Currently reading "Inspector George Gently", the first two stories - interestingly neither are in the North East - he's a Scotland Yard detective, and the first case he was on holiday around Norwich, and the second story he's seconded to a fictional Great Yarmouth (I think). I'm going to try a Dalziel and Pascoe next. I've found some of these books of TV detectives aren't as good as the TV - exceptions are Frost, a very entertaining set of reads, and Wallander, which I'll soon be re re reading again
Previous two books, given to me by my lads, were a part history/part puzzle book on Bletchley Park, and "The Villain", a biography on Don Whillans (the climber) - I've got quite a few and read quite a bit of outdoor type books. Wouldn't mind reading a biography on Messner, but there don't seem to be any "one stop shop" type books
My favourite author is Thomas Hardy (ever since I read Tess for A level), and have collected an assortment of all his novels. It's time I started re re reading them again in sequence, but from time to time do look at my favourites, ie Tess, The Woodlanders and Return of the Native. I also enjoy some of his poetry - my favourite is "A Trampwoman's Tragedy", a sad tale in verse
Got a number of football books, mainly (but not exclusively) related to LCFC, and Brian Clough
Some political books as well, but am more choosy on them
A couple of ad hoc biographies which are interesting are "Failure is not an Option" about Gene Kranz, Flight Director at NASA, and "Chasing Shadows" by Naomi Gryn about her father, Rabi Hugo Gryn - it starts a bit slowly with him growing up in Czechoslovakia, but eventually takes us through his and his families experience at Auschwitz - certainly not an easy read, and should maybe be a set text - I certainly got my lads to read it
Talking of books I imposed on my sons, "The Ragged-Trousered Philanthropists" is the one they remember