Kylie

In no particular order: Yossarian (Catch-22 by Joseph Heller) Elizabeth Bennett and Mr Darcy (Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen) Raoul Duke (Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas by Hunter S Thompson) Alice (Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll) Alex (A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess) Charles Pooter (Diary of a Nobody by George Grossmith) Randle McMurphy (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey) Scout Finch (To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee) Ellie Linton (Tomorrow series by John Marsden) Edmond Dantes/Count of Monte Cristo (The Count of Monte Cristo by Alexandre Dumas) OK, so not English lit but it was translated into English and I just couldn't leave him out!

Wow, I don't think anyone has ever bought a book on my recommendation before! I'm suddenly feeling very nervous. I really hope you like it Michelle!

The Small Assassin Ray Bradbury Rating: 8/10 Published: 1976 Number of pages: 174 ISBN: 0586042288 Summary (taken from blurb): Here is a fantastic journey into a world of terror with thirteen of Bradbury's very best. A baby born with the urge to kill...the couple who leave for a honeymoon - in a cemetery...a husband and wife who have an unpleasant experience with some mummified Mexican corpses...the tombstone in the bedroom...a little boy who examines the macabre entrails of the man upstairs... A chilling collection that will linger in the dark vaults of your mind long after you have finished reading it. Comments: The Small Assassin is an excellent collection of 13 horror stories. I didn't find them too gory at all, but I was very disturbed by some of them. Ray Bradbury is an excellent writer and really has the ability to put you in the situation, almost as though you're watching a movie. His descriptive writing is really something to behold. There are a complete variety of stories here, and they generally keep you guessing right till the end. One story was written in the 2nd-person, which isn't something I've really come across before, but I thought Bradbury did it really well. There are some things I will never look at the same way again...Highly recommended! Started: 17 September 2007 Finished: 20 September 2007 The Small Assassin (at librarything.com)

Matilda Roald Dahl Rating: 8/10 Published: 1988 Number of pages: 233 ISBN: 0141311363 Summary (taken from blurb): Matilda's parents have called her some terrible things. The truth is, she's a genius and they're the stupid ones. Find out how she gets the better of them and her spiteful headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, as well as discovering that she has a very special power. Comments: Matilda is another delightful read from Roald Dahl. A clever girl who loves reading uses her intelligence and powers to seek justice in her life and the life of her schoolteacher, Miss Honey. Matilda is a favourite Roald Dahl book of mine. In fact, I'd forgotten how good it was. Sweet and funny, with lashings of books and chocolate cake throughout (what more could you want in a book?!) Highly recommended! Started: 13 September 2007 Finished: 14 September 2007 Matilda (at librarything.com)

Yes, that's the one! I had quiche for lunch today. Don't know what type, but it has a bit of everything in it. It's the best quiche ever!

Oh, don't feel disappointed with yourself Judy! I struggled a lot with this book and I'm a huge fan of sci-fi/fantasy. And dystopian books are my absolute favourites to read! I wish I'd skim-read Sloosha's Crossing myself; I don't think I would have missed much if I'd done so! I think you should be proud of yourself for persevering with it and finishing it!

Say it ain't so! OK, Twisties withdrawal I can understand! I love chicken most, followed by regular cheese. Have you tried the new type? Can't remember what it's called, but they're very addictive.

I call my midday meal 'lunch' and my evening meal 'tea', although I think I sometimes call it 'dinner' at work so as not to confuse other people (and to avoid comments like Icecream's 'tea is a drink' ). I once read that some Australians call it dinner/tea depending on whereabouts in England their ancestors came from or something. I don't think I've ever heard anyone call their midday meal 'dinner' before. That's just weird! (Although no weirder than me naming my evening meal after a beverage, I guess!) All this talk of food has made me hungry I brought some 2-minute noodles in for lunch. Don't forget a boxful of Tim-Tams Angerball! And the Vegemite! (If you're a Vegemite person.)

Has anyone ever read any books by Georges Simenon? Seems he's quite the prolific writer and I was curious to know what his books are like.

Kathleen, you can revive any old threads you like! I have Persuasion on my TBR pile. After the lovely reviews from you and Echo I think I might have to bump it up a bit!

Hi Kathleen! Jane Austen is one of my favourite authors and I've only read two of her books so far (Pride and Prejudice and Emma)! I have the others on my TBR pile and can't wait to get stuck into them.

Then you've come to the right place! I love kids books too. If you haven't already found it, we have a reading circle where a different book is nominated and then discussed each month. Nominations for October have recently opened if you're interested in participating. We read a couple of kids books earlier this year: Black Beauty and Anne of Green Gables. Both were very popular.

