Best Novels

Gone with the wind is a fabulous historical novel set around the time of the American Civil War. It's a real epic tale, full of war, intrigue, love, disaster and survival. The main characters, Scarlett O'Hara and Rhett Butler are so unlikeable, you can't help but like them. And the writing style is great.

Don't be put off this book if you watched the movie - there's just no comparison.

Although Gone with the Wind is long, the story is gripping and moves along with pace. By the time you get to the end, you will wish it hadn't finished.

The Far Pavilions, definitely one of the best novels I have ever read, is also an epic historical novel set at the time of British India. It is based on the childhood experiences of the author, so the life, landscape and descriptions are extremely realistic.

It's a story of forbidden love across the cultures, set amongst the political turmoil of the British Raj and the Second Anglo-Afghan War of 1878.

This book is a masterpiece!

A Thousand Splendid Suns is by the same author as The Kite Runner. They are both excellent books.

This book is set in the last 40 years in Afghanistan and portrays the life, heroism, love, struggles and hardships of women in a war-torn country under the Taliban. The story focuses on the lives of two women, Mariam and Laila, the shocking hardships they have to endure, yet the unlikely bond that they form, which leads to unexpected heroism with unforeseen results.

Khaled Hosseini is a master story teller and this book will have you gripped to the very last page.

The fact that (today) this book has a 5 star amazon (co.uk) rating with 1161 customer reviews is an indication of how popular and enjoyable this book is. Once again, I think the book is better than the movie.

This book was an eye-opener for me with regards to the racist attitudes that existed in the United States as recently as the 1960's. The characters, especially Minny, Aibileen and Miss Skeeter, are adorable, and the story line is unpredictable. This book will have you laughing, crying and staying up to the early hours of the morning!