Favourite fiction

"What a character we have in the Swede, living the American dream and seeing it turn sour"

"Rollercoaster romp through 80s hubris"

"Relive your 70s schooldays - but its so much more than that, as you really get to care about the characters"

"This, with the rest of his Raj quartet, is a compelling story of momentous times, told with subtlety and from all points of view.  Illuminates the end of the Raj better than a history ever could."

"Even better than Faulks's Birdsong in exposing the terrible psychological costs of WW1"

"Beautifully written view from inside the head of Frank - somehow numbed and detached, yet striving to reconnect with his estranged teenage son"

"From bucolic England to civil war in Spain, this guy certainly packed in some adventures - the recent revelations that he made some of it up doesn't detract too much"

"Required reading, so we never forget"

"Fantastic read about a religious nut who drags his poor family to the heart of Africa.  Interesting structure, with the story being told in short chapters by each sister in turn"

"This guy can write so intensely about mere moments in time, and plays out their impacts so expertly.  I did feel cheated by the end though - I felt manipulated (I wanted a happy ending!)"