Read a proof copy recently of Skagboys, the new Irvine Welsh book. Worth a read if you are into his other stuff.

res, wilsden, eswin, thanks, all good suggestions!

Greatest book I've read, incredible, half-way through Infinite Jest at the minute which is nearly as good…

It gets better, surpasses Pynchon imo.

which Murakami after Norwegian Wood??

To be fair, NW is not hugely representative of his style. He's more surreal / post-modern usually. I'd either go for the short stories collection (Blind Willow/Sleeping Women) or Hard Boiled Wonderland

David Simon, Homicide a year on the killing streets. Best book I've ever read on holiday, he got to closely follow a homicide unit in Baltimore for a year or so and the guy is such a talented writer, a masterpiece.

If you prefer fiction, Don Winslow, the power of the dog, incredible thriller about the warring mexican drug cartels, the only better thriller I've read is Mario Puzos the godfather.

Just finished reading the Robert Enke (German goalkeeper, committed suicide due to depression) book 'a life too short' which was a great read.

My wicked, wicked ways by Errol Flynn. Probably the coolest guy ever.