I've just started "The Poisonwood Bible" by Barbera Kingsolver, really just a couple of chapters in so too early to comment on what I think of it as yet.

Most recently I've read "River Cross my Heart" by Breena Clarke, I really enjoyed it, a story about tragedy, coming of age, racism, family relationships, friendship and community spirit. Though the pace of the prose was often slow it was never boring or failed to hold my attention, it seemed to convey the slowness of changing attitudes, and movement in the heat during the summer months.

At the moment I'm reading This Forsaken Earth by Paul Kearney, but I'm finding it hard to get into. I read his first book, 'Mark of Ran,' but this one is a bit . . . boring!

I'm reading "Running with Scissors" by Augusten Burroughs,which is jaw-droppingly bizarre. I'm also reading Anthony Keidis' biography - "Scar Tissue" - that's really interesting, especially if you love the Red Hot Chili Peppers

I heard Anthony Kiedis had a bit of a mad life!

There's so many books I want to read, but recently my Mum cleared out her bookshelves in preparation for moving house, so I got loads of books from her, I was almost overwhelmed by the amount of them, though now I'm settling into delight at all of them, having difficulty choosing what to read next.

His life is absolutely insane and having read about the amount of drugs he's taken over the years I'm surprised he's not dead already. It's an interesting read though ...

I'm gonna start to read the His Dark Materials books too, cos everyone else seems to have read them and I feel left out!!!

yeah, I haven't read them either, I like fantasy and they're supposed to be really good, I got a bit annoyed though because Philip Pullman slagged off CS Lewis and I love the chronicles of Narnia, not so much the fact that Lion Witch Wardrobe is a christian allegory, but it's a marvellous and magical tale for children, and there are sixs more books in the series as well. They pretty much got me through the hard times in my childhood and my dog-eared copies are still among my favourite possessions - I'd find it hard to consider them objectively. Hated the film, they left out all the good bits and the actors were awful, though the critics fell over themselves trying to say how marvellous it was.

I heard that His Dark Materials is going to be filmed soon.

Yeah, and apparently Daniel Craig's gonna be in it ... my interest increases by the second!!

You guys will love His Dark Materials! I'd recommend them to anyone!

Finished The Poisonwood Bible and loved it! Amazing book, the kind I'd love to write myself in that it made me consider what life means, what it is to be human, how silly the things we consider differences are, how so few people have so much power to influence how so many live and how the planet copes with us being here...

Truly marvellous book, it tells the story of a Baptist minister and his wife and five daughters who travel to the Congo in 1959 with the plan being to convert the natives. They arrive as revolution is in the air - various independance movements, plus the CIA determined to make sure communism doesn't take root. For four girls from America the difference of living in Africa is astounding, from tarantulas in the bananas to trying to pick up the local language and learning that locally there is no concept of childhood - once you can walk you can help with the work.

As politics intrude on their lives, the five women who narrate the story continue to strive against all odds, from snakebites to malaria. There are poignant moments and ones that made me laugh out loud. It follows the family across four decades as they lead very different lives.

I loved it and would recommend it to anyone. It made me very pensive, in a good way, it made me feel hope for the world, and peaceful.

Sounds good - i need a new book now , i'm recycling my bookshelf a lot recently. I usually get books for Christmas but only got one this year (The Ghosthunters guide - not really fiction or relaxing reading!!)

Although I'm going out this weekend book shopping, so once I've spent all my cash I'll post what I ended up buying - i'll keep my eyes peeled for The Poisonwood Bible.

Yeah, it's by Barbera Kingsolver and was published in '98, well worth the read. I love book shopping, you'll have to tell us all about your purchases! There are soem great finds sometimes in the shelves away from the "special offer" and "latest relaease" tables

Yeah I'm dreadful as soon as I get into a bookshop, especially if it's a second hand one. I always find them a lot more intruiging than places that sell new books. I have a whole bookcase full of my wierd purchases - like the Vegetable Growers Handbook from the 50s which I bought just for the brilliant pictures of people in 50s clothes posing with trowels and stuff! Hopefully I'll actually buy some books to read rather than just puzzle over!!!

There was a nice second hand bookshop in my town but it closed down, the guy retired and moved away I think, there's another one that's not that big but pretty cool, I know the guy who runs it. Get some great finds in the charity shops too, and I've still got about 100 to get through, the ones my mum cleared out, so i can't complain too much really!

There's an amazing bookshop near me, its in a wierd old building like something out of a horror film and the bookshelves go all the way to the ceiling with all the books piled up on top of each other. I think it's an amazing place , although with my total clumsyness I find it very easy to bring piles of books tumbling down to the floor....

wow, that sounds like heaven to me, except I'd be doing the same, knocking stuff down! Still, maybe it's fate and the book that hits you on the head wants to be read by you....

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