What are you reading?

Wow - thank you all for these suggestions, will certainly follow up. I have a really good independent 'remaindered' bookshop near me where the prices are similar to many charity shops and as the books I buy have to have a long life after them, I like to both support the shop and pass the books to my mother, her chums, the library at her supported housing complex and so on.

Yes I want some keepers which I will re-read for the rest of my life - good books will bear that. (I also live in a very old house with freezing walls, full bookshelves make fantastic insulation!!!). My mother does like Victoria Hislop and I've passed her the earlier ones (The Island I particularly enjoyed) and the great thing about her books is that they encourage me to find out more about the area and the life and times she wrote about. Just like 'The Manchester Man' made me walk through familiar Manchester with new eyes.

Will work my way through all of your suggestions, I'm so grateful for the ideas. I might have to force myself to read science fiction but will give it a go. Who knows? Am reading Chocolat at the moment, good fun and much better than the film.

As well as Project Gutenberg for out of copyright books, there's also Librivox which is great for old audiobooks. A strange selection but some of the readers are fantastic. I've even toyed with the idea of volunteering but couldn't compete with the best of those. I discovered Elizabeth von Arnim through Librivox.

Thanks again for all the ideas.

DS