Kylie

I read 4 books last month, 3 down on January's total, but much more normal for me With regards to my various challenges, my running total stands at: CL: Classics Challenge (6/25) 1K: 1001 Books Challenge (4/20) RD: Reading through the Decades Challenge (9/11) BF: Book Club Forum Reading Circle Challenge (3/10) YA: Young Adults Challenge (2/10) SF: Sci Fi/Fantasy Challenge (4/8) AU: Australian Literature Challenge (1/6) DY: Dystopian Challenge (3/5) BB: Banned Books Challenge (2/5) I read books from all challenges except the Australian Literature Challenge. I'll try to rectify that during March. Unfortunately my good behaviour in January (buying only 6 books) didn't carry through to February, during which I acquired 22 new books. I'm currently reading Jane Eyre and loving it. I feel another 10/10 coming on! I'll probably follow it up with The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde.

Animal Farm George Orwell Rating: 10/10 Published: 1945 Number of pages: 120 Summary (taken from blurb): First published in 1945, Animal Farm has become the classic political fable of the twentieth century. Adding his own brand of poignancy and wit, George Orwell tells the story of a revolution among animals of a farm, and how idealism was betrayed by power, corruption and lies. Comments: This is probably the most technically brilliant novel I have ever read. It's not exactly a page-turner, but it is perfection (or as near it as you're going to get). The story is neither too long nor too short; there is not a single superfluous sentence in the entire novel. Animal Farm is a political satire of Soviet socialism - the Rebellion of the farm animals against the humans represents (as far as I can understand it) the revolution of the Bolsheviks against the Russian government. The human owners are driven off the farm and the animals finally have their freedom. They determine to create a society in which all animals are equal and must work together in order to survive, but, of course, things start to fall apart and we learn that some animals are more equal than others. This story works on so many levels and really does a wonderful job in exploring the concepts of power and corruption. Very highly recommended. Started: 26 February 2008 Finished: 27 February 2008

Neverwhere Neil Gaiman Rating: 8/10 Published: 1999 Number of pages: 372 Summary (taken from blurb): Under the streets of London there's a place most people could never even dream of. A city of monsters and saints, murderers and angels, knights in armour and pale girls in black velvet. This is the city of the people who have fallen between the cracks. Richard Mayhew, a young businessman, is going to find out more than enough about this other London. A single act of kindness catapults him out of his workday existence and into a world that is at once eerily familiar and utterly bizarre. And a strange destiny awaits him down here, beneath his native city: neverwhere. Comments: A very light and enjoyable read, full of vivid and unique characters. The world underneath London is nicely portrayed and bears striking similarities to London Above. It loses points for the way in which Gaiman describes the characters in the exact same way time after time (for example, Door's eyes). For the life of me I cannot think of anything else to write, except to repeat that it was very enjoyable, and that I'll be seeking out more Neil Gaiman in the future. Started: 20 February 2008 Finished: 25 February 2008

Madbumblebee!

I work in a small publications area in a bank.

That's happened in my line of work too Jen. A piece of text will go through half a dozen pairs of hands and still get published with an error. I don't feel so bad when I'm not the only one who has missed it.

Are these books historical fiction or straight up non-fiction?

Nicely put Kirstykat!

This pretty much sums up my start to the year too. Let's hope it continues!

to the group Emma!

1- Who was your favourite character and why? Would it be wrong to say Mr Croup? I know he was evil and all, but I really liked his dialogue. I also liked the Marquis de Carabas. 2- Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? There's a part that comes to mind, although I didn't really like or dislike it - that was the Ordeal of the Key. Good stuff. I think Gaiman did a terrific job of that section. 3- Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? Yes. I have Good Omens at home (co-writen with Terry Pratchett), and I'm really looking forward to that. I'll also be tracking down various other Neil Gaiman works in future. 4- Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? No. 5- Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? Absolutely

More books added to my wish list: Charlotte Bronte: Shirley Stephenie Meyer: Twilight Gene Wilder: My French 'lady of the night'

Excellent review Echo! I'm about to start reading Jane Eyre, but will add this to my wish list.

