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

Still going through my History of Mathematics book (http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/plain/F19585?thread=116314&post=6439016#p6436219), but I'm also reading The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy. It seemed a bit dull at first, but I'm finding it more interesting now. One thing I could do without is all the notes telling you what words mean. It wouldn't be so bad if it was just for stuff that's difficult to understand, but most of the meanings are clear from context, or they're for words like "furlough", "cooper" and "coomb", which are hardly obscure.

Re-reading 'Fandom Of The Operator' by Roberto Rankini Papal Sprout Master.

I have just started Boudica: Dreaming the Bull, by Manda Scott. It's the sequel to the one I got for Christmas. So far, so good...

What are peoples thought about The DaVinci Code, especially after last week's programme with Tony Robinson debunking the 'truth' about the story? I fancied reading the book until I saw it. I read most fiction books assuming that it is all make believe, but is The DaVinci Code portrayed as fact, or can you read it as pure fiction?

There was a bit of discussion about the Da Vinci Code a while ago here. I am still waiting for it from the library so I haven't read it, but I think it's as much fiction as say, a Jack Higgins novel. It just seems to be that people's love of a good conspiracy theory is leading a lot of people to try to take a lot of it as fact.

This is what some researchers thought of The Da Vinci Code:

F19585?thread=555645

RF

I thought it was a great read but the ending was anti-climatic to say the least! Enjoyed the programme with Tony Robinson, the man who found the rightful heir to the English throne - a guy who emigrated to Australia years ago

Well, I packed The Ragged Trousered Philanthropists in after 2 chapters. I think you *really really* have to want to read it to be able to get alonfg with that book. Maybe I'll try it again sometime, but not at the moment.

Anyway, went down the library this afternoon and got The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde. Pretty good so far...

RF

The next two Jasper Ffordes are even better. And check out hiw website: http://www.jasperfforde.com

Currently reading The Surgeon's Mate, the next in Patrick O'Brian's Aubrey/Maturin nautical romps. I reckon after this one I'll have had my fill of O'Brian.

So...what next? Has anyone read 'Independence Day' by Richard Ford? Or I've got a couple of Gore Vidals. Or I might launch a second assault on Q by Luther Blisset, or the notorious scathing biography of Anthony Burgess. I'm also planning to try and decode a couple of TS Eliot's longer poems.

By the way...you might want to set your videos for Thurs, 19:00, BBC2. 'The Culture Show' features an interview with Kurt Vonnegut, my all-time favourite author, to mark the 60th anniversary of the fire bombing of Dresden. Vonnegut was a POW in Dresden at the time. His novel, 'Slaughterhouse 5' is based around his experiences....but also features time slips and abduction by aliens resembling sink plungers.

A superb book!

Have just finished 'Star of the Sea' by Joseph O'Connor. Absolutly fantastic. Everything links together beautifully, but not in an annoying, obvious way. Am onto the next Doctor Who book now!

I am reading "Quicksilver", a book very very big to read during final semester exams. It´s about Daniel Waterhouse and is life during the first times of the royal society. Very interesting in terms of historical facts and the 1600´s and 1700´s ways of life.

Also reading very very boring books of Biochemistry with clinical correlations (mainly Devlin).For finals.

After reading "Quicksilver" i´ll be reading "Sushi Bar,Nós e os Japoneses", a book about the japanese culture being seen by a portuguese, a brief history of the cultural trade that happened since the portuguese first met the japaneses during the age of discoveries.

I also would like to read after that Angels and Demons, of Dn Brown, it will depend how well i am prepared for next semester.

«Back to the study group»

I have nearly finished reading 'Dreaming the Bull' - never a dull moment! Then, to try to find the 3rd one...

You're right about The Once and Future King, Muv. I'm getting towards the end of the first book now, and I can honestly say this must be one of the greatest books ever written. It has everything. Does anyone know if it made it into the Big Read? I don't recall it being mentioned at the time.

Finished The Eyre Affair. Pretty much as expected, having read the 3rd book in the series first (), so I knew a *bit* of the back story. Still, a rollicking good read, and highly recommended to all!

Just started Tom Holt's Little People.

RF

Still hacking through The Adventure of English (bed book) and just started Lady Chatterly's Lover.

As always, I'm loving it.

oh and I'm reading The Voyage of the Dawn Treader to the Gruesome Twosome.

We've had the first two of the Narnia books (being: The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe followed by Prince Caspian)

Is there anyone out there who can tell me what comes next, in publication order? As far as I remember the next one is The Horse & His Boy, followed by The Magician's Nephew, The Silver Chair (my favourite) and The Last Battle.

Or is that totally wrong?

They love the books, #2 gruesome is a bit small to folllow the storylines and doesn't understand much of the language, so #1 is "translating" it into Kidspeak for her as we go along.

I am reading the Da Vinci Code. The books ok, but why anyone thinks this book is anything but a book of fiction beats me.

It's only fiction but i think that any book that gets people

A. thinking and B. reading is a good thing!!!

Yes i agree with that - we should applaud any author who gets people reading, but the problem with the Da Vinci code is when people

a) realise the girl does all the work and Langdon just stands around going "This reminds me of a lecture I gave back in San Francisco. All the girls in the audience fancied me"

and

b) Once you have read the Da Vinci Code you might as well give up as all Dan Brown's books have exactly the same plot which mostly consists of a).


Just started 'Vanity Fair'.