When did you last read a good book whilst living in Thailand?

[ghworker2010]

Im bored with the internet and have resorted to reading novels again. Im currently reading a fantastic novel 'Papillon by Henri Charriere'. Based on a true story. He was sentenced to life on a penal colony in French Guiana (South America). Its hard to put this book down. 

 

Please recommend 1 book that you 'could not put down' because it was that good. After Papillon I want another one. Its good for the brain to be away from the www.

 

thanks

[KiChakayan]

"One Hundred Years of Solitude" by Gabriel García Márquez sprung to mind.

[smutcakes]

Jesus, Papillon was the go to book for every traveler 30 years ago, you are seriously behind the times. Another one you may enjoy would be Shantaram which seems another staple of travelers. You might also like the Don Winslow stuff like Power of the Dog, The Cartel and the new one just out The Border.

 

Personally i prefer the easy reads these days especially as they bring new books out fairly regularly. I seem to wait for new releases, by Baldacci, Hiiasen, James Patterson, Mark Gimanez etc- pretty average stuff but readable, readily available and they churn them out at a good rate.

[Essex Reject]

I had this book but it's been lost, I never read it.

 

You can't go wrong with a Patterson or a Forsyth yarn.

[Denim]

Read every day but never novels . Truth is stranger than fiction.

 

Currently re reading for the third time ' Civil War ' by Shelby Foote. Excellent three volume set exceedingly well written.

 

Last week it was ' Soldier Sahibs ' by Charles Allen.

A history of British involvement on the North west frontier and Afghanistan and how just a small handful of men had an influence way beyond their numbers.

 

Most execrable books I've had to read because they were gifts would be ' The Beach ' and ' The Da Vinci Code '

 

 

Edited May 8, 2019 by Denim

[Hayduke]

12 hours ago, ghworker2010 said:

Please recommend 1 book

 

If you're enjoying 'Papillon' you might want to look at Charriere's follow-on 'Banco'.

 

 

[Jonathan Fairfield]

I recently read A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini and When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi really enjoyed both. Even better that at the time they were both on 50% discount at Asia Books

[PatOngo]

Currently reading this.

[Psimbo]

Latest John Sandford is out - 'Neon Prey'. I read every day and have loads on the Kindle.

 

I recently did both of Colin Cotterill's series and managed to pull down a load of over 90 Vietnam war related books. Haven't bought a book in years- I just track them down on the Net.

[Will27]

The Cat's Revenge by Claude Balls.

[userabcd]

Have a pile of books and enjoy reading paperback novels at every opportunity. Just struggled through what I consider a really bad Harlan Coben novel ''Stay Close''

[dabhand]

I am into non fiction about WW2, particularly SE Asia and Pacific theatre related. My recent reads were:

 

The Last Mission - The secret history of WW2's final battle: Jim Smith & Malcolm McConnell

An intriguing insight into the events surrounding the Japanese surrender.

 

Singapore Burning: Colin Smith

The actions leading up to the capitulation of 'fortress' Singapore in February 1942.

 

[samsensam]

 

a cultural thread on tv.... am i in the twilight zone...?!

 

read good books all the time, currently enjoying the new confessions by william boyd, recommend anything by him.

Edited May 8, 2019 by samsensam

[PatOngo]

This is an interesting read. Not sure if it's banned here.

[nikmar]

36 minutes ago, Denim said:

Read every day but never novels . Truth is stranger than fiction.

 

Currently re reading for the third time ' Civil War ' by Shelby Foote. Excellent three volume set exceedingly well written.

 

Last week it was ' Soldier Sahibs ' by Charles Allen.

A history of British involvement on the North west frontier and Afghanistan and how just a small handful of men had an influence way beyond their numbers.

 

Most execrable books I've had to read because they were gifts would be ' The Beach ' and ' The Da Vinci Code '

 

 

im not any type of academic but love reading so can read any pop fiction but struggle with some of the classics.

Couldnt agree more about hte Da Vinci code but I have to admit to enjoying The Beach.

Kesey's One Flew over the Cuckoos Nest was my "unputdownable". Also enjoyed Giles Fodens The Last King of Scotland.

[newarrior]

When I was stateside I found, "The Bourne Identity" at a hostel..totally different than the movie..My 1st book of fiction in years...reading great books has been on my bucket list for years but most for me fell into the same predictable Travel/Asia/business/psychology/health/spirituality realms and I needed to branch out

[newarrior]

19 minutes ago, dabhand said:

I am into non fiction about WW2, particularly SE Asia and Pacific theatre related. My recent reads were:

 

The Last Mission - The secret history of WW2's final battle: Jim Smith & Malcolm McConnell

An intriguing insight into the events surrounding the Japanese surrender.

 

Singapore Burning: Colin Smith

The actions leading up to the capitulation of 'fortress' Singapore in February 1942.

 

wow amazing thanks

[GarryP]

1 hour ago, smutcakes said:

Jesus, Papillon was the go to book for every traveler 30 years ago, you are seriously behind the times. Another one you may enjoy would be Shantaram which seems another staple of travelers. You might also like the Don Winslow stuff like Power of the Dog, The Cartel and the new one just out The Border.

 

Personally i prefer the easy reads these days especially as they bring new books out fairly regularly. I seem to wait for new releases, by Baldacci, Hiiasen, James Patterson, Mark Gimanez etc- pretty average stuff but readable, readily available and they churn them out at a good rate.

Hiiasen is great. He's got a great sense of humour and written some hilarious novels. I like the others too, with the exception of Patterson who seems to now be riding on his name as a "co-author" for other writers. Perhaps a good way to get new writers published, but it is riding on his name and they are not all as good as the earlier solo works he wrote.

