Recent ones I have read that might match up...

The Corrections - Jonathan Franzen
The City and the City - China Mieville
Sunnyside - Glen David Gold

(And actually, if you haven't already read it, Glen David Gold's 'Carter Beats the Devil' was a perfect holiday read on a Greek island a few years back.)

America America by Ethan Canin is excellent. If you enjoyed Middlesex, Virgin Suicides by the same author is also brilliant.

"Cryptonomicon" by Neal Stephenson is one of the best books I have read in recent years, though at >900 pages posssibly not a holiday read.

I'd highly recommend the Shakespeare novel "Will" by Christopher Rush - the language is wonderful.

Finally, if you can track it down, "Pompey" by Jonathan Meades is excellent - utterly filthy though.

I think all you need is a laptop, a magazine and maybe a couple of guidebooks and I always have some of the magazine left to read on the homeward bound plane.

Sebastian Faulks - set in 70s, dark humour, offbeat musical references - compelling as a thriller and beautifully written.

by Joseph O'Neill is full of summery stuff from New York and Holland, the central character being a cricket-obsessed Dutchman. It's possibly the only novel you'll read about cricket set in New York. Am reading at the moment and seems to fit.

I'm reading Sunnyside at the moment as my holiday read and am enjoying it very much.

Mr Toppit By Charles Elton. It is about the family repercussions that follow the death of a cult children's writer. Dark secrets are revealed, etc. It has a bit of Jonathon Coe about it. I enjoyed it as a holiday read. But judging by the Amazon reviews not everyone did.

The Gargoyle by Andrew Davidson. A tale of a severe burn victim who is befriended by a mysterious woman who may or may not be a 700 year old former nun and his ex-lover. This heads for David Mitchell territory with stories within stories.

Trick or Treatment by Simon Singh and Edzard Ernst. If you like Bad Science this is for you. A dissection of alternative medicine, that has led to well-publicized (and ridiculous) legal troubles for Singh. I also recently read Suckers by Rose Shapiro that covers the same ground. Both recommended thoroughly, especially if you have New Age acquaintances that bang on about "Chemicals" in food and Big Pharma conspiracies.

Final novel by an American master. Is from the mid-80s, but reads like a classic from 50 years before. Read about it in the Financial Times and decided to give it a go. Supberb - memorable and deeply affecting.

blessed Bargepole quite rightly termed Wolfe's "I Am Charlotte Simmons" a literary let down elsewhere, it's actually not that bad a holiday read if you want something pretty light.

You can skim through pretty swiftly, it's not wildly taxing, and if you accidently drop it in the Med, you'll not be that upset.

The fictional memoirs of the original Tarzan films chimp might not sound an immediate winner but honestly, this'll surprise you - witty, full of old Hollwood gossip, clever, moving, thought provoking, and very well written. This is no gimmick, it's (enjoyable) literary fiction with teeth - it's even on the Booker long list this year.

is quite fantastic. Warm, funny, dark, wise.

He writes in persona of Fattty Arbuckle who went from being America's most loved comedian in the silent era to being vilified after a rape allegation.

This review in Boston Globe is pretty spot on

"Stahl's a fabulous writer, tunneling deep into Fatty's mind, creating a richly sympathetic voice that veers from wisecracks to woe, all brilliantly illuminating the humanity behind the clown mask"

best book I've read this year by a long way.

...suggested http://bookseer.com/ which, if you type in the name of a book you've enjoyed gives other recommendations.

William Boyd, many fans herein

'if nobody speaks of remarkable things' by jon mcgregor

best 'contemporary' fiction i've read in a long, long time. lyrical, but never too complex, real without ever being 'gritty', short without being too short, engaging without ever being 'a page turner' (god i hate that phrase) and full of insight without ever forcing it down your throat.

but - remember - whatever you choose, stick with it and never, never give up on it.

(that last bit's a joke..)