I've seen progs of the nature EC, noooooo I'm nothing like that. It's just that my house is small and I don't seem to have enough room to move around in because I have so much rubbish in it 

Brilliant Jen! she's learning all the time  

Hey Jen, there is always time. You might get a few ideas from this thread

Phew, glad to hear it Sprout, those people had serious hoarding problems. Sounds like you just need a rationalisation of what you have, which I think is what you said you were going to do. 

Yup, i think i will have a read back and pop off to the library

Nooo, I'm not roaming around in corridors of boxes and papers. It's not got that bad yet. I just don't seem to have the time to clear out the rubbish I do have though 

In terms of classics I'm not very well read. We have a family book passed down since the C19th "Children of the New Forest." Many years ago I enjoyed "Clockwork Orange," and was pleased with the film. I mentioned elsewhere Tom Sharpe. I like "Hitch- Hikers Guide....." Anything by Gerald Seymour. Probably many more I can't think of at this moment.

I enjoyed Clockwork Orange too - not in my top five but a good read.

Definitely. A total joy of a novel

Catch 22

Legacy (the forth in the Jason Borne Trilogy and handy if you hate the dentist)

The Stand[unabridged] by Mr King

The Trickster by Muriel Grey (A wonderfully dark read) 

 

Wow long thread and I've not read through them all. As a child reading was my greatest love and around the age of 6 my Nan used to take me to the library so I could choose what to read, then we'd go and sit on a seat in the park next to the library and I'd turn the pages of the books in anticipation of reading them when I got home. I loved to escape into other worlds even though they were fiction. My love of reading continued for a long time and then for some reason I lost interest in the books that were being published. So purely for nostalgia first I'm going to choose 2 from childhood, The Secret Garden and Enid Blyton's Five books, in my teenage years I only read any Agatha Christie books....in all that amounts to more than 5 books although not five authors even though I've read more than 5 authors lol.

I enjoyed Life of Pi ......................not been to see the film. Usually films are disappointing although I've heard nothing but good.

 

The only two books that I have read that I felt translated well to film are The Green Mile and One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest - although I guess there are a lot more (possibly) but - I'm going OT - maybe that's another thread entirely. 

I've been a bookworm since I was very young, and I loved Enid Blyton books, as well as classics like Little Women, The Secret Garden, What Katy Did, Anne Of Green Gables etc.

I love Dickens - David Copperfield and A Christmas Carol, in particular.

I love thrillers by authors such as Val McDermid, Mark Billingham and Martina Cole etc

I love feel good books by authors such as Milly Johnson and Rebecca Shaw, and I like Joanna Trollope books.

I don't think I can narrow my favourites down to 5 books - maybe 50!!

 

Guess where I have been today?

 

Waterstones, milling around the book stands.

 

They have a big table full of classics which are buy 1 get one half price.

My daughter lives in Waterstones, she's always buying books.  She must get her boffin-ness from her dad's side.

 

5 books that I've enjoyed reading more than once are:

 

Bring On The Empty Horses - David Niven

To Kill A Mockingbird - Harper Lee

King of the World: Muhammad Ali & the Rise of an American Hero by David Remnick

God's Banker: Account of the Life & Death of Roberto Calvi by Rupert Cornwall

The Godfather by Mario Puzo

I think we probably like similar books Soozy, I never did read that and I've seen you recommend it a few times, so I'm going to download it tonight and tuck myself up in bed after DOI.

I have become a prolific reader again due to the ease of the kindle, love the fact that you can make the text nice and big too The ones I really enjoyed last week were Private Peaceful and Gold, (by Chris Cleave, have liked all of his)

It's probably a  very common one, but Harper Lee' to kill a mocking bird',  it was the first book I actually 'felt'

 

John Steinbeck, 'of mice and men'- one of the most under-rated authors of our time, in my opinion.

 

Mark Haddon, the curious incident of the dog in the night'

 

I'm very excited that you're going to read this. My sister read it on my recommendation (years ago) and rang me every few hours (usually crying) - I d say - are you at the elephant bit yet? She'd say no - I'd say - just you wait

 

I don't cry easy but I sobbed at some bits. I wish you had my phone number - I'd love to see your reaction  Do please keep me posted.

 

And everyone else - please read it - It's a proper 'womans' book and BRILLIANT!

