can anyone recommend a good read?

[clueless2]

It's really hard to find something good. Surely there must be modern classics out there. Here are a few examples of what I've read and liked recently:

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Nagozi Adichie

Namesake by Jhumpa Lahiri

In the Eye of the Sun by Ahdaf Soueif

Thanks!

[clueless2]

PS: don't bother with classics dating back more than 70 years. For fear of *not* sounding arrogant enough... Read them all;)

[lynbrown]

Try the Lymond series by Dorothy Dunnett. 6 books, all good reads. Historical adventure, very intellegentlly written.

[frankialice]

maybe ull like this -

NARZISS AND GOLDMUND by Hermann Hesse-Penguin Classics

[Joe Shmoe]

It depends on what kind of Modern Classic you want . If you like a heavy very serious read this will not be for you . If however you would like some thing that will make you laugh out loud ,identify with the characters and slightly quirky and a break from the norm try The Portable Door , In Your Dreams. And Earth ,Fire and Custard. They are a Brilliant trilogy by Tom Holt.

[clueless2]

I'd like anything, really. Anything that'll either make you stop and think, make you laugh OR cry are all fine by me.

Somebody suggested Life of Pi the other day, but then I also heard a not-so-flattering review. Is it good?

I'm looking into all the others, by the way; thanks guys.

[dodgeramus]

A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry

The Poisonwood Bible - Barbara Kingsolver

Both rather good books - look on amazon for a review if need be - and maybe sort of thing you're after..

ps life of pi: (in my opinion) rather bland, predictable - the twist is more of a gentle fold.. (tho lots of peops had built it up for me which is never good..)

[joesy]

I really enjoyed life of Pi, I think most people who read it, did. (i won't say any more, but there are aspects that aren't 100% perfect, as with any book really)

I really enjoyed The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafron quite recently.

[Guinevere]

I would also recommend The Shadow of the Wind. I am half way through it at the moment, and it is excellent.

[jay139]

Have you read any Tom Wolfe, Ian Mcewan and Peter Ackroyd are all brillant

[SBell2406]

It's a toss up between 'the owl who was afraid of the dark' and 'the hungry caterpillar'. Undoubtably two of the finest modern classics around! :-)

[mike b]

Isn't The Hungry Caterpillar the one George Dubya claimed as his favourite childhood book? - turned out he was about 15 when it came out...