Earth Abides

Richard at work has lent me a copy of Earth Abides by George R. Stewart. A classic science fiction novel. Seems very well written. I finished the Greg Stekelman book which was certainly original and full of invention

Globe Bookgroup

Incidentally I got one of my novel names wrong in my last post - Elisabeth Noble wrote The Reading Group, not the Jane Austen one (who is American). (Not Jane Austen, the writer of the Jane Austen Book group or whatever it was called).

Just started Lighthousekeeping by Jeanette Winterson. I have loved many of her books in the past but more recently I've not really got into her novels (The Power book was a strange one). None of her novels are 'normal' and that is wonderful. But some are just a bit bizarre. My favourite Winterson novel is Written on the Body, which I first read when I was at university and it was one of those books you devour in one day, you simply can't do anything but read.

Chick Lit Galore

I've been gorging on chick lit since a recent visit to the library. I don't often buy that kind of pastel covered, shoe/handbag/silhouettes of lovers emblazoned book because it takes me about 2 days to read and I feel that's a bit of a waste of money. Anyway, this week I've already read a Jane Green novel called 'Life Swap' which was entertaining, a bit fluffy and as satisfying as a McFlurry. Julian, you'd hate it. I've never read Danielle Steele but I suspect Jane Green is more my thing (doesn't Steele do bonkbusters?).

I started an Elizabeth Noble novel yesterday, something about an A-Z of something. She wrote The Jane Austen Book Club which I enjoyed. This one is also hitting the spot. In my bag to go to Yorkshire, I've got 'In her Shoes' by Jennifer Weiner, recently made into a film with Cameron Diaz and Toni Collette. I thought the film was reasonable. In the wedding scene at the end they used the same e. e. cummings poem that Lorraine beautifully read out at my own wedding. Awww yes I blubbed a bit!

What I am reading

I bought a biography of the poet Walt Whitman in the States and have started that. He was rather a special person and wrote some soaring stunningly energised verse. A romantic and a mystic

Also reading Highsmith's Strangers on a Train for my other bookgroup. Thinking of joining yet another one if it gets going at work. Strangers seems quite close to the famous Hitchcock movie which starred sinister Robert Walker and the delectable Farley Granger. I think her writing is pretty skilled - that sort of diamond hard prose - a la Hemmingway - how do they achieve this? Of course she doesnt have the Hemmingway view of things but I would love to write like that. Are people born to this?