Favourites


LIKE : WORTHWHILE, ENJOYABLE *
RECOMMEND :  PRAISEWORTHY, COMMENDED **
FAVOURITE : PRIZED, PRECIOUS, MY EXEMPLARS ***


Past and Present Favourites in alphabetical order
~ some will have been reviewed 
while others will get done sooner or later.


A
AMERICAN JOURNEYS ~ Don Watson
A funny and insightful train trip around the US

B
THE BEAR WENT OVER THE MOUNTAIN ~ William Kotzwinkle
A wonderful satire on the publishing industry
THE BOOK OF LOST THINGS ~ John Connolly
Love most of his but this one is my fave; an adult fairy tale.

C
CATCH 22 ~ Joseph Heller
I think it was the first novel that provoked me into thinking!
CLOUD ATLAS ~ David Mitchell
Like sherbert that buzzes on your tongue! A refreshing read.
THE CHRYSALIDS ~ John Wyndham
Could be on today's bestseller list! Religious fundamentalists in a dystopian world

CONFEDERACY OF DUNCES ~ John Kennedy Toole
Nothing short of delicious ~ rich in language and characters

D
DARK MATERIALS TRILOGY ~ Philip Pullman
Too good for kids! Too complex, too deep, too thought provoking!
 



F
FEAR AND LOATHING IN LAS VEGAS ~ Hunter S Thompson
How did this guy write so well with a fried brain? What a roller-coaster!!! All Uppers and Downers!
A FORTUNATE LIFE ~ A. B. Facey

G
GONE GIRL ~ GILLIAN FLYNN
Gotta love a psychopath! A darkly suspenseful novel
GONE WITH THE WIND ~ Margaret Mitchell
Pulitzer Prize. A vivid history of the Civil War.  
GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO ~ Steig Larsson
#1 of the Millennium SeriesHook Line & Sinker ... a great read

H
HOW I BECAME A FAMOUS NOVELIST ~ Steve Hely
Funny, funny book.A perfect companion for “The Bear Went Over The Mountain”

I


J


K
KINGS IN GRASS CASTLES ~Mary Durack


L
THE LACUNA ~ Barbara Kingsolver

THE LAST WEREWOLF ~ Glen Duncan
Reviewed on F T B C (but had found it first) Schlock Horror of high quality
LITTLE CHILDREN ~ Tom Perrotta

LOVE IN A TIME OF CHOLERA ~ Gabriel Garcia Maequez
My honeymoon read around NZ


M
MARCH ~ Geraldine Brook

MR PIP ~ Lloyd Jones
Awesome! Just loved it!!! And now I think I'll have to read some Dickens!
THE MONKEY WRENCH GANG ~ Edward Abbey

MUDBOUND ~ Hillary Jordan
Oh my! Breathtaking! An engrossing, disturbing, memorable book

N
THE OTHER HAND ~ Chris Cleave

O

ORYX & CRAKE ~ Margaret Atwood

P
THE PASSAGE ~ Justin Cronin
Picked from the N Y T Best Sellers Christmas List. Thank you Santa!!!
PERFUME ~ Patrick Suskind

POISONWOOD BIBLE ~ Barbara Kingsolver


POWER OF THE DOG ~ Don Winslow


Q
 

R
REMAINS OF THE DAY ~ Kazuo Ishiguro
ROOM~ Emma Donoghue
Shortlisted for 2010 Man Booker Prize. Wonderful use of “voice” of a 5 year-old.

S
A SECRET HISTORY ~ Donna Tart
SHADOW OF THE WIND ~ Carlos Ruiz Zafon
SHATTER ~ Michael Robotham
SKIPPY DIES ~ Paul Murray

Longlisted 2010 Man Booker Prize A wonderful multilayered read. 
SUPER SAD TRUE LOVE STORY ~ Gary Shteyngart
Satirical dystopian future in a USA owned by China.  Cute, funny, smart

T
THEY FOUND A CAVE ~ Nan Chauncy
TO KILL A MOCKINBIRD ~ Harper Lee
A reading experience for any age group A classic to be reread and reread

U


V
A VISIT FROM THE GOON SQUAD ~ Jennifer Egan
Winner of the 2011 PULITZER PRIZE Cool! Unusual! 

W
A WALK IN THE WOODS ~ Bill Bryson
THE WRITING CLASS ~ Jincy Willett
THE WRECKAGE ~ Michael Robotham

An excellent read ... taut and terrific Maybe even my favourite Robotham!

X

Y
YEAR OF WONDERS ~ Geraldine Brooks

Z