# Book Recommendations?/Why I don't like the library as much as I used to...



## emmag (Mar 11, 2007)

OK. So I've just stopped reading _another _ book (novel) in disgust because one of the characters in it is infertile, and being made out to be stupid, weak, immature and pathetic. (why oh why did I think it would be any different?!)

Anyway. What I wanted to ask is this: do you have any book recommendations?

I LOVE reading, but these days when I go to the library, every novel is a story about bad parenting, great paretning, 30 somethings meet and fall in love and have a baby, infertile person in weak and pathetic etc. I read the blurbs on a gazillion books before I take a pile home, only to discard most of them!

I always think recommendation is the bet way to find out about books anyway, so how about it? I'll tell you my fave if you tell me yours??!!

xx


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## emcee (Apr 3, 2005)

I love books hon, but am more of an escapist when it comes to reading and love sci-fi and fantasy stuff. That way there is no chance of coming across the sort of stuff you describe, or if I do, its not as mushy if you get my drift? I also like biographies - I really enjoyed Sharon Osbournes. That was an escape from reality too, let me tell you  

I know my sort of books don't float everyones boat, but just thought I'd chip in here with my thoughts.

Love
Emcee xxx


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## emmag (Mar 11, 2007)

No! no! That's a grat idea! I love Sharon Osbourne! (and Kelly. I think she's fab).

My fave book of all time, which I've read at least 10 times, is "In the Heart of the Sea" by Nathaniel Philbrick.  It's an account of the real life events which inspired Herman Melville to write Moby Dick. It's completely brilliant.


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## carole (Jul 21, 2003)

Hi

Hope you don't mind me butting in - I am into John Grisham at the moment and also Nelson Demille (I think that's right) - both a good read.

Happy reading

Love from Carole
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


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## jq (Nov 14, 2006)

Hi Emmag

Right now I am reading "The Interpretation of Murder" by Jed Rubenfield. Funnily enough I was enthusiastically recommending it at work today! 

Apparently based on a real life event (I haven't read the historical endnote yet so I don't spoil it) it is centred on a trip to New York by Freud and Jung. One of Freud's disciples is trying to anayse a woman who has apparently been attacked in a similar way another was murdered. The book explores the Oedipus complex and the "to be or not to be" speech in Hamlet. Sounds heavy? No! There is a dectective who makes me laugh out loud. The great men are made human. Lots of chapters end on a cliffhanger which makes me late for everything! The book mixes intellectually challenging ideas, a thriller, comedy, mystery .... I am on page 467 and no sign of a fertility issue yet!

I just finished "Winter in Madrid" by C J Samson. (?) Also a great read sans happy families and daft IF patients. It is about an English man caught up in the aftermath of the Spanish Civil War. Would make a great film. Quite sad.

One of my all time favourites has to be "Marrianna, The Portuguese Nun" by Catherine Vaz. Also historically based, with a huge dose of imagination. Includes the most beautiful love letters I ever read. A love story with no resulting children whatsoever. Marrianna is a great role model for women without children. (Another for MM's wall of fame!)

I also loved "The Time Traveller's Wife" (Forget the author -  Anne/Audrey Neuffensomething?) Beautiful love story. They do have a child, but the novel is such a fantasy that it cannot possibly make you feel sad cos you don't have children, or angry about the assumptions. Indeed, you have to totally suspend belief in "real life" whilst readng about the more fundamental truths of real love.

Favourite authors as I write (would be a different list next time!)

Andrew Miller
Dorris Lessing
Ursula Le Guinn
PD James
Phillippa Gregory
Jane Austin
Ian MacKuan
Isabelle Allande

(but watch my spelling!)

Hun, I read lots, keep in touch for more recommendations!

Maybe our FF will list their fav reads for all to share?

Happy reading!

Jq xxx


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## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

Jq- Winter in Madrid was really good although i was hoping for a happier ending!!! 

The time travellers wife is one of my MOST favourite books of the last few years! Brilliant!!!(altho mind you emma there was bits about babies in it).

Jodie Picoult is a very good writer although some of the issues dont entice some people to read them.

Anita Shreve- although her books get similar once you have read them all!!! 

And i LOVE Joanne Harris(who wrote Chocolat) and there is a sequel to Chocolat coming out at start of May.<ost of her books are set in France which i love .


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## Nix76 (Aug 2, 2006)

I don't know if I'm allowed to post here (very sorry if I'm not - please just delete me), but this struck a cord with me.

I love reading but am trying to steer clear of any baby/IF mentions in books at the mo, so for my birthday DH bought me a foodie novel thinking that had to be safe........nope, fourth page in and the woman has PCOS    Only started reading it on the train this morning and think I scared the life out of the woman sitting opposite me by slamming it shut and stuffing it back in my bag !!

I'm very into food related books and autobiographies - thought I was safe with them !

Again - very sorry if I shouldn't be posting here, I don't mean to intrude. 

xx


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## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

You are not intruding Nix. Do you mean it was a cookbook? Or some other kind of food book? How do you mention pcos in a cook book? I would be interested to know!


