Oh the Pete Mcarthy ’ Mcarthys bar ’ and Road to Mcarthy is basically his travels around ireland visiting pubs with funy stories along the way . I laughed out loud on the tube reading these !
A short history of tractors - misleading title - about old ukrainian man in Peterborough falling for big busted ukranian young woman who needs visa to stay in Uk - his two daughters dont approve .
I need to read about 200 pages tonight for book club meet tomorrow - dont know what I’m doing on here 
this week I’ve read a few - Swallowing Grandma - ok, but read it in a day ‘Junk’ by Malcom Burgess - about young runaway soon to be heroin addicts squatting in Bristol - so local interest and ‘Rebecca’ by daphne Du Maurier.
I have decided that despite my having evaded all ‘classics’ up to now, I will have to read more. Rebecca was read hot on the heels of Jamaica Inn. i didn’t like jamaica - it was one of those books that I felt i could’ve written better ( shame I don’t actually do these things!!!) but Rebecca has shown me lots of little literary lines that I hear others use all the time and just didn’t understand!! So maybe onto Virgil next… not.
Td x
Same author of Ukraine Tractors has written Two Caravans about immigrants and low-paid work they do over here. Again, it was a scream, the things they got up to and thoughts running through their heads.
Someone earlier in thread mentioned Call The Midwife, a true story of 1950s East End of London by Jennifer Worth. I got it from the library and yes, it was absolutely brilliant. I’ve ordered four copies off Amazon to give to friends (reduced from £6.99 to £3-odd). I’ve also ordered her other book about life in the workhouse (can’t remember title).
Am currently reading a Kathy Reichs - Bones to Ashes. Very clever woman. She’s a forensic anthropologist, examines ancient bones and identifies cause of death. Third one I’ve read of hers. Excellent author.
Try Simon Beckett who writes about a British forensic anthropologist-a nice change from the American ones.He has written 2 so far and I enjoyed both.
I enjoy the Alexander McCall Smith books - both the No 1 Ladies Detective Agency series, and the Sunday Philosophy Club series. The latter are very calming & gentle
For a good page turner - Harlen Coben’s are hard to put down once started.
Thanks, Horace. I’ll order one from the library for starters.
RR - Yes, Harlon Coben, especially the Myron Bollitar ones, I think.
Thought I’d add my two penneth, I love James Herbert. His books are usually about haunting and ghosts and/or gore, the early ones have quite a bit of sex in too, so if you want to escape to a scary world the dive into one of his.
A strange coincidence
I have never heard of the name boy’s Jerzy before, yet the last book I read - The Girls by Lori Lansens ( story of conjoined twins) had Cousin Jerzy.
The current book
Random Acts of Heroic Love (Two tales of loss and love with a stunning climax - says the review) has best friend Jerzy.
How strange
I am reading, well when I go to bed that is, Tony Hawkes Round Ireland with a Fridge, my friend Clare gave it to me and apparently makes us glad we are Irish.
About a bloke who hitch-hikes around Ireland with a fridge, does exactly what it say on the tin.
Whitedragon, I am with you there on James Herbert he is fantastic. I love Dean Koontz’s early stuff too, especially when he had R in his name LOL.
Hello Leeloo could you recommend a Dean Koontz, I have read him, so to speak.
Watchers was the first Dean Koontz book I ever read and it is brilliant, funnily enough I read it off the back of a film made of the book, of course the book is better.
I love the way he used to always have retrievers or labs in his books.
I will have a look at the books in my attic and see what others of his which are good but I would definitely go for his older stuff, grips you in a few pages.
Thanks for that I’ll eBay him now
Has anyone read Mama mia??
Went to see the film tonight - I laughed, loudly SO much I was constantly wiping my eyes. Mind you, I’m constantly doing that any way - have chemo eyes lol!
Can’t imagine that book could meet film in this case, as it was just SO visual and of course aural due to songs… but would give it a go if recommended!
Td x
Hi, All
Thanks to people on here, I’ve discovered new authors. I’ve read The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns, plus Call the Midwife and Shadows of the Workhouse. I’ve also read Simon Beckett, Written In Bone; James Patterson, Honeymoon; and (I’ve had this for 30-odd years and never read it!!!) The Official Tape-recorded Confessions of The Boston Strangler.
So thanks for those, ladies.
Wonderful thread, this.
Good luck to us all.
Maureen xx
I read a whole book today, ‘The Story of my Face’ by Kathy Page
Now, I wouldn’t particularly recommend doing the same, but as I was having a Bed Day and it was just given to me I read it in one sitting. It’s interesting in looking at how our outside affects our inside and what leads us to that point…
Having said that - borrow it, don’t rush out and buy it!!
td x
Haven’t even finished it yet, but I am loving ‘Human Croquet’ by Kate Atkinson - her second book.
Anyone know waht human croquet is??
Tdx
Hi Waiting Angel
Have you read her latest novel - When will there be good news? I heard it reviewed on Womens Hour I think it was and it sounded well worth reading. Bought it and have to say thoroughly enjoyed it. I will have to read the above and Behind the Scenes at the Museum which was what really launched her career.
At the moment I am reading a really beautiful book by Sally Nicholls called 'Ways to live forever; about an 11 year old with terminal leukaemia. Its not dissimilar to the book ‘Before I die’ by Jenny Downham about an older girl (16) also, with terminal leukaemia, despite its poignancy theres so much humour and warmth in it. I do recommend - that is if you can still bear cancer stories.
x
Ditto Pete McCarthy/Tony Hawks books (round Ireland with a fridge - very funny)
I would add:
* Stuart - a life backwards (homelessness, mental health problems and drug issues) by Alexander Masters
* My name is Angel (crack cocaine addicition and prostitution - uplifting story, believe it or not…) by Rhea Coombs
* Where did it all go right (funny and children of the 70’s, like me, will appreciate the cultural references) by Andrew Collins
* Any of the Agatha Raisin books (for when you don’t want to have to think too much but still want to be entertained) by MC Beaton
* The curious incident of the dog in the night time by Mark Haddon
* Different Seasons by Stephen King (three of the four novellas were made into films - stand by me, apt pupil and shawshank redemption - but the stories are sooooooo much better!)
I read all these pre BC (i was a big reader until daughter was born 2 years ago!) so most are ‘out of date’ (i.e. not current) so you’d be able to pick 'em up really cheap on ebay!
Currently reading ‘Red carpets and other banana skins’ - Rupert Everett autobiography and it is quite funny but only a 1/4 of the way through it!
Will post more books if i can remember them…
Just remembered another one that is hilarious - ‘Eat your lonely heart out’ by Rochelle Morton - a true account of a woman who placed a ‘lonely hearts’ ad in a paper and some of the men she met through it. I recall laughing my head off at some of the TERRIBLE dates she went on!
I have started to read The Shack by Wm Paul Young, bit deeper than my usual but even managed to read 76 pages while waiting and having chemo this week.
Need to start getting into reading again, especially since I have new sofas coming to cosy up on.