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You are here: Backpacker Resources > Travel Books > Top 5 Books for October 2009

Top 5 Books for October 2009

1. The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown
   

   There’s a certain stigma attached to reading the literary offerings of Mr Brown. Some say he’s contrived while others describe him as the bookish equivalent to Cocaine ‐ producing heart racing highs and wholly unsatisfying come downs. The Lost Symbol covers all these bases and beyond that, it’s enthralling, frustrating, predictable, random and thoroughly un‐put‐down‐able. Hero Robert Langdon returns for another stint as the only expert on ancient mysticism available for a crisis of epic proportions ‐ but this time, it’s in Washington. Crazy I know. In this installation the highly intelligent damsel in need of saving and romancing is Katherine Soloman, and it’s the affiliation of Katherine’s family with the Freemasons, that draws in the big baddy! This 500 page read is an adrenalin fuelled series of domino like events that’s so gripping ‐ it’ll have you shouting at the pages and hiding behind cushions. If you like the sound of fiction rooted in fact, lost knowledge, ascension and the groundbreaking science of Noetics, then this is one for you.

   The Lost Symbol by Dan Brown is published by Transworld (hardback; £18.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.

2. Significant Others by Armistead Maupin
   

   It seems like a sin not to finish reviewing the Tales of a City series, especially after the run in September, so here you have book number five in the series. All your favourite characters are back in town (give or take the ever flaky Mona Ramsey) and the most fun in this instalment seems to be had by former queen bee of high society, DeDe Halcyon. In Maupin’s much loved and highly contrived style, DeDe’s gender divided family camping trip just happens to be a matter of meters from an old boys power brokering lodge. Predictably when the two worlds collide, all hell breaks loose and there’s drunken assaults and hostage taking galore! More seriously there’s also a foray into the until then, untouched subject of HIV in the heterosexual world. It’s a light read with a nice blend of true San Francisco life and the fun characters that provide just the right amount of escapism.

   Significant Others by Armistead Maupin is published by Transworld (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.

3. Sure of You by Armistead Maupin
   

   Ok ‐ this is the last Maupin title I promise. In this concluding Tales of a City instalment everything comes to a well rounded and suitably dramatic head. Much of the story revolves around our long term lead girl ‐ Mary Ann as she goes over to the dark side of syndicated talk show hosting in New York, leaving husband Brian and their adopted daughter in the process. The social ladder climbing and hoop jumping required for such a feat provides a slightly cringe worthy but amusing dose of entertainment, while the sobering food for though story line comes from a very grown up, property owning, long term relationship investing Michael Tolliver. To go from the playboy of the first five books to the house husband in the sixth is a bit of a stretch but if you’ve stuck with the series so far, it’s just about palatable.

   Sure of You by Armistead Maupin is published by Transworld (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.

4. Notes From an Exhibition by Patrick Gale
   

   It’s always good to tumble off the well trodden literary path and Notes From an Exhibition is a great catalyst for doing just that. With one or two well placed flash backs Patrick Gale brings you into the world of Cornwall and a family assembled in a less than conventional way, by Rachel and Anthony. As a couple born out of a failed teacher pupil affair, an extra‐curricular pregnancy and a suicide attempt, Anthony and Rachel might not strike you as the most likely of couples, but the children they go on to have together are some of the most entertaining, culturally under nourished and attention craving characters that you’ll ever come across. In other word ‐ they provide the entertainment. Quintessentially this is a tasteful tale exploring mental illness, a pervading fear of loneliness, an insatiable creative drive and the Quakers. It’s a strange mix but Gale’s ever sensitive and excruciatingly descriptive approach, make it work.

   Notes From an Exhibition by Patrick Gale is published by Harper Perennial (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.

5. Serge Bastarde ate my Baguette by John Dummer
   

   If you want to make up your own mind about this badger, simply take yourself to this month’s book extract where you can read the first 900 words for free. If however you want the abridged version ‐ pull up a pew and wrap your synapses around this. Author John Dummer has been many things in his life and with a CV that boasts titles like Ex‐Blues Drummer and Former Journalist, a position as the companion of a French antiques wheeler and deeler called Serge Bastarde, must have seemed like the next logical step. The trade off is this. John helps his new pal in a series of bizarre and potentially illegal schemes, and in return Mr Bastarde teaches John the tricks of the trade. Think of Only Fools and Horses fused with Allo Allo and you get a pretty good picture of idea what this book rotates around.

   Serge Bastarde ate my Baguette by John Dummer is published by Summersdale (paperback; £7.99). It is also available through amazon.co.uk and all good booksellers.

‐ Rob Savage