Private Dancer This is a good book for any newbies to Thailand. It is very written by using individual views. Fiction but close to truth for some.

presently with Henry James' 'Portrait of a Lady' which is compelling reading....previously with his 'Turn of the Screw' which is a 'ghost story' nonsense and don't bother...

previous with 'Fight Club' and don't bother...a 'wannabe degenerate' and tiresome but with an interesting 'twist' at the end...but not enough to be engaging...

I suggest William Hazlitt as a guide to literary appreciation as anyone that accompanied Coleridge to Wordsworth's cottage on a walking journey can't be all wrong...

(sniff)

The last six million seconds from John Burdett. Crime fiction in Hong Kong, light reading.

For non-fiction war buffs, I highly recommend "The Greatest Battle" http://www.amazon.com/The-Greatest-Battle-Desperate-Struggle/dp/0743281101 by Andrew nagorski. A very interesting view point of the the biggest battle of WWII, the battle of Moscow. Written by an englishman with polish ancestry, he gives an unbiased account written from both sides (russian and german) and his research and use personal accounts makes it a compelling and easy to read novel.

Almost completed the 1st book in the series "Song of Ice and Fire" (The Game of Thrones), if you havent seen the TV series, the books are great. Have the 1st 3 books and me and the wife taking turns at readin them. George RR Martin has some amazing literary skills, worth the 400 bahts at bookazine!!

Thomas the Tank Engine.

For non-fiction war buffs, I highly recommend "The Greatest Battle" http://www.amazon.co...e/dp/0743281101 by Andrew nagorski. A very interesting view point of the the biggest battle of WWII, the battle of Moscow. Written by an englishman with polish ancestry, he gives an unbiased account written from both sides (russian and german) and his research and use personal accounts makes it a compelling and easy to read novel.

Almost completed the 1st book in the series "Song of Ice and Fire" (The Game of Thrones), if you havent seen the TV series, the books are great. Have the 1st 3 books and me and the wife taking turns at readin them. George RR Martin has some amazing literary skills, worth the 400 bahts at bookazine!!

The Greatest Battle sounds good.Will have to order it.

" A History Of Thailand " by Rong Syamananda who is Professor of History at Chulalongkorn University.

Very well put together and a good read for history buffs.

IQ84 - Murakami Haruki

Just read my third book of his (Dance, Dance, Dance) - I've found them all fabulous and have decided to slow down a bit to ensure his entire oeuvre will last me a while.

I bought The Dream of the Celt by MV Llosa at the airport on Monday so will be starting that in the next day or 2.

Sonchai Jitpleecheep - Bangkok 8 by John Burdett, really enjoyed it.

Sea of Poppies and River of Smoke by Amitav Ghosh. A brilliant story-teller.

Mr American , by George MacDonald Fraser .

Set in Edwardian England and American wild prospecting country .

Mr American , by George MacDonald Fraser .

Set in Edwardian England and American wild prospecting country .

What is that book like? Are you enjoying it?

IQ84 - Murakami Haruki

Just read my third book of his (Dance, Dance, Dance) - I've found them all fabulous and have decided to slow down a bit to ensure his entire oeuvre will last me a while.

I bought The Dream of the Celt by MV Llosa at the airport on Monday so will be starting that in the next day or 2.

I will have to read him. So many people have recommended him.

Some more recent reads...

John Birmingham - Angels of Vengeance http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Birmingham

I Loved this series and can recommend this to anyone who likes post nuclear or thrillers etc!!

1.Without Warning

2. After America

3. Angels of Vengeance

Review as per below.

"This thriller took a premise that I’m sure most of us have at least thought if not debated amongst friends. Would the world be a better place if America disappeared? Set on the eve of the American invasion of Iraq in 2003, a mysterious energy wave wipes out all of continental USA leaving an energy bubble that no living thing can cross. The fallout is catastrophic and the world is turned on its head. Again situations you wouldn’t have considered (but make complete sense) are raised and to say the action is explosive is an understatement. I can’t think of any other action/thriller that is as politically imaginative as this book".

http://bitethebook.com/2010/06/07/john-birminghams-after-america/

I'm sure JB said at the end of 'After America' that this book would be in ebook format only, but no, it came out in paper also. Apparently further books in the series will be eformat....we will see.