Hi Jazz and welcome! What kind of books do you like to read? We have a very friendly group here so feel free to jump right in to any discussions that interest you!

Hi WillowFae and welcome to the BCF! I'm sure you'll love it here. There are a few mothers here who I believe would understand your lack of reading time.

Oops, thanks Kell Actually I did a couple of things wrong in that post, including leaving out the name of the Robert O'Brien book! I must have been too excited to think straight Angerball, the book fair is on at Sydney Uni. It finishes on Wednesday so you've still got a few days if you want to go!

I know! Do you think I have a problem? I try to convince myself that I'm just building up my future library now, and that these books will stay with me forever. So in theory, after I finish building up my collection, I won't need to buy so many books, and so often. In theory.

Went to a huge book fair today and came away with 38 books! Oh well, most people there were buying about the same amount as me, if not more. I got some really good bargains; most books were priced between 20c and $2, and if I had bought 2 of those books in shops, it would have cost me more than it did for all 38 books! And they're in pretty good condition. Let's see now... Jean M Auel: The Clan of the Cave Bear Emily Bronte: Wuthering Heights Dan Brown: Angels and Demons (read before, but wanted my own copy) Dan Brown: Digital Fortress John Buchan: The Thirty-Nine Steps Isobelle Carmody: Obernewtyn Agatha Christie: The Secret Adversary Arthur C Clarke: Against the Fall of Night Arthur C Clarke: Expedition to Earth Eoin Colfer: Artemis Fowl: The Arctic Incident Roald Dahl: Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator Roald Dahl: Fantastic Mr Fox Iris Rainer Dart: Beaches Ian Fleming: Casino Royale Ian Fleming: Goldfinger Ian Fleming: Moonraker Ian Fleming: You Only Live Twice Anne Frank: The Diary of Anne Frank Kenneth Grahame: The Wind in the Willows Thomas Hardy: The Woodlanders Frank Herbert: Children of Dune Carolyn Keene: Nancy Drew and the Clue of the Dancing Puppet Robin Klein: Hating Alison Ashley John Marsden: So Much to Tell You Yann Martel: Life of Pi Ann M Martin: 3 BSC Books (including the last one of the series; I haven't read any of these in ages, but I always wanted to read the last book) Robert O'Brien: Mrs Frisby and the Rats of NIMH Ruth Park: Playing Beatie Bow Terry Pratchett: The Colour of Magic (Discworld #1) Terry Pratchett: Equal Rites (Discworld #3) Terry Pratchett: The Light Fantastic (Discworld #2) Terry Pratchett and Neil Gaiman: Good Omens JRR Tolkien: The Silmarillion Mark Twain: The Adventures of Tom Sawyer Mark Twain: Huckleberry Finn Lew Wallace: Ben-Hur

Not sure if spoilers are needed here so I've gone the safe route and tagged most of it. I can't put spoilers around quotes but it's in reply to Freewheeling Andy's post. Actually, I've just been looking around the net for various opinions on this, and it seems that it can be taken either way (as you also mentioned). I found a comment on one particular website that puts forward these ideas (in my own words):

The Twits Roald Dahl Rating: 8/10 Published: 1980 Number of pages: 87 ISBN: 014131138X Summary (taken from blurb): Mr and Mrs Twit play some horrible tricks on each other. I bet you have never met two people more revolting. They never wash, they trap birds for Bird Pie and they hate children. Find out what brilliant trick the Roly-Poly Bird and the Muggle-Wump monkeys think up for them. Comments: A short but very enjoyable read. There's not too much I can say about this book without giving the plot away, but what I can say is that I love the Roly-Poly Bird and the monkeys, and the ending is terrific! There are also some lovely words of wisdom imparted ('a person who has good thoughts cannot ever be ugly'). And what would a Roald Dahl book be without Quentin Blake's illustrations? I believe this particular Roald Dahl story is aimed at younger readers than some of his other books (such as Matilda), but it's just as wonderful a read and has always been one of my personal favourites. Started: 12 September 2007 Finished: 12 September 2007 The Twits (at librarything.com)

