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

The Count of Monte Cristo is going pretty painfully just now.

He is still in prison and the way Dumas makes that even more tortuous by showing what happens outside prison is tough going.

Must persevere.

Barry Hines was one of my mums tutors a couple (oh, more than 10... it could be nearly 20) years ago when she studied English at Sheffield Uni.

I'm nearly done with Mme Bovary. Thank bob. She needs just as much of a good slap now as she did when I was in the 6th form (er... that implies that I think she might have changed in the intervening years)

I'm also on my 4th of the Louis L'Amour Sackett series. Jubal, which is one I really like.

Wondering what to read next. I have lined up either:

The Line of Beauty

or

When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit (only my copy is called Als Hitler das rosa Kanninchen stahl) - since that is for Gruesome #1 I really ought to read it before i give it to her.

I finished The Eyre Affair on the train home this evening. Very good! (I've read a few Jasper Ffordes before, but I seem to be doing them in the wrong order.)

I now have a book called The Outcast, by Sadie Jones. My dad sent it to me for my birthday. I can't imagine why, it doesn't look like anything he'd read (more of a Bravo-Two-Zero type, my dad).

Anyone heard of it/read it?

RF

Diamonds Are Forever by Ian Fleming

I thought I'd read this before but I haven't. I'm about three-quarters through and it's fantastic. Plotwise, Fleming is inconsistent because he puts Bond in situations that he tells us Bond would never allow himself to get into but... it's a page turner and Fleming, for me, is one of the best descriptive writers of the C20.

I meant the twentieth century! But I'm glad to have unintentionally propagated The Guide

I read all the Bond books when I was about 13 or 14. Re-read Casion Royale recently but the mysogeny shines through more (probably because i'm looking for it more, and experiencing it more in RL than I was 30 years ago)

But I still love Bond. And he is still the reason (or one of them) that I joined the Intelligence Corps.

So now I'm reading The Line of Beauty. And oh my. I've finished watching Ashes to Ashes and having remembered the awful "feel" of the early 80s (fashion wise at least, and politics wise for those of us who are not exactly Thatcherites) now I'm reliving it again in a book. But the writing is quite lovely.

I really liked Burmese days.

Im currently reading Dragonskin slippers

The fantises of Robert Heinlein. I had read most of the works in this collection but wanted to read The Unpleasant Pofession of Jonathan Hoag.

Does anyone know the story of why Harlan Ellison puts the trade mark symbol after his name?

I've not read 'The Line Of Beauty', but I enjoyed Hollingshurst's 'The Folding Star'. Well raunchy!

Currently reading 'Persepolis' by Marjane Satrapi. and realising that I'm of an age when I need longer arms and a brighter reading lamp. Rather good!

>The Unpleasant Pofession of Jonathan Hoag

I *so* want to read that one, but I haven't found a copy yet.

Ed, I haven't read Persepolis, but we saw the DVD recently and really liked it.

Finished Poor Things. It was all right. For my week off work, I've got a Studs Terkel (, Ed, I like him!) and a bunch of manga. I may re-read some Marion Zimmer Bradley stuff too.

It really hard to find the collection titled The Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag but the short story is also in The Fantasies Of Robert A. Heinlein which is pretty easy to find and is also in 6xH and Robert A. Heinlein. On a diffent note what anime did you get? Anything good?

I saw the Unpleasant Profession of Jonathan Hoag at a used bookshop a couple years ago and wish I'd bought it then. I'll look for "The Fantasies", though.

The only manga books I have right now are Fruits Basket. I have a heap of graphic novels- Transmetropolitan, Mouse, etcf- but little manga. I've found a few new anime flicks to check out soon, though, some which you have recommended.

Also, I see you mention you'd like to read "I Am Legend". I really liked that. I sold my copy some years ago during a rough patch, or I'd offer to send it to you. But do check it out if you can.

I think I'll grab Legend on my next library trip. The fantasies is defentaly a good pick, it would be worth getting just for Waldo(atleast from a Library) Also I'm a bit hesatant to load anything more on you but still feel like I should recomend Bone it is a fantasy/actoin/humor comic book seires.

I'll definitely try to check Bone out, too (and Dragonball).

"Does anyone know the story of why Harlan Ellison puts the trade mark symbol after his name?"

From what I can discover, Harlan Ellison trademarked his name in 2005. I presume he did this to get some legal comeback if people misuse his name. Based on what I read about him while checking the trademark thing, he doesn't sound like a nice man. But that doesn't (or shouldn't) affect whether his books are any good.

I finished Brave New World while we were away for a short break. I'm still working my way through the inherited books, so right now I'm reading White Fang by Jack London and Flowers of the Field by Sarah Harrison.

Anyone read One Night in Lisbon?

What do you reckon?

I mean is it worth a look?

A certain company that does books by post is offering a collection of ten books that have been made into successful films. I know two of them 'cos I've already got them (The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Bourne Identity). I don't know any of the others. A good film doesn't mean the book's any good, if you see what I mean. I'd be grateful if anybody could give an opinion on these books:

Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Philip K. Dick
Minority Report by Philip K. Dick
The Postman Always Rings Twice by James M. Cain
Double Indemnity by James M. Cain
The Grifters by Jim Thompson
The Maltese Falcon by Dashiel Hammett
Hombre by Elmore Leonard
The Pianist by Wladyslaw Szpilman