Difference between revisions of "Top Ten Tube Reads"
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|title=A Brand New Me | |title=A Brand New Me | ||
|author=Shari Low | |author=Shari Low | ||
|rating=4 | |rating=4 | ||
|summary=Leni Lomond needs a new job. Oh, and a boyfriend. And, well, if we're talking about life changes, she could do with getting out a bit more, too. So when Leni makes a New Year Resolution to do all three, all of her friends take it and her with a big pinch of salt… until she suddenly lands a job with whacky daytime TV mystic/astrologer, Zara Delta, who tasks her with the rather peculiar mission of dating every star sign of the zodiac and reporting back with her findings. | |summary=Leni Lomond needs a new job. Oh, and a boyfriend. And, well, if we're talking about life changes, she could do with getting out a bit more, too. So when Leni makes a New Year Resolution to do all three, all of her friends take it and her with a big pinch of salt… until she suddenly lands a job with whacky daytime TV mystic/astrologer, Zara Delta, who tasks her with the rather peculiar mission of dating every star sign of the zodiac and reporting back with her findings. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=1847560172 |
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|title=A Year in the Merde | |title=A Year in the Merde | ||
|author=Stephen Clarke | |author=Stephen Clarke | ||
|rating=5 | |rating=5 | ||
|summary=27 year old Paul West arrives in Paris to start a new job – and finds out what the French are really like. A delicious, raucously funny romp through 12 months in Paree and a must-read for the 25 to 35 crowd who found [[A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle|A Year in Provence]] slightly rural. | |summary=27 year old Paul West arrives in Paris to start a new job – and finds out what the French are really like. A delicious, raucously funny romp through 12 months in Paree and a must-read for the 25 to 35 crowd who found [[A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle|A Year in Provence]] slightly rural. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=0552772968 |
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|title=Talk to the Hand | |title=Talk to the Hand | ||
|author=Lynne Truss | |author=Lynne Truss | ||
|rating=4 | |rating=4 | ||
|summary=An entertaining but well-researched look at the way in which our manners have declined into boorishnesswill have you both thinking and laughing. Buy it for yourself or for someone else as a present. | |summary=An entertaining but well-researched look at the way in which our manners have declined into boorishnesswill have you both thinking and laughing. Buy it for yourself or for someone else as a present. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=1861979797 |
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|title=The Post-Birthday World | |title=The Post-Birthday World | ||
|author=Lionel Shriver | |author=Lionel Shriver | ||
|rating=4 | |rating=4 | ||
|summary=Irina might kiss her friend Ramsey, or might not. The resulting splits in her life story are detailed in this very intriguing blockbuster, that has a nice touch of Sliding Doors about it. | |summary=Irina might kiss her friend Ramsey, or might not. The resulting splits in her life story are detailed in this very intriguing blockbuster, that has a nice touch of Sliding Doors about it. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=0007243413 |
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|title=Lessons From The Land Of Pork Scratchings | |title=Lessons From The Land Of Pork Scratchings | ||
|author=Greg Gutfeld | |author=Greg Gutfeld | ||
|rating=4.5 | |rating=4.5 | ||
|summary=Britain as seen through the eyes of a Bill Byson-esque writer, this is a monster collection of observations and insights into life in the UK today, from Irn-Bru to ASBOS. | |summary=Britain as seen through the eyes of a Bill Byson-esque writer, this is a monster collection of observations and insights into life in the UK today, from Irn-Bru to ASBOS. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=1847390757 |
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|title=The Seventh Well | |title=The Seventh Well | ||
|author=Fred Wander | |author=Fred Wander | ||
|rating=3.5 | |rating=3.5 | ||
|summary=Life goes on is the message of this Holocaust novel, when one can fathom it through the diverse elements that add up to a slightly too obscure poetic work for some. It is certainly different to many Jewish survivor works, but is that a good thing? | |summary=Life goes on is the message of this Holocaust novel, when one can fathom it through the diverse elements that add up to a slightly too obscure poetic work for some. It is certainly different to many Jewish survivor works, but is that a good thing? | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=1847080227 |
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|title=The Salmon of Doubt | |title=The Salmon of Doubt | ||
|author=Douglas Adams and Stephen Fry | |author=Douglas Adams and Stephen Fry | ||
|rating=5 | |rating=5 | ||
|summary=Published after the death of Douglas Adams 'The Salmon of Doubt' lives up to the hype and expectations, but beware, it is not a further episode of 'The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy' even if the cover might suggest that it is. | |summary=Published after the death of Douglas Adams 'The Salmon of Doubt' lives up to the hype and expectations, but beware, it is not a further episode of 'The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy' even if the cover might suggest that it is. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=0330323121 |
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|title=Love in the Present Tense | |title=Love in the Present Tense | ||
|author=Catherine Ryan Hyde | |author=Catherine Ryan Hyde | ||
|rating=4 | |rating=4 | ||