Danny The Champion Of The World Roald Dahl Rating: 8/10 Published: 1975 Number of pages: 214 ISBN: 0141311320 Summary (taken from blurb): Danny thinks the world of his father, but imagine his surprise when he finds out he's been breaking the law! Even grown-ups bend the rules sometimes, but Danny knows his father is still good, kind and clever and full of exciting ideas. Join them in this thrilling adventure as they hope to pull off the most daring and dangerous plan ever. Comments: Danny the Champion of the World is one of the few books of Roald Dahl's that I never got around to reading when I was a kid. Something about it never really appealed to me. Happily, that terrible oversight has now been rectified (if only I had read it 20 years ago!) The love between Danny and his father is so strong and so sweet. You don't see that very often in books nowadays. I love Dahl's imaginative writing; it's so vivid and it's easy to picture everything that's happening. I thought it was a lovely story and another piece of brilliance from Roald Dahl. (Happy Birthday Roald Dahl!) Highly recommended! Started: 11 September 2007 Finished: 12 September 2007 Danny The Champion Of The World (at librarything.com)

Cloud Atlas David Mitchell Rating: 6/10 Published: 2004 Number of pages: 529 ISBN: 0340822783 Summary (taken from blurb): 'Souls cross ages like clouds cross skies...' Six interlocking lives - one amazing adventure. In a narrative that circles the globe and reaches from the 19th century to a post-apocalyptic future, David Mitchell erases the boundaries of time, genre and language to offer an enthralling vision of humanity's will to power, and where it will lead us. Comments: I don't think I fell in love with this book as a lot of other people seem to have, but it was a good read and I'm glad I read it. I definitely enjoyed some sections more than others (I guess that's always going to be a problem in a book that's made up of such completely different stories), but I enjoyed picking up on the little 'clues' linking the stories together. I also really liked the closing comments of Adam Ewing's Journal/the book. One part I had trouble getting into was the first part of Adam Ewing's Journal. It was a difficult section to lead into the book with, but once I got past that it picked up, particularly with the second story, Letters from Zedelghem. This was the most enjoyable section for me; Robert Frobisher's character was probably the least likable but his letters were so witty and enjoyable to read that I could look past all that. I struggled a bit with The First Luisa Rey Mystery because it was so terribly cliched. The entire thing reminded me of a bad movie. The Ghastly Ordeal of Timothy Cavendish didn't really affect me one way or another. I quite enjoyed The Orison of Sonmi-451. I love dystopian literature and comparing different futures. This one gave me more food for thought. I also had trouble with Sloosha's Crossing, mostly because of the colloquial style of the language, and because it was the middle section, it was unbroken so I didn't even get a break from it! There were a few major themes running throughout all of the stories: reincarnation (the comet-shaped birthmark), betrayal, inequality, imprisonment, and the progress of mankind through the ages and the struggles of minorities to gain acceptance and freedom. I know I've said a few bad things about this book and I think ultimately that the whole was greater than the sum of its parts, but overall it was an enjoyable experience,. It's definitely a very ambitious novel for anyone to undertake, and I think David Mitchell did really well linking the various stories together. Recommended. Started: 1 September 2007 Finished: 11 September 2007 Cloud Atlas (at librarything.com)

I've finally finished reading Cloud Atlas. I'll just answer the questions for now and maybe add some more general comments later. 1. Who was your favourite character and why? Robert Frobisher, hands down. His letters were comical and I thought he was a loveable cad. 2. Was there a particular part you enjoyed/disliked more than the rest? Letters from Zedelghem was my favourite section (Robert Frobisher's letters). I thought this was the most well-written and enjoyable section. The sections I liked least were Sloosha's Crossing and The First Luisa Rey Mystery. The former was difficult to read and not that much seemed to be happening until the end; I thought the Luisa Rey storyline seemed very cliched (maybe I've watched too much 24 or something!). 3. Was this the first book you've read in this genre/by this author, has it encouraged you to read more? First book by this author. Undecided as to whether I will read any more of his work; I won't be rushing out to buy every other book he's written. 4. Were there any parts/ideas you struggled with? I struggled with Adam Ewing's Journal at first. I think I've already mentioned that I thought this was a difficult section to lead into the book. Struggled with Sloosha's Crossing a bit too, mostly because of the colloquial style of the language, and because it was the middle section, it was unbroken so I didn't even get a break from it! 5. Overall, was reading the book an enjoyable experience? Yes, it was. I definitely enjoyed some sections more than others (I guess that's always going to be a problem in a book that's made up of such completely different stories), but I enjoyed picking up on the little 'clues' linking the stories together. I also enjoyed the closing comments of Adam Ewing's Journal/the book.

Hey, hey, we're all friends here, aren't we? Let's not lose sight of the original thread (how great it is that kids still want to read books!)

Probably on my bed. I love reading on the lounge but my family is usually around and the TV is on. I prefer quiet if possible. I look forward to getting a place of my own because I want to get one of those really comfy lounges that you sink into (and probably can't get out of again! )

Yes, I've read both Boy and Going Solo. I particularly enjoyed the latter; what a remarkable life he led!