Polka Dot Rock

That's okay - I just wanted to make sure I hadn't missed something! It was last September when I read it, you see, so I thought I may have accidentally re-arranged the plot in my head

Hey Michelle I've had at respond in spoilers: 1) 2)

I think you're doing remarkably well with reading as it is, as a first time mum. Maybe you could start reading Classic children's fiction, so you'll be ready to indoctrinate Katie!

It's a wonderful book - and also one of the only ones where the film adaptation has really captured the spirit of the book, I think.

That's amazing! I wish someone would walk up to me and give me a copy of Pale Fire (I really fancy reading it). Go you and your book luck, missy! I hope it continues for you!

Oh, the book's much better and creepier than the film! And it REALLY changes the plot in quite a farcical way. Of course, I'm not going to give anything away...

A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens The blurb:

Hooray! My local charity shops have delivered unto me, for once! In Shelter, I found a brand new copy of Nicole Krauss' Man Walks Into A Room (£2.95) and a nice little Penguin of Lucky Jim by Kingsley Amis (£1.25). Then in the Douglas Macmillan Hospice shop, I got Chocolat and The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time for the grand total of £1! Bargain! And it's for charideee so no guilt required

I have The Birds & Other Stories but haven't read it yet. (Actually, I have loads of short story collections and I never seem to get around to reading... I need a Short Story Challenge!) I urge you to try again with Rebecca - when I first started reading it, I thought "caw, this isn't going anywhere". Oh, how wrong I was! All my friends thought the same too, and they all loved it! Glad I could help Please tell us more about your favourite DdM short stories! It'll help me get a quick DdM fix when I need it.

That's amazing! Thanks Nici!

Hooray! Watchmen by Alan Moore & Dave Gibbons has finally arrived today, after being on order since November! I'm so excited! And it also counts as a Modern Classic in my list as it's forever appearing on 100 Greatest Novels etc list, as well as being a favourite of heaps of writers who I like. Also on the Graphic Novel front, the third issue of Buffy 'season 8' is out tomorrow - woo hoo!

There is now a Daphne du Maurier thread on the forum. 'Tis the season!

On the 13th May, it will 100 years since Daphne du Maurier was born I know there are quite a few people on the forum who are also fans of her, so I thought it might be a good time to start a thread discussing/celebrating her work (and life). I was aware of du Maurier, but it wasn't until I had to read Rebecca for a final year course that I realised how amazing the novel truly was was. I'm on a mission for her to be recognised as the truly great writer she was! Daphne du Maurier was a really fascinating person too: revision last year was so much fun! I think she's an amazing writer: she's very modern, really, and her skill for plotting and atmosphere is wonderful. Even if you've guessed what's going to happen, you still read on! Plus her books always make me want to be in Cornwall! Rebecca is now one of my favourite books and I read Frenchman's Creek in Cornwall last year: I enjoyed it, although I prefer her darker moments. I've just finished Jamaica Inn in all it's Gothic splendor. (With it's dank and creepy home, rotten uncle and downtrodden aunt, it really reminds me of The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter. But I have the impression Carter didn't think much of du Maurier soooo... Hmmm.) I thoroughly enjoyed Jamaica Inn , particularly the character of Mary Yellan: she's fantastic, I was rooting for her all the way! I was struck, yet again, by how easily du Maurier can instantly take you into a sense of place and atmosphere. Her writing is beautiful and descriptive yet never feels unnecessary: I often have a problem with descriptive prose as I can lose interest, but du Maurier never loses me. Actually, I can say the same of Maggie O'Farrell, this month's Featured Author! There were moments that were 'larger than life' but I feel like du Maurier handles these brilliantly. After now reading a few of her novels, I can see that this usually applies to characters (such as Mrs Danvers in Rebecca and Dona's rather comical husband in Frenchman's Creek). In Jamaica Inn, it's Uncle Joss and his band of n'er-do-wells who are over the top, but gloriously so. It makes sense for them to seem so otherworldly and outrageous to Mary, who has only known sleepy farm and small village life. As I enjoyed it so much, I've now ordered My Cousin Rachel from GreenMetropolis - whoops! And I also got hold of a brand new copy of Julius in a charity shop in Bath (the slightly infamous 'incest' novel), so that's waiting to be read. I'm looking forward to all the celebrations that are going to be on over the next month: the BBC are going DdM crazy! There's a documentary by Mr Cornwall himself, Rick Stein (Eh? Rick Stein? I know he's 'Mr Cornwall' but that is just too, too odd): Rick Stein in Du Maurier Country - BBC2 starts 8.30pm May 12th 2007 (thanks to Rennie for the proper title!) There's also a dramatisation of My Cousin Rachel on Radio 4 this Sunday, 6th May, at 3pm Plus, there will be an 'autobiographical' drama on BBC2:

