I have some books to recommend, and it seemed strange to open a new topic for each of them if it's wrong to have those recommendations all merged here, I'd ask the moderator to split/delete the topic.


1. José Saramago: Blindness
Saramago is a Nobel-laureate Portuguese novelist, and Blindness is one of hist best known novels. It deals with an epidemics of blindness, which afflicts almost everyone in the city where the novel takes place, and the breakdown of society that follows. As such, it seemed more like apocalyptic fiction for me, and is still one of my favourite 'general' books.

2. Haruki Murakami: Norwegian Wood
Murakami, a Japanese novelist, is probably well-known to everyone, and I guess that most of you have read Norwegian Wood already. However, his other novels (Kafka on the Shore; South of the Border,West of the Sun; Sputnik Sweetheart, After Dark ...) are said to be very good too (I haven't yet read them myself).

3. Arto Paasilinna: The Year of the Hare, The Howling Miller
Paasilinna is a Finnish author, probably known best for his book The Year of a Hare, in which we follow a man who suddenly decides to live his old life behind and spend some time in wilderness. The Howling Miller is not that well known, but is nevertheless good: a story of a man who is shunned by society, but his free spirit survives despite everything.

4. Orhan Pamuk: My Name is Red
Another Nobel-laureate novelist, but this time Turkish My Name is Red reminded me some of The Name of the Rose, but with completely another setting and some sexual aspects to the plot. It's a great book and not a too demanding read.

5. Arundhati Roy: The God of Small Things
Arundhati Roy originates from India and The God of Small Things is, for now, her only novel. It's a story about twins, who enjoy their childhood, but become victims of tragic circumstence and are marked for the rest of their lives. It's a kind of book that will likely leave you a bit depressed.

6. Yann Martel: Life of Pi
Look loook, an author from Canada! Judging by how popular the book was around here, you must've at least heard of it. A great book, left me totally breathless.


I guess that's it for now

I loved Norwegian Wood though I must admit I read it while on a sunshine holiday which felt a little weird as it's so emotional, at times uplifting but often pretty depressing. At least that's how I remember it. Then again, I read Proulx's The Shipping News on the same holiday ... and reading about frozen Newfoundland on a hot beach was stranger still!

Now I'm very picky about what I take on a hot holiday

I've had Life of Pi on the shelf for ages ... yet another novel I've been meaning to read for years.

Trouble is I've bought enough books to last the rest of my lifetime, yet still buy more. I can't help it. Hence, so many books left unread. I'll make sure I get to Pi this year!