Books to recommend?

[machshefa]

Hi guys,

I've got a long holiday weekend coming up with some (possible) reading time... and I have no idea what to read.  I have bookshelves full of books, but we have a trip to the bookstore planned, so I'm open to suggestions!  Fiction, nonfiction, fantasy, SF, anthologies--what do you recommend?

I would love an engrossing read, something that won't leave me depressed or despondent, something fabulous!  I recently read the most recent Malcom Gladwell and also Gaiman's "American Gods."

*sits back and makes list

Thank you!

Comments

[corianderpie.livejournal.com]

One of my favoritest books I read this past year was Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel. Historical fiction at its very best.

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

I'm reading that at the moment!

[corianderpie.livejournal.com]

I gobbled it up. I'll probably read it again at some point. I guess a lot of people have found the fluid POV confusing and irritating--I thought it was exhilarating. Yumz. :D

[dickgloucester.livejournal.com]

The POV is the reason why I'm taking a sod of a long time to read it. It draws me in until I'm acclimatised, and it slows down the reading so that I can savour it instead of galloping through as I usually do. However, because I don't really have huge chunks of time at my disposal, and it's not a book you can pick up and read for five minutes and then put down again, I'm still only half way through.

I'm thrilled by it, though. I've always had a sneaking admiration for Thomas Cromwell, but he's not an instantly attractive figure, so having this fictional insight into him is great. I'm very impressed with Mantel's writing.

You know, if you like the period, you should read the CJ Sansom mysteries set during this very period (the first is "Dissolution"). Cromwell isn't the protagoonist, but he does feature, and he's well-realised.