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

We did Ernest as a school play but it wasn't as good as Sweeny Todd which we also did. I recently went to see Ernest performed in German (it was called Bunbury) and it had been given the Elfiede Jelinek touch. It was quite excellent. They even had a swimming pool on stage.

I've just read Salomé and found it rather weird. I can't make up mind about it, really. Earnest still has a place in my heart because it's the first thing by Wilde I ever read. We did it in school as well (just reading it through it English, not acting), and I was Algernon. I love playing the loveable cad .

Douglas Adams 'The Hitch Hiker's Guide to the Galaxy'

a picture of dorian grey is definetly worth sticking with. the end is really good

aaargh Miss Nicky! That means I now have to unpack the box and read the ending. Oh, drat!

I am reading "Classic tales of Horror"

I quote "I used to read Romances, but now read Horrors"

Hmmmmm...

Hi all, just started reading "Ladies of Grace Adieu" by Susanna Clarke, the add-on book to "Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell", the first book was fab , and this one seems to be as just good so far, will keep you all updated!!

L x

Sorry LL.
I will always finish a book I start. Dorian Grey took me about a year to finish. The last 60pages in my copy grabbed me and I read them in a night.

I'm currently reading Heartbeat by Danielle Steel.

You sound like Magnus Magnuson on his TV quiz - "I've started so I'll finish"

I've always been the same. That way I can honestly say a boo is boring rather than judging that only on the first half!

>>I can honestly say a boo...

There's a book you didn't finish!

I'll always read the first 30% or so of a book to give it a fair chance but then if it hasn't grabbed me by then I start something else. For example I started De Berniers book Birds Without Wings but I didn't like the structure I stopped reading it and now I'm reading To Kill a Mockingbird which I'm thoroughly enjoying and I'm really glad that I didn't waste more time with De Berniers. By the way, I enjoyed de Berniers' book The Red Dog, so I have nothing against the author. It was only his structure and style in Birds Without Wings that I couldn't follow. It's even worse with Salman Rushdie. I've tried several times to read his stuff, because people are always banging on about how great it is, but I just can't handle his writing style. I don't like having to read a passage 2 or 3 times to understand it. I like the book to flow.

I know what you mean about Rushdie, Ma thinks he's great and is forever lending me his books, but I can't get to grips with them!

Tolkien was another one I couldn't read, until I had my tonsils out and I was stuck in hospital for a week, with nothing else to read, aargh!! But now I'm a convert!

Gabriel Garcia Marquez is good though, Hundred years of solitude was brill, if a little confusing, but as soon as I stopped worrying about whether he was talking about the father or the son or the brother (they all seem to have the same names!) it was a really good read!

L x

Edward -


I finished my Danielle Steel last night and am not attempting Lady Chatterly's lover by D. H. Laurance - again!

I have been reading it on and off for 6 years but im determined im going to finish it!

Hi Nicky, quick question for you...

If you're NOT attempting to read Lady Chatterly's lover "again" then how can you be determined to finish it this time?! Lol!!

Just started reading Donnie Brasco, kinda autobiography of the best FBI agent ever, but it's such a different world to mine that it doesn't feel like reality, more a fiction detective story, !! But very gripping!

L x

it's not going to be an attempt, it's going to be a quest for the summit and planting a flag on top (I love Lady Chatterly's Lover - and my copy doesn't even fall open at the naughty bits)

Finished To Kill A Mockingbird on the stroke of midnight last night. What a lovely and valuable book. The trial scene is a great piece of writing.

I should know by now not to post on here when I am tired!!!

I am trying to read it again!

I'm kind of getting into it now. I just find it so long winded.

That's D H Lawrence for you and the Nottinghamshire Miners' dialect doesn't help at times. I tried reading Sons and Lovers once. It was a nightmare! Even his travel book Etruscan Places is problematic in that he often takes a convoluted route to come to the point, so by the time he gets there you've forgotten what his original idea was.

The dialect doesn't bother me. I'm from Yorkshire so I can understand it perfectly. Its just th rest of it!