In recent years, reaching for the last Booker Prize winner has been a disappointing way of choosing holiday reading. Who’s got a good recommendation?

Just to start things going ...

I observed the recent passing of Kurt Vonnegut by re-reading Slaughterhouse 5 http://www.amazon.com/Slaughterhouse-Five-Kurt-Vonnegut/dp/0385333846

It was a lot less sophisticated than I remembered (more easily impressed back then, I guess), but it retains its humour and its sadness. Best of all, it’s a joyful testament to our ability to make something positive out of the most appalling events.

By far the best novel I read this year was The Corrections, by Jonathan Franzen http://www.amazon.com/Corrections-Jonathan-Franzen/dp/1841156736 It celebrates human diversity like nothing else I’ve ever read.

For me, one of the most haunting books is Marguerite Yourcenar’s The Memoirs of Hadrian http://www.amazon.com/Memoirs-Hadrian-Marguerite-Yourcenar/dp/0374529264 The wisdom in every line makes this a book to read very, very slowly.

you're quite right. I purchased the Man Booker 1st prize for our
book club nextyear, The Gathering, by Ann Enright, and was quite
disappointed, although forcing myself to re-read it, I got a bit
more out of it. I don't think it will be on the best-seller lists
for long. It is 30 years since I have read Zen, and the Art of Motor
Cycle Maintenance. Just finished reading it again and got a lot more
out of it. Perhaps I didn't have the wisdom back then. I can recommend it for a slow read on holidays.

Lesley

I've just finished what I consider a passionate, challenging and profoundly affecting memoir from the internationally renowed author of, 'The Caged Virgin,' Ayaan Hirshi Ali, called, 'Infidel.' It's not for the faint hearted, but it gives an interesting glimpse into one of today's most admired and controversial political figures.

Then there's Rachel Treasure's, 'The Rouseabout.' An honest and heartfelt tale of life on the land... which captures the very essence of being Australian.

Of course, there's the newest Bryce Courtenay, "The Persimmon Tree."
And Colleen McCullough's, "Anthony and Cleopatra ."

For lighter reading there's Sophie Gee's, "The Scandal of the Season."
And Tina Brown's, "The Diana Chronicles." Which to my surprise turned out to be a real page-turner`and very readable.

And last but not least there's Antony Loewenstein's, "My Israel Question." For those of you that want to learn more about Israel and Palestine - written by an Australian scholar.

Happy Reading! And a Merry Festive Season to all. May the New Year be a good one!

In addition to the above general suggestions , it might also be interesting to hear OLO contributors suggest suitable books specifically for fellow contributors, based on the intended recipients character/past contributions etc (if there are none in print, make up an appropriate title & author).

It'd probably be informative & amusing, & allow us to all end the year on a light-hearted, amicable note - then again ...

Anything by Ben Elton. 'The First Casualty' is more serious than his others and an excellent read.

If you like WWI novels, I'd choose Sebastian Faulkes Birdsong and Charlotte Grey and,of course, Pat Barker's superb Regeneration trilogy over The First Casualty. But that's me.

I'm rereading Tom Wolfe's The Right Stuff. Man, what a book. Also reread In Cold Blood recently - equally brilliant.

For those looking for a lighthearted read, thoroughly enjoyable and enlightening ... "Marching Powder" by Rusty Young is a great page turner.

Most of my reading of late has been escapism, or as my wife likes to put it ... the Mills & Boon for men (you know the stuff, the Grisham's, Ludlow's, Le Carre's of the world). Easy page turners, requiring little thought ... just finished "Stalin's Ghost" by Martin Cruz Smith.

For those looking for an epic (fantasy genre) then there is "A Song Of Ice And Fire" series by George R R Martin.

I'm not going to mention the serious reading ... it just doesn't seem appropriate for the festive season!

Here's a few more that I thought worth mentioning:

"Holy Cow! An Indian Adventure" by Sarah Macdonald. Often hilarious,
sometimes hair-raising and always entertaining...

If you like historical fiction there's, "Girl with a Pearl Earring,"
by Tracy Chevalier. Deeply revealing about the process of painting.
Beautifully written.

"Too Close to the Falls," by Catherine Gildiner. This one has only
one fault. It ends too soon.

"Away with the Fairies," by Kerry Greenwood. A Phryne Fisher Mystery.

And finally, for those who like biographies - "My Nine Lives,"
by Diane Cilento makes good reading.

Have fun...

I've just received, "Blind Faith" by Ben Elton as a Christmas present, and am looking forward to reading it. It's supposed to be a look into our future (dark and very Orwellian). Should be interesting.