One annoying thing about this book 3. JB seems bored of several of his characters and does the '3 years into the future' cop out, which generally means he doesn't want to another book in the series. JB, your readers, such as me love these characters, stop killing them off, and stop being lazy and write us another one.

Robert Harris - The Fear Index. http://www.standard.co.uk/arts/book/the-fear-index-by-robert-harris-6443847.html

**whoop** **whoop** Avoid!! Avoid!! Avoid!!

Suckered in by a good back page blurb, this was my first Robert Harris novel and DEF my last. I made it through to page about 100 before i skipped through, confirming what i had already guessed and wasted no more of my time. Cardboard characters and a plot that u see coming from early on.

Ill be lending this one to some acquaintance I don't think too highly of.

My 1st Kindle book. Non fiction, 'Fooling Houdini.'

Good read especially for those people into close up magic, sleight of hand stuff etc. Written by a guy and his recent journey as a magician. A few secrets given away and not surprising he got himself into trouble with the magic circle.

Mr American , by George MacDonald Fraser .

Set in Edwardian England and American wild prospecting country .

What is that book like? Are you enjoying it?

So far so good . The main character lands at Liverpool docks and then buys a country manor , next thing you know he is playing bridge with King Edward , GMF tells a good story . I am waiting for Flashman to appear .

I also have enjoyed recently , Black Ajax , a fictional compilation of eye witness acounts of the life of Tom Molineaux the American boxer .

GMF really brings the characters to life for me .

Mr American , by George MacDonald Fraser .

Set in Edwardian England and American wild prospecting country .

What is that book like? Are you enjoying it?

So far so good . The main character lands at Liverpool docks and then buys a country manor , next thing you know he is playing bridge with King Edward , GMF tells a good story . I am waiting for Flashman to appear .

I also have enjoyed recently , Black Ajax , a fictional compilation of eye witness acounts of the life of Tom Molineaux the American boxer .

GMF really brings the characters to life for me .

His Flashman series is still very popular. The first book in the series is still worth a couple hundred dollars for teh first edition.

I just looked at his wiki entry and he co wrote the screen play for Octopussy, among others!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_MacDonald_Fraser

Mr American , by George MacDonald Fraser .

Set in Edwardian England and American wild prospecting country .

What is that book like? Are you enjoying it?

So far so good . The main character lands at Liverpool docks and then buys a country manor , next thing you know he is playing bridge with King Edward , GMF tells a good story . I am waiting for Flashman to appear .

I also have enjoyed recently , Black Ajax , a fictional compilation of eye witness acounts of the life of Tom Molineaux the American boxer .

GMF really brings the characters to life for me .

His Flashman series is still very popular. The first book in the series is still worth a couple hundred dollars for teh first edition.

I just looked at his wiki entry and he co wrote the screen play for Octopussy, among others!

http://en.wikipedia....acDonald_Fraser

I have got them all and reread a few over the years . Flashman shows up in Mr American as an octogenarian , still boozing womanising calling a spade a spade . I am into the second half of the book now and there have been a few surprises , well I could see them coming really . Fraser is able to illustrate the mood and language of the times . He is someone with a capital S .

I have got them all and reread a few over the years . Flashman shows up in Mr American as an octogenarian , still boozing womanising calling a spade a spade . I am into the second half of the book now and there have been a few surprises , well I could see them coming really . Fraser is able to illustrate the mood and language of the times . He is someone with a capital S .

I have read the first two from memory. I think ill give them a quick read again when they pop up.

I have got them all and reread a few over the years . Flashman shows up in Mr American as an octogenarian , still boozing womanising calling a spade a spade . I am into the second half of the book now and there have been a few surprises , well I could see them coming really . Fraser is able to illustrate the mood and language of the times . He is someone with a capital S .

I have read the first two from memory. I think ill give them a quick read again when they pop up.

Flashman's Lady is a cracker . Cricket , pirates and Chinese brothels all in one book .

I have got them all and reread a few over the years . Flashman shows up in Mr American as an octogenarian , still boozing womanising calling a spade a spade . I am into the second half of the book now and there have been a few surprises , well I could see them coming really . Fraser is able to illustrate the mood and language of the times . He is someone with a capital S .

