Nope, haven't read it. I did read the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon, and also many of Bryce COurtenay's books. They really are excellent.

I finished "Rose Madder." Now I'm reading the "Six Sisters" series by Marion Chesney. If you like Jane Austen, you will love these.

I am reading "The Alarming History of Medicine" by Richard Gordon.

Richard Gordon is a physician and probably most well known for being the author of the "Doctor in the House" books upon which the movie (with Dirk Bogarde) and the television series was based.

"The Alarming History of Medicine" is a very amusing book and full of interesting trivia about the hsitory of medicine. In particular, he demonstrates how many of our medical milestones were purely accidental or just dumb luck, and how many people have received the credit for inventions and discoveries that should have gone to someone else.

My biggest criticism of the book would be that it does assume a bit of background knowledge which, if you don't have it, means that you need to keep interrupting your reading to research the people and events he refers to (which I have a tendency to do). This can be annoying at times. A few footnotes wouldn't have gone astray here.

Bill Bryson's 'Shakespeare'.Very well researched, and very interesting I think. He seems to have found some information that is new, Well new to me anyway. A good read.

I haven't heard about this Bill Bryson book, ren. Is it a new release? I shall have to get my hands on a copy.

I've finally got around to reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.

Yes quite new Mother Goose. ISBN is 978-0-00-719790-3
It is just titled 'Shakespeare.'

At present I'm stuck into Terry Goodkind's Phantom. I started reading this series many years ago, but moved to Belgium then France, so halted my progress through the series. I just spotted this book recently in the train station in Glasgow. As I want to finish the series I bought it without realising that reading it meant I would skip the 9th book of the set. Oh well, I suspect that I'll place an order on Amazon for Chainfire and Confessor when I'm done with this one.

I loved the fast-paced action of the first four books of this series. It's your basic fantasy genre : sword battles, a little magic, introspection and realisation of the inner self by the heretofore 'ordinary Joe-Soap' of a hero ... sheer escapism. However, I felt that Goodkind, like many of his compatriots, got bogged down and became quite repetitive during the middle few books - same basic storyline, Hero and Heroine get separated and they and their entourage spend the book trying to save each other and get back together amidst lots of gore, bloodshed, violence, magic and repeatedly defeating the baddies against all odds.

There's a lot of ground being re-visited in this book too, but the emphasis now is more on the reflective, theological element than on the sheer brawn and battle accents of the earlier books.

I'm hoping for a more exciting finish, as it's disappointingly tedious to wade through the repeated violence and ruthlessness of Emperor Jagang, whilst waiting for Richard and Kahlan to work through their hang-ups and sort everybody out, save the Old and New World and get on with having that baby they both so desperately want

Despite my criticisms I do fully intend to finish reading the series. I still believe that Goodkind had some inspirational writing and certainly tought outside the box for this genre of writing. I like his style and his characterisations, regardless of the disappointingly similar storylines in the later books. Definitely a series worth reading if you enjoy fantasy fiction.

I like the sound of your 'Alarming History of Medicine', MG. I may look that up on Amazon as well when I place my order

I do enjoy this thread, as it often brings to light books which I might otherwise miss out on reading

"Night Watch" by: Stephen Kendrick

An interesting novel involving Sherlock Holmes and Father Brown.

Just finished "Gemma" by Meg Tilly. She's best known as an actress (she was the young girlfriend in "The Big Chill") but she's written a couple of quite good books - this is not so much a case of an actress using her fame to get books published, but of an author who took a wrong turn and did some acting when young. Her subject is neglected children, sexual abuse, etc, and from what I've heard in interviews, she stays pretty close to home - the childhoods described in her books aren't that far off from her own.

"Gemma" falls flat a couple times, and has its moments of unbelievability, but there are some spot-on moments, too. Places where you think "Yes, that's it - that's exactly what it was like to be a kid." It's pretty rough stuff, but worth a read, I think.

Currently reading A Clash of Kings - The second book from George R.R. Martin's A Song of Ice and Fire series.

It's an excellent read, as was the first book in the series.

After enjoying The Gathering by Anne Enright - am reading her collection of short stories : Yesterday's Weather - she reminds me of one of my old favourites, Edna O'Brien. Keeping The Pleasure of Eliza Lynch to read during my next holiday..

Sherry, I have read quite a few articles that Enright has contributed to "New Yorker Magazine" and always enjoyed those. Your post has prompted me to look into some of her novels. Is the Eliza Lynch you mention the one who was the mistress to Uruguay's President Lopez?

I start a new book every few days. Now I'm reading "The Bruce Trilogy" by Nigel Tranter. It's a fictional account of Robert the Bruce.

Hi Sandy

Its Paraguay not Uraguay...think it will make a good holiday read : probably a bit racey!

I'm reading Fatal Revenant by Stephen R. Donaldson.

Quote:

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think it will make a good holiday read : probably a bit racey!

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OohOOh! Cover Sue's eyes poor old dear and make with the title?

I'm halfway through "The Dark Tide" by Andrew Gross.

Has anyone besides myself ever read any C.J.Box books?

I'm on a Dick Francis kick, and I'm currently reading "The Edge".

My mom finally got me to read an Agatha Christie novel, "And Then There Were None." Unfortunately, I already know "whodunit" - but it's still an excellent (and creepy ) story. I'm currently one murder into it ...

Funny when
I read that book it had a less politically correct title.

Didn't finish the Bruce trilogy yet. I read the first two books. I'm reading "Heimskringla" right now--not cover to cover, mind you. And, yes, it is for school. :-)

Just finished The Six Suspects by Vikas Swarup. Would highly recommend it.

Four Queens: The Provencal Sisters Who Ruled Europe