Lena - I have seen the BBC adaptation of North and South - I agree it is very good.

I have read another indian food book too lately - mostly text /memoir with some recipes but can't remember the title

It is funny seeing a few mentions of the twilight series. I had never heard of Stephanie Meyer til 2 weeks ago, when there where a feature on her in the weekend australian magazine - and now I read about her again.

Nicole - what is the title of the second book you mentioned - about the woman who adopted the chinese girl?

Becky - I love your idea of reading the Newbery winners! I am interested in your plan to read March - I got it out of the library but couldn't bring myself to read it, as I love Little Women so much. I have recently finished reading the journals of LM Montgomery (who wrote Anne of Green gables) All five volumes of them and though illuminating they were somewhat depressing!

Anne, the book was "Lost Daughters of China" by Karin Evans

San, Coldsmith's books are generally upbeat and very respectful of Native Americans and their cultures. I have read through the entire series (plus Coldsmith's other books) twice; they are part of my personal library and I will keep them forever and re-read them periodically.

Anne, do you read aloud to your daughters? I think your oldest is about the age of my oldest (5), and we read a chapter or two aloud before bed every night. Some of them have been Newbery winners. _Rabbit Hill_ and _Sarah, Plain and Tall_ were a couple my daughter loved; I also plan to read her _Hitty_ and _Caddie Woodlawn_. Some of them (especially the newer ones) have more mature themes, but many are suitable for the ages of our girls. Loved _Anne of Green Gables_, but I find it hard to read depressing books, so I would probably skip the journals!

Becky - Yes! my oldest daughter has just turned 5 and I read to her twice a day. I have been looking out for "chapter books" that would be suitable and I am going to try your recommendations. I liked Caddy Woodlawn as a child but haven't read the others. I bought her some Milly Molly Mandy books for her birthday, as I used to love them, but I am not sure of their literary quality.

Amy - Another cooindence! I had never heard of Jasper Fforde before you mentioned him and he came up on another mailing list I am on today. OUr library has several of his books so I am going to give him a try

I adore books, reading and writing. I was a journalism major and an English minor in college. I'm currently reading A Dangerous Age by Ellen Gilchrist, one of my favorite authors.

Before that, I read Letters To My Younger Self.

I’m an avid reader and writer. Reading has always been a challenge for me, because I have dyslexia. The letters move around on me. I have learned to compensate and accept the fact that I read twice as slow as all of my friends and family and have to follow along with a white index card. I do love reading though. Historical fiction is my thing, and someday I hope to write something publishable in that genre. My absolute favorite book is Gaston Leroux’s “The Phantom of the Opera” followed closely by Susan Kays “Phantom”, and I’m a fanatical fan of both. How can you not love a book that is a romance, tragedy, and mystery all in one with such lovable characters? In fact, I read more Phantom fan fiction, both actual books and online, than anything else. I write some of my own and post some on fanficion.net. Someday I may even try to publish a fan fiction novel. We’ll see.

Back on topic though, right now I’m reading “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott. And I just finished “Black Beauty.” Both are books that I started as a kid and never finished, so I’m trying to finish them up this summer. I can’t get into fantasy. It took me almost two years to get through “The Hobbit.” My husband reads like crazy. I also love mystery. My husband just finished the complete Sherlock Holmes series and is reading some Agatha Christie stories, and I want to snatch those up when he is finished. But alas, school books will be all I have time for soon. But after this semester I'm done!

I was frantically looking for a book to read on the morning I left for jury duty. I hadn't had time to go to a bookstore or the library, so I was fishing around something I may have on hand. I found a book called "Verbal Judo". It's kind of a self help book to help you communicate better and get what you want, without being manipulative or aggressive. I found the book itself very helpful in dealing with one of the other women who was put on the panel I was put on. The system was established to help police officers and it's taught to law enforcement officials, teachers, and major corporation employees all over the world.

I'm always reading! I started in one genre and then started branching out into more and more. I'm also a member of Paperbackswap and through them i have quite a few books on my "To be read" shelf...it's actually getting mildly out of control lol.

I just finished "Bitten to Death" by Jennifer Radin which has a bit of everything: sci fi, butt kicking, humor and a bit of romance. And "The Gatecrasher" which is chic lit.

and now i am on "The Virgin's Lover" the only Philippa Gregory book i have not read minus "The Other Queen" once that comes out.

After that i'm still debating. I may do "Remember Me?" by Sophia Kinsella which it's still summer and i'm in the chick lit mood. Or i may start a new series...either the Outlander series by Diana Gabaldon (heard so much good stuff about this one) or that Sookie the Southern Vampire series that seems to be getting rav review as well.

I'm a non-fiction reader and I read several books at the same time to take breaks from each other.

Lately I'm reading Mary Gilliatt's Interrior Design Course, Jill Blacke's Interior Design on Your Own and Peter Walsh's It's All Too Much. They gave me great incentive to declutter my house and redecorate it.

I have also borrowed Judith Levine's Not Buying It - My Year without Shopping. We have talked about this before and I'm curious what it would be like.

Right now, I'm reading a book called the Dante Club. I picked it off our shelf in a hurry when leaving for our recent trip. It's a murder mystery but revolves around Dante's Divine Comedy. It is set in Boston just after the Civil War. Interesting.

Anyway, a passage I read the other day so struck me about the role of fashion in our lives and reminded me of all of you and the forum. I had to post:

Mrs. Lincoln held up her dress with a slight rustle as she took a queenly step into the foyer. Once inside, a low-hung mirror provided her and the other ladies a view of the nether regions of their dresses, in the event the garmet had repositioned itself inappropriately along the way to the reception; a husband was wholly useless for such a purpose. - The Dante Club, Matthew Pearl

Maybe it was the comment about husbands that struck me. My husband thinks I look fabulous in everything and would walk around in a holey shirt all day himself. So it's hard to get appropriately constructive feedback on things like PPL from him. Or maybe it's the recent conversations about how our headless pictures distort our bodies and how that relates to the low-hung mirror in the passage.

In any case, it made me smile and I hope it makes you smile, too.

The most recent book I have read was Shopaholic and Baby. It was a light fun read with some hilarious characters, and some hilarious people! I suggest it to anyone who wants a fun girly read.