Lots of great books here - and a few awful ones - but these are the most read and/or most talked about books of the decade, according to the Daily Telegraph. So if you're ever stuck for something to read ...
(PS See if you can guess the top three before you look at the list. It's not difficult)

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/book ... hties.html

oops -:lol:

Now you've given it away unc

Sorry - got carried away. Wasn't too far wrong though


I've only read 12 of these. I guess it's a fairly typical mix, although probably lacks any real stand out classic. 'The Road' probably the pick of the bunch IMO, although clearly it's all pretty subjective with such a wide brief.

Worth noting that this is the most influential books of the decade, not the best. If it was the latter then I'd probably have a few issues with some of the entries

I'd reverse 1 and 3 BTW.

Number 6 - Being Jordan.

Exactly. What does this say about the nation's intelligence ? Some right shite in there i.e. Rusell Brand.

PS I would have thought the Da Vinci code would have been top, as it provoked many talking points.

Jordan and Brand may be shoite, but it's a decade where the cult of celebrity seems to have reached new heights, and so I can't really argue that celebrity books such as these shouldn't be on the list. It doesn't set out to be a list of the best books, just a list of the books that have helped to shape the decade.

Still sad though.

Also agree that Da Vinci should be number 1, as Potter was really a phenomenon of the 1990's wasn't it?

I agree Harry Potter was a late-90s phenomenon. It was already a massive success before the turn of the century. However, it turned into an industry that could be said helped define the 'noughties'. I suppose Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows is representative of that, but they should have put the first novel in as they did with Alexander McCall Smith's No 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency.

I haven't read or seen any of Harry Potter but from what I know of it, it has had a far greater cultural influence than the Da Vinci Code. Which, incidentally, I didn't read either because I was informed by several reliable sources that it was a pile of shite.

In fact I've only read three of the books on there, although I've flicked through the cookbooks, the God Delusion and Freakonomics. Those three were The Crimson Petal and the White by Michel Faber, The Ghost by Robert Harris, and The Island by Victoria Hislop. Having not read any of the other books on the list I can't say whether they deserve to be on it but the first two are suitably 21st Century in their way. Richard & Judy loved The Island so who am I to say it was amateurishly written?

For anyone simply wanting a well written entertaining read, I would strongly recommend number 10, "The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo". Also the second book in the trilogy, "The Girl Who Played with Fire".

I'm looking forward to the third one being published in English.

No. 6 Being Jordan, oh dear

One of the defining factors of the 2000s has been a) celebrities, and b) the increasing sexualisation of celebrities. So for Jordan's mega-selling memoirs to feature high in a list of books that defined the decade seems appropriate.

Striker - I haven't seen you posting for years! I thought you'd gone off to do something more sensible

Considering he's posted more than 30 times in November alone, I think it's you that has been off doing something more interesting

Hi Billy. There was a period of around a year when I hardly ever logged on to Fiso (from around Feb 2008) which coincided with me taking little interest in fantasy in 2007-8 and moving to a West African location where the internet was a pain. However I entered a few teams in YTM in 2008-9 from a "painful" connection in my office but still rarely logged onto to Fiso. But by chance one of teams was in serious contention for a pile of shekels by late 2008 and so I started visiting an internet cafe to get injury news etc. From early 2009 I started looking at Fiso again and phoning my old "fantasy" buddies for news. But its only been since mid August when I finally got my own internet connection in my apartment that I've again become a very regular contributor.

Take my above recommendation for Stieg Larsson more seriously than the fantasy related nonsense that I've posted, he is seriously good!

Thanks Striker! I will definitely read one of those Larsson books - which is the best, out of Tattoo and Fire?

I think we're playing different games, which must be why I never see your posts these days (I used to be TFF, but I only play FPL now...)

have heard great reports about Larsson's work. Will be looking to read these books next.

No "Life of Pi"

Difficult to say which is best but one should read "Tattoo" first as it is the first in the trilogy. The third one has yet to be published in English. But it can't be long now I imagine.

Unfortunately there won't be any further novels from Stieg Larsson who died in 2004 soon after delivering the manuscripts of the three novels to his Swedish publisher. Sales of his books are over 3 million in Sweden alone, which is amazing given that the population is only around 8 million, I think. The English translation of "Tattoo" was published in early 2008, (I had been waiting for it as Mrs Striker had been praising its merits for some time, having read the original Swedish version), while the English version of "Fire" was published at the beginning of 2009.

I have never played FPL, (too active as I understand it for me). I'm concentrating on YTM and having won the 100k last season, increased my teams from last year's 5 entries to 10 this year, but am doing very moderately, so perhaps as the season goes on my interest in fantasy, and by implication fiso, could wane again. Given our few but different games, its less than surprising that we have not bumped into each other too often in recent times.

been meaning to ask for a while whether larsson's books are any good. Put off a bit by the covers tbh, but will give the first one a go. Need a few books for the Christmas list!!

Striker - I'm not sure what I'm most impressed by, you winning £100k in fantasty football, or your wife reading Larsson in the original Swedish!

The 3rd Larsson novel is available in English in hardback btw.

i'm pleased to say that i haven't read a single book on the list. a decade well spent.

It's a truely dire list, like someone just hit 'shuffle' and took the first 100 that came up. Some great books in there amongst the dross.

Any great books that you think have been missed out (novels, not celebrity tat / cook books).

Looking for ideas for the christmas list

I was about to post that - has been for a good few weeks now, all ready for christmas.

I didn't realise that they are all quite old and the author has actually been dead for a few years! - his wiki

Keep meaning to read the first one (Mrs M bought it) - tis on the list but there have been a stream of good books out of late. John Irving's newbie is next since I've finished the fakedouglasadams

If it's a Christmas List for yourself try:

Dangerous Parking by Stuart Brown or The Death of an Ordinary Man by Glen Duncan, both moving, extraordinary works, espcially the Duncan novel. Any fan of Cormac will be able to cope with the themes and style hopefully.

The list has Ghost by Robert Harris, which kind of left me cold. His Roman stuff, Pompeii and especially Imperium are gripping, easy reads that I'd recommend.

I hear he's managed to sneak a couple of crafty bears into it. Rumour goes that there's even a farting dog a la Hotel New Hampshire's 'Sorrow' in there as well.

I quite liked Ghost - better than Imperium (which was stil quite good) but not as good as the more 'action' ones like Pompeii and Fatherland

Sorrow floats....

Beware the Under Toad

I watched the film of Garp the other day (Mrs m hadn't seen it!), I'd forgotten it also features dressing up as a bear - briefly.