RCee

I am nearly finished now - only a 100+ pages to go and it has been really very good. It is a good mystery/whodunnit and makes you think a bit. I have been thoroughly enjoying it so far.

Oh I am with you on this one!! I sometiems think I need to wear protective gear going into Tescos.

Any man over the age of 22 wearing skinny jeans. I know I shouldn't be bothered by fashion but it's just wrong to see a 35 year old with a beer gut wearing skinny jeans

If it is really bad I will stop reading it, usually before I reach 70-80 pages. If I have gone further into the book than that I will usually finish it as I have already invested so much time.

The Greatest Love Story...well, Gone with the Wind was the first book that popped in my mind. I also think Jane Eyre and Rebecca should have a place in that list. I am also going to mention my favourite Austen, Emma.

I voted: I haven't read and don't intend to which is more or less true.I started it and got to about page 80 and couldn't go any further. It just wasn't for me, sorry Twilight-ers!

OMG, I so do not want to read that book sarascareermail!!

Welcome to the forum Kevin!! I studied German for a year at University and loved it! It is a wonderful language to learn though sadly, I have forgotten most of it now.

It depends on how much time I have to read and the type of book I am reading. If it is 'junk food' I can finish it in a couple of days. Same can be said if it is a really really exciting and races along - then I will race along with it and read it in no time. If it is an involved or fairly literary I tend to take longer, wanting to read every word and not skim anything - those types can take a couple of weeks. I don't read quickly, either, so if I haven't a lot of time to sit and read I will also take much longer to get through a book. The longest read of the year so far was The Crimson Petal and the White and the quickest read of the year was Hide by Lisa Gardner which I read in a day.

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen 2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien 3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte 4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling 5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee 6 The Bible - 7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte 8 1984 - George Orwell 9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman 10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens 11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott 12 Tess of the D

I will do and so far I am really enjoying it. The first 100 pages just flew by (when I had time to read - life has been a bit hectic lately!).

That made me laugh Bookjumper - it is certainly one way to look at it! I read this as an idealistic and romantic 19 year old and loved it. I am woondering if I wouldn't feel like this now almost 20 years later

I started this a couple of days ago and actually had a chance to sit and read today. It has started out very intriguing and I am sure it is going to be a highlight read of the year. This is Waterstones synopsis: Forty years ago, Harriet Vanger disappeared off the secluded island owned and inhabited by the powerful Vanger family. There was no corpse, no witnesses, no evidence. But her uncle, Henrik, is convinced that she was murdered by someone in her own family - the deeply dysfunctional Vanger clan. Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomqvist is hired to investigate, but when he links Harriet's disappearance to a string of gruesome murders from forty years ago, he needs a competent assistant - and he gets one: computer hacker Lisbeth Salander - a tattoed, truculent, angry girl who rides a motorbike like a Hell's Angel and handles makeshift weapons with the skill born of remorseless rage. This unlikely pair form a fragile bond as they delve into the sinister past of this island-bound, tightly-knit family. But the Vangers are a secretive lot, and Mikael and Lisbeth are about to find out just how far they're prepared to go to protect themselves - and each other. Also, amazon have it on special if anyone is thinking of buying it: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Girl-Dragon-Tattoo-Stieg-Larsson/dp/1847245455/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1248035701&sr=1-1 The one thing that took some time to figure out were the chapter references. For instance: Chapter 4 Monday, 23.xii - Thursday 26.xii It refers to Monday 23 Dec - Thursday 26 December. I think I must be getting old because that only occured to me after about 120 odd pages and it was driving me nuts!

I'm making egg fried rice and a stir fry tonight.

Oh me too! I would call it my favourite vegetable but my OH thinks that is really weird. I have even had lettuce sandwiches before and loved them. I have a friend who swears iceburg lettuce is the perfect hangover remedy though I am not so sure myself

I do that! I LOVE lettuce, especially the packets of all sorts of different leaves. I will stir them into pasta with a bit of balsamic vinegar and a bit of grated parmesan. Sounds weird but it is really yummy! Well yummy if you like lettuce and balsamic that is

The tomato soup I make (and had for dinner tonight) is low fat and very healthy. It is store cupboard soup and I will often leave out the herbs if I haven't got fresh or I will substitue for thyme or parsley if that is all I have. Also, the milk or creme fraiche just give it a nice colour and make it a bit more fullfilling. It is also my husband's favourite soup! 2 small/1 large carrot, diced small 1 large onion, diced small 1 stick celery, diced small 2 small/1 large clove garlic 2 14oz cans tomatoes a handful fresh basil or fresh oregano (or if you haven't got it, leave it out) 1/2-1 tablespoon olive oil (as desired) teaspoon of vegetable stock granules or one cube water 2 dessertspoons half fat creme fraiche OR milk poured into one of the cans to measure half way up the can salt and pepper and pinch of sugar parmesan shavings (optional to make lower in fat but they taste very nice!) Heat the oil and added the carrot, onion and celery. Cook with the lid on about 5 minutes till the onion is soft and the celery and carrot are beginning to soften. Add the garlic and cook another 2 minutes, but don't let anythig brown. Add the toms and about half a can of water with the stock granules. Simmer about 20 minutes or so till the veg is soft. Chop the herbs and add about half to the pot about 5 minutes before it is done. Take the pot off the heat and blitz everything (I use a hand held blender but if you are doing in a normal blender or processor you need to do it in batches). Put back on a very low heat and if it is too thick add a bit more water. Taste and season with salt, peper and pinch of sugar. Stir in the milk or creme fraiche and heat - don't boil if using milk. Check the seasoning again and serve with shavings of parmesan. Oh yeah and it is a really cheap meal too so won't break the bank!

Oh lovely! I have almost no sun in my garden so I can only manage toms in pots though I have had a couple of patio cucumbers in a pot this year.

I am an Italian Chief Inspector who has just solve the mystery of the man murdered in the lift of an apartment building.

Sounds so yummy and spuds from your garden! Only a little jealous

Homemade tomato soup and some crusty bread.

I read this in two sittings and cried my eyes out. A piece of advice for anyonegoing to read this: make sure you have a big box of tissues close by!

I am glad you enjoyed it! I really love his stories and Plum Island is my favourite. Try and get hold of Charm School as well, it is an earlier one but really good.

Welcome Fi, hope you enjoy the forum. It's a great place!

How about Gollum? I remember hating him, especially in The Hobbit. I felt sorry for him in LOTR, at least until the spider's lair. Creepy, creepy....