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## Nix76 (Aug 2, 2006)

Thank you  

It's a novel and called "Julie & Julia My year of cooking dangerously" and the gist of is that this woman (Julie - it's autobiographical) spends a year cooking each of the 524 recipes in a Julia Childs cookbook "Mastering the Art of French Cooking".   Had read a review of it and looked good, but like you would never have dreamt that I would read about PCOS in a book like that !!   It's being shelved for a while !

Have always got my nose in a book, so would love to hear some of your recommendations.

Have any of you read The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold ?

Nix.


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## emmag (Mar 11, 2007)

Thank you for the recommendations, keep 'em coming! I'm going to the library tomorrow afternoon, so I'll take a list!

I have read The Time Traveller's Wife (cried buckets!) and I've also read The Lovely Bones.


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## Yamoona (Nov 7, 2005)

I would also recommend Joanne Harris, she is fab. The best ones I think are Chocolat and Coastliners(Irisheyes I had no idea there was a sequel to Chocolat coming out, I am sooo excited about this). Another good author is Paulo Coelho, his most famous book is the alchemist but I find all of his books are inspiring and can bring back a sense of faith. 

Travel books are also a good read, there is always someone somewhere that has been on a journey and written about it. One of them is a book called 'The Ripening Sun' by Patricia Atkinson. It's a story about a woman's journey in creating a vineyard. The characters are loveable and it's a great read. Now I'm off to pre order the sequel to Chocolat!!


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## emcee (Apr 3, 2005)

I thoroughly enjoyed Philip Pullmans Dark Materials triliogy. OK, so the main characters are kids, but they aren't like kids at all... very scary in places and very thrilling reads!

I'm currently reading 'last of the Wilds' by an Australian author Trudi Canavan and Love in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde who wrote 'pay it forward' which was made into a film starring Helen Hunt.

Some of my all time fave books are the Earths Children series by Jean M Auel - anyone heard of those? Very carefully researched stuff about the ways of prehistoric man (and woman)! 

Am loving this thread folks  

Emcee x


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## ruby k (Jun 2, 2004)

ooh ooh His Dark Materials is SO good!! I am in the process of reading them again - just on the second one at the moment and loving them eve more second time around!
all these recommendations are v good. I have just finished, 'The Testament of Gideon Mack' by James Roberston. It's about a Scottish Minister who doesn't believe in God and ends up meeting with the Devil (or does he..?) - It sounds heavy but it isn't at all - warning though to anyone interested, it does touch on IF, tho this is by no means one of the main themes, and is actually dealt with in an 'ok' way.
Also recently read 'The Prestige' by Christopher Priest - emcee you may like this? It's about 2 sparring magicians in Victorian times (the film, which is based on the book was out recently) - but again, there is a weird phase of the book about a baby - but again not the main theme at all.

those of you who like cooking stuff - have you read 'Like Water for Chocolate'? Brilliant foody passionate story! yum!
r xx


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## Nix76 (Aug 2, 2006)

those of you who like cooking stuff - have you read 'Like Water for Chocolate'? Brilliant foody passionate story! yum!
r xx

Who's this one by hun ?

Nix


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## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

Hey Yamoona- the sequel to Chocolat is called "The Lollipop Girl" and is out at start of May. I have pre ordered it on Amazon. You said you like d Coastliners.I liked it too. But have you read " Five Quarters of the Orange" ? Excellent!!! Set in France during the ocupation but has the food theme too xxx


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## Yamoona (Nov 7, 2005)

I have read nearly all of her books, I kinda collect them. Kicking myself for not getting Chocolate in hardback!! How geeky am I


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## jq (Nov 14, 2006)

What a great thread!

I find I love some of the same stuff recommended here! Finished "The Interpretation of Murder" yesterday - really great read! Started the "Testament of Gideon Mack" straight after to find Ruby K recommended here! And " The Prestiege" is in my waiting pile Ruby! So is "Lovely Bones" ! Love the Jean M Auel books too Emcee!

As for foodie books - kindred spirit Nix! Try these concoctions of love and food -

"La Cucina" by Lily Prior
"The Discovery of Chocolate" James Runcie

Not a novel but a great foodie read with recipes - "Aphrodite: The love of food and the food of Love" Isabel Allende

Laura Esquivel wrote "Like Water for Chocolate"

Happy reading girls!

Jq xxx


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## jomac (Oct 27, 2006)

What a great thread.
I must admit I struggled with "The Time Travellers Wife" - I found it hard to keep track. I like the sound of all those books about chocolate - mmm It's cold here today and raining hard ( late Autumn in NZ), I day by the fire, a glass of something red and hearty and a huge bar of cadbury's finest sounds like just the trick
I do enjoy Tim Farringtons books - "The Monk Downstairs" and I've just finished "Lizzie's War" which is great -  Although have to warn you, main character is preggers

Lots love and happy reading, Jo


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## Nix76 (Aug 2, 2006)

JQ - have just finished reading "The year of eating dangerously" by Tom Parker Bowles, which is quite good.  

Keep the foodie suggestions coming - I'll dig out my old stash and let you know what I've read!