OK, you sold me Soozy - my niece also raved about that book and I've not read it either.  I'll download it and read it next.  I've just started a new one my Kindle - I'm another that's rediscovered a love of reading since I got my Kindle.   I love that I can lie on my side in bed and read without having to turn pages or get a sore hand trying to keep  the book open.

and it's done.   I love that you can get a book so quickly.

Yaaaaay

 

Me too. I will get copy ready for my Easter holiday reading fest  

You've sold it to me as well soozy, I'll get that next  I like a lot of Cecila Aherne books 

I may even read it again just to keep up to speed with you all .......be warned - there is a sequel and a prequel - all pretty good too 

Anyone remember the book club that we used to have on here?

Yeah. I think it got a bit unwieldy but it was fun while it lasted.  

 

I'd love to try one again but I suspect there may not be enough takers Muf. 

Looks like Soozy has started one 

Don't know if The YaYa sisterhood will be one for me though I'm sure I'll enjoy the feedback

Observing Mrs Jer's book club from a distance, one concludes that they are fraught with danger.

Me too Yellow Rose. The books I picked were all read when I was younger. I loved to escape into other worlds like you... I still enjoy reading but just can't settle down to it the same. Funny that. 

I think spoilers were the biggest problem in our book club...after actually picking a book

Though I got to read Wolf hall out of our club which [for anyone who hasn't read it] is beautifully crafted  

Give us a quick synopsis.

 

Has anyone ever read Snow Falling on Cedars - it just popped into my head - I enjoyed that - and Captain Correllis Mandolin.

Soozy Wolf Hall is brilliant. I feared it'd be heavy going as it won the Booker Prize but no - its easy to read, enjoyable and gripping. Here's the link to Amazon where you can try the first few pages in the "look inside" facility  

 

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wolf-H...362418472&sr=1-1

 

Amazon synopsis below:

'Lock Cromwell in a deep dungeon in the morning,' says Thomas More, 'and when you come back that night he'll be sitting on a plush cushion eating larks' tongues, and all the gaolers will owe him money.'

England, the 1520s. Henry VIII is on the throne, but has no heir. Cardinal Wolsey is his chief advisor, charged with securing the divorce the pope refuses to grant. Into this atmosphere of distrust and need comes Thomas Cromwell, first as Wolsey's clerk, and later his successor.

Cromwell is a wholly original man: the son of a brutal blacksmith, a political genius, a briber, a charmer, a bully, a man with a delicate and deadly expertise in manipulating people and events. Ruthless in pursuit of his own interests, he is as ambitious in his wider politics as he is for himself. His reforming agenda is carried out in the grip of a self-interested parliament and a king who fluctuates between romantic passions and murderous rages.

From one of our finest living writers, ‘Wolf Hall’ is that very rare thing: a truly great English novel, one that explores the intersection of individual psychology and wider politics. With a vast array of characters, and richly overflowing with incident, it peels back history to show us Tudor England as a half-made society, moulding itself with great passion, suffering and courage.

 

Cheers Rosie - I don't often read 'historical' novels but I might give that a go. Saying that one of the best books I read was Pillars of the Earth - a real chunk of a book - great for a holiday read - anyone else read it? I've read a couple of Ken Follets - I like his stuff.

EC I remember reading a great article, covering most of what was in the bbc drama. Found it here:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/cul...ion-was-herself.html

 You're welcome Soozy. Ken Follet gets great reviews - I should try him   

My fella would agree, he's just read that and the sequel Bring Up The Bodies, (she won the Booker prize for both,) and eagerly awaits the next in the series: The Mirror and The Light. Think I'll add them to my list of 'must reads' 

 

Thanks for the link - much appreciated.

 

I've popped that into my "reading list" on my Mac.

Blimey, that's not how I imagined her at all, and the picture of how she looked in head in my head would have been more Erin Pizzey than HBC! 

She was a fascinating character thats for sure Supes.

 

In the comments section below the article, theres a hilarious post by a snobbish librarian who so disapproved that EB books were all the kids wanted to read, that she actually TOOK THEM OFF THE SHELVES and only lent them to kids who asked at the counter. She gets a right slagging off 

 

I just noticed that the programme was broadcast one day before my birthday !!