Hello Maggie and welcome to the forum! I've been a fan since I picked up After You'd Gone on holiday when I was 16, so I'm especially excited that Michelle has rounded you up, as it were. I even buy your novels as soon as they come out, so you're the only writer whose work I buy in hardback! I think you're one the very best contemporary writers today and I think your writing has really gone from strength-to-strength with each novel. My only complaint is that I end up reading them within days as I won't stop reading once I've started: The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox lasted three days, and that was because I was deliberately pacing myself! But, yes, a question... This may be a little vague, but I was wondering on how you feel you've developed, or even changed, as a writer from After You'd Gone through to The Vanishing Act of Esme Lennox?

List Updated

I like weird spins on Fairy Tales... If you enjoyed that, have you read The Bloody Chamber by Angela Carter? Amazing book!

Paula, I'm thinking of getting The Book of Lost Things since reading your review - sounds great, and I keep thinking about it. Cheers!

Ooh sounds fantastic! Great summary Emma!

This was one of my favourite novels of last year and Maggie is definitely my favourite contemporary writer (so you can imagine that I'm getting all excited and fan-girl squealy at the prospect of her arrival on the forum!) I think Esme is her best work since the astonishing After You'd Gone. You're all in for a treat!!

Rebecca is one of my favourite books and I read Frenchman's Creek in Cornwall last year: I enjoyed it, although I prefer her darker moments. I got hold of a brand new copy of Julius in a charity shop in Bath (the slightly infamous 'incest' novel), so that's waiting to be read. I want to read My Cousin Rachel as that sounds superbly weird and creepy. Daphne du Maurier was a really fascinating person too: revision last year was so much fun! I'm looking forward to all the celebrations that are going to be on over the next month or so: I believe it's her 100th anniversary (tho' I may be wrong), and the BBC are going DdM crazy! Including a documentary by, who else, Rick Stein... Er, of course? (Eh? Rick Stein? I know he's 'Mr Cornwall' but that is just too, too odd).

Ah excellent! Are you a bit of a du Maurier fan, Judy? I had to read Rebecca for a final year course and was just blown away by it... I'm on a mission for her to be recognised as the truly great writer she was!

List Updated I finally finished A Tale of Two Cities and I'm disappointed to say that I continued to struggle with it 'til the very end I'm a particular fan of Dickens' way with characters, and I found the characters in this rather flat and bland. All poor Lucie seemed to do was faint! The story wasn't enough to keep my interest and I'd find myself getting confused because I'd drifted. I did enjoy the depiction of Madame Defarge and how she slowly emerged from a background character to a become pivotal force in the novel. It was also intersting to see how it may have influenced Victor Hugo's Les Miserables. But it hasn't put me off Dickens at all With such a prolific writer, I know there's more where Great Expectations came from (one of my favourite novels). I've now returned to another writer I've enjoyed in the recent past, the great Daphne du Maurier (love 'er). This time, it's Jamaica Inn in all it's Gothic splendor. I've read the first 30 pages and it's jolly gripping so far (and with it's dank home, rotten uncle and downtrodden aunt, it really reminds me of The Magic Toyshop by Angela Carter. But I have the impression Carter didn't think much of du Maurier soooo... Hmmm.)

Ooh thanks Wrath! I'm all a-fluster now

And that was today's "Amy learns something new" fact I had no idea! How little I know of Russian history...