Reading

The books and authors featured here link to the relevant pages at Amazon (UK and US), Indigo (CAN), and Collins (AUS), where you can read in-depth reviews and spend your hard earned money. Use the form below to select your vendor of choice.

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Recommended books

These are a collection of one- or two-off books I’ve particularly enjoyed. Authors whose work I consistently like are listed in the next section: Recommended authors.

The curious incident of the dog in the night-time
Mark Haddon
Fiction
Cover of The curious incident of the dog in the night-time by Mark Haddon
Vernon God Little
DBC Pierre
Fiction
Cover of Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre
The Princess Bride
William Goldman
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of The Princess Bride by William Goldman
Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China
Jung Chang
Biography, History
Cover of Wild Swans: Three Daughters of China by Jung Chang
American Psycho
Bret Easton Ellis
Fiction
Cover of American Psycho by Bret Easton Ellis
Glamorama
Bret Easton Ellis
Fiction
Cover of Glamorama by Bret Easton Ellis
Lord of the Flies
William Golding
Fiction
Cover of Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Catch 22
Joseph Heller
Fiction, Crime, Thrillers & Mystery
Cover of Catch 22 by Joseph Heller
About a Boy
Nick Hornby
Fiction
Cover of About a Boy by Nick Hornby
High Fidelity
Nick Hornby
Fiction
Cover of High Fidelity by Nick Hornby
Three Men in a Boat
Jerome K. Jerome
Fiction
Cover of Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome
The Gun Seller
Hugh Laurie
Fiction
Cover of The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie
To Kill a Mockingbird
Harper Lee
Fiction, Children’s Books
Cover of To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Life of Pi
Yann Martel
Fiction
Cover of Life of Pi by Yann Martel
All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy)
Cormac McCarthy
Fiction
Cover of All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy) by Cormac McCarthy
Angela’s Ashes
Frank McCourt
Biography
Cover of Angela’s Ashes by Frank McCourt
A Monk Swimming
Malachy McCourt
Biography
Cover of A Monk Swimming by Malachy McCourt
Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About
Mil Millington
Fiction
Cover of Things My Girlfriend and I Have Argued About by Mil Millington
The Deed of Paksenarrion
Elizabeth Moon
Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of The Deed of Paksenarrion by Elizabeth Moon
Holes
Louis Sachar
Children’s Books
Cover of Holes by Louis Sachar
The Catcher in the Rye
J.D. Salinger
Fiction
Cover of The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
Cryptonomicon
Neal Stephenson
Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of Cryptonomicon by Neal Stephenson
The Diamond Age
Neal Stephenson
Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of The Diamond Age by Neal Stephenson
The Lord of the Rings
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of The Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien
The Hobbit
J.R.R. Tolkien
Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien
A Confederacy of Dunces
John Kennedy Toole
Fiction
Cover of A Confederacy of Dunces by John Kennedy Toole
Slaughter House Five
Kurt Vonnegut Jr.
Fiction, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of Slaughter House Five by Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Recommended authors

I’ve pretty much enjoyed anything written by the following people. In many cases their works are part of an on-going series; if that's true for the author you select I’d strongly recommend reading their books in the order in which they were written.

If you’re looking for a quick book recommendation then see the previous section: Recommended books.

George MacDonald Fraser
Fiction
Cover of The Flashman (The Flashman Papers) by George MacDonald Fraser
Scott Adams
Humour
Cover of The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams
Mark Billingham
Crime, Suspense, Thriller
Cover of Sleepy Head by Mark Billingham
Bill Bryson
Travel writing
Cover of Notes from a Big Country by Bill Bryson
James Lee Burke
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Jolie Blon’s Bounce by James Lee Burke
Lee Child
Adventure, Thriller
Cover of Killing Floor by Lee Child
Michael Connelly
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Trunk Music by Michael Connelly
John Connolly
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Every Dead Thing by John Connolly
Robert Crais
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Free Fall by Robert Crais
Louis de Bernieres
Fiction
Cover of Captain Corelli’s Mandolin by Louis de Bernieres
Carl Hiaasen
Fiction, Mystery
Cover of Strip Tease by Carl Hiaasen
Tami Hoag
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Ashes to Ashes by Tami Hoag
Joe R. Lansdale
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Bad Chili by Joe R. Lansdale
Elmore Leonard
Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Stick by Elmore Leonard
Henning Mankell
Crime, Fiction, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of The White Lioness by Henning Mankell
Ed McBain
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of The Heckler (87th Precinct Mysteries) by Ed McBain
Val McDermid
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of A Place of Execution by Val McDermid
Terry Pratchett
Fantasy, Fiction, Science Fiction
Cover of The Colour of Magic (A Discworld Novel) by Terry Pratchett
Philip Pullman
Children’s Books, Religion & Spirituality, Science Fiction & Fantasy
Cover of Northern Lights by Philip Pullman
Ian Rankin
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Knots and Crosses: An Inspector Rebus Novel by Ian Rankin
John Sanford
Crime, Mystery, Thriller
Cover of Rules of Prey by John Sanford
Wilbur Smith
Fiction
Cover of River God by Wilbur Smith
P.G. Wodehouse
Fiction, Humour
Cover of The Jeeves Omnibus by P.G. Wodehouse