General Chat

What kind of books do people here read? I am really into most books by Philippa Gregory right now, especially the historical ones. But I love the classics too..... just can't stand some of them like that annoying Thomas Hardy! LOL Chloe

Hi Chloe, Jack Higgins, Frederick Forsyth, Tom Clancy for starters! Philip

chloe i love josephine cox,i cant get enough of her books lol susie

My favouite author at the moment is Tom Slemen. He writes true paranormal stories told to him from people around the Northwest. Great books.

Historical (auto)biographies. I'm reading about John Wesley at the mo.

Patricia Cornwall, John Grisham, James Patterson, Barbara Taylor Bradford, Danielle Steel - just a few of the authors on my book shelves!!

Hi Chloe Catherine Cookson and Maeve Binchy' not doing a lot of reading at the moment as I'm into Jigsaws and chatting with you guys. Julia

I don't read as much as I should. I do like Nick Horby's style of writing though (although what the hell as "How to be good" about ?). At the moment I'm reading a very interesting book on the differences between the sexes and how much of it is genetic, called "Why Men don't listen, and why women can' read maps"

Hi Chloe - any crime novel is good for me - I like a good murder! Ian Rankin, Patricia Cornwell, Frances Fyfield, Ruth Rendell, P.D. James, Sara Paretsky etc etc Terry Pratchett's early books - later ones not so funny I think Bill Bryson John Grisham -especially loved The Painted House which is not one of his 'legal' novels Bernard Knight - Crowner John series Not enough room here to list them all - I read anything and everything

You must have read The Queens Fool. Very good so far but only half way through. Is'nt Phillipa Gregory also Jean Plaidy? Jo.

Have become increasingly interested in thrillers at the moment! Books I have read recently are.....Patricia Cornwell - Post Mortem, Martina Cole - the Ladykiller (just fantastic!!!), Michael Weaver - Impulse and last night I read from cover to cover...Nikki French - Beneath the Skin! Couldnt put it down and didnt get to bed till 3am! Other than that.....Danielle Steel, Barbara Taylor Bradford and the occasional smattering of biographies and autobiographies. Think I need to rejoin a library at this rate! Jill x

ooo I like Thomas Hardy !!! Always mean to read more 'classics'. Faves are Stephen King, Janet Evanovich, Kathy Reichs - all sorts of gory and murder mystery stuff. I also like biography and travel based non-fiction books and humorous fiction. The thing I can't bear is Mills and Boon - predictable and sloppy, not my sort of thing at all! Oh and Family History books of course ..... ! Maz. XX

We're all bookworms in this house, bookcases and shelves in every available space! I have slightly limited concentration due to ME, so I can't manage anything too heavy, but I love all the new female Irish authors - Cathy Kelly, Patricia Scanlan, etc and of course Maeve Binchy. Hate anything too sloppy like Mills and Boon, but also like Bill Bryson. If I really can't concentrate, I listen to lighthearted stuff on tape - Gervaise Phinn with his school inspector stories is brilliant. Mandy :)

I am addicted to reading and when I can't hold a book in my hands - ie when I'm cooking, I have books on tape. This year I really enjoyed "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nightime", "Peyton Place" (missed out the first time around) several Reginald Hill Dalziel & Pascoe books, Terry Pratchett, Ian Rankin. Adored "I capture the Castle" as holiday reading last year. Non-fiction - at the moment I am enthralled by Antarctic explorers and am reading a lot about Scott, Shackleton etc. All time favourite: Jane Austen. Now I've discovered my gt gt grand uncle was a madman who murdered a woman in 1862 I am planning to write my own book about it! Helen

Mary Jane Staples Phillipa Gregory Kathy Reichs Bill Bryson Josephine Cox Barbara Erskine Virginia Andrews - her early books not the ones by ghost writers

James Herbert, Stephen King, Peter Straub, Dean Koontz, etc etc etc.

Maeve Binchy Phillipa Gregory Lesley Pearce (Never Look Back a particular favourite) Mary Jane Staples Charlotte Bingham