Harry Potter + Books in general

[A911DOM]

have you read the books?

did you enjoy them?

I feel slightly embarressed admitting to having read the first 4 books but found them totally engrossing, and if Im honest it was these books that introduced me back to the relaxing pleasures of reading after several years gap.

Has anyone read the most recent book? Ive been trying to get Amazon to load the pages all day and just cant get anywhere - at this rate Im going to have to give up and go to Asda on the way home....urrrrggghhhh.

Ive just finished Jeremy Clarksons latest book too, it was quite amusing in parts but found it lacked substance really.

Anyone got any recommendations for an engrossing (but not too challenging) read?

[nervous]

donna leons books are good, and you cant go far wrong with agatha christie or conan doyle, or hg wells for that matter.

also, to kill a mockingbird is the greatest book of all time. as is catch 22. read both of them.

also, all marke steele's books are hilarious.

oo, and bill bryson too, i read those over and over.

[dmitsi]

nervous said:

to kill a mockingbird is the greatest book of all time. as is catch 22.

Make up your mind.

[A911DOM]

nervous said:

donna leons books are good, and you cant go far wrong with agatha christie or conan doyle, or hg wells for that matter. also, to kill a mockingbird is the greatest book of all time. as is catch 22. read both of them. also, all marke steele's books are hilarious. oo, and bill bryson too, i read those over and over.

Jees, hold on there big fella - it'll take me another decade to get through that lot!!

[jimothy]

I read books at a rate of 1 or 2 a week at least (thanks to train journeys).

I've got all the Harry Potter books and love them - nothing to be embarassed about especially after seeing the number of people on the trains every day reading them whenever a new one comes out. The latest one is great, especially if you like conspiracy theories. There's whole web pages devoted to the shock ending.

I agree with the Bryson recomendation. I'd also recomend Pratchett's discworld novels if you like fantasy and a giggle...

[nervous]

dmitsi said:

nervous said: to kill a mockingbird is the greatest book of all time. as is catch 22. Make up your mind.

i have. both of them. im in two minds.

[kalman]

I found both '1984' and 'Animal Farm' by Orwell interesting and relevant reads, as is 'Brave New World' by Huxley. I like a good chuckle I do.

[staceyb]

Jodi Picoult's books are good with unbelivable twists all the way through them.

I tend to stick to biog's or autobiog's much more interesting to me, A Child Called It by Dave Pelzer is an amazing book and there are ones that follow it on in the series.

[nervous]

kalman said:

I found both '1984' and 'Animal Farm' by Orwell interesting and relevant reads, as is 'Brave New World' by Huxley. I like a good chuckle I do.

or, just take warm milk and a handful of nytol before bed. it has the same net effect.

[nervous]

kalman said:

I found both '1984' by Orwell interesting and relevant reads

if i havent read the first 1983 parts will i still be able to understand it?

[dmitsi]

nervous said:

i have. both of them. im in two minds.

That's ok then, carry on.

I've not read the Harry Potter books, but anything that encourages people to read is a good thing.
I recently read The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco, I wouldn't have chosen it myself (a gift) but it was a really interesting read. Fantastic story if a little heavy.

[Plotloss]

Other than Douglas Adams I dont do stories.

Love factual stuff and auto/biographies.

[Nick P]

i like the sun...it has nice pictures.

[dmitsi]

kalman said:

I found both '1984' and 'Animal Farm' by Orwell interesting and relevant reads, as is 'Brave New World' by Huxley. I like a good chuckle I do.

Have you read The Island by Huxley? Another great book.

[nervous]

dmitsi said:

I recently read The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco, I wouldn't have chosen it myself (a gift) but it was a really interesting read. Fantastic story if a little heavy.

eco's work on james bond is fascinating.

[dmitsi]

nervous said:

dmitsi said: I recently read The Island of the Day Before by Umberto Eco, I wouldn't have chosen it myself (a gift) but it was a really interesting read. Fantastic story if a little heavy. eco's work on james bond is fascinating.

I've not sampled that, how did the translation from Italian go?

[grass widow]

I've read all of the Harry Potter books, and I'm looking forward to the next one. Also like Tolkeins Hobbit and LOTR his unfinished stories that his son published after his death is good.

And I read all of the Narnia books not so long ago as well, took me back to being a kid.

[nervous]

well, i could understand it, so it must be okay.

[TheLemming]

A911DOM said:

have you read the books? did you enjoy them? I feel slightly embarressed admitting to having read the first 4 books but found them totally engrossing, and if Im honest it was these books that introduced me back to the relaxing pleasures of reading after several years gap. Has anyone read the most recent book? Ive been trying to get Amazon to load the pages all day and just cant get anywhere - at this rate Im going to have to give up and go to Asda on the way home....urrrrggghhhh. Ive just finished Jeremy Clarksons latest book too, it was quite amusing in parts but found it lacked substance really. Anyone got any recommendations for an engrossing (but not too challenging) read?

I've always thought that the Potter books were an unchallenging and engrossing read, and genuinely enjoyed the, but I was and ontinue to be aghast at the massive fanbase accumulated by something thats basically a rip-off of "the worst witch".

I dont think there is an original concept in there, but the story is told well.

Rowling commented that "She didnt realise she was writing fantasy until she was mid-way through the book".

Pratchett replied with "I would have thought that the wizards, dragons, goblins and magic gave it away"...

She's outsold him ten to one in a true triumph of marketing hype over true comedy and literary genius.

If you havent read any of Terry Pratchett's work, do so immediately and be prepared to die laughing if your sense of humour is aligned closely enough to his (My Dad and I find them hysterical, my mother and sisters cant stand them... its love it or hate it stuff.)

[alexkp]

Reading is one of life's greatest pleasures.

Anyone who doesn't read books regularly is truly missing out.


I read almost constantly, and find it hard to imagine life any other way.