I have just read....

[Stuart]

The Diary of Anne Frank...

I'm not really much of a reader, but I visited the Anne Frank house last weekend and was inspired to buy the diary.

This book was a fascinating insight into life in occupied Holland through the eyes of a Jewish teenager in hiding. It is a diary that Anne Frank kept whilst she, her family and some other Jewish friends were holed up in the annex of her fathers business for 3 years or so. For her age, her writing is very good (helped probably by the translator who translated her diary from German to English).

Despite its circumstances, the book is highly entertaining and even hilarious in places. It is also very disturbing in that it recounts in real terms what happened during the occupation and what went through the minds of not only the Jews in hiding, but also the rest of the population who were not in hiding.

Whilst reading the diary, I was deeply moved by what Anne and her peers endured in hiding, but I was surprised to find myself feeling that they were, at times, better off and safer than many of the non-Jews of the time.

I would thoroughly recommend this book anyone - followed up with a visit to the Anne Frank house.

I was inspired to go out and read it after visiting the house as well.

[Dreadful Scathe]

I've just finished reading Mark Twains - The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn - first time ive read it since i was a teenager - brilliant book, and a very interesting historical time to read about.

I'm now going to start George RR Martins fantasy books as they come highly recommended. I have 4 of them to read

[Minnie M]

Save them for bedtime stories for Baby Smurf or are you just getting in training

Seriously though - I love those fantasy tales

[Dreadful Scathe]

ill write my own books for the baby Smurf . "there was once a very well behaved little smurf who didnt answer back to his parents...etc..."

[Stuart M]

Noticed that there are a few fantasy readers on the Forum. I was lucky enough over Christmas to get a copy of "The Runes of the Earth", which is the first part of "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant", by Stephen Donaldson. This is going to be a 4 part saga to round off the entire Covenant cycle. To be fair to Donaldson, it doesn't read like a stretching out of the Covenant concept: he says he planned it while he was writing the Second Chronicles, and looking back I now recognise some of the loose ends (including a couple of obvious aspects which go right back to the start of the thing - namely Covenant's son, and his wife's wedding ring....).

Once the story gets going, it's awesome - Donaldson is a wonderfully intense writer. There's about 100 pages of setup, plus the precis of the first 2 chronicles to wade through first though. Awaiting the second part as eagerly as a Harry Potter fan...

[philsmove]

Raw Spirit by Ian Banks

It’s meant to be about whiskey but is really about, what it is like to be a successful, rich author

For those of you who hate people in BMW’s and other flashy things please don’t read this book
Not only does he have a BMW M4 he also has a 911 as well as a Defender 110 and a VFR800. He are also introduces us to the joys of a 1965 Mark II Jag

We learn how to invent the words most expensive cocktail

And are given an insight to, The Wasp Factory and Complicity

He also confesses despite several attempts and thousands of miles never to have seen the Corrievrecken, which, for those of you who have never seen it, is an awe-inspiring site

If you love Scotland you should enjoy this book

[Clive Long]

"Spanish Steps" by Tim Moore

Tedious, repetitive rubbish (now what does that remind you of ? )

Makes line-dancing seem a worthwhile past-time.

Gave up half-way through the book.

I would write more but I can't be bothered.

Clive

[mick]

High Society by Ben Elton. Nearly As good as Irvine Welsh.

[philsmove]

The Kindness of Strangers Kate Adie

No need to review this book it already been done for me by themymble from Tunbridge Wells

http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/...897809-3945254

Non the less it’s difficult is decide, with an autobiography, how truthful the writer is being

Her description of Northern Ireland tie up with my own experiences
So I guess her stories of Tiananmen square are true

Defiantly a good read

[mick]

Pompeii by Robert Harris. OK but not as good as Fatherland.

[latinlover]

Pompeii by Robert Harris. OK but not as good as Fatherland.

