A Year in Roller Derby
June 3, 2014Retro Chick Reviews: Dirty Works Pore-fect Facial Hot Cloth Cleanser
June 6, 2014It’s that time of year that people read a lot of books.
Or it is if I believe the lifestyle sections of newspapers and magazines. It seems the whole world is booking in for 2 weeks in the sun, stacking up their suitcase with paperbacks or topping up their Kindle with new reads and heading out to lay on a sun lounger by the pool and drink cocktails while they voraciously consume some trashy new novel.
I’m afraid I’m not really up on the latest literature releases, so I can’t help you there. The days where I had time or money to read several books a week are long gone. I do love to read, though and I always finish my day with a chapter or two and a hot chocolate in bed. I love to read new books, but there are some books that I keep going back to over and over. I’ve read them so many times that I almost know them by heart. Some of them I even own in several different formats. Mostly they’re old and well known books, so I’ve never bothered to write about them, and I rarely even mention them if people ask for recommendations, but then I thought, what if you haven’t read them?
What if I’m keeping these amazing books to myself, while you go out hunting down the latest Summer blockbuster, and you haven’t even read these ones yet?
So you’ve probably already read these, but these are 5 of my favourite books that are on my regular go-to reading list.
Good Omens
– by Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman
It was probably around 1995 when I first read this book. It made me laugh so hard that people on the train looked at me like I was crazy. I reckon I’ve read it at least once a year since then and I own it in 2 different paperbacks and on my kindle, in case of emergencies.
The story of the end of the world and the coming of the Anti Christ told with a perfect blending of Terry Pratchetts surreal fantasy comedy and Neil Gaimans fondness for dark and mysterious magic. As far as I’m concerned it’s pretty much perfect. Read it, if you haven’t already.
Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell
– by Susanna Clark
I own this book in hardback. It is the sort of huge book that you can only read sat at a desk, or if you have super strong arms. So I also own it on my Kindle so I can read it repeatedly.
The tale of the last 2 magicians in England, this is a pretty epic novel, but once you’re sucked into the world she creates it’s hard to leave.
Apparently it is soon to be major BBC series. Please don’t mess it up.
The Night Circus
– by Erin Morgernstern
Another magical book that drags you into a world you never want to leave. Another book about Magicians, this time who disagree on the best way to train an apprentice and agree to pit their trainees each other in a game that only one will survive.
It’s beautifully written and the descriptions of the parties and of the mysterious Night Circus itself are captivating. Actually, it might be time to read this one again.
Anansi Boys
– by Neil Gaiman
I actually read this book only recently, but I read the whole thing in a little over a day, sitting outside in the sunshine. I have it in paperback and in kindle version, but I bought the paperback that has only a spider web, and no spider on the front, but I still prefer the kindle version as spiders freak me out. This story is rooted in old myths and tales of the gods and is both down to earth, real, and full of magic.
I’m currently working my way through lots of Neil Gaiman books and can heartily recommend Neverwhere, Stardust and The Ocean at the End of the Lane
Notes From A Small Island by Bill Bryson
![small island]](http://www.lipsticklettucelycra.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/small-island.jpg)
Bill Bryson has long been one of my favourite writers and I’ve read most of his books. I love his travel writing as it’s nice to read about travel from the perspective of someone as grumpy as I am.
This is one of my favourites, as it’s easy to recognise his travels around the UK. But I also love a lot of his other books, A Walk In The Woods on the travel side, and A Short History Of Nearly Everything and Mother Tongue: The Story of the English Language are particular favourites not about travel.
So.
Tell me, which of these have you read? Which will you be trying? And are there any books you’d recommend to me?
35 Comments
Of these I’ve only read the Bill Bryson one & I absolutely LOVE his travel books – insightful, full of info & laugh out loud funny! Every time I see anything about bears I always want to read ‘A walk in the woods’ again.
Oooooh, Night Circus! I received it as a birthday present last year and loved it! Great choice!
