Among our group of Young Publishing Entrepreneurs were a number of would-be wine buffs. On the second evening of our study visit to South Africa, we headed for the beautiful Constantia Vineyard, 15 minutes outside Cape Town, to discuss malolactic fermentation. Very soon, however, we were to be found enthusing about our favourite books. This list attempts to reflect a rather unwieldy conversation, fuelled by an elegant and subtly wooded 2008 Semillon.
Constantia Vineyard (image credit: Pablo Rossello)
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For starters: books we have read recently
Brooklyn by Colm Tobin
The Buenos Aires Affair by Manuel Puig
Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Survive by Jared Diamond
La Ciudad Y Los Perros/the City And the Dogs by Mario Vargas Llosa
Little Dorrit by Charles Dickens
On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
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For our main course: a free-wheeling conversation about books both loved and loathed which ignited fierce debate, presented in the order discussed
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
The Savage Detectives by Roberto Bolano
To Kill a Mocking Bird by Harper Lee
The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time by Mark Haddon
Life of Pi by Yann Martell
Harry Potter by J. K. Rowling
The Damned United by David Peace
Red Riding by David Peace
Arthur and George by Julian Barnes
July’s People by Nadine Gordimer
Salmon Fishing in the Yemen by Paul Torday
Disgrace by J. M. Coetzee
Skippy Dies by Paul Murray
Netherland by Joseph O’Neil
White Tiger by Aravind Adiga
Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel
God of Small Things by Arundhati Roy
The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai
A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry
The Suspicions of Mr. Whicher by Kate Summerscale
Dancer by Colum McCann
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For dessert: Our ultimate book recommendations
Daniel Crewe: Towards the end of Morning by Michael Frayn
Julia Kingsford: The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford
Anna Lewis: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Rachael Ogden: Amongst Women by John McGahern
Pablo Rossello: Tough Guys Don’t Dance by Norman Mailer
Mark Searle: Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene
Gavin Weale: The Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy
Daniel Crewe: Towards the end of Morning by Michael Frayn
Julia Kingsford: The Good Soldier by Ford Maddox Ford
Anna Lewis: Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Rachael Ogden: Amongst Women by John McGahern
Pablo Rossello: Tough Guys Don’t Dance by Norman Mailer
Mark Searle: Travels with My Aunt by Graham Greene
Gavin Weale: The Border Trilogy by Cormac McCarthy
Constantia Vineyard (image credit: Pablo Rossello)
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Thanks so much for posting this Rachael – I can’t wait to get stuck into some of those books, especially after the debate we had. And re-reading God of Small Things is on my list too (though don’t expect others to feel the same way!)
OK, now i want to change all of my recommendations.
Cheers for doing that Rachael. Have added a few to my future reading list.