So is anybody participating in this reading circle? Unfortunately I can't because I have so much other reading to get through. Just a reminder that there's one month left!

Talisman, how do you find time to write among your other hobbies and 'life' in general? Are you strict in setting time aside every day for writing, or do you just do it when you get time? I would like to do a bit of writing (as a hobby), but time (and, if I'm going to be honest, motivation) is always an issue.

Yum, Poppy. I love pikelets. My Dad used to make them for a breakfast treat occasionally. Now we usually just buy them from a store. I must stop reading this thread - it only makes me hungry

Toshmeister! Nice to have you here.

Hi Jo and You'll be sure to get plenty of recommendations here!

Despite a lot of rave reviews, I hated Paulo Coelho's The Alchemist. It is very doubtful that I will ever bother with another one of his books. If it was just the story itself that I had a problem with, I'd probably give him another chance, but his writing style was really disappointing too and I don't think that's something that would be rectified in his other books. That said, HarperCollins currently has the text of one of his books available on their website so I might have a skim through and see what's it's like. Generally, though, I think I would have to take it on an case-by-case basis. Depending on just how bad the book is, I may or may not decide to give the author another chance.

Thanks for your views, Andy. I have this one on my wish list, along with Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed.

Z for Zachariah Robert O'Brien Rating: 7/10 Published: 1975 Number of pages: 188 Summary (taken from blurb): Lone survivor after a nuclear holocaust, Ann Burden sees her solitary peace threatened by this unknown intruder. She hides, he watches, they both wait. Is he a friend and ally, or the terrifying near-maniac she begins to suspect? Just as Adam was the first man on earth, so this man must be Zachariah, the last... Comments: This is a quick and interesting read aimed at young adults. It's a story concerning the end of the world and the survival of a 16-year-old girl who believes she may be the last person alive...until she sees someone else entering her valley. I thought the main character was a little too naive (or maybe just too optimistic) but I always love an ending that leaves something to the imagination. A pretty good read! Started: 17 February 2008 Finished: 20 February 2008

Recent additions to the family: John Banville: The Book of Evidence (birthday present from my brother) Bill Bryson: The Lost Continent Neil Gaiman: Neverwhere I'll be due to finish my current book at lunch time so I might get started on Neverwhere today. That'll be highly unusual for me; my books average a wait on my TBR pile of about two years before they get read! I don't think I've ever before started reading a book on the same day that I bought it

It's ridiculous isn't it? We all read those children's books when we were young and are none the worse for wear! I'm not sure if the original list of banned books I posted are just related to Canada or the whole world. I was hoping for the latter. Books have certainly been banned in the UK at various times, whether it be schools refusing to stock Harry Potter in their libraries, or the obscenity trial of DH Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover. Wikipedia has a list of banned books, showing several from the UK.

I think a lot of them were probably banned for religious reasons and probably others are due to parents of school-age children not wanting their kids exposed to certain materials. This website explains the reasons behind some of the book bannings. Pretty ridiculous reasons too!

The strangest thing happened when I was travelling home on the train last night. I was reading Z for Zachariah and came across the following: I thought this was a bit strange as it seemed, from the context of the passage, that the character was introducing this text to the reader for the first time. I was sure she had already been reading it earlier on. But then I cast my mind back a few days and recalled that I had read a reference to the exact same elegy in the last book I read, Truman Capote's In Cold Blood. How bizarre! I'd never heard of this elegy before, and then to read two references to it in two books in a row, in the space of a few days! I've found the text of it here and intend to read it when I get a chance. A smaller coincidence happened on Monday. I went to my orthodontist appointment and was laying down looking up at the light overhead. The name written on the light was 'Faro', the same as the name of the dog in Z for Zachariah!