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Kleo's top 20 books - recommended
Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (International Writers)Perfume: The Story of a Murderer (International Writers) by Patrick Suskind
Buy new: £5.00 / Used from: £0.01
A wonderfully original and clever book, truly one of a kind that will stay with you forever. A unique accomplishment, superlatives do not do it justice.
Wonderland Avenue: Tales of Glamour and Excess (Abacus Books)Wonderland Avenue: Tales of Glamour and Excess (Abacus Books) by Danny Sugerman
Buy new: £7.66 / Used from: £3.93
Very funny and totally gripping from the first paragraph onwards, it's written in a very comfortable almost conversational style, an excellent book.
1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four1984 Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell
Buy used from: £7.89
Very dark, very disturbing and sadly coming very true. If you thought Big Brother was just a figment of Orwell's imagination, read this and think again.
Girl with a Pearl EarringGirl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier
Buy used from: £0.01
A hugely enjoyable book, simply beautifully written and very touching.
All in the Mind: Farewell to GodAll in the Mind: Farewell to God by Ludovic Kennedy
Buy used from: £62.45
Ludovic Kennedy's views on God and atheism - marvellous.
ChickenhawkChickenhawk by Robert Mason
Buy new: £6.99 / Used from: £0.01
A hugely interesting account of a young chopper pilot's Vietnam war experiences.
Fermat's Last Theorem: The story of a riddle that confounded the world's greatest minds for 358 yearsFermat's Last Theorem: The story of a riddle that confounded the world's greatest minds for 358 years by Simon Singh
Buy new: £5.48 / Used from: £2.75
Riveting, a centuries old problem finally cracked by a man obsessed. Simon Singh's narrative is utterly compelling and the book almost reads like a crime thriller.
Snowblind: A Brief Career in the Cocaine Trade ("Rebel Inc." Classics)Snowblind: A Brief Career in the Cocaine Trade ("Rebel Inc." Classics) by Robert Sabbag
Buy used from: £0.40
A fantastic book, read how Robert Sabaag became a coke king and managed to retire without ever getting caught. Enormously entertaining from start to finish.
Trilobite! Eyewitness to EvolutionTrilobite! Eyewitness to Evolution by Richard Fortey
Buy new: £5.89 / Used from: £1.59
A wonderfully written book about some of the earliest life that appeared on our planet, Richard Fortey's account of these mystical creatures is utterly engrossing and hugely informative.
The Map That Changed the World: A Tale of Rocks, Ruin and RedemptionThe Map That Changed the World: A Tale of Rocks, Ruin and Redemption by Simon Winchester
Buy new: £5.86 / Used from: £0.01
An amazing account of the father of modern geology, William Smith, who single-handedly mapped Great Britain geologically, overcoming great adversity. A marvellous book.
The Lost King of France: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVIIThe Lost King of France: Revolution, Revenge and the Search for Louis XVII by Deborah Cadbury
Buy used from: £3.39
Completely and utterly compelling, a very sad and beautiful book
The Gospel According to Jesus Christ (Panther)The Gospel According to Jesus Christ (Panther) by Jose Saramago
Buy new: £4.98 / Used from: £2.30
Truly a great book, winner of the 1998 Nobel Literature prize, just wonderfully written.
Science: A History 1543-2001Science: A History 1543-2001 by John Gribbin
Buy used from: £2.54
A masterpiece and a must-have for anyone seriously interested in scientific history. Extensive and far reaching in scope and depth, an amazing book.
The Language of the GenesThe Language of the Genes by Steve Jones
Buy new: £5.45 / Used from: £0.13
Steve Jones is almost unequalled in the ability to make complicated science accessible to all, a fantastic book in every sense.
The Magic FurnaceThe Magic Furnace by Marcus Chown
Buy new: £6.96 / Used from: £2.90
Want to know why you're made of star-stuff ? Read this excellent book by a very accomplished author.
Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder (Penguin Press Science)Unweaving the Rainbow: Science, Delusion and the Appetite for Wonder (Penguin Press Science) by Richard Dawkins
Buy used from: £2.11
The master of evolutionary biology examines why people are gullible and prone to superstition.
Pity the Nation: Lebanon at WarPity the Nation: Lebanon at War by Robert Fisk
Buy new: £8.36 / Used from: £5.00
Mesmerising, appalling and tragic, if you want to know the real root cause of 9-11 and terrorism then read this simply awesome book by an unrivalled journalist.
Life On AirLife On Air by David Attenborough
Buy used from: £0.01
A wonderful book by a wonderful man, Attenborough is a living legend and this book made me realise the astonishing depth of his experience and knowledge, masterful.
Mendeleyev's Dream: The Quest for the ElementsMendeleyev's Dream: The Quest for the Elements by Paul Strathern
Buy used from: £4.45
Everyone remembers the periodic table from school but this book will open your eyes to the astounding impact it's discovery had on modern chemistry, a brilliant book.
The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (Picador)The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat (Picador) by Oliver Sacks
Buy new: £5.36 / Used from: £2.90
Oliver Sacks is hugely talented and manages to explain through anecdotes very complicated neurological failures and diseases, highly recommended.