SueC

I have friends who live in Cardigan, so I think this has now become a must read! Some great suggestions on here, though I'm sad I seem to be the only person who enjoys reading Colin Thubron. I struggled with Mirror to Damascus, but really enjoyed his Central Asian books. Perhaps travel writing is most enthralling when it aligns with your own interests? After a trip to Sri Lanka I just read The Teardrop Island by Cherry Briggs, and it brought the whole country alive for me again, as well as informing me on a few issues that completely passed me by at the time. I've been trying out a couple of books recently that challenged me a bit though, not in terms of subject but the authors. Do people need to find the author likeable to fully enjoy a travel book? I read Tracks by Robyn Davidson and The Gringo Trail by Mark Mann. Although both books were very readable, and I would recommend them, I was faced with two authors I'm absolutely sure I wouldn't get on with in real life. I thought that added an extra edge to the book, making me confrontmy own prejudices. Do other people have a similar experience with uncharismatic authors? Do you think it detracts from the text?

This might not be exactly what you're after but, The Tale of Genji by Murasaki Shikibu and The Pillow Book by Sei Shonagon were both written in Japan in the 11th century. I've read them both in English translation (from the library, so I guess they should be easy to find) and really enjoyed them both - they'll definitely give you an insight into the culture, from a reliable source!

I'm don't normally hold back from re-reading books I enjoyed, but I wish I could read Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card again for the first time. It's set in a future world, where selected children are trained as fighters from a very young age. I first read it years ago, but that kind of dystopian fiction seems to have suddenly come into fashion now. Anyway, the ending really shocked me. There's no way you can recapture that gut-wrenching surprise on the second go round. The book I've re-read most? The Song of the Lioness series by Tamora Pierce. I've read these multiple times a year since the age of about 12 and I never get tired. It's like going back to visit old friends now, so comforting.

The Warlord Chronicles by Bernard Cornwell straddle the fantasy/historical fiction divide. They're a kind of historically realistic version of the King Arthur legends. I also really love his Saxon Stories, but then I'm a sucker for Vikings! On the kings and queens theme, you could try Philippa Gregory. It's quite a different type of book, but I find them really gripping, all about the swirl of politics in the middle ages and with some great female lead characters. And on the plus side, there's also a BBC tv spin off