I like these
you might not.

Geek Love- By Katherine Dunn.

This is probably my favourite book of all time that I have read so far.
It’s about a traveling carnival and the couple who run it. They decide to create their own ‘acts’ by experimenting with drugs while ‘lily’ is pregnant, and as such have an assortment of children with their own special talents. It also has a cult that involves cutting off body parts, a woman with a tail, and well... I won’t spoil any more.

It’s weird and dark and funny, and when I have given it to people they have looked less than pleased but then thank me later…It’s great.

Enduring Love-Ian McEwan

Wonderful book, although the opening is something I used to have nightmares about as a child after seeing some grainy silent movie footage of a similar thing on TV. If you have read it you will know what I mean. It’s still one of the best openings to a book I have ever read. The film adaptation was good too. All of his books up to ‘Saturday’ I think are brilliant.

The Peculiar Memories of Thomas Penman-Bruce Robinson

I picked this up one day because of the author, and I am so glad I did. It’s a bloody funny rites of passage story. The teenage Thomas lives with his pornography obsessed granddad and his right wing father and bonkers mother, and gains attention by leaving his poo around the place. Don’t expect a classic novel, but do expect to laugh.

Where the Wild Things Are-Maurice Sendak

What a book! I vividly remember sitting in the library as a wee one and reading their hardback edition again and again and again. It’s always my gift whenever anyone has a baby. All children should have this book.

I also really enjoy anything by Jon Ronson as I can always hear his voice as I am reading it, and it seems to make it even funnier.
( Herb Alpert's Taxi Driver I have very beautiful lips, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 21:31, 10 replies)

Nobody does "oh fuck oh god oh no" quite as well as Ian McEwan in his prime.

( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 22:29, closed)

Absolutely!!!
Have you read anything after 'Saturday'? I started it but found it quite dull and was gutted, but I am happy to have my mind changed. (I can't even think about Atonement without wanting to cry)
( Herb Alpert's Taxi Driver I have very beautiful lips, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 23:32, closed)

On Chesil Beach is an inexorable spiral down into "oh god no you fucking idiot"
And Solar is almost upbeat and about the best fictional depiction of the workings of science that I've ever read.
( Dr. Shambolic je suis charlie, Wed 11 Jan 2012, 8:52, closed)

I shall put them on my list Dr.S.

( Herb Alpert's Taxi Driver I have very beautiful lips, Wed 11 Jan 2012, 11:40, closed)

As I recall
Geek Love has a review on my edition which said "The only book I know of which should come with a sick bag" Excellent call and strangely moving.
(unclestinky, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 23:26, closed)

isn't it!
A wonderful book, incredibly original, I still, after over 20 years have never found anything to quite match up to it.
( Herb Alpert's Taxi Driver I have very beautiful lips, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 23:34, closed)

In the Night Kitchen
By Maurice Sendak is great, like Wild Things it is also about a boy dream tripping, beautifully illustrated as you would expect.
( sutit only the crumbliest, flakiest posts, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 23:48, closed)

I never had that as kid
but my son did, and it is wonderful.
( Herb Alpert's Taxi Driver I have very beautiful lips, Tue 10 Jan 2012, 23:55, closed)

Geek Love is my best mate Steve's favourite book. He's always going on at me to read it.
He's also done a series of illustrations based on the characters in it.
Niiiiice.
( Tab Hunter Make this useless process end and so, begin again, Wed 11 Jan 2012, 9:24, closed)

"Geek Love" is going on my list

(IHateSprouts is baking a huge pie shaped like an enormous pie, Wed 11 Jan 2012, 11:06, closed)