UK Book Club discussion

I'm going to complete a second A-Z of new to me writers, it'll probably take me two years but I've some great books by new writers and established ones I've yet to read and this is my motivation...

A: The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
B: The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton
C: The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, Christabel, and the Conversation Poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
D: The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt
E: Four to Score by Janet Evanovich
F: On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming
G: Coraline by Neil Gaiman
H: Venetia by Georgette Heyer
I: The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro
J: Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James
K: The Stand by Stephen King
L: Let the Right One In by John Ajvide Lindqvist
M: The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford
N: Five Children and It by E. Nesbit
O: Ghost Light by Joseph O'Connor
P: The Day The Ravens Died by Timothy Pilgrim
Q: The Silver Linings Playbook by Matthew Quick
R: Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys
S: The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat & Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks
T: Salmon Fishing In The Yemen by Paul Torday
U: Black Out by Lisa Unger
V: Let the Northern Lights Erase Your Name by Vendela Vida
W: Scoop by Evelyn Waugh
X: Sky Burial: An Epic Love Story of Tibet by Xinran
Y: My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young
Z: Thérèse Raquin by Émile Zola

I've started with P and F underway... I am currently reading The Day The Ravens Died by Timothy Pilgrim and On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming.

Im also doing a A-Z challenge but doing it in order good luck with your challenge

Thanks Theresa, if I had to read it order I'd never finish it. The fact that I finsihed the last one was luck more than design for the most part...

I'm still on the last one as all authors seem to have the same few letters in my experience!

Absolutely Helen! Surprisingly little choice for Q, Y, X and Z which are the most difficult to find.

Tough when trying new writers - Matthew Quick, Zafon, Zimler and Zusak - I found Y the worst last time around.

I found a Y - My Dear I Wanted to Tell You by Louisa Young, Zimler... that's a possible (already read Zafon and Zusak!)

Good luck with the challenge, Em:)

First book finished of 2012 (although I started reading it just before Christmas) and first on my A-Z of new writers is On Her Majesty's Secret Service by Ian Fleming. Has all the necessary ingredients for a Bond adventure - psychophathic criminal, beautiful women and high adventure with a good dose of tongue in cheek humuor.

I haven't read a James Bond book for years, but remember that I liked them at the time - in fact, preferred the books to the films!

Two down (24 to go) I have finished The Day The Ravens Died by Timothy Pilgrim an indie author who has written a gripping, military thriller on the unsettling subject of terrorist attacks in the UK.

In my usual style I have read another new P author this year - Gervase Phinn and collected Excellent Women by Barbara Pym from the library today, no wonder it takes me so long to complete these challenges!

Have you heard from old geezer recently Em - seems to have abandoned us

Looks like he posted in a writers group a few weeks back but not heard from him within this group for a bit. Could he be busy writing his next novel??!

Em wrote: "Looks like he posted in a writers group a few weeks back but not heard from him within this group for a bit. Could he be busy writing his next novel??!"

He has been a bit quiet, maybe if he feels his ears burning he will come and give us an update!

Just finished Coraline by Neil Gaiman - an imaginative fantasy adventure for kids, I liked the style and the quirky characters, def will be reading more Gaiman.

I discovered Neil Gaiman last year, and love his books.....I readAmerican Gods, The Graveyard Book and Stardust, and plan on reading several more this year....he was definatly a fantastic find.

Agreed Susan! Gaiman is a good find, I like the quirky, gothic style.

Oooh and one more good find - nearly forgot to add it - Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys for R. An excellent book, one to dwell over and give you pause for thought.

Em wrote: "Agreed Susan! Gaiman is a good find, I like the quirky, gothic style.

Oooh and one more good find - nearly forgot to add it - Wide Sargasso Sea by Jean Rhys for R. ..."

Another one that's been waiting on my to read list for ages, must get around to it.....!

Liz, I'd be interested to hear what you think when you do get around to reading Wide Sargasso Sea.

Two birds with one book so to speak - The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton gives me a "B" for this challenge and ties in with our genre of month too!

Read The Pursuit of Love by Nancy Mitford - eccentric aristocracy in the 1920s-30's, a good mix of humour, coming of age and romance.

And for "H" I have read Venetia by Georgette Heyer - regency romance, a smart, beautiful and innocent heroine falls for the charming rake!

Em wrote: "And for "H" I have read Venetia by Georgette Heyer - regency romance, a smart, beautiful and innocent heroine falls for the charming rake!"

My aunt has loved her books all here life - she even gave my her old copy of Friday's Child which she had as a teenager. She now has them all in new paperback versions as the print is larger and is enjoying them all again.

When I was a kid, my Mum used to deliver library books to the elderly and housebound, I used to tag along with her and I remember the chaps liked war books and ladies loved a bit of historical romance! Georgette Heyer was top of the pops with OAPs of Bristol!

