Need Something Badly

The Lake of Dead Languages- by Carol Goodman The Madolescents- by Chrissie Glazebrook (my favorite book @ the moment, although it may not comply with your taste) And of course if you haven't read the Midwich Cuckoos or the Day of the Triffids (John Wyndham) those are brilliant. I could list a lot more.... but I won't....

Aztec by Gary Jennings Lake Wobegon days by Garrison Keillor How late it was how late by James Kelman

The Lake of Dead Languages has an interesting title which grabs me - can i ask what its roughly about?

I 've just read a review of it at Amazon, the plot doesn't sound as interesting as the title. But it might be interesting.

aww thanks flash... sounds a bit too thrillery for me though?

Electric Brae by Andrew Greig. Absolutely unputdownable.. Quin's Shanghai Circus by Edward(?) Whittemore.. less unputdownable but still lots of fun.. might be tricky to get hold of tho. [%sig%]

i agree .... electric brae is gorgeous ...

Agree about "The Madolescents". Genuinely funny contemporary literary fiction - how often can that be said? * Yesterday I read "The Young Visiters" (sic) by Daisy Ashford, after enjoying the TV adaptation at Christmas. Couldn't put it down is an understatement. (Sure, it only took me two hours to read, but I'm going to read it again today, and it's not a volume I'll ever part with.) It's pure genius; a classic. It was written by a nine-year-old girl in 1890 - now that logline's enough to put anyone off - but it's laugh-out-loud funny and a work of twisted genius; I never felt inclined to patronise this author for a second. If you read this, Liana, you could pass it round your girls, too, though one of the many genius things about it is that it's about adults. The pace is pitch perfect - the switching from scene to scene, the vivid visuals, the odd unpredictable touches to each character. I doubt this little eulogy will convince anyone to read a nine-year-old's book, so here's an extract: When the great morning came Mr Salteena did not have an egg for his breakfast in case he should be sick on the journey. What top hat will you wear asked Ethel. I shall wear my best black and my white alpacka coat to keep off the dust and flies replied Mr Salteena. I shall put some red ruge on my face said Ethel because I am very pale owing to the drains in this house. You will look very silly said Mr Salteena with a dry laugh. Well so will you said Ethel in a snappy tone and she ran out of the room with a very superior run throwing out her legs behind and her arms swinging in rithum. Well said the owner of the house she has a most idiotick run. Presently Ethel came back in her best hat and a lovly velvit coat of royal blue. Do I look nice in my get up she asked. Mr Salteena surveyed her. You look rather rash my dear your colours dont quite match your face... * I also enjoyed the short stories of Arthur Bradford ("Dogwalker") and Kelly Link ("Things You Should Know"). I'm bloody fussy, and most of the stuff I read last year was crap. d.beswetherick.

Tell a lie - "Things You Should Know" was by A.M.Homes, and not a patch on "Stranger Things Happen" by Kelly Link, which was ace.

The Young Visiters is brilliant, yes! The plot of the Lake of Dead Languages...hard to describe without sounding naff! (but believe me, it is amazing): A woman who goes back to her old school to teach Latin and finds that incidents from her past are happening again (deaths mostly. lol) and bits of her lost diary are appearing in her marking and through her fax. It's all about what happened to her when she was there, and her mysterious Latin teacher etc (no, see, I can't describe it without the naffness. Darn!) Oh well, if you read it, you read it. Not up to me, although I do sincerely recommend it, and I challenge anyone who has read it to come up with a description that is more enticing (please?!)

Thanks to everyone!

Amazingly enough I've just read two of the books on this list by skimming them in the library and deciding they were worth getting out for a read despite never having previously heard of the authors. "The Madolescents" I thought was marvellous and I also liked Garrison Keillor's Lake Wobegon book - a bit "Catcher In The Rye" but funnier in my opinion. I've said this before but for short stories the best on this site beat anything "published" in books. [%sig%]

Life: A Users Manual by Georges Perec This is a fantastic book with a nifty premise. It was published in the 80s. Anything by Georges Simenon. Atomised by Michel Houellebecq, or Whatever or Platform Super-Cannes by Ballard

Vernon God Little by DBC Pierre Got this for christmas and read it in almost one sitting. Having been out of the fiction market for some time, that is quite something for me. Premise is a school massacre set in contemporary Southern small town USA. Story told from a teenager's perspective. He is accused of involvement in the murders, and recounts how he innocently gets sucked deeper and deeper into the media and court circus that follows... his observations on the people around him are scathingly hilarious and I found the use of language and narrative fresh and innovative... though the ending did leave me slightly unsatisfied. Definitely a worthwhile Booker Prize winner.

I've just got through Jonathan Lethem's The Fortress of Solitude (which I'd recommend - but not to you, Liana!!) - and I'm now about halfway through Brad Watson's The Heaven of Mercury which I think you genuinely would like: told by this 80 year old guy called Finus, it's basically the rheumy downhome tale of his lifelong infatuation with this lass called Birdie Wells (they dance on the eve of her wedding and he says ahw you should run away with me and she looks like she might take him up on it and he backs out all in a matter of seconds - it's a great bit of writing, not a word is spoken, but a kind of tremor runs through Finus that Birdie reacts to and - that's that). Anyways - it's a sweet book, it's easy to read, it's well written - I'd heartily recommend it. I'd also say - if you've yet to get round to 'em - read Dan Rhodes' Timoleon Vieta Come Home and mark Haddon's Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time - two shaggy dog stories that are well worth a read!!

The No.1 Ladies' Detective Agency by Alexander McCall Smith - an excellent book with a unique style and sense of humour. I loved it and can't wait to read the next in the series.

i just read the philip pullman trilogy, his dark materials - read all three in a week, and they were fantastic....

Just finished the No.1 Ladies Detective Agency meself (xmas pressie) and agree - it's got a lovely pace and there's something about it that brings back that childhood wonder - prob the setting. Also would like to second How Late it was How Late by Mr Kelman.