~Andrea~

That made me laugh Coffin Nail, you're job sounds far more interesting than mine In seriousness I like sandwiches like Brie and grape or cranberry, or things with roasted peppers and red onion in them. I also love cheese and mushroom toasties! (And no I'm not a vegetarian if you're wondering )

GWTW is one of those books I really feel I should read. I think I'll definitely have to add it to the list now!

What did you think of The Book of Lost Things Kate? I wasn't so keen. I thought some of the writing was very good and it started quite strongly, but there were some bits I thought a bit odd, and overall it was just a bit unpleasant and somehow unsatisfying.

Exactly! And with Jonathan Ross leaving that should free up some cash to pay less well known presenters. Why not pass some of those savings on to the licence payer

The Hidden Persuaders by Vance Packard, explores psychological techniques in advertising. I haven't read it myself though I intended to for a long time. It was written in the fifties, so I'm not sure how much is still relevant, probably a fair amount I would guess. ETA: Oops sorry, just read the OP again, you're looking for contemporary books. That's teach me to skin-read

Hooray!! Hope you enjoy it Noll! I would definitely recommend The Quantum Universe as well. My copy is quite old though. There are much more recent versions in print by now.

Yea I did quite like it. I watched it the first time round. I did find a bit of a cringe-factor in it thought, and its quite over-silly in places. The actress/comedian Miranda is great though.

Yea. The humour is definitely of the more subtle variety, although I'd say the second episode was up a gear from the first one.

Has anyone been watching Rev on BBC 2? It's a comedy drama about a vicar in an urban church in London. Perhaps it's a bit specialist interest, but as a chuchgoer I found it pretty funny and it rings quite true in places. Anyone else seen it?

I really liked that one Kate. I think it's his best book really (although there are a couple I haven't read)

I finished the quantum universe on the weekend and enjoyed it immensely. It's kind of quantum physics for lay people, although they cram a LOT of information in there so some of it I had no hope of grasping. It made me laugh when in many places they would say things like - now from here it's pretty obvious where this leads to, that's right - blah blah. I'd be screwing up my face thinking - what? obvious? But all in all it was very good. I learned a lot, and just had to accept that a lot of it I simply had to let wash over me - since I had no chance of absorbing everything. Some of it is pretty tricky I also had to do a bit of background reading on wikipedia etc to expand on some bits because they just cram so much into a small space. Anyway - very much worth a read. I'm particularly chuffed to have read it since it's been on my shelf for about fifteen years (having made it to about chapter 2 at my last attempt) Next: Strangers on a Train by Patricia Highsmith.

The Quantum Universe is fab. It's a great book, fairly accessible (sometimes!) with lots of pictures and diagrams. It's certainly improved my understanding of lots of areas and taught me new things. For instance: - I now have a much better understanding of the electron orbitals in atoms (they are not like planetary orbits at all, as I was taught in school) - I now know the difference between fermions (electrons, protons etc) and bosons (photons etc) and understand (tenuously ) why fermions are matter-like and bosons are energy-like - I've understood wave-particle duality in greater detail - I've been refreshed on many areas of physics I'd forgotten about, electromagnetism, neutron stars etc - I've learned new things and been introduced to many of nature's oddities, such as superfluids and the strange behaviour of liquid helium at very low temperatures. Honestly, it really is very surprising and quite wondrous! I've almost finished this book and have enjoyed every minute of it (even though it's had me scratching my head in places) Looking forward to finishing it now, and reading more on the subject in the future

John Harwood's stuff (The Ghost Writer, The Seance) is reasonably creepy, and very enjoyable. E11even terrible months by R L Royle is one of the creepiest books I've ever read.

Beng in 3D doesn't mean it won't also be shown in 2D though does it? I am fed up of 3D tbh. It very rarely adds anything to a film - and those glasses are danged uncomfortable after an hour or so.

Yes quite possibly! At a first reading I don't see any, but I read an interesting article in the new scientist earlier in the year about hidden maths in the story. Lewis Carrol was a mathematician and the article talked about him poking fun at some of the new maths that was coming out (imaginary numbers and martrix arithmetic). I will have to dig out the article; I know I still have the magazine. First and foremost I think it's a it's a simple nonsense tale concocted to entertain, but that this provides Carrol a great platform to poke fun at his fellow academics, and well, at any idea he sees fit really.

Well it was a pleasure to re-read this delightful - and bizarre - little book. I remember my Dad reading it to me when I was little and re-reading it brought back that memory with surprising vividity - not least because I can remember him enjpying it as much as I did, right down to the expression on his face as he read out specific lines. And I can appreciate now his enjoyment of the more 'grown up' humour in it. I wouldn't say I thought the stories were unfit or harmful, but they are very grotesque, and quite violent and unpleasant in parts. I certainly think there is more appeal in them to an adult than a child, although a child will appreciate them on the level that they can. I do remember thinking (as a child) that wonderland was a rather unpleasant and slightly scary place (especially the queen of hearts) and as a child it had quite a sinister air to it, whereas when I read it now, that sinister aspect of it is gone. Another thing that struck me when I re-read this was how many bits I didn't remember. The famous bits - like the eat me cake and drink me bottle, the mad hatters tea party etc are very etched in my mind, probably as much from Hollywood as anything else, but other parts - the animals getting washed up on the beach after swimming in Alice's tears, the numerous appearances of the white rabbit and the sheer numner of times Alice shrinks and grows, I had quite forgotten. And finally one of my favourite lines: "None of the others took the least notice of her going, though she looked back once or twice, half hoping that they would call after her: the last time she saw them, they were trying to put the Dormouse into the teapot"

I read Injury Time years ago. I remember really enjoying it and being impressed with the writing. Perhaps I'll give it a re-read!

I'm sorry you didn't enjoy your version of this book. What a shame about the translation. I read this recently (in English that is) and loved it! Hope you enjoy the next one more.

I'm enjoying The Quantum Universe, but there are a couple of chapters I'll definitely have to go back and read again

At least its a pretty short read Frankie. Look forward to discussing with you in the circle