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

Hmm.

There's not very much to "Talk To The Hand", is there? Ripped through that one...now I don't have a book to read.

I do have a cookbook I got for Christmas, "Cooking Under The Influence"...not terribly handy for the train though.

RF

Another of Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin books: Treason's Harbour. They're addictive.

Currently thoroughly enjoying Anne perry's 'Long Spoon Lane', which is not only a marvelously observed portrait of Victorian morals an mores, but also contains some fascinating insights into the threat of the Fennians and European anarchists to Victorian Society and they way it was met.

Since I am *still* waiting for the Neil Gaiman and Lindsey Davis books I ordered to come in, today I picked up Another Bullshit Night in Suck City by Nick Flynn, which looks interesting . . .


az

read last night for the 4th time,

Incompetence By Rob Grant (Of Red Dwarf fame)

Well worth a read, it's pretty good.

I love 1984 - it's a really meaty read if you read all of it, and if you skim the "boring" pats it's still a cracking story.

There is one tiny throwaway (almost) line in it which always chokes me up. (if you're interested, ask me when you've finished )

I'm now reading another Louis L'Amour - The Cherokee Trail. Feisty Southern lady takes over the running of a stagecoach station, with her daugher, Irish girl helper and an orphan boy. Cue bad guys, Cherokee braves, bad guys, egnimatic gunman (good) and more bad guys. Fantastic.

And for work The Five Disfunctions of a Team by Patrick Lencioni. (who is, apparently, the author of The Five Temptations of a CEO). it contains nothing I don't already know about how the managers where I work (dis)function - and confirms that my team works "properly" despite the aforementioned managers best efforts.

I am reading the third book in the Deathstalker series by Simon R Green, having failed to find thesecond. It's funny, and cool and very addictive.

My book for work and buses, is Waylander II by David Gemmell, as I've already said -

I've just read 'The Last Hero' by Terry Pratchett, what a disappointment! Mean-spirited, derivative, and it seems like he's ripping himself off! I'm glad I didn't *buy* it!

Tis good to see Waylander being read, so one would assume you have read the Jon Shannow novels as well.(Isn't he a 'Moral' man?)
As for myself, I'm reading 'The Sentimental Bloke' by C.J.Dennis, its a book I doubt too many people (here) have read, being poetry from an age now long gone. Plus I might point out in a Patois which many if not most in Australia would find hard, let alone Blighty types.

Finally finished Stasiland, about to start Pride and Prejudice.

Just completed the Great Gatsby by FS Fitzgerald, hence the new name.

Also, finished Don Juan, and considering reading Childe Harold's Pilgrimage.

the eyes of Dr. TJ Eckleblub

I've read only one of the Jon Shannow novels, Keith, because I read Gemmell as I am able, in other words, whenever I can get hold of one! Good and weird, which I love.

I confess I've never heard of Dennis, but being next door, in NZ, I'll check it out...

I enjoyed Stasiland. And it's a truth universally acknowledged that P&P is one of the greatest novels ever.

The Great Gatsby - my favourite quote, which I often use myself is 'I'll be the man smoking two cigarettes.'

Myself...I left my Patrick O'Brian in a barber's yesterday, so last night I picked up Voltaire's 'General History.' It's rather good! It's interesting to see what history looked like back then. I stole the book from a pub. I doubt they'll notice or even care. It was one of those places decorated by books bought by the yard from Hay-on-Wye.

Favourite quote: 'England is a nation which is destined to be ruled by foreigners.'

I'm still ploughing through Iain M Banks' The Algebraist - it's getting better!

One of my friends just had his first book published, so I'll need to read that in double quick time! It's called Cloud World, and is a sci-fi book aimed primarily at teenagers - my g/f read one of his first drafts and loved it.

Re-reading Banks' Against a Dark Background at the mo. Vintage stuff; great dialogue, marvellously twisty plot full of real drama, vivid characters and that sense of the absurd that makes him so readable.

Both top Iain M Banks books!

Much as I like The Culture, I think his beast SF has actually been in his non-Culture novels.

About to embark on Ian McEwan's "Saturday".

RF

Beg to differ there, RF. I'd say Consider Phlebas and Use of Weapons are his best (SF anyway). Although they were the first ones I read, which might have something to do with it. What did you have in mind?

Well, er, without repeating above posters *too* much: Against A Dark Background and The Algebraist spring to mind! I also liked Feersum Endjinn.

Of the Culture novels, I like The Player Of Games best.

RF

RF, FE was BS! You heretic! It's one of the few books I've got in hardback as well, just couldn't wait for it to come out in paperback, and I was *so* disappointed. Other readers may note I also bought 'The Cold Six Thousand' by James Ellroy, in hardback too. It's pish. Not a patch on American Tabloid, which was its predecessor.

I realise that Feersum Endjinn does not enjoy the high reputation, even amongst aficionados of Ian M. Banks, as his other works.

Sod it. I still like it.

RF