Good Omens is the funniest book EVER!
“The Kraken stirs. And ten billion sushi dinners cry out for vengeance.”
Have you read American Gods? I read Anansi Boys a few years ago, and loved it, but I wish I had read AG first.
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Love Good Omens. I want a devil dog. The Night Circus is on my reading list for this year. Have read most of Bill Bryson’s books – his quiet wit makes me chuckle.
Good Omens… Guaranteed to make you laugh out loud in public, a brilliant book 😀
Good omens is my favourite!
im on my 3rd copy of good omens, ive read them to bits, my fave book ever.
I love Bill Bryson too!
I love Neil Gaiman but haven’t read Good Omens, i’ll put it on my list. My favorites are American Gods & Stardust, could read Stardust over & over again 🙂 x
Good Omens is my all time favorite book, I’ve had to replace a few copies and I’ve gifted it to my favorite people as well. LOved Night Circus. Have read them all except the Bill Bryson one.
I love Neil Gaiman and I’d like to buy a paperback of Anansi Boys, but spiders freak me out too. I’m so scared I couldn’t read a book where it means touching a picture of a spider/spider’s web on the front cover. Guess I’ll have to buy a Kindle copy 🙂
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All great books! If you haven’t already discovered Ben Aaronovitch, then you should definitely read Rivers of London
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rivers_of_London_(novel)
Aww I recently read ‘the ocean at the end of the lane’ by Neil Gaiman and it was amazing. Love his writing so much. One of my oldie but goodie picks is always Shantaram, again a bit of a big book if you don’t have a kindle but it’s well worth the arm ache! A fantastic story all about love and India and full of philosophical little bits.
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I’ve read Robert Rankin (like a sweary Terry Pratchett) many times, I live near where they’re set so it’s fun spotting landmarks.
Also I have re-read all of Sherlock Holmes many times.
…apart from that, much of my re-reading tends to be worthy classics for work!
I’ve only read two. The others will go on my to do list. I like the sound of “the night circus.”
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Good Omens is brilliant, and don’t be put off that The Graveyard Book by Gaiman is aimed at a younger reader – it’s unquestionably an essential coming of age read with characteristic darkness. Also, a book I love and re-read every so often is Child of an Ancient City, by Tad Williams and Nina Kiriki Hoffman.
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A good book can make the day so much better. think I will have to give some off theses a read.
Gaby x
http://theglamdottylife.blogspot.co.uk/
I haven’t read any of those but I want to! I constantly pick up The Night Circus in book shops but never buy it. Have you read The Transformation of Bartholomew Fortuno? Another circus book which I absolutely adored. 🙂 xx
Worked my way through the Bill Bryson books while at Uni – I think I even used some as examples in essays (no idea what topic for now!)
LOVE Neil Gaiman but not read any of his for a while, so I think it’s time to revisit those again.
And I have The Night Circus on the shelf to read on loan form my flatmate who highly recommends it.
The book I go back to time and time again is The Hitch-hikers Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams. But then I think I am a bit of a geek with that one. I have the radio plays on CD, the original TV series on video and the film on DVD!!
I still have not read The Night Circus, although it’s been on my list for a while now. I love the Neil Gaiman suggestions, though, since he’s always a fantastic read, and Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell is one of the best fantasy books I’ve ever read.
I just finished with Babayaga, which is about Russian witches living in Paris in the 60s. I really enjoyed it, I’ve been recommending it to everyone since.
I have all but one of them, (and that’s probably in my wish list on Amazon). You mentioned Bill Bryson’s “a short history of everything”…..did it get any easier? I got so bogged down trying to fathom out the light years, stars bit etc that I caved in and gave up! LOL!
If you’re open for suggestions, I can recommend The Book Of Lost Things by John Connolly. (I think it’s a youth book but that never stops me!)
Not read any of these! Started that Jonathan Strange one about 3 times, never get far with it, it’s just not easy to read. I will try again someday!! P x
Nice covers I should say…