Roland Butter

Vanished Kingdoms sounds a really good book. Foyles had signed copies for sale just before Christmas, and I was sorely tempted, but I decided to wait for the paperback instead - it's a bit of a whopper. I look forward to hearing your thoughts.

I think I've mentioned it before here, but Diane Atkinson's Elsie and Mairi Go To War is the story of two nurses who worked right up in the front line on the Western Front. It's an excellent read for anyone interested in an unusual human story. On a similar theme, Sisters in Arms by Nicola Tyrer is the story of the Queen Alexandra's Royal Army Nursing Corps, and well worth a read.

Jim Thompson is one of the very best noir writers, isn't he? The Grifters is one of my favourite crime stories of all - there's a film version which is quite well known, but the actual story beats it hands down.

If you mean the book edited by Ben Weinreb and Christopher Hibbert, then yes, I've had a copy of that for about as long as I can remember. It's well worth the investment if you have any interest in London at all. It's exactly what it sounds like, a straight up-and-down encyclopaedia, and whether you use it to look up something particular or just dip in and out of it, it's a fascinating book. Go for it!

Yes, Gillian Tindall's book is a fascinating "journey through history" type of book. And the house is still there to be seen, as well.

This is the time of year when results go notoriously awry in semi-professional football, Sedge - you should know that by now!

In our house? It'll be League, poppy, you know that! (It's actually a quote my son started using a while back. Apparently it's from The Simpsons)

The Welsh Girl is an excellent book, Chrissy. I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

Funnily enough, I ate in Bill's in Lewes last week - fun, but manic! If I'd seen this sooner I'd have suggested Delia, but Bill looks pretty sound too.

Kim and Aggie's Cleaning Bible? In the name of high school football what sort of birthday present is THAT???!!! Who bought you that???

That's a book I've meant to read for a long time but never got round to. I'd be interested to know what you think of it.

You've not been around for a while, Tiger, have you? Welcome back! How's your Mum?

Yes, you and I seem to have eerily similar tastes, Sue ... Oh, and Alexander Baron's The Lowlife is another one you'd like. Have you read any Patrick Hamilton?

Have a look at Mud by Hillary Jordan, or almost anything by Daniel Woodrell - perhaps Winter's Bone or, if you're feeling generous (and you really, really love her ) The Bayou Trilogy.

Yes, London Belongs To Me is a great book. If you're interested in this sort of stuff (and I'm a sucker for books on London low-life myself), London Books is a small publishing house which has re-issued some classic stuff from the same era by the likes of Gerald Kersh, James Curtis and Bob Westerby (www.london-books.co.uk is their website).

I read The Fatal Shore a very, very long time ago - around 20 years, at a guess. It's very good, although I imagine you'll be familiar with most of the ground it covers, Kylie. The Kelly Gang is also excellent, although it's written in an odd style - it's Carey's imagining of how a semi-literate Irish-Aussie rogue might have spoken, and if it works for you, you'll love the book. If it doesn't work for you, though, you'll find it hard work.

That's just gone on my Christmas list. What I most remember is wondering if we'd get through the Reagan-Thatcher era without the Third (and what would definitely have been the last) World War!

Yes, I saw that result. Are Culter local to you, then? (Sorry, Scottish geography isn't exactly one of my strong points! I still haven't managed to find the towns of Raith and Albion on the map ). I remember thinking it was a good result - non-league sides very rarely get anything off the pro teams in Scotland, do they, and Partick are a decent side. I noticed there was an 11-0 yesterday, and it reminded me that, a few years back, someone got beaten 20-0 by one of the professional clubs in the Cup.

Good review, Claire. It was a book I thoroughly enjoyed, and I'm pleased you liked it too.

I just checked, and I still have my copy of Hedgehog. It's in pretty good nick, so I'm happy to pass it on to you if you'd like it, Kell. It's only going to the charity shop otherwise. PM me if you're interested.

Hedgehog is definitely a good one, Kell - not the fastest-paced book in the world, but it's beautifully written (and, presumably, translated!).