Norwegian Wood, by Haruki Murakami

Knowing that I'd spent a fair amount of time living in Japan, a friend bought me Norwegian Wood as a Christmas present a couple of years ago.  Although I did enjoy a hint of nostalgia as I worked my way through the book, which is set in Tokyo, I'd probably have preferred reading a travel guide .  Murakami's stilted writing style, the flat and unrelatable characters, and the lack of any real plot made it a struggle for me to make it through to the end of this book.  I persevered (because it was a present, and because the book has been acclaimed by those in the literary know and was a bestseller when it was first published which I assumed meant it must improve towards the end), but there wasn't any pay-off.  I know fans of modern Japanese literature may find it heretical for me to say so, but I just didn't like Norwegian Wood at all.  The next time that I'm taking a load of books down to the charity shop, Norwegian Wood will definitely be on the cull list.

The Stand, by Stephen King

Stephen King's The Stand is one of the most frightening novels that I've ever read, primarily because the disaster that underlies it, the release of a man-made super-flu that kills over 99% of the human population, is so believable.  An epidemic has wiped out huge proportions of the world's populations several times over the course of human history.  The recent hysteria surrounding Swine Flu, and the fact that even with all of our advances we couldn't contain it, shows how little we could protect ourselves if something truly virulent and deadly came along.  However, The Stand is so much more than just a horror novel - in my opinion it marks Stephen King's progression from horror and suspense into literature.

The Egyptian, by Mika Waltari

The first homework assignment for my 8th Grade English class was to prepare an illustrated book review of our favourite novel.  My classmates were predictable, producing fairy-floss reviews of light-hearted, read-on-the-bus teen romances like Sweet Valley High or Mills and Boon. You can imagine how my position as the least popular geek in high school was confirmed when, to rolled eyes and skyward glances, I produced a review of Mika Waltari's "The Egyptian".  Published in 1949 and enormously popular (despite being widely condemned for its "obscenity"), The Egyptian is a powerful and completely memorable novel, exciting and believable, and thought-provoking.  To this day it remains one of my favourite books, so well-written that I can re-read it time and time again and each time discover something new.

It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken, by Greg Behrendt and Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt

I'll get it out there now (embarrassing as it may be) - I was a massive fan of Sex and the City.  I've spent an entire long weekend holed up with a packet of Tim Tams, watching the entire six series back to back.  I've done it more than once.  So when Greg Behrendt came out with He's Just Not that Into You, I devoured it within days of its release, and loved every line.  His second book, It's Called a Breakup Because It's Broken, co-authored with his wife Amiira Ruotola-Behrendt instead of Liz Tuccillo, is more of the same, although addressing how to deal with a break-up after it's happened rather than how to know when a relationship isn't working. 

The Colour of Magic, by Terry Pratchett

Although I don't class myself as a fan of the fantasy genre, Terry Pratchett's Discworld series is one exception.  I have the entire series (and even had some of them signed by the author when he visited Canberra many years ago).  The Colour of Magic is where it all started, and even if you don't normally enjoy stories about wizards, dwarves, trolls and dragons I would recommend giving it a try. The Discworld series is light-hearted, irreverant satire, incorporating traditional fantasy elements into a fast-paced, funny and very engaging storyline that will have you laughing out loud.

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, by Douglas Adams

The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy has deservedly become a cult phenomenon, a hilarious satire that is quoted ad nauseum at science fiction conventions world-wide.  Adams’ pithy writing style, dry English Monty Python-esque wit, and sublimely ridiculous ideas poke fun at the science fiction genre, but in an affectionate way.  There's plenty in it for people who (like myself) aren't science fiction buffs - Adams touches on philosophy, history, science, psychology and religion.  Every time I read The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (as I do quite often) it never fails to make me laugh out loud.  If you've never read this book, you’re missing out - stop what you're doing, get yourself a copy, and enjoy.

The Journeyer, by Gary Jennings

When Marco Polo returned to Italy from China, he brought with him stories of places so magical and people so different that he was branded a liar.  On his deathbed, when the priest administering last rites gave him the chance to confess, legend has it that Marco replied "I have not told the half of what I saw and did".  In The Journeyer, Gary Jennings imagines the full story, including details that were too radical, too unbelievable, or too sinful to be told in thirteen century Catholic Italy.  The Journeyer is an epic historical adventure story, which transports you back to medieval Italy, to the court of Kublai Khan in China, and to the mysterious and exotic places in between.