Maggie Dana

Having loved the stage production of "Wicked," I expected to love the book, but I didn't. In fact, I gave up after 100 pages. I was so disappointed, especially after reading one of the author's books for young children (cannot for the life of me remember its name) but it was hilarious. Had me laughing out loud, so I had great expectations for Wicked.

I grew up in the UK but moved to the States many years ago. Based on cruising the web, libraries in the UK have certainly changed over the years since I've been gone. Memories of my old local library are dusty tomes on dust-covered shelves, stern librarians who disliked kids, and a general sense of doom and gloom. It was so unpleasant, I rarely went, even though I was an avid reader. The library where I live (small town in Connecticut) just had a major facelift, but from what I'm hearing, it's not a patch on some of the UK's libraries. Anyone care to weigh in with their library's good (and bad) points?

I feel it's a little presumptuous to list 20 books that people should read. No matter who comes up with such a list, it'll be anything but subjective. No doubt The Bible and the complete works of Shakespeare would feature highly on one person's list; Harry Potter and Twilight on another; with Proust and Plato gracing yet another. It's a no-win situation. Our reading tastes, thank goodness, are all over the map and nobody's going to agree on those amorphous 20 books. Perhaps a better approach, and one less likely to raise ire and eyebrows, would be "Top 20 books" or "BCF's Top Twenty for 2XXX." Far as I'm concerned, I think everyone should read.

This sounds fascinating. Something else to add to my wish list. Is this published in the UK, the US ... both?

Thank you again, everyone, for making me feel welcome. This is a great site. Nothing like hanging about with people who LOVE to read. With all the other distractions these days, I'm so pleased to have found this group. I worry people will eventually give up reading in favour of the web, film, tv, iPods, and whatever gadgets come along next. How does everyone feel about the Kindle and its ilk?

This one is next on my TBR pile. I've read all of Bryson's other books and have loved them all, especially I'm a Stranger Here Myself and Notes from a Small Island.

An excellent review of an excellent book. Chimera, you've captured, perfectly, the essence of Obama's memoir. I read it after reading Audacity of Hope and they provide insightful portraits of a complex and brilliant man. He's not only a great leader and politician, he's also a great writer.

I've read them all. His collection of newspaper articles that were pulled into a book, I'm a Stranger Here Myself, had me howling. So did Notes from a Small Island, and his Walk in the Woods got me all fired up to hike the Appalachian Trail. Luckily, my enthusiasm didn't last long. I'd never survive in the wild without an electric fan and my memory-foam mattress.

What did I enjoy about Water for Elephants? EVERYTHING, not least of which, the author is a friend and we emailed frequently as she was writing this novel. At one point she sequestered herself in a closet to get away from her three small boys and numerous pets in order to finish it. I read it first in manuscript, then as a finished book, and I just got through listening to it on CD. It's gritty and a little dark, but never depressing. When I first heard about the story from Sara, I wasn't sure I'd be interested in reading it. A circus? In the Depression? And if we hadn't been friends, I might have given it a miss, but I'm glad I didn't. It's a remarkable story, well-written with likable, believable characters, and a realistic slice of history to boot. I recommend it highly.

Forgot to add Bill Bryson to my list of favorite non-fiction reads. He's a funny guy, and just as nice in person as he is in print.

For fiction, I enjoy Jodi Picoult, Joanna Trollope, Elizabeth Buchan, Lee Child (oops, how'd he get in among the women's fiction??), Jeanne Ray, Mil Millington, John LeCarre, Elizabeth Berg (may as well mix 'em all up, just to keep it interesting), Frederic Forsyth, Ken Follett ... and Mo Willems, an incredibly funny American writer of kids' books My non-fiction tastes run to 20-century history (especially WWII and the BoB), aviation, U.S. politics, espionage (think Bletchley Park, Enigma, the Cambridge Spies), biography, anything to do with Edward R. Murrow ... and specifically, I've recently enjoyed The Audacity of Hope by Barack Obama, Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen, and Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed by Mo Willems

I'd class Marian Keyes as chick-lit, but not Jodi Picoult, but they both write under the big umbrella of women's fiction, and while I'm sure some men read Picoult (and maybe even Keyes), they're probably few and far between. Picoult confronts tough issues in her novels, and while she may sometimes produce an ending that disappoints her readers, she is prodigious and thorough with her research into topics many writers (myself included) wouldn't presume to tackle. Definitely not, IMHO, chick lit.

Has anyone here read I DON'T KNOW HOW SHE DOES IT by Alison Pearson? Of the chic-lit books I've read, that one is still my favourite by a long shot. I'm just sorry she hasn't written any others. I'm new here (just joined today) and fumbling my way around, asking questions and hopefully not tripping over my feet. Do you consider novels by Joanna Trollope and Elizabeth Buchan to be chick-lit/women's fiction, or would you categorise them as plain old fiction? I ask because I see Jodi Picoult's novels discussed under 'fiction'; also one of Nora Roberts's books, and I think of her as definitely women's fiction, moreso than Jodi Picoult, I suppose it all comes down to who's actually reading the books. If men read them, are they automatically reclassified as 'fiction' rather than 'women's fiction,' and who on earth is keeping count? That said, my introduction to both Elizabeth Berg and Joanna Trollope came via the recommendation of two male readers. I often wonder if they put brown paper wrappers on these authors' books while reading them on their morning train commute.

When I joined this forum today, I thought it was pretty much all UK-based, which is why I mentioned being 'from across the pond.' But now, reading posts and seeing that members come from all four corners, I'm feeling a bit silly. And in case anyone's wondering which pond I was referring to, it's the one out back full of tadpoles and green gummy stuff.

Thanks, everyone, for the warm welcome. It can be a bit intimidating, stepping into a new forum, wondering where to go first and hoping to meet someone along the road who enjoys the same sorts of books. One good thing, besides the friendly people, is that I'm familiar with this particular online format, so I'm not having trouble negotiating the highways and byways ... yet! But give me time. I'm sure to figure out a way to mess up.

Hi: After a rocky start wherein Michelle had to step in to slay the gremlins that were preventing me from signing up, I'm finally here. This looks like a great place to discuss books and favorite authors, and I can't wait to get dug in. I grew up in England, but have lived in States for many years, and I spend so much time at my local library, they've offered me a bed in the corner. Am now off to explore the forum. Maggie