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

I'm sure Remains of the Day was Oscar nominated, and it's got Antony Hopkins and Emma Thompson in it, and it's one I've always meant to see but never got round to. If that counts as a recommendation ...

Mol

It was nominated for 8, but didn't actually win any.

If you like Kazuo Ishiguro, I recommend Never Let Me Go. This is also being filmed and is, I think, due for release in early 2011.

RF

Just got back from holiday where my reading-matter included Terry Jones' Medieval Lives (nearly finished) and The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins (about halfway through).

thanks, RF, I might try that later on.

Also reading the next (for me) in the Percy Jackson series: The Battle of the Labyrinth. (it's a while lot nicer now I've seen the film and know that Zeus bears a striking resemblence to the Beanster )

Im reading the lost book of salem

I'm reading 'I Shall Wear Midnight', the new Discworld novel. It's a lot better than the last one... very good in fact, I think.

"The City and the City" by China Mieville

Guards! Guards! and I've just finished The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe. Great stuff.

Been getting stuck into The Time Traveller's Wife.

A recommendation from HonestIago.

Just finished 'The Story of the Girl Guides 1910-1975'. Have to say we're a tame lot nowadays in comparision ...

Started Clive James' 'The Blaze of Obscurity' but not yet enthralled; I like his TV criticism best, but I daresay this will pick up.

I also have a TP to read somewhere, and I've just remembered that all my library books are due back tomorrow

Mol

Don't know what to read next. I got the Time Traveller's Wife off the bookshelf and put it on the "to be read" pile (I've seen the film now so I want to give the book another go)

But I'm not sure. I also have the Rebel Prince, by Celine Kiernan, it's the last of the Moorehawke trilogy.

Saw the film was being broadcast on Sky this week, so I've recorded it but am refusing to watch it until I've read the book (won't take me long.)

I'm halfway through several books, as usual, halfway throughest "Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep", though. And wondering whether the mood-organ designations influenced Keith Laumer's Retief stories at all.

I leant my copy of that to someone - never did get it back.

The Fellowship of the Ring (again). I think this time I might even read all the songs and Bombadil bits. It makes a nice contrast to Alan Sillitoe (who I was on previously). That in turn made a very welcome refreshment from the Richard Hannay stories, which I became embroiled in with irresistible horror.

Lustrum by Robert Harris, and The Story of Art by E. H. Gombrich. The Art book is one I inherited from mum-in-law. I'm doing an Arts foundation course and decided to read it as supplementary info after I saw it recommended in Stephen Fry's blog.

Just finished Lustrum, and v good it is too. Racing through 'Italian Shoes' by Henning Mankell. Not one of the Wallender books, but a very touching study of loneliness (and other stuff) with wonderful, wonderful characters and very evocative pictures of rural Sweden. Had tears rolling down my cheeks on the tube today (How embarrassing is that in an adult male, surrounded by kids on half term jaunts!). Can't wait til tomorrow to finish it. I suppose he will always be thought of as a police procedural author, but this is far from that and seems to me to be writing of the highest order. Please read it.

I'm continuing on my Ursula Le Guin kick with The Eye Of The Heron. After that it's back to Michael Chabon's The Mysteries Of Pittsburgh.

RF

Stardust by Neil Gaiman. Quite a few differences from the film - the two plots seem to dance around each other, occasionally almost meeting.

I think if I'd read the book first I wouldn't have watched the film (Stardust that is) so thank goodness for that!

I'm reading Draußen nur Männchen* which is a German chick-lit thing which isn't brilliant plot wise but I like her writing. About her search for a boyfriend via an internet dating site.

*It means "outside only little-men" (it's a play on words that is too boring to describe but it's quite amusing)