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

Borrowed a copy of "If on a Winter's Night a Traveller" by Italo Calvino from my fiancee. It's my finacee's copy though so I shan't be taking it with me on the plane. I'll pick up reading that when I get home with my own copy (unfinished <embareesed&gt

However today's excurion to Barnes and Boble yeilded a collectionm Sherlock Holmes Mysteries and "Cryptonomicon" by Neil Stephenson.

That should keep busy for the flight home.

I'm presently reading DBC Pierre's latest offering - Ludmila's Broken English. I really loved Vernon God Little and am trying to cut this one some slack, but so far I'm not terribly impressed.


az

am just starting Black Sunday by thomas harris the author of red dragon and silence of the lambs








to close

I'm reading Ender's Game by Orson Scott Card. Pretty good so far.

How's it going with The Ancestor's Tale, Jim?


az

I couldn't find it the other day when I wanted to go back to it. I thought it was in my bag, but when I looked, it wasn't there, and it hasn't turned up yet. This is the second time I've mislaid it like this. I'm clearly fated not to finish it.

ha!

You are maybe like me - finding it hard to get into, to stick to.

Misplaced it, yeah right.


az

No, honestly, it's true this time. I was looking for it yesterday morning, but when I couldn't find it, and in a panic because I didn't want to face the commute without a book to read, I picked up Ender's Game from the pile of unread books near the door. But I have to admit, it's nice to read a book where I can be halfway through it within a day of starting it.

I know what you mean, Jim - I read The Last Jew in less than two days. And I wasn't even trying. It was just a fast, easy read.

No worries about losing my copy of The Ancestor's Tale - it sits on my night table glaring at me every night I cosy up to read something else.


az

Jim! There's a 'Madeleine Moment' if ever I saw one. I read the original novella of Ender's Game when it came out in...either Analog or Nova...I forget which. Later I read the first couple of Ender books. I also read the OSC short stories in Omni, and subsequently 'Hot Sleep' and (the other one I forget the name of) that followd on from them.

I seldom read SF these days. Why not? Well...at a jumble sale I picked up something by Vonnegut, who I'd heard was an SF writer. That was my introduction to 'proper literature'

Mention Spider Robinson now and you'll really make my day.

Finally completed 'Part of the Furniture' by Mary Wesley. Verdict; utter tosh.

Now reading 'Brighton Rock' by Graham Greene. That's more like it! It's so evocative, I can almost smell the fish and chips

Finally finished The Blind Assassin. Yes, Margaret Atwood writes beautifully but I'm still not sure what I just read!

Was recommended (on account of being a slapper, I suppose) something by Emma Holly. So I got Ménage. Well... not at all impressed. pah

Also now reading Green Smoke by Rosemary Manning. Yes, it's a children's book -but it's lovely. It's also out of print.

And since the Emma Holly is so dire I'm reading Rebel by Bernard Cornwell. The first of the Starbuck chronicles about the American Civil War. So far, not bad.

If you like Bernard Cornwell I can highly recommmend the Sharpe series. Explains history without teaching it to you.

Going back a couple of posts - I read The Blind Assassin earlier this year. I seem to recall being thoroughly dissatisfied with the ending and annoyed with the heroine for being a bit feeble. Overall I think I enjoyed it though.

My feelings exactly, with the Blind Assassin. I thought, in fact, immediately after putting it down, that Atwood was trying to be too flippin' clever.

At a distance of around a week I can say that I thought the writing was excellnt, but plot and character wise it wasn't her best. I'd rather read Eco or Rushdie. (oooo that looks awful written down)

thanks for the Sharpe tip I've actually read each one at least twice, which is why I branched out to the Starbuck chronicles.

Curently reading Silent Bob Speaks by Kevin Smith, an absolute delight! His wife's interpretation of Mulholland Drive is inspired! ( I *almost* get that film now!)

>>Silent Bob Speaks

Ooh! Ooh! I never knew he had a book out! I'll add it to my list.

Finishing The Chronicles by Bob tonight (don't know why it's taken me so long). Moving on to either 'Nickle and Dimed' by Barbara Ehrenrich or 'The Long Firm' by (I forget who).

Just finished Sebastian Barry's A Long, Long Way. In my limited experience, a fairly unique look at the Irish soldiers involved in World War I/The Easter Rising. Excellent subject matter, but I found it a little cold.

For the lack of anything else in the house, I've borrowed The Last Juror by John Grisham from my Mum to read. First of his I've read and enjoying it so far.

My grammar tends to be appalling; therefore I am also currently reading:

The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition (Paperback), by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White.

<>

Heavy! But entertaining, from what I remember. My current book is a massive omnibus edition of the Berserker novels of Fred Saberhagen. Awesome! I'd forgotten just how good he is.