I'd hate to spurn you all. Killing Floor: (Jack Reacher 1) is enroute. Seems theres 19 of the bloody things, if this gets me on the hook seems my reading for the next year or so is sorted !
Next up is Puntsdogs' recommendation of HHhH - The assassination of the head of the gestapo by two Czech Para's in 1942.. I think this is the one I'm most looking forward to.
Third up I've gone for In Cold Blood- by Truman Capote - Thanks to farmkid for the recommendation. I havn't read any of his work and I'm looking forward to it.
Lastly is a book that I actually bought on my kindle, with about 10% of the novel left to go I dropped the thing, and the screen got obliterated! Anyway it's a fairly fantastical
read, and I'm looking forward to having a hard copy for the book shelves.. 'Night Circus - by Erin Morgenstern'
I'd like to thank everyone who responded to this thread, I really wasn't expecting so much participation with so many great suggestions.
Finally, if you havn't read it before.. my one recommendation to you for the next time you go away is Kane & Abel. It's by a fairly well known gentlemen by the name of Jeffrey Archer. Don't hold that against the book, its a cracker
I know not if it is any good but I have Survivor On The Kwai by Twigg loaded on the Kindle for my future commute
RIAC
Third the votes for I Am Pilgrim- started on holiday and finished on the commute back to work - really very good!
Phil Stant was great for Notts. I'm going to have to read that.
If you're going to the South of France - particularly if you're in and around Languedoc I'd recommend 'Foucalt's Pendulum' by Umberto Eco, which is (sort of) a grown up version of the 'Da Vinci code'. Or if you fancy a giggle 'The Holy Blood and the Holy Grail' which is the nonsense it was all based on. All revolves around the landscape and superstitions of the south east of France. It's also fun to take a trip to Rennes Le Chateau - all the fun and silliness of Glastonbury with decent wine and landscape thrown in. Who could ask for more?
When we're in the south of France we're based in the Herault dept in Languedoc. Rennes le chateau looks like its worth a drive out, if you have any other recommendations in the area please do pm me!
One of the best books i have ever read. Could not put this down.
It's been around a long time but on the Biography/Science front, I recently enjoyed "Surely You're Joking, Mr. Feynman!: Adventures of a Curious Character", which is a collection of reminiscences and anecdotes drawn from recorded interviews in the final years of Richard Feynman's fascinating life. It's easy and entertaining to read; I found the parts relating on his time working on the Manhattan Project and on the Rogers Commission investigating the Challenger disaster particularly interesting.
Don't forget a few copies of QP magazine.
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