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The End of Mr Y by Scarlett someone.

You can borrow my copy if you like.

A clever piece about a PhD student who comes across a secret to do with her ex profressor and goes back in time via some weird concoction and solves a mystery and it's brilliant and I started reading it again as soon as I finished!


I am also following this thread for ideas. I have a week in France coming up with no internet connection and probably not even vodafone either. The book needs to be fabulous...!

I second 'One Day'.


Penny Vincenzi's latest is an excellent beach read apart from it's a bit heavy to hold (I think it's called The Best of Times' or something like that). If you'd like something naff and entertaining Harriet Evans' 'A Hopeless Romantic' is harmless fun although the first chapters were a bit slow. 'A Spring Affair' by Milly Johnson was excellent froth, better than Harriet.


I think the best beach read ever is Penny Vincenzi's 'The spoils of time' trilogy. Oh, so addictive. In the unlikely event that you've never read 'Cloud Atlas' my David Mitchell that is an excellent book as well.


I can't help but mention my favourite book, Norwegian Wood by Haruki Murakami. I reckon it could just about scrape in as a beach read :))

Ooh, Murakami, good shout - I think I've read all of his, but might trawl the list to make sure.


One Day, I've never even heard of, let alone read, so I will definitely take a look. Although you should know Sean, that being a contrary sort, much like your good self, I have never read Captain Corelli's Mandolin, so everyone else's reading it is something of a turn off.


Notes from an Exhibition I have read and enjoyed, but you're right Citizen, I think it might have lacked the element of froth, of joie de vivre I'm hoping for.


PR, just looked up The End of Mr Y, and this from the Indie: "I don't know any other book that has made me, or anyone, simultaneously ponder the mating logistics of rodents, turn-of-the-century homeopathy and the consequences of time travel." Sounds brilliant and bonkers.

Apathy For The Devil - Nick Kent.

The Hollywood Omnibus - PG Wodehouse.

The Very Best Of Linda Smith.

Watch Your Back - Donald E. Westlake (in fact any of his 'Dortmunder' novels, actually any of his books at all).

Any of the 'Burglar' novels by Lawrence Block.

The Beatles - Hunter Davies (the fourtieth anniversary edition).

All of the 'Hitler' books - Spike Milligan.


I reckon these'll keep the balance between compulsively readable and not being so nauseating as to have to 'appear' on a daytime chatshow or Vanessa Phelps's radio Saturday love-in/shitefestival.


These are books that'll make you look like you 'know a bit' and that you might have 'half an idea' about various things and suchlike, but won't stop anyone coming up and asking 'Fancy a beer'?

Don't know about your good self RosieH, but that's really the only reason I read in public.


Let me know how you get on.

You're not wrong there Honnie. I spent a whole summer in the South of France trying to read Satre's Age of Reason in the belief it might give me some french lady action...in reality dear old Stephanie from Dundee wouldn't have given a shite if it had been Archer....although I have fond memories (of Steph not Satre).

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> You're not wrong there Honnie. I spent a whole

> summer in the South of France trying to read

> Satre's Age of Reason in the belief it might give

> me some french lady action...in reality dear old

> Stephanie from Dundee wouldn't have given a shite

> if it had been Archer....although I have fond

> memories (of Steph not Satre).


Quids, I bet when Steph approached you it was the 'Hell, it's another people' line that hooked her.

Never fails to make one look strangely interesting, that.

???? Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I feel we're missing an opportunity for a

> "Dickens" joke...can someone please set it up?


Q. What might the stage name be of a late 19th century orphan who flees a life of crime, gets set up with a kindly old fellow and then pursues his lifelong ambition of being a world-class contortionist?

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