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

Yeah, the Silmarillion is one of my all time favourites - especially the story of Beren & Luthien.

>>Is there a way to *get* the long-river-place to send the correct copy? What would you call it, the UK version? I'm thinking that long-river- place isn't bright enough to get your meaning... <<

If there is, I'd love to know it. (i use the "dot DE" version) so usually I can get the one where the RRP is given in pounds. But very occasionally they suddenly make that one vanish.

and there isn't that much difference, it's just that I go to the trouble of trying to read novels in the original.

Also waiting to read the Hurin book - but again, I'm worried that the river-people are going to send the "wrong" version!

I've recently finished HP7, The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (highly recommended), Chart Throb by Ben Elton (not so highly recommended) and I'm currently reading God Is Not Great by Christopher Hitchens.

Finished HP7 as well. Turns out the one spoiler I'd failed to avoid was inaccurate. Now I'm back on the Chrysalids.

The long river place must be the Anduin, yes?

you reading this, Ed?

<<, The Gun Seller by Hugh Laurie (highly recommended)>>

Is that Hugh Laurie as in "A Bit of Fry and ?" Because that sounds really interesting!

Vicky

Yes it is. I don't think he's written anything else, but he certainly should.

The Science of Secrecy by Simon Singh and The Night of the Triffids by Simon Clark. The Day of the Triffids is one of my favourite books. The Night of the Triffids is a continuation of the story written about 30 years later by a new author.John Wyndham died in 1969.

>>Does anyone buy (does not buy) books after seeing them discussed on Newsnight Review?

Yes. I'm nearing the end of 'The End of Mr Y' by Scarlett Thomas, which received favourable comments on Newsnight. Jeanette Winterston said that it doesn't count as literature, lacking a feel for language, and I can see what she means. Still - it has its linguistic moments...plus it's a wonderful head-feck.


Hugh Laurie et al...

I heard Alexei Sayle being interviewed a while back. The interviewer (Mark Lawson?) mentioned the tendency for comics to write novels, and Sayle said he simply wasn't interested in them (apart from Rob Newman, who he cited as a good writer). For myself...I don't think I'll bother with any more Stephen Fry, and *definitely* no Ben Elton. It has to be said, though...Alexei Sayle writes like a dream - although he admits himself that he can't resist going for the gags.

"Could AS Byatt do two night's stand-up at the Sunderland Arts Centre? I think not!"

>> Yes it is. I don't think he's written anything else, but he certainly should. <<

Well, he has been busy with House recently...

However, he appears to have had time in between scenes to put pen to paper. The Paper Soldier is published on 27 September, according to Amazon.

RF

Recently finished "V for Vendetta" - Different from the film, but not bad for it.

Currently reading "The Dirty Dozen" a book of the "12 best ever" Commando stories. That takes me back a few years.

I've been meaning to read some Alexei Sayle. I've read one book each by Fry ("The Hippopotamus") and Elton ("Popcorn"), and didn't care for either.

Currently reading the latest volume in the 'Avalon' series started by Marion Zimmer Bradley, "Ravens of Avalon" (this one by Diana Paxson), but I'm not far enough into it to have an opinion just yet.

'Barcelona Plates' is the Sayle you want. I enjoyed his last novel, Overtaken, also. The twist at the end shocked me. He's been compared to Roald Dahl for his surprise endings - ie as in 'Tales of the Unexpected', not as in 'The BFG'. (My kids can't work out wht I always refer to it as 'The FBG' )

I've got 5 days off from work (worked too much over the last two weeks).

Because of a previous entry I ordered the "His dark Materials" from Paulman in audio book format.

Now I'm going to sit in the garden and listen to them! Thanks for the recommendation.

I rather like both Fry and Elton, though the last of Fry's I read, The Stars' Tennis Balls, was disappointing. I also recommend The Gun Seller, though.

Currently reading Grim Tuesday by Garth Nix. Same kind of weirdness as Mister Monday, but fun.

I'm currently reading Manchester Disunited.
After noting comments wrt the wonderous JRR Tolkien, I have to come clean and admit to not getting past the first chapter of The Silmarillion (after reading & re-reading The Hobbit + LOTR almost ad finitum) & will not be attempting The Children of Hurin for a year or two!
Incidently, I've attempted T E Lawrence's Seven Pillars of Wisdom several times & each time have give up halfway through. However I've vowed to read it before I die so look out for my obituary in about 2525 (will Man still be alive; will Woman survive?)

Ah, well there you are. I hate Tolkein and love 'The Seven Pillars...'. Of course, Lawrence was a complete fantasist and most of it is made up. Especially the famous rape in Der'aa. This last bit can be proved because he describes a conversation with the Turkish general who he said raped him, about whom enough is known to to know that they didn't share a common language.

Interesting man, though. After the betrayal of the Paris Conference. he turned down various academic posts, changed his name to Ross and enlisted in the Tank Corps as a private. In his excellent (and very readable) 'The Mint', he describes having to sweep the officer's mess. Around the walls were pictures of various great war hearoes...including Lawrence of Arabia.

Then he was exposed by a newspaper and discharged. But he pulled some strings, changed his name to Shaw (after GBS's wife, who was a mother figure for him) and joined the RAF as an airman. He was posted to Afghanistan...and the NPG has a wonderful photo of him there. http://www.npg.org.uk/live/search/portrait.asp?search=ss&sText=lawrence&LinkID=mp02655&rNo=6&role=sit I reckon he's the dead spit of Morrisey.

Plus, he used to pay an Irish Guard to whip him.

(Hmm...Guide Entry coming up?...)

Now reading Ian Rankin's Knots & Crosses. It's an Inspector Rebus book, which is apparently a long-running detective series. Mostly I think it's helping me get some of the jokes in Fforde's Nursery Crime novels.

I've recently finished two totally absorbing books by Jack Claridge an outstanding new young writer living in the North East of England. His first book entitled "Hazard Signs" is set in Durham and can be ordered online or by any good bookseller. His second one, "The Prodigal" is just published and is set in Belfast.

Although coming under the genre of crime/detective/thriller, Jack's characters have great depth and his novels are more about their interaction with each other than the plot. No superhero detectives here! I can't do justice to Jack's books here, but if you are interested, read the reviews for his first book on Amazon.

Anone who enjoys books like The Hornblower series will find "On a Making Tide" by David Donachie a brilliant read based as it is on the life of Admiral Nelson. I read this recently and think it surpasses Hornblower, but that's a personal opinion of course.

Other books by my bedside at this time are the following firm favourites of mine....

"A Tale of Redwall" by Brian Jacques (yes, no what you're thinking.. all the books in this series are written for children, but no apologies for loving them)

"Cross Stitch" by Diana Gabaldon..It's the first book of a series where a young woman of the twentieth century walks through a stone circle and finds herself in 1743 in the Scottish Highlands. I've read all of them before and was entranced by them If you like books that move backwards in time try this series.