I'm glad to find something about which I can agree with you ,Mick! (ref Eric Prydz£"!$££^(*&^976! )
I was excited about the prospect of Pompeii , having seen a whole south bank show dedicated to it,but was very disappointed.
I've just read Harris' "Archangel" , which is well up to the standard set by "Fatherland" - I have yet to read "Enigma"

[Stuart]

There is a BBC adaptation of "Archangel" due on soon. Hopefully it will be better than both the film versions of "Fatherland" and "Enigma".

[mick]

I'm glad to find something about which I can agree with you ,Mick! (ref Eric Prydz£"!$££^(*&^976! )
I was excited about the prospect of Pompeii , having seen a whole south bank show dedicated to it,but was very disappointed.
I've just read Harris' "Archangel" , which is well up to the standard set by "Fatherland" - I have yet to read "Enigma"

I liked Enigma. All the stuff about Turing is immensely interesting.
I am going to read Cloud Atlas next, after Da Vinci Code, which I am keeping for a trip to Portugal in March.

[Winnie]

My friends and I do a book swap on a regular basis. The most recent books I've read: Alice Sebold's "The Lovely Bones" and Mitch Albom's "Five People You Meet In Heaven."

Like others in the book club, I found both books well-written, haunting and difficult to put down. I rarely find stimulating books these days, so book swapping is a fantastic and inexpensive way to share what you enjoy.

I'm now giving Doris Pilkington's "Follow The Rabbit-Proof Fence" a try. Has anyone seen the film?

[Nessa]

Noticed that there are a few fantasy readers on the Forum. I was lucky enough over Christmas to get a copy of "The Runes of the Earth", which is the first part of "The Last Chronicles of Thomas Covenant", by Stephen Donaldson. ....*snip*....

Glad to hear that you liked it so much.
I read the First and Second Chronicles back in High School, enjoyed them even more in my late twenties and was quite excited to see new Chronicles coming out.
I must confess to having been wary about reading it though because of what you said - the fear of it being a dragged out and painful rehash of the previous writings. Thanks for putting my fears to rest. Now if only I could borrow your copy.....
Have you ever read "Reave the Just", a collection of Donaldson's short stories? Each one of them thoroughly original, and with a nasty sting in the tale......

[Stuart]

Himalaya by Michael Palin

I enjoyed this very much, as I have all of the books that he has written.

I actually prefer the books he writes to the TV series that he makes. With the books he is able to go into more depth about the people that he meets and the places visited. There is a very surreal moment where he is describing attending some religious ritual in South West China, while at the same time trying to follow the Rugby World Cup final.

[ElaineB]

Blackberry wine by Joanne Harris. I enjoyed it so much that I was sorry to finish it!

Elaine

[John S]

Blackberry Wine by Joanne Harris. I enjoyed it so much that I was sorry to finish it!

Elaine

It's a strange mixture of reality and not-quite-magic, similar in style to a couple of her other books I've read - and enjoyed more, I have to say ("Chocolat" and "Holy Fools"). She's half-French, which is why so many of her books have a French theme.

I've just finished a few books (don't get out much these days, obviously!):

"Peace Like a River" by Leif Enger, set in North Dakota, story of a family's search for their son/brother, who has escaped from jail (I'll say no more as it's a wonderful book and I can thoroughly recommend it.) Hmm, there's a bit of not-quite-magic in it too, theme developing?

"The Fiddler's Leg" by Ann Lingard, set in Glasgow's West End about a crippled violinist and the women in his life (I was disappointed in this, didn't really like or believe the characters, couldn't empathise with them and was quite glad it was a short book!)

"Bitter Fruit" by Achmat Dangor, set in post-apartheid South Africa. Excellent story about a family struggling (and failing) to come to terms with the new society they are in.

[Aleks]

Blackberry wine by Joanne Harris. I enjoyed it so much that I was sorry to finish it!

Elaine

I read that straight after 'Chocolat" and was hooked....but then really disappointed by '5 quarters of the/an Orange' and haven't bothered with her books since. Maybe I should give 'Holy Fools' a try.

[mick]

I read Da Vinci Code.
Can only say to read it yourself and make up your own mind about it.

A bit like The Bible Code. How accurate is it.

By the way, I would be interested to know if anyone out there has read The Celestine Prophecy.