Listmania!
My Favourite Contemporary Fiction (Original English)
A Way in the WorldA Way in the World by V.S. Naipaul
Buy new: £8.99 / Used from: £0.01
A cross between history, autobiography and fiction, it comprises narratives that are thematically linked. One of Naipaul's best.
The Moor's Last SighThe Moor's Last Sigh by Salman Rushdie
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £0.01
A great yarn, narrated in Rushdie's inimmitable style. Dazzling prose. Very funny at times, but covers universal themes.
My Other LifeMy Other Life by Paul Theroux
Buy used from: £0.01
Not sure if it is autobiographical. Should be read in conjunction with Theroux's earlier novel: 'My Secret History'
Aiding and AbettingAiding and Abetting by Muriel Spark
Buy used from: £1.68
Humourous and entertaining take on the disappearance of Lord Lucan, by the great Muriel spark who, sadly, passed away recently.
The House of SleepThe House of Sleep by Jonathan Coe
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A dark comedy with a twist at the end. Unputdownable.
Love, etcLove, etc by Julian Barnes
Buy new: £4.89 / Used from: £0.01
A witty sequel to 'Talking It Over'.
YouthYouth by J.M. Coetzee
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £2.00
Autobiographical. Not sure why it was marketed as fiction, when 'Boyhood', which deals with Coetzee's childhood, was marketed as non-fiction. Immensely readable.
HeadlongHeadlong by Michael Frayn
Buy new: £6.36 / Used from: £0.01
Very clever and innovative. A pleasure to read
Yellow DogYellow Dog by Martin Amis
Buy new: £5.99 / Used from: £0.01
Martin Amis is in top form here. Like many of Amis's recent novels, there isn't much of a plot, but so well does Amis write that you don't mind. Very funny in parts.
White TeethWhite Teeth by Zadie Smith
Buy new: £4.52 / Used from: £0.01
The different narrative streams don't gel as well as that, but it kept me interested till the end.
Everything Is IlluminatedEverything Is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer
Buy used from: £4.82
Inventive. The parts involving Alex-the translator are hilarious.
Family MattersFamily Matters by Rohinton Mistry
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A moving story of a Zoroastrian family in Mumbai. Realistic.
AutobiopsyAutobiopsy by Bernice Rubens
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Quaint, unusual and wicked. Berince Rubens-now she could tell a good story.
Old SchoolOld School by Tobias Wolff
Buy new: £5.23 / Used from: £0.01
The prose is precise and elegant. This novella is a joy to read.
Small IslandSmall Island by Andrea Levy
Buy new: £4.32 / Used from: £0.01
The narrative is a bit uneven at times, and does not flow smoothly. But this is more than adequately compensated for by the engrossing story. Acutely observant.
Snobs: A NovelSnobs: A Novel by Julian Fellowes
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £0.01
Acerbic and witty. Reminiscent of Evelyn Waugh.
Vernon God LittleVernon God Little by DBC Pierre
Buy new: £4.76 / Used from: £0.01
Took me a while to get into this one, but once I did, I found it highly entertaining. Crackling with dry, witty dialogues.
Beyond BlackBeyond Black by Hilary Mantel
Buy new: £5.59 / Used from: £0.01
If you care for language read this book. I thought the subject matter-the spiritworld and mediums-was a bit unusual, too.
JazzJazz by Toni Morrison
Buy new: £5.07 / Used from: £1.98
Language is hypnotic. Parts of the book, for example, those depicting 1920s' Harlem, are incredible.
Thinks...Thinks... by David Lodge
Buy new: £6.96 / Used from: £0.01
A satire of the academic world, David Lodge's forte.
On Green Dolphin StreetOn Green Dolphin Street by Sebastian Faulks
Buy new: £5.56 / Used from: £0.01
This is a beautifully written book. Engrossing
The Debt to PleasureThe Debt to Pleasure by John Lanchester
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £0.01
A very clever and dark book;it abounds in aphorisms. Brilliant.
The PaperchaseThe Paperchase by Marcel Theroux
Buy new: £4.99 / Used from: £0.01
A gripping story, excellent characterizations, and very well written. It has everything I want in a novel.
The CorrectionsThe Corrections by Jonathan Franzen
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Over-elaborate and laborious in places, this is, still, a very moving story.
Carter Beats the DevilCarter Beats the Devil by Glen David Gold
Buy new: £6.67 / Used from: £0.01
A magical book; I found it gripping from the first page.