Ooshie

Kirsty Gunn

Hard Rain

Soothing...

I read about 150 pages of The Earth is the Lord's by Taylor Caldwell (the story of Genghis Khan), and the introduction to Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman.

They sound worthy inheritors of the spaces you made in your bookshelves, frankie! (A Jeffrey Deaver novel that's a bit like John Grisham? That might make it onto my shelf, too!)

Blot...

My Jamaican Guy - Grace Jones

Sorry, are you talking to me or her?

The State of the Art by Iain M Banks

Pen.....

My Guy - Mary Wells

I have (but not very well!) Never have I ever had my hair done at the hairdresser without thinking "It will look nice once I have washed it"

Catherine Cookson

Destry Rides Again

Well, I lost 4 pounds in my first week, so I am very pleased with that, especially since my planned walking didn't happen due to the horrible weather

Splashing...

Running With The Night - Lionel Ritchie

Old Dogs

Louis de Bernieres

Giants of the Frost - Kim Wilkins

I read Small is Beautiful by E F Schumacher years ago, and it had quite an effect on me; not a new book though, I'm afraid, it was first published in 1973. Blurb Small is Beautiful looks at the economic structure of the Western world in a revolutionary way. For Dr Schumacher maintains that Man's current pursuit of profit and progress, which promotes giant organisations and increased specialisation, has in fact resulted in gross economic inefficiency, environmental pollution and inhumane working conditions. Dr Schumacher challenges the doctrine of economic, technological and scientific specialisation and proposes a system of Intermediate Technology, based on smaller working units, communal ownership, and regional workplaces utilising local labour and resources. With the emphasis on the person not the product, Small is Beautiful points the way to a world in which Capital serves Man instead of Man remaining a slave to Capital.

Looked up a word I hadn't come across today - persiflage. I jotted it down while I was reading and looked it up later. (It means light, good-natured talk or banter.)

The Shack by Wm Paul Young On a family camping trip, Mack and Nan Philips' youngest daughter Missy was kidnapped and there is evidence found at an abandoned shack which suggests she has been murdered by a serial killer, although her body has not been found. Several years later, Mack receives a note (which seems to be from God) which invites him to visit the shack. His wife has a trip planned, so he goes ahead with the visit, not sure what to expect - and what he finds is: I had never heard of this book until my dad gave it to me the other day; he and my mother had both loved it and thought I would find it interesting. Reading reviews on Amazon and BCF had made me a bit wary of it, and I didn't really enjoy the first part of the book much. But once Mack reached the shack, I very quickly came to enjoy it - my parents thought my 15 year old might enjoy it as well, and I will be recommending him to try it (he doesn't do much reading, though, so I'm not sure whether he will). I'm sure I will read it again some time, too.

I had never heard of this book until my dad gave it to me the other day; he and my mother had both loved it and thought I would find it interesting. Reading reviews on Amazon and BCF had made me a bit wary of it, and I didn't really enjoy the first part of the book much. But once Mack reached the shack, I very quickly came to enjoy it - my parents thought my 15 year old might enjoy it as well, and I will be recommending him to try it (he doesn't do much reading, though, so I'm not sure whether he will). I'm sure I will read it again some time, too.

How about The Saga of the Exiles series by Julian May, or the Foundation series by Isaac Asimov? Although I haven't actually read any of the books you mention, so I can only recommend them because I enjoyed them; I don't know if they are similar in any way to the books you have liked. But if you fancy a change from fantasy or sci-fi, gax23 is right, Wilbur Smith does write a good adventure!