I've been writing a paper on Eleanor Roosevelt the past month or so and am just about done with it... However, I wanted to let you all know about two books that I have been using that are very good.

The first is Eleanor Roosevelt's "You Learn By Living." It's *very* interesting and it about her 'advice' for people (especially in the US). I think if/when I have children, I'll make them read it, if only for the chapters on responsibility and learning to be useful!

The second is David Roosevelt's "Grandmere" and is a VERY good biography of her. I also read Lois Scharf's biography and have to say that although I like Scharf's unbiased book, I prefer Roosevelt's as his gives a more gentle/personal view of Eleanor. It's also written in such a great vernacular that everyone can understand. (Although I would suggest if you're short on time, skip the pages on the history of the Roosevelts until you get to Eleanor's parents.)

Thanks LadyM, they sound really interesting. She has always fascinated me.I will look out for them.

Thanks! They sound like an interesting read.
I would like to recommend the Artemis Fowl novels. If I had just one word to describe them, it would definitely be, "Brilliant!". I loved them. It's about a 12 year old criminal mastermind who, although he's a scheming and cunning criminal, he also has feelings we can all relate to, such as, he's mourning over his father's death and he has a strong friendship with his personal bodyguard and friend. I won't tell you too much, but in the 1st book he tries to steal a fortune of gold from the fairies/pixies/dwarfs world. I know it sounds babyish, but these are fairies with attitude! The LEPrecon fairy unit (police force) are soon on his trail after he kidnaps a favoured officer, holly short, and holds her hostage. Once again, it's an absolutely brilliant book, and the author Eion Colfer is one great writer. It's a series that any harry potter lover (such as myself) would enjoy. Bye!

I've been reading a fantastic book by Patricia Cornwell called A Portrait of a Killer - Jack the Ripper Case Closed.

As anyone who reads Patricia Cornwell will know, she's both an author and a forensic scientist. Combining these skills together, she has investigated the Jack the Ripper murders using todays forensic technology, and she has come up with a hard case against a famous 1800's artist, Walter Sickert.

She has found DNA, paint, blood, fingerprints and handwriting samples and has deduced from them that Walter Sickert was the infamous murderer, terrorising the women of Whitechapel London in the 1800's.

It's an insightful book and I would recommend it to anyone interested in history or real life crimes, or forensic science. It gives us examples and explanations about the forensic science work involved, and an insight into what life wsa like in the 1800's. It also compares todays police investigative skills and knowledge to that of the police work, which was poorly done, in london 114 years ago.

I will say it again. It is a truly fantastic read!