h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

i'm getting round to reading that!

I'm just about to finish 'boyracers' by alan bissett. proof positive that boys have better childhoods that girls! i'm looking for suggestion on what to read next.

I have been soooo busy, have read volumes 1-8 of the Lauryl K Hamilton 'Anita Blake' books (I liked a lot). I finished Merrick by Anne Rice (very good). I did a whole lot of reading about the British occupation of Burma (aren't essays wonderful?). Started Margaret Atwood's Blind Assassin, and finished Alias Grace. I have started to do some reading on the English Civil War (wondering if it was all driven by religion or politics or both). Have been given Hand-Grenade Practice in Peking by Frances Wood to read by a friend, and from the blurb and the first couple of pages it sounds absolutely great. Have also been re-reading The Tale of Murasaki by Liza Dalby, as someone has stolen my copy of Geisha by the same author *mutters*.
Oh well, I ought ot go, feel all a bit ranty, even though have not ranted Thank you for your forgiveness DoctorGonzo, I feel better knowing that I have not made you hate me

s in direction of essay.

p.s. Am I perhaps the only person in the whole world that does not want to read, see or be Harry Potter? I also have not been able to get enthused about Lord of the Rings, although I think that is due to the fact I tried to read it when I was far too young to really be bothered with a book that long, and decided to not finish it. I might try over the summer, as I will have nothing else to do *ponders*. Hey ho, on I go

p.s. Am I perhaps the only person in the whole world that does not want to read, see or be Harry Potter? I also have not been able to get enthused about Lord of the Rings, although I think that is due to the fact I tried to read it when I was far too young to really be bothered with a book that long, and decided to not finish it. I might try over the summer, as I will have nothing else to do *ponders*. Hey ho, on I go

eris, you are not alone re Hairy Plotter. But please don't get me started on that subject...

reAD the "His Dark Materials" trilogy by Phillip Pullman- Potter with a dark edge to it.

Finished reading the 3rd volume in that trilogy "The Amber Spyglass" recently and it's certainly a lot more substantial in themes than the Harry Potter books. Worth being much better known.
Currently reading "Blackberry Wine" by Joanne Harris and "Kingdoms beyond the Clouds" by Jonathon Gregson, about journeys to various Himalayan kingdoms.

i loved the Phillip Pullman trilogy!

Have you read 'Cat's Eye', Eris? I think that's one of Atwood's best books.

At the moment, I'm reading 'True History of the Kelly Gang' by Peter Carey. It's actually very good.

i'm reading 2 books on the noo: Crisis on Doona and The Book Of The Goons

I'm reading all sorts of silly things for my coursework, as per usual, and I also recently re-read 1984 and Brave New World with a view to comparing the two. I also read Brave New World revisited (An essay later written by Aldous Huxley as a kind of 'update' to Brave New World, in which he talks rather negatively about comparisons with 1984). So that was fun.

I've asked for a few books for Christmas, including Nymphomation by Jeff Noon, Labyrinths by Jorge Luis Borges, a couple of William Gibson books and various other things I can't remember, so if I get them I'll be doing a fair bit of reading over New Year.

i is now reading terry pratchetts 'maskerade' funniiiii!!!!!!!!!!!!
is signed copy 2 thanx 2 my toastie tellin me tp was commin 2 town!

Might have to try this trilogy you're all banging on about Always open to suggestion. I have not read cat's eye, but have got it on my long list of stuff to read. I think The Handmaids Tale is a storming piece of work, and anyone considering a comparitive study of 1984 and Brave New World could do worse than read Handmaid as well. I did a comparison of '84 and 'world' for my Eng Lit A level, and I got a reasonably good mark for it. I also did a piece of work on Handmaids, whereby I tried to envisage a 'sequel' of sorts. I wrote a 'chapter', in the style and of Atwood. I thought it was really bad, but my tutor said it showed that I was very familiar with her work and her style, as well as showing that I had a gd idea of the geography of Handmaids as well

I do witter don't i?

A Dying Light in Corduba by Lindsey Davies. Basically it's a detective novel set during the Roman Empire. Under Vespasian to be specific.

I should probably reread 1984 at some point. It was about 8 years ago I read it and with the new anti-terrorism measures everywhere now might be a time to brush up on nuspeak.

Oops, bit of politics.

I'm reading the Chronicals of Narnia by CS Lewis... really good, even if they are on a more (shall I say) "childish" level.

peace.

Everyone does that for coursework, don't they? Well, I did a variation - I compared 'Nineteen-Eighty-Four', 'A Clockwork Orange' and some book by LP Hartley that no one's ever heard of called 'Facial Justice'. What fun! - it's here, actually:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/h2g2/guide/A627545

I'm reading the dictionary at the moment. An incredible adventure through language, time and space that everyone should try once. The vocabulary on the writer is truly awesome.

On a linked theme I think you may find the Thesaurus a good read as well, the language is somewhat more convoluted, but there is more expression and ability to understand exactly what the author is trying to get accross

Rhyming dictionaries are good fun, too...