Now I am commuting every day I decided to start reading so as to avoid staring at Facebook constantly so started with something that would be easy to pick up and not take too much concentration (I normally read factual historical books which take more concentration than a 25 minute commute can offer) so started with Red Notice (picked up for 10p at a Christmas Fair). But by christ – it’s like reading something barely one step up from a children’s book! What utter drivel.

So – what else can I read that is going to be a bit more stimulating but not too heavy going for 30 minute bursts?

Pratchett.

All the Pratchett

I quite like Damien Lewis, just reading his book, ‘Judy’. A great read. Plus ‘operation certain death’ was a good read of his. Does not require much thinking, but quite a fun one.

I also like Ben McIntyre’s spy books.

I used to read loads but somehow lost the desire with encroaching years/everyday internet addiction/shortening concentration span

However, recently tried to rekindle and raided pur bookshelf plus local library for some light yet compelling fiction. A dozen books I never finished, but there were a couple that I relished:

‘A Short Gentleman’ – John Canter
‘Us’ – David Nicholls

Both hilarious and ace. Easy dipping, packed with flavour. For those of us of a certain age they are especially good 😎

Andy McNab is quite honestly Shakespeare when compared to the literary excrement produced by Ant Middleton. Good with a gun no doubt, but bloody awful with a pen!

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Try the Nick Stone series from McNab – way better than the Tom Buckingham ones.

The Tom Thorne detective crime books by Mark Billingham are pretty good.

Try a Tim Moore. Travel books with a bit of history.

Ben Macintyre.
Tales of spying and deception. All true.
I’ve just read his book about Gordievsky. Hard to put down. If it wasn’t true you would say it was a crap plot line. But a rivetting read.
Try agent Zigzag. Also true. Will open your eyes.

Try Dark Matter by Blake Crouch: I haven’t finished a book that fast in years.

I’ll trot out my usual recommendations:

South – Ernest Shackleton
Lonesome Dove (and the rest in the series) – Larry McMurtry

Plus

The Expanse series – James S A Corey
Ned Boulting’s books
Cycling to the Ashes – Oli Broom

I’m currently reading a book about the Cuban Missile Crisis – its certainly eye opening in terms of how close we came to nuclear war.

I’d recommend the Jackson Lamb series by Mick Herron. Contemporary spy thrillers, easy to follow and roll along at a good pace so ideal for a commute. Funny to boot. I picked one up at a campsite ‘lending library’ thinking it would be a bit naff, but would do for something to read for a night and was pleasantly surprised.
Slow Horses is the first one linky

Lighthearted easy reading? Bill Bryson.

I’m currently reading a book about the Cuban Missile Crisis – its certainly eye opening in terms of how close we came to nuclear war.

Which book is that?
I heard a story that a Russian sub captain wanted to launch a nuclear torpedo against a US destroyer but his second in command wouldn’t give his consent. Imagine where we would be if he had!

I’d like to read a bit more about all that.

I was under the impression that Red Notice is part of a series of books aimed at older kids and not really for adults. As mentioned above you should be looking at the Nick Stone thriller books that McNab wrote. I find in that particular genre that Cris Ryans books were better as he didnt fill out the book with unnecessary details every other page. Lee child books are ok too for reading without using the brain.

I was under the impression that Red Notice is part of a series of books aimed at older kids

I doubt that as there are a couple of bits that are definitely adult (ie, a woman being murdered by the baddie in front of her two young children).

Kevin Wignall, Stuart McBride and John stone house are fairly good easy read.

Ben Macintyre is ok but the last Gordievsky book was quite poor, read like a hagiography for the spooks after showing them up in his philby tome

Imagine where we would be if he had!

That was Vasili Arkhipov. Although second in command of the sub he was the flotilla commander. A normal second in command wouldnt have got a vote.
For worrying stories about near nuclear disaster “command and control” is rather good/scary.

A normal second in command wouldnt have got a vote.

Thought he had a second key without which the torpedo wouldn’t fire? Captain couldn’t overrule that could he?

I used to commute to work by train and ended up devouring all the Douglas Coupland and Nick Hornby books. Not too taxing but they suited me. Tried some heavier stuff, but knocked it on the head when I blurted out “Jesus Christ” during We Need to Talk About Kevin and almost burst into tears when reading Haruki Murakami’s Norwegian Wood.