Nix


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## flipper (Jul 7, 2004)

How about a decent thriller?  John Grisham's Pelican Brief is a cracking good read as are most of his other books.  Ben Elton's novels are also rattling good reads (you might prefer to skip Inconceivable, the rest are superb).

I blush to admit this one but I actually enjoyed Chasing Men by Edwina Currie  (there's no accounting for taste is there?)


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## ruby k (Jun 2, 2004)

hi, yes thank you jq, I didn't put the author in for Like Water for Choc. It's a while since I have read it (there's a film too), and just to warn (again!) I seem to remember there was some sadness around a baby storyline. I read it before I started on the IF journey, so it didn't stick out at the time so much. But just wanted to say that in case anyone is going to read it. Again, it's by no means the main thing in the story, but it is there. Seems hard sometimes to find a book about 'people' that doesn't touch on it in some small way  
jomac, I didn't like 'Time Travellers Wife' either.
Anyone read non fiction? I'm into a book about the Titanic at the moment - it's so good - and quite shocking actually when you think of the major shortcuts in safety they made  
rub x


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## jomac (Oct 27, 2006)

Nix 76, Tom Parker Bowles is actually in Christchurch, New Zealand this weekend. ( I live 40 mins away). There is a big foodie conference called "Savour NZ". tamsin day Lewis is here also. Unfortunately the weekend is hideously expensive so us more poverty stricken ( and still recovering from paying for treatment individual can't attend. Pity I think Tamsin Day Lewis is glorious - in any case wish I could look like that after an afternoon slaving in kitchen. 

Jo


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## flipper (Jul 7, 2004)

The last non fiction book I read was a couple of weeks ago and was a hoot. It was entitled:  Winning Negotiations that preserve relationships in the Results Driven Manager series!!  My other recent non fiction was Agatha Christie's autobiog which was a very good read.


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## emmag (Mar 11, 2007)

The book I was talking about is non fiction - In the Heart of the Sea.

At the moment, I'm mostly reading books about curtain making for ideas and inspiration, as, having just moved to a house with no curtains,  I have a ton of windows to dress!


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## carole (Jul 21, 2003)

If anyone is into spy stories, I have just read Nelson DeMille's The Charm School - good holiday easy reading.


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## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

Yamoona- sorry -the new Joanne harris is actually called " the Lollipop SHOES" - I have started it and cant put it down. Will be sad when i get to the end of it.

I have also just bought a good book in sainsburys called " The memory keepers Daughter" -will start it after this. Sounds good but also sad. About twins where one is born ok and one has downs. Wont tell you anymore as there is a lot more to it.


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## helen273 (Jan 26, 2006)

Hi

not sure from the other replies if this is the sort of thing you are looking for (please excuse if not)

It's called Pink for Girls and has been written by a women who cant have children.

there are some reviews on amazon.co.uk

It's not very deep, and quite a nice read if you want some reassurance 

I am happy to send it on to you if you would like to read it.

x


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## Myownangel (Aug 24, 2005)

Yay jq!! We have very similar tastes! I LOVED the Time Traveller's Wife and was going to recommend it. The couple do have troubles conceiving and the way it is dealt with is very real. I think it is the most brilliant love story. I also want to read The Interpretation of Murder - seems like my kind of thing. Also - have seen the film verision of 'The Prestiege; which was good. Hmmmm now what would I recommend... I liked 'Big Fish' (very unusual) and also recommend Atonement (although I didn't really like 'Saturday' – I thought it was very upper middle class aignst but maybe that was the point – but I read it anyway as I really like Ian McEwen). Oh yeah - have you tried 'Fight Club' by Chuck Palahniuk? It's very dark, but it is just superb. I read Kazuo Ishiguro's 'Never Let Me Go' and was SO disappointed. He had such a great idea for a story and he totally ruined it. I kept reading thinking it would get better - it didn't.
As for Joanne Harris - I started liking her then I found that her books were getting a bit 'flabby' (that often happens when a new writer establishes herself as the publishers stop editing them so much, which isn't always a good thing). Buyt if you say she is back on form, perhaps I'll give her a go.
Oh yes - another recommendation if you like Joanne Harris, try Alice Hoffmann. The best one is Turtle Moon.
Happy reading!
Bernie xxx


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## irisheyes (Feb 2, 2005)

Two really good books I have read recently-

1. The wind from the East (translated from spanish -set in Spain)

2. Painting Mona Lisa( a historical type of novel with a story of how Leonardo da Vinci and Mona Lisa met with Lisa's voice as the narrator)- couldnt put it down. If you love history and art.

Both available in Tescos


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## pem (Jan 10, 2007)

Hi girls!!

Just to be cheeky and but in..i would really really recommend The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini. Absolutely amazing read, the best book i have read in years.  Story about a young boy growing up in Afghanistan..gives you a whole new view on the world and brings joy and tears all the way through!!

Happy Reading, if you do read it let me know what you think!!


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## carole (Jul 21, 2003)

For non-fiction, I have just read The Innocent Man by John Grisham, story of wrongly convicted death row prisoners and the flaws in the cases that led to their convictions.


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