They are gorgeous, hardest bit is rationing myself

Bernie'll be in for a good slap when you see him then

biggest bitch slap he's ever had I reckon. I might even drink 4 litres of Buckfast first, just to get the full benefit

Ooooh I'll bring the camera!! He'll have to buy a lot of knickers now to redeem himself won't he! I put pics of the twiglet supply on facebook - bet you won't do that if he buys you your knickers

I'll have a wee peek at the Twiglets pics!

Jus finished Doloros Claiborne by Stephen King - I loved it, a fabulous book!

Now starting 'Galilee' by Clive Barker.

I love Clive Barker - I re-read The Books of Blood a couple of months ago and they were still great.

I'm about half way through The Passage by Justin Cronin. Very strange book. Very good so far (although it did lose its way about a quarter of the way through, but not for long) but an odd story

Clive Barker has always been one of my fav authors, toss up atween him and Stephen King.

Anything by bill bryson, love the style and facts contained in his books.
Just read shantaram and enjoyed it very much.

Just finished 'Gallillee', another fab Barker book.

What next? Any suggestions?

Husband surrpised me yesterday sending me out to buy a new book! Most excellent as my "to read" pile was getting dangerously low, actually it comprised of one book, which I read years ago anyway, so it was a timely treat

I decided, perhaps somewhat rashly, to follow some of the recommendations from this thread and have bought a Bryce Courtenay book, The Potato Factory. I do enjoy series of books and I saw that there were three in the series, hence that one. Hope it's a goodun or I might be looking sternly over the top of my glasses, grandma styleee at some of you!

At the moment I'm still on a Jasper Fforde kick and am up to "Something Rotten" in the Thursday Next series. They're very silly but extremely enjoyable. It's not often I sit giggling when I read but his books have that effect.

I've got it but haven't picked it up yet, hubby loved it.

Potato Factory is just brilliant, I never get tired of re-reading it! It'll probably also give you a taste to visit Tassie as the descriptions are so realistic, even after so many years........


.....the sky was soon a clean high blue, somewhat darker than the tropical skies, and colder, a touch of ice in its high dome. Now as they stood on the deck they observed a town of quite harmonious appearance. Built on the waters edge and rising steeply back from the Government wharf, Hobart contained many well constructed buildings of stone and brick, and its streets were straight and broad. Several large native trees, saved from the builders axe, gave the town an appearance of permanence which belied its recent development. It was then that Mary, her eyes adjusted to the spring sunshine, glanced well beyond the waterfront to where Hobart Town climbed upon an even steeper slope, and saw the mountain. It rose into the ice-blue sky fully four thousand feet above her, its great rounded dome covered in late snow. She had seen the parrots fly over her head, and now she had been given the gift of the great mountain. .................

Evening has a short stay in Hobart Town, a soft, still, light that squeezes in between day and night as the great mountain sucks the last splash of sun into its rounded belly. Far below the wide river lies flat, like a sheet of tin, and the hills on its distant shore grow smoky and vague to the eye. Then night comes quickly, as though there should be a clap of thunder to accompany such wizardry.
It is as if the town sits in the hollow of a great hand which snaps its malicious fingers shut and crushes it into darkness. Voices grow still, dogs cease to bark and the wash of the incoming tide slaps hard and cold to the ear.
And then a silver glow rises across the river and comes to dance upon the fist of blackness and, as though cajoled by the light, the hand opens slowly to the candle of a rising moon. New stars pin themselves to the cold high firmament and the night in Hobart Town is begun."

Thats Hobart, the one city in Aus I feel at home in


==========================

I spent part of the flight to London on Jump!,the new Jilly Cooper, just as good as the previous ones

The rest of the flight I was re-reading an old fave, Initiate, by Louise Cooper (no relation as far as I know!) -= part of the Time Lord trilogy with Outcast and Master. Anyone who likes believable science fantasy combined with a beautiful (but not soppy) love story should look out for them, probably only available second hand now, but well worth it.

She has another series too, called Indigo, about a kind of Pandora's Box scenario. Seven books in that, again a very powerful series, and a great read.

Well I've just finished the Potato Factory and I really really enjoyed it! Trouble is I want to read the next 2 now and I have no more money for books at the moment - dammit! Just need to hope that somebody gives me a job soon so I can finance my reading habit