poppy

Day 22. Favourite book that you own Again it would probably have to be My Family and Other Animals by Gerald Durrell for it's feel good factor.

I read it umpteen times and even went as far as to get my own pet goats and name them after the ones in the book. I can still remember most of the goats names now ....Schwanli, Barli, Schneehopli, Schneke, Meckerli, Distelfink,Tolpet. How sad is that?

Day 21. Favourite book from your childhood Heidi by Johanna Spyri. I so wanted to be Heidi. Also greatly loved was AA Milne's Winnie the Pooh. A children's book that I didn't read until I was an adult which is another favourite is Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame.

Day 20. Favourite romance book Probably Gone With the Wind by Margaret Mitchell but also the ones I've mentioned in favourite books to movies.

I hope I'm not putting you off something you would enjoy Easy Reader, likes and dislikes are so individual Day 19. Favourite book turned into a movie My favourite would probably be The English Patient by Michael Ondaaje but I also loved the film adaptations of EM Forster's Howard's End and Room With a View. Way up there is also Dr Zhivago.

Thanks you two (I've just commented on your quotes in the favourite signature thread)

Weave's one ..... 'No matter what they wish for, no matter how far they go, people can never be anything but themselves. That's all.' ~ Haruki Murakami. and Lucybird's..... "Mockingbirds don't do one thing but make music for us to enjoy. They don't do one thing but sing their hearts out for us. That's why it's a sin to kill a mockingbird." (Harper Lee) are both quotes I like a lot.

Day 18. A book the disappointed you Sexing the Cherry by Jeanette Winterson I so enjoyed Lighthousekeeping, but I found this one just too different and didn't finish it.

Day 17. Favourite quote from favourite book One of my favourite authors is Neil Gaiman and this is from his book Fragile Things "Stories, like people and butterflies and songbirds' eggs and human hearts and dreams, are also fragile things, made up of nothing stronger or more lasting than twenty-six letters and a handful of punctuation marks. Or they are words on the air, composed of sounds and ideas-abstract, invisible, gone once they've been spoken-and what could be more frail than that? But some stories, small, simple ones about setting out on adventures or people doing wonders, tales of miracles and monsters, have outlasted all the people who told them, and some of them have outlasted the lands in which they were created." Isn't that lovely?

Was just reading your book blog and you read at a prolific rate! My reading list for the year looks decidedly pathetic. Hope you have a lovely time in Germany

I hope you two read it, let me know if you do, I'm sure you will love it. It's a very short book, but such a joy. I hope people don't get the wrong idea, it's not a preachy book. Anna and the family she adopts are Cockney, working class and friends with prostitutes and strays. Someone described it as an 'Ah! book', one that causes a fundamental change in the reader's consciousness. I go along with that. Willoyd!! I can't believe you and I have such similar tastes in books! I always thought that I was a bit weird, because although I've read lots of books other people like, no-one seemed to have a lot in common. And no, you're not being thick because it could easily be read that way, but the challenge is to answer a question each day. I had to chuckle about your description of Lawrence Durrell, I picked up one of his books once at the library, browsed through it, couldn't make head nor tail of what he was going on about, and promptly put it back again. In Gerald's books, Lawrence comes across as selfish, inconsiderate, self-opinionated and eccentric, but quite funny all the same. I've only read To Kill a Mockingbird in recent years too. I wish we had studied it at school, it made such a huge impact on me as an adult. Now you should do your own 30 day challenge and we can see how many more opinions we share

Day 16 Favourite female character Anna from Mister God, This is Anna by Fynn. "At five years Anna knew absolutely the purpose of being, knew the meaning of love and was a personal friend and helper of Mister God. At six Anna was a theologian, mathematician, philosopher, poet and gardener. If you asked her a question you would always find an answer. On some occasions the answer would be delayed for weeks or months; but eventually, in her own good time, the answer would come: direct, simple and much to the point." To see life through Anna's eyes, with her unfailing curiosity, enthusiasm and wisdom way beyond her years is inspiring. She would be my most beloved character of all time. .

Day 15. Favourite male character Atticus Finch from Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. He is a man of great integrity, morally courageous and a wonderful father, all qualities I admire greatly. A non-human male character I am inordinately fond of is Tasselhoff Burfoot (Tas), a kender from the Dragonlance books by Margaret Weis and Tracy Hickman.

What a lovely idea Kylie. Let us know how you get on. And good luck with your job application too!!

It would be so much fun to have you on and lead you completely up the garden path Chrissy (shall we, shall we Kylie???) ........ but I'm not that mean. Vegemite is black and an aquired taste, I've heard it likened to axle grease by Americans. It's one of those things Aussies and Kiwis pack in their bags when travelling overseas. I read somewhere that they confiscated someone's on the Canadian border because it contained added folate. *hands Chrissy hot buttery toast with lashings of vegemite* ......'get that down ya, possum!' Another catchphrase of Dame Edna's is "Hello Possums!!" as she waves around a particularly bilious coloured gladiolia (her favourite flower).

Day 14. Favourite book of (one of) your favourite writers. Mr Golightly's Holiday by Salley Vickers. Surprising, unusual, very interesting characters.

Day 13. Your favourite writer Too difficult to narrow down to one. But an author I have discovered recently who has become one of my favourites is Salley Vickers. She has an almost lyrical way of writing and her understanding of human nature and her sensitivity in describing it, is excellent.

I agree Ladymacbeth, I can understand why it was studied at school, it was a very valuable lesson on human nature. Another book we studied at school that had a big impact was Black Like Me. It's a true story of a white guy who artificially colours his skin black and travels through the racially segregated south of the US. It's probably pretty dated now but it was a real eye-opener to me at school and helped form my strong anti-rascist opinions.

I'm sure Dame Edna's well known in England, after all she's advisor to the Queen And Ben!!! We wuuuuuuvvvvvv you !!!

What a lovely idea Kylie, so big hug to you for a start. Rofl to 'all my shy little vegemites' .....are you sure that translates in the northern hemisphere??? I want to send a hug to Katrina, who's feeling a bit neglected at the moment And I'll add my vote of appreciation to Michelle, for the best run forum I've ever been on and all the hard work she does behind the scenes

Sorry Weave, I just can't help giggling at this title. 'Poor little abused werewolf *pat pat*, have some doggie biscuits and warm milk.'

Delilah's lady reading is very pretty. It looks like it could be a painting by Waterhouse, but I can't find it.

I just looked this up and it looks a very interesting, if rather harrowing, read. I see Kay Danes, the author, is now dedicated to teaching people about human rights. Welcome to the forum paun

Day 12 – A book you used to love but don’t anymore Books by Joanna Trollope. I wouldn't say I actually ever loved them, but I did read quite a few at one time. I reread Marrying the Mistress recently and realised I never feel a great deal of sympathy for any of her characters. The televised adaptations of her books were always rather good though, I thought.

I'm starting to think I'm a wussie, I could only watch this movie so far, it got too creepy