When the books that got heavier in tone started affecting me like that, I knew it might be time to look for another job

Ben Macintyre

Great books but maybe not for the train in short bursts. I quite liked Ian Rankin’s Rebus series when travelling, good page turners though the first isn’t great, he definitely gets better as he goes along. Also as already mentioned Bill Bryson would be a good choice.

Jon Ronson.

A thread on here the other day reminded me of Eastern Approaches by Fitzroy Maclean. It’s a very breezy spy and military sabotage story…that happens to be true!

This one, that story is correct. Sub commanders at one point had authority to fire nuclear torpedoes without referring back to Moscow. The captain and two other senior officers had to agree and one chap refused. He basically saved the world, very much like in Crimson Tide 🙂 but the other way around.

I really enjoyed Outlaws.inc.

In the world’s most dangerous trouble spots, a small band of men risk their lives to fly in desperately needed aid. But they are not heroes. Their giant ex-Soviet cargo planes are also riddled with secret compartments, which they fill with drugs, guns, money or people. They deliver anywhere, and they rtake their cut. But they pay a heavy price, many losing their lives to gun-toting pirates, terrorists, hostile state forces, jealous competitors and alcohol.

In Outlaws Inc. Matt Potter follows their incredible story around the world. He discovers a secret society of mercenaries, dictators, agents, gangsters, businessmen and real-life Bond villains. Updated for the paperback edition, this story is the stuff of spy thrillers and action movies, but all the more terrifying for being true.

has Andy McNab finally killed off Nick Stone then?

As for his work, I gave up about a decade ago, they felt like he shoehorned the same story into different circumstances to trot them out just before Xmas each year.

His *cough* non-fiction works are better.

Bravo Two Zero the fictional story of his famous mission is pretty good. It reads a little bit like Hot Shots Part Deux in places, but it’s fun.

Immediate Action is the sort or prequel which I actually preferred. It’s supposedly more closely aligned to the truth.

Seven Troop is the sort of sad partner to the above when he tells the story of how everyone involved in the above completely failed to readjust to ‘civvy street’ started off as mavericks and generally ended up sad and lonely, but mostly dead in increasingly sad circumstances. I’d probably give it a miss TBH.

As for other authors, Layer Cake by JJ Connelly is excellent, it’s from 2000 and in the same vein as Lock Stock and all that, probably hasn’t aged well, but it’s a fun, sometimes funny book of a bunch of Gangsters doing a bunch of Gangster shit.

Any of the above should be about 3p in all good charity shops.

No, I don’t do highbrow.

For modern(ish) but fictitious war type stuff then Harold Coyle gets my vote (start with Team Yankee).

Thanks @Rockhopper. I’ll have a look for a copy.

Andy McNab isn’t one of my favourite authors, I’ve read some of his but they never gelled.

Try:

Scott Miriani

Steve Berry

Will Adams

Matthew Reilly

These authors are Adventure/Archaeological bias with some decent enough twists, and a few interesting tales.

Then this guy, if you like the above, then this guy produced some very engaging tales. Sadly he’s no longer with us.. but he’s left a legacy and acclaimed legacy at that..

Check out any of the Jack Reacher books by Lee Child. Guaranteed to be a few in any charity shop.

I’ve just started Absolute Proof by Peter James, it’d be ideal for short bursts.

I’d second the Tim Moore suggestion made above.

Band of Brothers. An excellent read.

I really liked the earlier Andy McNab books. Not read the recent ones but I’m pretty sure I could pick up and enjoy the Nick Stone series again.

Anything by either Michael Connelly or Stephen Leather. Both are former journalists; Connelly writes crime thrillers, Leather has a former SAS-character

Pratchett is my go too for ‘popcorn’ books, quick easy and satisfying. A bit of fantasy is always good to counteract a grim bus commute.

Any of the classic mountaineering books? Into Thin Air, Beckoning Silence, White Spider, Touching the Void etc.

Cockleshell Heroes

So gripping you may not realise that your train / bus has stopped and started going back the other way.

Cockleshell Heroes Amazon

When you’re done with that, would second the Jack Reacher books (Lee Child).

Like bad booze, I’m sure it rots your brain, but is certainly addictive and enjoyable at the time.

You’ll hate yourself, but will keep going back for more.

Stephen leather, zoe sharp, iain rankin and lee child are the mainstays of my kindle library. Only as i own every pratchett book in the flesh(including the brilliant unadulterated cat)

All easy to pick up and put down.