Submission - Michel Houellebecq

I discovered Michel Houellebecq back in 2001 (gosh, is it 25 years ago?) when I stumbled upon “Atomised”, his debut, and I have read every single thing that he published since. He can be quite dark and subversive, but always entertaining and an astute observer of the hopeless decay of Western culture. “Submission”, published 10 years ago remains, in my view, a prescient vision of the future that is perhaps even more relevant today. Other titles from Houellebecq are “Annihilation” (2025), “Serotonin” (2020) and “Platform” (2003). He is also known for his poetry and as winner of the 2010 Goncourt Prize, the highest literary honour in France.

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The Zone of Interest - Martin Amis

Martin Amis needs no introduction. He is one of the most celebrated British writers of the last 50 years or so. His death in 2023 concluded a shining career which took him from beneath the shadow of his famous father, Kingsley Amis, to become a leading light of contemporary English literature. I was first introduced to him in the nineties with “London Fields” a novel very much in touch with the zeitgeist of the time. Hist last, “The Zone of Interest” is way better than the motion picture that followed and a sensitive exploration of the human ability to compartmentalise and normalise the most grotesque cruelty. Other titles from him are “Times Arrow” (1991), “The Information” (1995) and “House of Meetings” (2006).

I Am Pilgrim - Terry Hayes

Terry Hayes is a relatively new discovery. He was recommended to me as a writer that I might wish to compare my own work with. “I Am Pilgrim” (2014) is his magnum opus running at a whopping 900 pages! This should not put you off, as it is a gripping narrative that is brilliantly written. A genuine “page turner” it covers an epic story across decades and continents. His second novel “The Year of the Locust” (2023) is equally enjoyable.