One Good Turn by Kate Atkinson

Kate Atkinson is the Behind The Scenes At The Museum author. This is a mystery story told a little bit more seriously than When Will There Be Good News but still very good light reading. Very entertaining story set around a modern day Edinburgh festival. Definitely a page turner. I'd say 9/10 and ask to borrow this copy from mum, even if it is a bit crumpled. A good book to take on holiday.

9/10

The White Tiger by Aravind Adiga

This is this month's book club book and winner of 2008 Booker Prize. A good story set in India about a poor man who becomes successful by becomming part of the corrupt society. It gives a good insight into what life is like for the underclasses in India.
8/10

Generation X by Douglas Coupland

Only read this because I had nothing else to read at the time....(thank you Katy, now I've got lots)....and thought I ought to read it. As the title suggests it's about the "younger generation" ....who annoy my generation at times by blaming everything wrong in their lives on us!! Oh dear I bet that sets the cat among the pigeons. Intersting book, although I think a bit dated and no doubt much better if read when it first came out.
6/10

Never let me go by Kazuo Ishiguro

Fantastic book....the sort you can't put down. To tell you the plot would spoil the story, but it's mainly about a group of children growing up in a strange environment. About to be released as a film in UK next month. A must I think.
10/10

Village Centenary - Miss Read

Gentle as all the others I've read.. but I was amazed that the book was set in 1980!

7/10

Mini Shopaholic - Sophie Kinsella

I've read all the other shopaholic series so thought I'd read this one.. the shopaholic has a daughter.
the daughter is really quite horrid. didn't really warm to anyone in the book

5/10

After the Funeral - Agatha Cristie

when a book has a family tree in the front cover to explain who everyone is, there are going to be too many characters to remember and that was defo the case with this book.

Good thriller with hercule but just too many family members to remember who everyone was until at least half way through!

7/10

Borders Crossing - Pat Barker

I'm reading the full Pat Barker set at the mo (unionstreet that I read last year which I think was her first was brilliant).
this was as good as her others. About a psychologist who works with children who've comitted dreadful crimes. He happens to meet one of the chldren he helped commit after he has been released many years later.

8/10

The girl who kicked the hornet's nest by Stieg Larsson

This is the third book in the Millennium trilogy and very long. The story is good, but I find the number of characters (especially their Swedish names) confusing. Actually I think the story would have been as good if he'd left out some of the characters. Having said that, it has to be read if you've read the other two as it brings a conclusion to the plot. Although if the author hadn't died he could probably have managed a few sequels!
8/10

White Jazz by James Ellroy

Another James Ellroy and the most eccentric writing style so far. Packed with 1950s American slang/oplice language and strangely short sentences - 5 words, sometimes only 3. Good story line if you like his extremely blunt style. Still got more to read but not for a while.

8/10

Generation X by Douglas Coupland

Hmmmm, don't know what to say about this book. It is remarkably gentle and wandering. I expected something much sharper and focused. Worth the read but it took me some time 'cos I only took in it fairly short doses and didn't find it a page-turner, but did want to finish it.

Comments from K & S about Generation A in view of what I've said above would be welcome.

Erm, 5/10

Postcards by E. Annie Proulx

This is the story of a man who has to leave his home and family after he kills his wife. As the years go by, his only contact with his former life are by sending postcards from the different parts of America where he settles. He never finds out about the troubles that happen at home, although the reader gets both sides of the family's life. Quite an interesting idea for a story, but at times it was a bit slow...not what I'd call a "page turner"!
5/10

If nobody speaks of remarkable things by Jon McGregor

I read this book before but don't seem to have added it to Beck Book Club. It was this month's book club book and I enjoyed reading it again. I think it is such a beautiful book. I couldn't believe it when I went to Book Club and several people thought it was dreadful and others weren't impressed by it at all. But then I recommended "What I loved" to one of the group and she thought it was aweful. People are so different aren't they? Anyway I still thought the book was lovely...beautiful style. We all know what it's about don't we?
9/10

Cities Of The Plain by cormac McCarthy

The last in a trilogy by the man who recently wrote No Country For Old Men. Once again, beautiful writing style, beautiful imagery, really touching stories about people leading a simple 'cowboy' life in 1950s to 1980s small town Texas and Mexico. I loved them but it's a heavy trilogy which tested my stamina.

9/10

The Girl who played with fire by Stieg Larsson

This is the second book in the trilogy and I don't think it's as good as the first. I have lots of problems with all his characters.....their Swedish names sound very similar and I get mixed up. Also the ending this time was very fantastic....you could just imagine Hollywood getting their hands on it. Will still read the final one though.
8/10

The Penelopiad by Margaret Atwood

However I did enjoy this book.....even though I read this one ages ago too. It's about Odysseus' wife and how she coped while her husband was away in the Trojan War. Very amusing in a Margaret Altwood sort of way.....prompted me to have another look at Carol Ann Duffy's poems "The Worlds' Wife" which are a humourous look at imaginary wives of famous people, e.g. Mrs Midas.
8/10

The Rachel Papers by Martin Amis

Read this ages ago but only just getting round to updating beck book club! Seem to remember that I didn't really like it. I find his style very over the top and the plot of the book was pretty corny....so all in all I'd say...don't bother reading it if you haven't already!
4/10

The Big Nowhere

The strongest style yet from James Ellroy - but I've got more of his to read. Los Angeles 1950 cops and (very) baddies story. His writing style is everything but some people might find it offensive or think it is tacky. Me, I love'em.

9/10

Letter From America by Alistair Cooke

Only enjoyable if you have heard and liked Alistair Cooke's 'letters from America' on radio 4 in the past. This is a selection of his 'talks' using topical items to give people in Europe and elsewhere an understanting of what life is like in America. Delightful - if you love his style.

9/10 for me

The Girl Who Kicked The Hornets' Nest by Stieg Larsson

I paused Alistair Cook's Letters From America book (partly because it is very long and a break was wise) to read this. It's twice the length of Larsson's two previous books but it is just as compelling a read. Bit sad that it will be the last - Larsson died after writing this one. Important to read it after the other two books. Excellent modern thriller with great characters. That applies to al lthree books. Read the first one yet, Katy?

9/10