Just finished re-reading all of Tory Hayden's books. She really is an amazing person, very few of them like that in the world. "Spud" by John van de Ruit is a brilliant read - anyone who has ever been to school (never mind a boarding one) will enjoy this.

What an interesting biography! This is about Queen Caroline , wife of George the 1Vth. It is brilliantly researched and written by Flora Fraser (daughter of Lady Antonia) and called "The Unruly Queen" . She was separated after a year of marriage , and spent the rest of her time travelling and trying to uphold her dignity and her position. She had a huge impact on society at the time. A really interesting life.

I've just finished Roddy Doyle's latest. It's a sequel to "The Woman Who Walked into Doors", called "Paula Spencer". It's a very small book, but it took me over a week to read, because it's emotionally exhausting. An incrediby honest book, that actually tries to show the commplexity of human emotion. It's ruined anything lesser for me for a while, I tell you; I won't be able to read the normal cardboard characterizations of most fiction for a bit.

The last books I finished were Jack Russell: Dog Detective - The Kitnapped Creature, The Awful Pawful and The Penthean Problem, all in the last couple of days.

Also, The Willow Tree's Daughter, by Pamela Freeman.

Next on the agenda is The Pinhoe Egg, by Diana Wynne Jones... when I get enough time to settle to it. Work (see top paragraph) intervenes.

Wanted to read something with some substance, after my last book, (see above) so I am rereading Chaim Potok's "The Chosen". Not an action packed laugh fest, but it really is such a good book, and avoids so well all the cliches of "Jewish books".

I am reading,'Crime and Punishment,' by Fyodor Dostoyevsky. A really good read.

Jon

I finally got some new books to read! Thank heavens. I am now reading Flight of the Night Hawks by Raymond E. Feist and then I am going to read The Crystal Gorge by David Edding. I was waiting for them to become available in soft cover here in SA. I am not paying hard cover prices. I also got the new Madam and Eve album not that many people outside of SA would know about this comic strip. The new album is great although I haven't finished it yet.

I'm reading 'The Time Traveler's Wife' by Audrey Niffenegger. It's very good.

I am reading,Motor Mouth by Janet Evanovich.

I usually have several books "in progress" at any given time, and will "dip in" depending on mood, location or whatever. Just finished re-reading "To Say Nothing of the Dog", a hilarious time-travel story by Connie Willis - that was my "breaktime at work" book, now I need to find another for lunchtime reading. My current selection for evenings at home is Colleen McCullough's "The Ladies of Missalonghi" which is another old favorite. This past summer I got hooked on Alexander McCall Smith's "No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency" series. The list goes on...what can I say, I'm just a bookaholic!

I just finished reading "The Way to Dusty Death" by Alistair Maclean, and I'm now reading "The Picture of Dorian Gray" by Oscar Wilde. My aunty lent me the book of his complete works, and I'm addicted! I was also reading a book of Agatha Christie short stories, until my dad decided he wanted to read it...

Make sure you get it back soon Mozzie
Still on my Agatha "kick", half way through "The Mystery of the Blue Train"

"With No One as Witness" by Elizabeth George

Shelby Foote's history of the American Civil War, for the third time. Although there have been other well written works, this opus for me is a work of art and by far the best. It is a large work, but written with such a graphic grasp of detail, that one feels as if one is there and living all those minute details that are never boring but absolutely enthralling. I truly envy him his talent.

Stephen King's "The Bachman Books", though I might not read all of them - finished "The Long Walk", nearly through "Rage"; "Time Detectives" by Brian Fagan and dipping into "How To Be A Canadian" by Will and Ian Ferguson. Last one's good for a few chuckles.

I just started "The Gospel According to Jesus Christ" by Jose Saramago - the first 82 pages made me want to read it all.

angelgirl62 - I've read almost everything by Colleen McCullough, and "The Ladies of Missalonghi" is one of my favourites. But the one I liked most is "A Creed for the Third Millennium". A shattering book, in my opinion.

skunkee - I love Elizabeth George! Haven't read the one you mentioned. Are Lynley and Havers in that one too?

Lynley and Havers are definitely in this one!

Good! I'll certainly try and find it.

I've just finished "With No One As Witness". The sequel to this is on sale now, it's called "What Came Before He Shot Her"

I'm reading a trilogy by Gary Jennings (he's the one who wrote "Aztec" and many other long well researched books). It's called "Spangle" and is set in a circus, which we join when it is just a "mud show" in the American South right after the Civil War, and which reaches great heights in Europe, eventually. Sort of soap opera ish, in a nice way - Jennings is no great shakes as a writer, really, but he can keep a story moving, and one always finds out so much interesting stuff in his books.

I'm reading Richard Dawkins' 'The God Delusion' at the moment, he writes about the irrationality of belief in God and the damage that religion has on society, it's witty and brilliantly argued.

Latest offering by Sue Grafton.

Next will be "Sherlock Holmes Some Unplublished Cases" by Robert A Kisch

Last night I started Left Behind: A Novel of the Earth's Last Days. I'm about 150 pages in. The Rapture sure did cause a lot of problems.

And then I read the Book of Revelation, for some background.