Janet

Well, I love books that are social history/commentary (especially non-fiction) and most of his fit that bill, albeit that only two of them are non-fiction and the rest fiction. I enjoyed Nineteen Eighty Four and Animal Farm (probably his best known books), but I've preferred the lesser known ones. They all have the same theme of people in Britain who are on the borderline of real poverty, whether real or forced. I would say to start with Down and Out in Paris and London if you don't mind non-fiction. It's of his experiences of living as a 'down and out' - a tramp - call it what you will. In the first part in Paris he had a job but it was really badly paid and there is quite a lot about his treatment/experiences doing that. In the second part based in and around London he lived in some real grotty boarding houses to start with and then went on the roads and lived rough, sleeping outside or moving from workhouse to workhouse - it's fascinating stuff. Of his novels, A Clergyman's Daughter is probably my favourite. I don't want to give too much away in case you do read it, but the daughter in the title ends up away from home and ends up travelling. Great stuff. They're not very cheery books though! Birdsong is really good. I haven't read the other two but The Girl at Lion D'or was published first, I believe, although they can be read out of order. Rebecca is one of my favourite books of all time! I just thought The Sea was rather dull. It was one of those books that takes a long time as it's a chore rather than a pleasure. I know plenty of people who liked it so I'm in a minority!

Thanks. It's actually The Gruffalo. I've not read/seen Where The Wild Things Are, but I've just Googled and there is a very distinct similarity between the two.

I've umed and ahed about this since I got my Kindle for Christmas but I've now downloaded it on the strength of your post - thanks.

Fingers crossed! I like Call the Midwife that's on just before it, so Sunday night viewing could continue to be perfect in the absence of Sherlock!

I love that site too. I used to use their gorgeous wallpapers on my computer but I've got one of my children at the moment. Chrissy's is wonderful!

You don't look constipated! Great T-shirt! Another great pic! Our village had a 'hat competition' for the Queen's silver jubilee and my Granny knitted me a tea cosy in Union Jack colours and made a tin foil covered cardboard spout and handle. I didn't win!

The BBC's two-part adaptation of Sebastian Faulks' excellent novel Birdsong starts this Sunday, 22 January at 9pm. I loved the book when I read it several years ago, so I'm hoping this adaptation will do it justice. Is anyone else planning to watch?

I think he's utterly gorgeous! *swoon* So does my 14 year old! He has a look of his mother about him, especially round the eyes! I know a lot of people didn't, but I also liked Moriarty... or rather, I liked the actor's portrayal of him. But Sherlock was always going to outsmart him!

I hope so too - I really enjoyed the book.

Same! I think I've only come across one other person online who dislikes it too - I'm fairly certain Alexistar hated it too!

Goodo - hope you enjoy it.

That's annoying, Alex. If you get the chance, try the Swedish version - it's a really good adaptation and I found after about 10 minutes I didn't notice the subtitles (although I believe you can get a version with it dubbed over in English, but I think I'd prefer the subtitles).

Oh gosh, quite a lot of favourites! My absolute favourite favourites are the ones in colour! All the George Orwells (gotta be my favourite author!) The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks (we're getting a BBC TV production of this starting this Sunday!) To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Silas Marner by George Eliot Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Least favourites: The Sea by John Banville Casino Royale by Ian Fleming The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger A Room With a View by E.M. Forster Little Women by Louisa M Alcott I really disliked those (or just found them dull in the extreme) - and The Catcher in the Rye has to be my most hated book ever - what a phoney!

I updated last night to add Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift to my count, and discovered I'd missed a couple off. My totals now stand at 53 of the original list and 56 combined. The Reluctant Fundamentalist by Mohsin Hamid Small Island by Andrea Levy The Sea by John Banville The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time by Mark Haddon Atonement by Ian McEwan I'm Not Scared by Niccolo Ammaniti Memoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden The Reader by Bernhard Schlink A Fine Balance by Rohinton Mistry The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle by Haruki Murakami Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks Regeneration by Pat Barker Wise Children by Angela Carter Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams In A Free State by V.S. Naipaul A Kestrel for a Knave by Barry Hines In Cold Blood by Truman Capote To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee Cider With Rosie by Laurie Lee Breakfast at Tiffany’s by Truman Capote The Midwich Cuckoos by John Wyndham Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov Casino Royale by Ian Fleming The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway Day of the Triffids by John Wyndham The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger Nineteen Eighty-Four by George Orwell Brideshead Revisited by Evelyn Waugh Animal Farm by George Orwell The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry Coming Up for Air by George Orwell Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien Keep the Aspidistra Flying by George Orwell Vile Bodies by Evelyn Waugh All Quiet on the Western Front by Erich Maria Remarque The Murder of Roger Ackroyd by Agatha Christie The Thirty-Nine Steps by John Buchan A Room With a View by E.M. Forster The Turn of the Screw by Henry James Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith The Picture of Dorian Gray by Oscar Wilde The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll Little Women by Louisa May Alcott Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll Silas Marner by George Eliot Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen Candide by Voltaire Gulliver’s Travels by Jonathan Swift

I enjoyed it too. I felt it a little long-winded in places and I enjoyed some bits more than others - I wasn't so keen on (although I didn't hate it) but I thought that some of the writing was really funny! It was quite... rude in places considering when it was written - it didn't offend my sensibilities what with it being the 21st century, but I would imagine it caused a bit of a stir in polite society in the early 18th century! It's part of the 1001 Books challenge too so it's another one to tick off - even though I don't stand a hope in hell of getting near 1001 (or the 12?? of the combined lists) before I "pop my clogs"! I've never seen a film version - I shall be looking out for one now!

I've just finished Gulliver's Travels by Jonathan Swift in readiness for reading Mistress Masham's Repose. It wouldn't matter if I hadn't but I thought I would as it was fee on Kindle.

I have a large case of sentimental things too! The first ever National Lottery draw took place the Saturday after my son was born (he was 6 weeks early!) and my Uncle had bought a ticket. It wasn't a winner, but I kept it anyway in my treasure box - some people might say that was a bit mad! Hope you're okay. ETA: I see you share a birthday with my late Dad. What a great day to be born on!

My daughter and I came up with the same theories as outlined above, including According to R2, Moffat announced on Twitter last night that there will definitely be a third series - hurrah!

I watched! I think it's such a great show, I hope they make another series.

I'm not sure you can do that, sadly. Noll, who is the Ireland, has to use Amazon.com - she can't download them from Amazon.co.uk, despite being geographically closer to the UK.

Thank you. The member whose turn it was to pick this has already read it and the first sequel and was raving about them. On a purely shallow note, the cover is gorgeous! The book sounds great too so I'm looking forward to it. My Kindle tells me that I'm on 11% of it. Believe it or not I don't actually know the story at all (apart from the fact that so I don't know what to expect, but I've enjoyed what I've read so far.

I did comment last year when reading a 500+ page book that I could see where a Kindle would come in handy. I love the device itself, but I don't seem to be reading more like other people - I actually seem to be reading less, but I have been busy so maybe it would be the same if I didn't have one? I've downloaded some more freebies today though!

I acquired book #4 of 2012 today! Rivers of London by Ben Aaronovitch - for my Book Club for February.

Thanks, Steve. I checked it out when I got to 10% and it was right. I then changed the font size and it said the same. I like to know what page I'm up to so this is great! I still haven't fallen in love with it yet though...

I can't say I've heard of this book, or author, but it seems that both Alice and Judith are characters from the book. I looked at Amazon.com and one review mentions them both. I won't post it though as it's very spoilery and I don't want to give it away.