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

A Scanner Darkly - Philip K Dick

Another mindtwisiting ride from crazy ol' Phil. Following an undercover policeman trying to bring down some drugdealers. Funny, dark, frightening. Until later....
BCNU - Crescent

I have almost finished reading The Unfortunates by Laurie Graham.

It is hilarious, in spite of the fact that the female central figure is completely self-centred, I rather like her.

Commencing at the start of the last century in New York, it follows Poppy's life through the First World War, Paris and Melton Mowbray, which was not quite as exotic as she thought.

So if you fancy a light read rather than a hefty tome I would recommend it.

If youreally want a good read, try real books:

Dickens, Thackeray, George Elliot, Tolstoy, Victor Hugo.

Noneof them are easy to read - if you're after instant gratification, forget it - but almost anyting by the aove will staywithyou for the rest of your life!

There's always Hardy! *cringes*

Don't bother reading David Copperfield. There's pages and pages describing the most awful boring rubbish.

Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks is big, upsetting, and terribly good. (sounds like a english teacher).

I have to admit I'm currently reading the Penguin Careers Guide.

Schindler's Ark (or Schindler's List as it is now known) is a very dark, thought-provoking book. A far from easy read but very illuminating.

Try Captain Correllis Mandolin. Don't be put off by the dire film, the book is far more wide-reaching and enjoyable.

Read Capt. Corelli a while back but couldn't get into it. None of the characters interested me at all.

The Day of the Triffids still remains one of my favourite books - very descriptive and well written.

The film may be a bit dated but it's still not half-bad either

Authors to consider: Iain Banks, Ian McEwan, William Boyd. Pretty well anthing by these guys is a good read. Banks's best (IMHO) is The Crow Road, McEwan's best is The Innocent, Boyd's best is The New Confessions.

Also, The Name Of The Rose by Umberto Eco. I also like Foucault's Pendulum but a lot of people find it too pretentious by half.