For A I have just finished The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga - an interesting book set in India and taking the form of a very long letter from an Indian entrepreneur (and murderer) to the Chinese premier, revealing a great deal about life in India, the poverty, the culture and the opportunity.

Just finished Scoop by Evelyn Waugh, it was pretty good, although quite funny and incisive in cutting the press down to size, the writing didn't totally grab me. I'm glad to have read it though, planning to read more, maybe Brideshead Revisited at some point soon.

For S I've read The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat & Other Clinical Tales by Oliver Sacks. An interesting series of clinical case studies of a psychological and neurological nature, generally quite readable, only occasionally lapsing into less accessible clinical jargon. Maybe a little dated now and I could well be alone in this, but at some points I was surprised to find the text concerned with a somewhat religious agenda e.g. whether a person with no memories, no longer had a soul?! Glad to have read it, any may well read further, Awakenings perhaps, I remember seeing the film it inspired.

I have read a book for "D" the western The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. It was v good, an intersting story set during the gold rush, full of very dry humour and it's unusual protagonist is a quietly philosophical hired killer. Definitely, this is worth a look.

Em wrote: "I have read a book for "D" the western The Sisters Brothers by Patrick deWitt. It was v good, an intersting story set during the gold rush, full of very dry humour and it's unusual protagonist is ..."

Glad you enjoyed the book, Em. I did too; quite different!

For C The Rime of the Ancient Mariner, Kubla Khan, Christabel, and the Conversation Poems by Samuel Taylor Coleridge.

T is by Paul Torday, generally an easy going read and surprisingly interesting given that it's about fishing!

Em wrote: "T is by Paul Torday, generally an easy going read and surprisingly interesting given that it's about fishing!"

I'll probably be giving that a go for the round the world challenge - I haven't 'been' anywhere new for months!

I think you'll enjoy it Liz.

For J I read Fifty Shades of Grey by E.L. James, it's not really for me - I don't ditch books as a rule but I'll admit I skimmed a fair bit. I like romance, I like erotica I don't expect high literature but I didn't like the characters nor did I much enjoy the writing style, repetitive to say the least.

For K I'm listening to The Stand by Stephen King. It's a long one but I am very gripped by it.

Its funny you say you skimmed bits of Fifty Shades - others were totally riveted by it. Its one of those love or hate books. I actually read 2 other books during Fifty Shades, but I did finish it eventually as I always do.

The writing irritated me - I'd like to know how many times Ana says "Oh my..." and I was having murderous thoughts about the inner Goddess!! I'm not planning to read the other two.

That said I like a bit of trash now and then, have you read any of The Black Dagger Brotherhood series by J.R. Ward - I love them.

I haven't, but will give it a go. Thanks for the tip.
In 50 shades, I didn't like how many times she flushed. Surely there are alternatives available for that word ! Maybe we can all chip in and buy el James a thesaurus ! Lol

Even my 8 yr olds can use one! It's not just the flushing, it's the 'involuntary' flushing!

And the lip biting!

Hahaha Oh my, Its just awful. I'm flushing at the thought ! lol

Nikks wrote: "I haven't, but will give it a go. Thanks for the tip.
In 50 shades, I didn't like how many times she flushed. Surely there are alternatives available for that word ! Maybe we can all chip in and bu..."

Given that sales have now reached 40 million worldwide, I think she could afford her own.

Thats just crazy how popular those books are - wow.

Ian wrote: "Nikks wrote: "I haven't, but will give it a go. Thanks for the tip.
In 50 shades, I didn't like how many times she flushed. Surely there are alternatives available for that word ! Maybe we can all ..."

Good point, not to mention I already spent £2 something on the download! She can deffo buy her own...

I wish books were so cheap in Canada :( 2 quid - wow. No book deals here. Must be from Canada that she's making her millions.

Nikks wrote: "I wish books were so cheap in Canada :( 2 quid - wow. No book deals here. Must be from Canada that she's making her millions."

Nikks - to continue an already bad/racist pun from earlier Canadians must be to polite to ask for discounts :-)

Very pleased that I managed to get for £3 from Tescos. Less pleased that someone then got it for me for my birthday as well :(

I hate it when that happens!

Or worse, I buy myself a book forgetting that I already own it. Doh!

Dave - lol a lot of Canadians yes, but i'm a scouser so it's no problem for me ! Lol another stereotypical view :-)

Em - I made a tbr shelf of books I own - to avoid rebuying stuff.

Now come on Nikks.....calm down, calm down. No doubt like me you have a moustache(well maybe not) and a curly black haircut and steal most of your books lol

Happy birthday Dave.

Haha ian - I slip them in the pockets of my shelly ! Lmao

Always an attractive piece of attire that has stood the test of time.

Hahahahahaha I am trying to make it as popular in BC as it is in Merseyside ! People stop me all the time and ask me where I got it, I of course tell them Birkenhead Market !!! LOL