I tweeted out a book recommendation this morning and made the statement ‘if I were curating the books that people should read’. As soon as I clicked send it occurred to me that no-one was stopping me doing just that. So I sat down and produced a short selection of great books that I’ve enjoyed. Naturally I’ve already read these so please leave a comment if you have any recommendations of your own!
Girlfriend in a Coma – Douglas Coupland
This is Coupland on fine form though I gather it was written at a low point in his personal life. His beautiful tale follows a small group of teenagers whose directionless lives pivot around the coma of their best friend. As they grow to become adults they mature but something seems to be missing and eventually each returns dispirited to the town of their childhood. We are exposed to an all too familiar and disturbing vision of lives lacking any substantial meaning or purpose. The climax of the story arrives as the friend emerges from their coma only to predict the end of the world.
Last Evenings on Earth – Roberto Bolano
I hesitated to add this book to this list as whilst the writing is beautifully crafted it can be damned hard work to read. However its merits are such that it would be criminal not to recommend it. As with many of my favourites it was a gift from my good friend and writer Alex Paknadel whose eclectic choices are extremely reliable. As for the book it is really a collection of disjointed but connected stories making it tricky to create a meaningful synopsis. I can say though that it offers an amazing perspective into a surprisingly rich and complex Mexican literary scene with plenty of art, sex and politics thrown in for good measure. Bolano has been feted as the greatest modern Spanish language writer by some but make your own mind up.
Rendezvous with Rama – Arthur C. Clarke
This is an old school sci-fi classic and for fans of the genre it is well nigh perfect in execution and a wonderful example of Clarke’s art. Rama is an alien object of mysterious purpose headed for our solar system from the far reaches of the galaxy. It provides a wonderful vehicle for a beautifully paced exploration of how man’s first alien encounter might pan out.
Ratner’s Star – Don DeLillo
From one master of the written word to another – Don DeLillo requires no introduction but Ratner’s Star is probably not his best known work. Again centred on a phenomenon from outer space this book explores the interactions between some of the world’s greatest scientists who have been gathered together and tasked with the purpose of explaining an astronomical puzzle. Aside from being an entertaining experience you will undoubtedly emerge from reading this novel having gained a greater understanding of of some of science’s big ideas.
Stone Junction – Jim Dodge
Stone Junction is a rollicking read and arguably my favourite book of all time. It even once contributed to getting me a job as my interviewer was also a massive fan. Stone Junction is a celebration of outlawry and of an almost noble life lived beyond ordinary moral and legal constraint. The complex and twisting plot takes the reader effortlessly from scene to scene, leaving you breathless and demanding more. The only disappointment is that eventually the adventure has to come to an end.
The Gone Away World – Nick Harkaway
Another friend Drew also has a helpful tendency to pass on his favourite reads. He is responsible for two of the books on this list including this one. The Gone Away World is set on a dystopian world where much of the territory is deemed unliveable and communities are restricted to areas close to a pipe carrying a miraculous substance called FOX. FOX keeps the poisonous world at bay and production is controlled by the massive Jorgmund corporation; an entertaining analogy for corporate greed and executive corruption. The adventure centres on the exploits of the narrator Gonzo as the corporation’s ultimate secret is slowly revealed.
The Terror – Dan Simmons
My copy of The Terror is extremely well thumbed and had been given a thorough scrutiny by three or four friends before it landed with me. I feel slightly guilty that its travels ended there so perhaps I should find someone to hand it on to. The Terror is a weighty novel and is based on the true story of one of countless expeditions sent to explore the North-West passage during the 19th Century. Predictably the expedition founders amongst the icebergs and this leaves the crew to navigate their way to safety across cruel icy wastes. However what lifts this book from historical narrative and makes it almost impossible to put down is the introduction of an unknown but malevolent force that begins to pick off members of the crew.
The City & The City – China Mieville
What struck me about The City & The City is that it makes little fuss about the fact that a fictional Eastern European City has somehow become split into two distinct but partially merged territories. Skipping past this rather miraculous circumstance it uses the juxtaposition of the two cities and the inevitable tension between them as a fertile backdrop for a cracking detective story. I thoroughly enjoyed this and will definitely be reading more of Mieville’s work.
Transition – Iain Banks
Most of you will be familiar with Banks’ dark and gritty stories and his equally imaginative sci-fi incarnation with an M but Transference doesn’t sit comfortably in either box. The premise of Transition is that certain individuals have developed the ability to flit between infinite parallel worlds by jumping into the minds of their inhabitants. These illicit activities are used to change the future and governed by the seemingly benign organisation The Concern. Transition deals with some big ideas and raises some moral questions about interference in other people’s affairs, benign or otherwise. Transition is a thrilling fantasy lived through some great characters; arguably one of Banks’ finest books to date.