I have read the first two from memory. I think ill give them a quick read again when they pop up.

Flashman's Lady is a cracker . Cricket , pirates and Chinese brothels all in one book .

Cheers, i'll start with that!

Another suggestion for anyone. PG Wodehouse.

The books I really enjoy are the Jeeves series. Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. He wrote these from around 1917 through to 1974. The series gets better as it went on, especially the mid part of his writings. These are quick easy reads with laugh out loud anecdotes.

These seem to be enjoying a resurgence the last few years: a number or people I know have discovered him the last few years, including myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeeves

Another suggestion for anyone. PG Wodehouse.

The books I really enjoy are the Jeeves series. Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. He wrote these from around 1917 through to 1974. The series gets better as it went on, especially the mid part of his writings. These are quick easy reads with laugh out loud anecdotes.

These seem to be enjoying a resurgence the last few years: a number or people I know have discovered him the last few years, including myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeeves

My old dad says there is a few coming in the post from PG Wodehose . Should I start reading these from the first in the series or can I drop in anywhere ?

My faither strated me on the Brentford Trilogy , he sent me over book four , there are now seven in the series . I have to say they are a laugh , steam punk , conspiracy , unmentionable societies , black magic and rock n' roll , with sci-fi and two unemployable lads who drink in the best pub in the world when the allotment gin has run out . Robert Rankin writes enigmatic stuff . He provides soundtracks for some of his books with the LP order listed at the back pages .

Another suggestion for anyone. PG Wodehouse.

The books I really enjoy are the Jeeves series. Jeeves and Bertie Wooster. He wrote these from around 1917 through to 1974. The series gets better as it went on, especially the mid part of his writings. These are quick easy reads with laugh out loud anecdotes.

These seem to be enjoying a resurgence the last few years: a number or people I know have discovered him the last few years, including myself.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeeves

My old dad says there is a few coming in the post from PG Wodehose . Should I start reading these from the first in the series or can I drop in anywhere ?

My faither strated me on the Brentford Trilogy , he sent me over book four , there are now seven in the series . I have to say they are a laugh , steam punk , conspiracy , unmentionable societies , black magic and rock n' roll , with sci-fi and two unemployable lads who drink in the best pub in the world when the allotment gin has run out . Robert Rankin writes enigmatic stuff . He provides soundtracks for some of his books with the LP order listed at the back pages .

I would try and start from the beginning of the series for Jeeves, but it is not imperative that you do at all. Wodehouse uses the same characters often so it is good to know some of the history, but you can pick up anywhere along the line and get the gist of things pretty quick.

Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie made 4 series of Jeeves & Wooster in the early nineties. They are on DVD, and most likely free download. I lent my copies to a friend last week (he is a nut for Wodehouse) and he is loving them.

That's some good feedback about Robert Rankin: I feel I can give him a read now. I always prefer a recommendation before I start a new author!

Love Raymond E Feist books.

Sci Fi.

http://www.crydee.com/

Love Raymond E Feist books.

Sci Fi.

http://www.crydee.com/

I enjoy a good Sci Fi. (also post apocalyptic style writings)

Have you also tried Iain Banks? Specifically the Culture series?

Love Raymond E Feist books.

Sci Fi.

http://www.crydee.com/

I enjoy a good Sci Fi. (also post apocalyptic style writings)

Have you also tried Iain Banks? Specifically the Culture series?

I have just downloaded a few of his Bookman, I will let you know how I get on. Cheers.

Love Raymond E Feist books.

Sci Fi.

http://www.crydee.com/

I enjoy a good Sci Fi. (also post apocalyptic style writings)

Have you also tried Iain Banks? Specifically the Culture series?

I have just downloaded a few of his Bookman, I will let you know how I get on. Cheers.

The guy has an incredible imagination. Im sure it is fuelled by some type of mind bending substance

Love Raymond E Feist books.

Sci Fi.

http://www.crydee.com/

I enjoy a good Sci Fi. (also post apocalyptic style writings)

Have you also tried Iain Banks? Specifically the Culture series?

I have just downloaded a few of his Bookman, I will let you know how I get on. Cheers.

The guy has an incredible imagination. Im sure it is fuelled by some type of mind bending substance

you don't mean what I think you mean Bookman

11.22.63 Stephen King