 

Reading The Blade Artist by Irvine Welsh. Must admit it is an acquired taste and not for everybody.  

[smutcakes]

6 minutes ago, GarryP said:

Hiiasen is great. He's got a great sense of humour and written some hilarious novels. I like the others too, with the exception of Patterson who seems to now be riding on his name as a "co-author" for other writers. Perhaps a good way to get new writers published, but it is riding on his name and they are not all as good as the earlier solo works he wrote.

 

Reading The Blade Artist by Irvine Welsh. Must admit it is an acquired taste and not for everybody.  

Agree entirely on Patterson, still read it purely as they are churned out so regularly.

 

The latest Hiiasen "Squirm' was atrocious, barely readable. Hope he goes back to his usual plots and characters urgently.

[GarryP]

57 minutes ago, Denim said:

Read every day but never novels . Truth is stranger than fiction.

 

Currently re reading for the third time ' Civil War ' by Shelby Foote. Excellent three volume set exceedingly well written.

 

Last week it was ' Soldier Sahibs ' by Charles Allen.

A history of British involvement on the North west frontier and Afghanistan and how just a small handful of men had an influence way beyond their numbers.

 

Most execrable books I've had to read because they were gifts would be ' The Beach ' and ' The Da Vinci Code '

 

 

The Da Vinci Code was so badly written I could not believe it became a best seller. His editor must have been hopeless and it needed better proofreading. It was painful to read. Turned me off Dan Brown altogether. Having said that, he's made a fortune from writing so he must be doing something right. Good for him. Wish I could make money from writing, but that is not going to happen. I'll stick with being a reader.  

[Peterw42]

Does someone reading me an audio book count ?  Still experiencing the story but I can do it driving, walking etc and I dont need to find my reading glasses.

 

Wilber Smith has always been a good read/listen.

[Lacessit]

I read books at the rate of one every two days, always have done. Mystery, sci-fi, adventure, biographies - it's all grist to the mill. I revisit favourite authors. 600 books currently on my Kindle.

James Lee Burke, C J Box, Lee Child, Frank Herbert, Eric Flint, Robert Dugoni, John D. MacDonald, Frederick Forsyth, Kerry Greenwood, Ben Aaronovitch, John Grisham, Maurice Druon, Dick Francis, Scott Pratt, Steve Martini, William Diehl, Trevanian, John Buchan, Irving Stone, Ken Follett, John Steinbeck, Arthur C Clarke, Allen Drury.

Wilbur Smith. Geoffrey Jenkins.

Is that enough? I have more.

[thaibeachlovers]

Any of the Jack Reacher books.

[Sticky Wicket]

Absolutely superb

 

https://www.theguardian.com/books/2019/feb/18/war-doctor-by-david-nott-review-surgery-on-the-front-line

[thaibeachlovers]

33 minutes ago, newarrior said:

When I was stateside I found, "The Bourne Identity" at a hostel..totally different than the movie..My 1st book of fiction in years...reading great books has been on my bucket list for years but most for me fell into the same predictable Travel/Asia/business/psychology/health/spirituality realms and I needed to branch out

Ludlum wrote more than one book about Bourne, but yes, the film bears little relationship to the book, far as I remember.

I loved reading Ludlum books years ago and still have them all. Hopefully I can re read them before I cark it.

Too many books, too little time.

Anyone remember The Executioner books? I enjoyed them and the Conan books too. Great way to pass the time when tv wasn't available and no internet.

[BritManToo]

6 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

I read books at the rate of one every two days, always have done. Mystery, sci-fi, adventure, biographies - it's all grist to the mill. I revisit favourite authors. 600 books currently on my Kindle.

James Lee Burke, C J Box, Lee Child, Frank Herbert, Eric Flint, Robert Dugoni, John D. MacDonald, Frederick Forsyth, Kerry Greenwood, Ben Aaronovitch, John Grisham, Maurice Druon, Dick Francis, Scott Pratt, Steve Martini, William Diehl, Trevanian, John Buchan, Irving Stone, Ken Follett, John Steinbeck, Arthur C Clarke, Allen Drury.

Wilbur Smith. Geoffrey Jenkins.

Is that enough? I have more.

Me too, but not biographies.

[jvs]

I really enjoyed these books,a lot of reading.

http://lonebearimagesprose.blogspot.com/2010/05/we-are-all-earths-children.html

[SweatySock]

Some easy reading with a local flavour try the John Burdett series.

 

https://www.bookdepository.com/Bangkok-Tattoo-John-Burdett/9781400032914?pdg=dsa-394433920238:cmp-1589186622:adg-65665887291:crv-299134270267:pos-1t3:dev-c&gclid=CjwKCAjw2cTmBRAVEiwA8YMgzfeIG5r7cjHR5plCAUJIHrFhhsdSYRlCU6kCOlJia0tBi1Saqh0hHhoC-s0QAvD_BwE

[AlexRich]

I enjoy most John Le Carre spy novels ... Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy; The Spy Who Came in From the Cold; Smileys People, The Honourable Schoolboy.

 

Patrick O’Brien wrote about English naval adventures ... the movie Master & Commander with Russel Crow was based on these novels. He wrote quite a few of them, and it’s best to read them in chronological order. Excellent books.

 

On a lighter note I was in Bali during the Day of Souls, were no one is allowed out on the streets for 24 hours, and you are stuck in your hotel. So I downloaded two books by an Australian lady, Hotel K and Snowing in Bali ... about the famous prison and the islands many drug dealers. Gives you a good understanding of the depth of corruption, funny and sad at times.

[JimmyTheMook]