Kitchen Garden Forum

Hi, what's the best book you've read any why.??

I'm going camping in Alaska for three weeks, and given how much sun time there is, something tells me I'm going to have some reading time on my hands.

To be honest, I'll read any fiction, thriller, romance. Not a fan of autobiography's. There's very few books I haven't finished (tinker tailor, soldier spy is one of the few - also fell asleep in the film).

I'm a huge fan of John Irvine - world according to Garp is a favourite, loved Stieg Larsons series, and a am a fan of books like to kill a mockingbird.

But I'm open to new ideas. I prefer to read paperback, although given limited bag space may have to use kindle on the I pad.

So, what's your favourite book or a who is your favourite author?

Harry potter

Fly tying by j r Hartley

Bernard Cornwall-except the Sharpe series.

In seriousness, if you like magic fantasies, the inheritance series (Eragon) or anything by maria v Snyder

Aubrey and Maturin series by Patrick O'Brian
London by Edward Rutherfurd - quite a hefty tome.
I really do like the great classics - Jane Austin, Dickens, H. G. Wells especially 'The History of Mr. Polly'.
Don't get me started I could go on and on. I have been collecting books in machine readable form for 20 years and have some thousands. I am busy making an organised database which keeps me busy in the long winter evenings.

If you want something serious that sounds interesting. I read an obituary recently of Henry Hobhouse who wrote a book called "Seeds of Change". I haven't read it but it sounds good.

"Traces the history of five commercial plants - sugar, tea, cotton, potatoes and quinine - and seeks to illustrate how man's need, or greed, for these products has shaped human development. This edition includes a chapter on the coca plant, demonstrating its social, political and economic effect."

My favourite book is one of the Ladybird books, "My body".... ....

oldherbaceous wrote:My favourite book is one of the Ladybird books, "My body".... ....

And here's his body.



Or, if you wish, in German.

I never read fiction (I know, I am a sad git), so the book which held my interest non-stop recently was "The Railways - Nation, Network and People" by Simon Bradley. It was published last year, the reviews promised much and I was not disappointed.

OH's book is certainly a very good read. He even reveals his real name at the end - sorry no spoliers here.
Another excellent read for us gardeners is 'Digging for Victory Wartime Gardening with Mr Middleton'. Its full of garden wisdom and I love all his old remedies such as calomel, soot, tar-oil wash even arsenate of lead - enough to give our organic brothers and sisters a serious headache.

John

Hi Pawty
If you want to take just one book which will take ages to read, try Atlas Shrugged, by Ayn Rand. 1017 pages of very small print - after 2 weeks I've done about a third of it. It's basically a philosophical treatise, but quite a good fictional yarn with a female "heroine" who runs a railroad and drives a freight train at 100mph!

I would not recommend Wuthering Heights. terrible, hateful characters with no redeeming features whatsoever! The Rebus books are great, although its been years since I read one.

[quote="Geoff"]If you want something serious that sounds interesting. I read an obituary recently of Henry Hobhouse who wrote a book called "Seeds of Change". I haven't read it but it sounds good.

thanks. I actually have copy of this which I forgot about. I read the first chapter and will pick it up again, but maybe not a holiday book ... Needs a bit more of my attention. Is suppose to be excellent.

Thanks for recommendations ... I will have a look through.

Dan, I'm afraid I'm not a witches and goblin person. Husband though, absolutely loves Tolkien, Pratchett and yes Harry Potter (not to be confused with Dennis Potter which I originally typed... Well, I am from the Forest of Dean).

Pawty

There is a good non-discworld Pratchett called "Good Omens" that is fun.