|summary=About a boy, and his honourary father; about love, and eternity; about death, and life. Love in the Present Tense takes a little getting into but is rewarding. | |summary=About a boy, and his honourary father; about love, and eternity; about death, and life. Love in the Present Tense takes a little getting into but is rewarding. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=0552773646 |
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| − | {{ | + | {{Frontpage |
|title=May Contain Nuts | |title=May Contain Nuts | ||
|author=John O'Farrell | |author=John O'Farrell | ||
|rating=3.5 | |rating=3.5 | ||
|summary=A comedy of paranoid and over-competitive parenting in the urban jungle of Clapham starts off well but ends disappointingly. All in all, it's still an enjoyable read, funny and engaging, though let down by the sugary ending and an unlikely transformation of the main character. Borrow and enjoy as a light read but ignore pretences at diagnosis. | |summary=A comedy of paranoid and over-competitive parenting in the urban jungle of Clapham starts off well but ends disappointingly. All in all, it's still an enjoyable read, funny and engaging, though let down by the sugary ending and an unlikely transformation of the main character. Borrow and enjoy as a light read but ignore pretences at diagnosis. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=0552771627 |
}} | }} | ||
| − | {{ | + | {{Frontpage |
|title=Paper Butterfly | |title=Paper Butterfly | ||
|author=Diane Wei Liang | |author=Diane Wei Liang | ||
|rating=4 | |rating=4 | ||
|summary=Mei, a private investigator in Beijing, is approached by a record company executive when one of his rising stars goes missing. The investigation leads her to a man called Lin, who hasn't been heard of since 1989. This is a reasonable story with a fresh twist. | |summary=Mei, a private investigator in Beijing, is approached by a record company executive when one of his rising stars goes missing. The investigation leads her to a man called Lin, who hasn't been heard of since 1989. This is a reasonable story with a fresh twist. | ||
| − | | | + | |isbn=0330447777 |
}} | }} | ||
Revision as of 12:05, 3 February 2024
When you're hopping from Tube to Tube, you want a book in bite-size chunks that you can pick up and put down at a moment's notice. Some are quick and light, others are perfect escapism when when you're delayed for half an hour on the Circle Line, and others will make the best use of our time by improving our minds. These are our favourite books for reading when we're on the Underground - but you could read them on any bus, train, plane, donkey or bicycle if you wanted. ...Maybe not the last one. Why not tell us about your favourites?
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Review ofA Brand New Me by Shari Low
Leni Lomond needs a new job. Oh, and a boyfriend. And, well, if we're talking about life changes, she could do with getting out a bit more, too. So when Leni makes a New Year Resolution to do all three, all of her friends take it and her with a big pinch of salt… until she suddenly lands a job with whacky daytime TV mystic/astrologer, Zara Delta, who tasks her with the rather peculiar mission of dating every star sign of the zodiac and reporting back with her findings. Full Review |
Review ofA Year in the Merde by Stephen Clarke
27 year old Paul West arrives in Paris to start a new job – and finds out what the French are really like. A delicious, raucously funny romp through 12 months in Paree and a must-read for the 25 to 35 crowd who found A Year in Provence slightly rural. Full Review |
|
|
Review ofTalk to the Hand by Lynne Truss
An entertaining but well-researched look at the way in which our manners have declined into boorishnesswill have you both thinking and laughing. Buy it for yourself or for someone else as a present. Full Review |
|
|
Review ofThe Post-Birthday World by Lionel Shriver
Irina might kiss her friend Ramsey, or might not. The resulting splits in her life story are detailed in this very intriguing blockbuster, that has a nice touch of Sliding Doors about it. Full Review |
|
|
Review ofLessons From The Land Of Pork Scratchings by Greg Gutfeld
Britain as seen through the eyes of a Bill Byson-esque writer, this is a monster collection of observations and insights into life in the UK today, from Irn-Bru to ASBOS. Full Review |
Review ofThe Seventh Well by Fred Wander
Life goes on is the message of this Holocaust novel, when one can fathom it through the diverse elements that add up to a slightly too obscure poetic work for some. It is certainly different to many Jewish survivor works, but is that a good thing? Full Review |
Review ofThe Salmon of Doubt by Douglas Adams and Stephen Fry
Published after the death of Douglas Adams 'The Salmon of Doubt' lives up to the hype and expectations, but beware, it is not a further episode of 'The Hitchhikers' Guide to the Galaxy' even if the cover might suggest that it is. Full Review |
|
|
Review ofLove in the Present Tense by Catherine Ryan Hyde
About a boy, and his honourary father; about love, and eternity; about death, and life. Love in the Present Tense takes a little getting into but is rewarding. Full Review |
|
|
Review ofMay Contain Nuts by John O'Farrell
A comedy of paranoid and over-competitive parenting in the urban jungle of Clapham starts off well but ends disappointingly. All in all, it's still an enjoyable read, funny and engaging, though let down by the sugary ending and an unlikely transformation of the main character. Borrow and enjoy as a light read but ignore pretences at diagnosis. Full Review |
|
|
Review ofPaper Butterfly by Diane Wei Liang
Mei, a private investigator in Beijing, is approached by a record company executive when one of his rising stars goes missing. The investigation leads her to a man called Lin, who hasn't been heard of since 1989. This is a reasonable story with a fresh twist. Full Review |
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