It's that time of year again, time to plan the holiday reading. What have you read recently and enjoyed?

Bill Bryson, The Road to Little Dribbling, humorous travel account of trip around the UK by a grumpy old man.

All the Light we cannot see - Antony Doerr - Thriller set in second world war France

Sycamore Row - John Gresham - Mystery / Thriller set in America current day, family feud over inheritance

I am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes - current day espionage, american spooks

Have to concur with I Am Pilgrim - great book

The Martian by Andy Weir - more technical and in depth than the Matt Damon film - but if you like your science...

Ready Player One by Ernest Cline - great geeky book combining 80s pop culture with a dystopian future where everyone is plugged into a VR world playing a game following clues to win a fortune

The 100 yr old old that climbed out of the window and disappeared by Jonas Jonasson - bonkers activities of a 100 yr old man who 'escapes' his care home and goes on adventures - with plenty of flashbacks to various Forrest Gump-esque experiences in his 100 years of living

His first book is free on Amazon, zombie apocalypse written in a diary style format for the first few books.
He's got 12 full novels in the series and 1 small half sized story.
I've read them all and really enjoyed it.

The Book Thief
A Thousand Splendid Suns

Just reading Ben Macintires - SAS Rogue Heroes, the forming of the regiment early in WW2. Cracking read full of action.

Joey Barton - No Nonsense

Jon Smith - The deal: inside the world of a super agent

Shantaram - fantastic read

No Good Deed by John Niven this year was my poolside reading.

Easy holiday read, funny at times and probably relatable for most folks.

Agree with Shantaram (although exposed as fiction) and I Am Pilgrim.

I'm currently reading Little Black Lies which is pretty good.

Shantaram is dreadfully overwritten.

Normally I read crime fiction, but a friend has lent me 'Cold Mountain' by Charles Frazier. It's brilliant.

CleggHall wrote:Bill Bryson, The Road to Little Dribbling, humorous travel account of trip around the UK by a grumpy old man.

The place pictured on the front is about a couple of miles from my house. Not read the book though.

Bit of self improvement for you. The Chimp Paradox. (Explains a lot of the behaviour on this board). Frazzled by Ruby Wax. (Surprisingly honest).

Rileybobs wrote:Agree with Shantaram (although exposed as fiction) and I Am Pilgrim.

I have read both and highly rate them!!

Here's another shout for Terry Hayes 'I Am Pilgrim'.
It's not a quick read, over 900 pages but well worth it.

Any more?

bobby cummines I am not a gangster 1st book and the parkhurst years his second book

Previously recommended on here Stephen king wastelands and the Jack reacher books, both really good. Have you read catch- 22 very good and very funny.

The Vorrh and The Erstwhile Brian Catling
Johhny Marrs Autobiography- Set the Boy free
Anything by Stuart Macbride, A Dark so Deadly is his most recent offering
Homo Deus and Sapiens - Yuval Noah Harari
Doctor Socrates - Andrew Downie
Prisoners of Gepgraphy- Tim Marshall
Thirteen Reasons Why - Jay Asher
When Breath becomes air - Paul Kalanithi
Johan Cruyffs Autobiograhy - My turn

If you like short stories - this is by a Claret!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Speak-Angels-S ... 1533121478" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;


The review says: "The stories were entertaining and engrossing. The attention to detail, reminiscent of a young Dahl, brought the stories and characters to life. From the tragi-comic life of Henry Gow to the unexpected discovery of Thelma Broad, each story reiterated in my memory like a good film.
This is a great read."

NOT SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN

Richard Burton is a great one! there's also one on David Bowie that comes highly recommended.

It just so happens I released a new children's book today with awesome Manc artist Dunstan Carter.
We couldn't do any advance marketing because the title is so strong and we didn't want any other authors to nick it before we finished the book but...ta dah!



Release Day...THE HAIKU ZOO is here!

Released today on #Amazon online stores worldwide in paperback and digital.
Presenting the brilliant new children's picture #book by Mark Watson and Dunstan Carter...

The Haiku Zoo

Welcome to the #Haiku Zoo!

Meet Lion, the first animal we’ll visit on our trip to the Haiku Zoo.

Featuring fantastic illustrations from Dunstan Carter and stunning Haiku from Mark Watson, here comes a brand new twist on the short, Japanese poetry form, the Haiku.

A delightful new animal books series by Mark Watson, author of the multi-award-winning, bestselling children’s #kindle picture books “Milo & Ze”, “The Shark in the Park”, “The Travelling Circus” and “The Hairy Fairy”.

GRAB YOUR COPY NOW...

US PAPERBACK LINK: http://amzn.to/2uZDfTL" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

US KINDLE LINK: http://amzn.to/2hquygq" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UK PAPERBACK LINK: http://amzn.to/2woH1nc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

UK KINDLE LINK: http://amzn.to/2woKEKe" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

My favourite haiku from the new book...

‘If he was a man,
I think he’d be President,
with big, wavy hair.’

Shore claret wrote:Previously recommended on here Stephen king wastelands and the Jack reacher books, both really good. Have you read catch- 22 very good and very funny.

I first read Catch 22 in 1976 and didn't find it funny. I picked it up last week and started reading it , and I am finding it absolutely hilarious.
Just finished Lonesome Dove by Larry McMurtery, all 900 plus pages. Just brilliant.
I am pilgrim was way too far fetched for me and left me cold.
Also just finished Matterhorn by Robert Marloges. A brilliant read about the Vietnam war. It's fiction by an army veteran. Couldn't put it down.

Donald E Westlake takes some beating for crime capers.

Arthur and George by Julian Barnes. Arthur is Conan Doyle and George Edalji , a solicitor brought together by "The Great Wyrley Outrages" a small Staffordshire village which made sensational headlines in the late nineteenth century. Shortlisted for the MAN Booker prize. A good read unlike anything I've read before.

Agree - I am Pilgrim was excellent as was -

Five Rivers met on a wooded Plain - Barney Norris

Before the Fall - Noah Hawley

The Light between Oceans -M L Stedman

I See You - Clare Mackintosh