Janet

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Cute username. Hello and welcome.

Hi Julia and welcome.

Yay - a fellow challengee for the decades challenge! That's a good list you've got there - I haven't really though of many yet - I'm just taking them as they come along or take my mood.

I've read all bar one of his 'Mrs Pargeter' books. I gather from discussing them with someone else here that they're a little like the 'Agatha Raisin' books in style. I read them when the children were babies and I couldn't concentrate on anything too heavy - they're quite simple and very similar to each other, but quite enjoyable. I've read a couple of the Feathering books too, but not for years. I've sort of meandered away from crime having read it solidly with nothing else for several years. I might go back to them one day.

Teacher Man, I believe. As much as I enjoyed them, I was all 'Franked out' by the time I got to the end of 'Tis! His brother (Malachy?) also wrote a book!

It's about Frank's experiences after he goes to the USA at the end of the book (it's not a novel - more of an autobiography ). And yes, it's a penguin. I took the photo at Bristol Zoo. I'm glad you like it.

There is a sequel to Angela's Ashes called 'Tis, which is well worth a read too.

Hmm - perhaps I should remove that bit from my review. Or at least take out the colour... yes, I'll do that. I'm not singling any one person out here but I know a few members are a bit uncomfortable about sex in novels so I thought I should mention it as it's actually quite a big part of the book but you are totally right that certainly doesn't detract from it in any way, and it's necessary for the story, I think.

I've never done one before, but was thinking of starting a Bookring with this, as I do think it's great but might not be everyone's 'cup of tea' so feel a bit responsible for giving it such high praise. It's such an unusual book!

It took me a while, but I finished The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas today. A cracking read, imho! 9/10

I wasn't exactly sure where to put this, but I feel the time-travel element probably makes it suited to this forum. The End of Mr Y by Scarlett Thomas The ‘Blurb’ When Ariel Manto uncovers a copy of The End of Mr. Y in a second-hand bookshop, she can't believe her eyes. She knows enough about its author, the outlandish Victorian scientist Thomas Lumas, to know that copies are exceedingly rare. And, some say, cursed. With Mr. Y under her arm, Ariel finds herself thrust into a thrilling adventure of love, sex, death and time-travel. This book has an air of mystery about it - enhanced by the fact that the pages of the book are edged in black...! It’s fair to say that Ariel is a little obsessed with the novel The End of Mr Y. She is doing a PhD, sharing an office with Professor Burlem who shares her obsession, although he has gone missing and nobody knows where he’s gone and whether or when he’ll be back. When she finds the novel in a second-hand book store she has to read it even though it is allegedly cursed. After reading it, she embarks on a strange adventure and her life will never been the same again. Ariel has no self-respect. We never quite get to the bottom of why, apart from the fact that she had an alcoholic father and a mother who largely ignored her. This makes Ariel a person who seems to wish to punish herself by having meaningless sex with people who she will never get close to and who has few real solid friendships. Anyone uncomfortable with reading storylines of a sexual nature will not want to read this book because at times it leaves little to the imagination! This does not particularly make it offensive - or at least, I wasn't offended by it. The book is a little bit like the Time Traveler’s wife in that it took me a while to get my head around the time-travel aspect, and the book does contain lots of physics/science elements, some of which I just didn’t understand. That said, I thought it was a cracking read! The paperback is 502 pages long and is published by Cannongate. The ISBN number is 978-1847670700. 9/10 (Read October 2008)

Oh, the responsibility! I hope you enjoy it now I've coerced you into buying one!

They're not as claggy as a Starbar, but they're lush - I recommend them.

I'm another Starbar fan. Yum. Have you tried Peanut Kitkat chunky bars - they're lush too!

Gosh, really? In what way? I've always used them. I use the link on here to get Michelle a few pennies. The only other company I use online is The Book People.

I don't remember it having that much emphasis on sex. It's certainly not offensive, anyway, so don't let it put you off.

Facebook, perchance? I joined that group too!

Independence Day? I've not seen that either.

Definitely - these shows make the licence fee totally worthwhile.

Never seen it! I'm watching now - it's okay, but a bit slow.

There doesn't seem to be a link on the BBC site yet, but there is some information on the Radio Times website. It has the wonderful Alun Armstrong in it. In fact, it has a real star-studded cast! It's produced by Andrew Davies who has done many, many things that I've loved so I have high hopes for it, even though I don't know the story at all. Roll on next Sunday!

What were the wardrobe department thinking of with Mark Foster's top. So disgusting!