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

SuperFreakonomics - thanks to our very own Beatrice

Marked for Misfortune by Jean Hood.

The Thousand Nights and One Night is going to take longer than I thought. It's about 2,400 pages over four volumes and it's something I can only read in fairly small doses. I'm trying to decide between Lustrum and Pompeii, both by Robert Harris.

"The Thousand Nights and One Night is going to take longer than I thought."

The clue's in the name.

It's not the length of the books that's the issue. Each book is approximately 600 pages long. I've read longer books than that without any difficulty. (I've read both War & Peace and The Lord of the Rings more than once.) It's just that some of the stories give a sense of deja vu. There's a limit to the number of stories about incredibly beautiful young men/women I can cope with in a short time.

Now that I'm past page 50, Have Mercy On Us All by Fred Vargas. In which the author draws on her(so Frederique?)expertise as a historian.

Just finished "The Gunseller" I had forgotten just how splendid it was.

Now come on Mr Laurie, I know you are busy with your award winning american drama show and all that. But I have been waiting 14 years for you to write another book and frankly that is somewhat tardy.... get to it sir!

FB

I thought the ending seemed a bit rushed, but yes. He should just darned well get on and write more - he is very good.

Maybe we should mail him with details of NaNoWriMo to give him a kic-start?

'Friday's child' by Georgette Heyer. I really wasn't sure how she was going to unravel it all until she did.

I'm really enjoying discovering a new (to me) author

Mol

Is that one of her Regency novels, or a detective thing?
If you like her writing I can highly recommend Venetia, The Toll Gate and Bath Tangle. And if you want a lot of soldiers and a really good account of the periphery of the Battle of Waterloo, you could do worse than An Infamous Army.

I'm still enjoying SuperFreakonomics.

Regency, but I've read several of her detective ones as well now, and one about Charles II. Not had a duff one yet so just picking up whatever the library happens to have. And have added a set to my Amazon wish list

Mol

I've not read too many of hers but I've liked what I read. But I cast aside Beauvallet this year because I thought it was awful. Luckily I'd bought it from the library for 10p so I don't feel too cheated.

The advantage to my new job/house is that I have a new secondhand bookshop to borrow from.

Currently reading something about life below stairs, but it's depressing because it reminds me too much of my job. Quite literally the same, in many respects.

oh what is it? (One Pair of Hands, by any chance? that is the best book ever about that period, imo. And her follow-up, One Pair of Feet is almost as good)

Georgette Heyer had very few "duds". She did her historical homework for her period novels. I haven't read her mystery novels, they're harder to find over here for some reason. Or were, the last I checked.

About to start a real- crimes book, about a group of forensics experts, ex-cops and others in law enforcement, who founded a monthly lunch club, where they meet to re-examine cold cases. The group is called the Vidocq Society, and there's a book out about them.

"The Murder Room: The Heirs of Sherlock Holmes Gather to Solve the World's Most Perplexing Cold Cases", by Michael Capuzzo.

There's an article about the Vidocq Society, and a description of the book and author here:
http://www.wbur.org/npr/129032377

finished Lord Hornblower - the worst of the series IMO - and have now started Hornblower in the West Indies.

Not quite reading it just yet, but picked up Night Train To Lisbon from the library about an hour ago.

Sho, FB - Hugh Laurie was due to have completed (The) Paper Soldier(s)* last year (original completion date was 2007). Like DNA, Mr. Laurie apparently loves the whooshing noise of deadlines as they go by. It doesn't now have a completion date, so far as I am aware.

RF

* The title hasn't been finally decided, apparently.

No need!

Oh well at least it is on the horizon, if not on the cards...

FB

thanks, RF!

I recently received my course books and set books for my next OU course. So I'm reading Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe. Just reading, not trying to perform or anything.