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*Is nice at gunpoint*

I love Asimov's work, and the entire concept of psychohistory I find intriguing. Wonderful work, though the 4th and 5th books (written several years after the original trilogy) aren't nearly as good in my opinion, Foundation, Foundation and Empire and Second Foundation are one of my favourite...

I found Heart of Darkness incredibly easy, and read it in a day. The Silmarillion likewise was not at all a chore (again, perhaps the LotR obsessive thing getting to work.) However, The Tale of Genji and War and Peace were both real struggles.

I went into Waterstones' yesterday intending only to find a present for my mother and buy absolutely nothing else, but I came out with The Communist Manifesto and Dune Messiah for myself. Oh, and no present, simply because I saw nothing inspiring. So much for willpower, eh?

It varies tremendously, for example I'm going away to Cumbria for a week and expect I shall read lots, but in the entire half-term that's just finished I have only read Cryptonomicon, Shikasta, The Third Man and Permutation City. Generally, I read novels faster than I read...

Lots of screaming, crying, death threats, obnoxious people's pride leading them to a dreadful fall...sounds like any of the few parties I had the misfortune to attend.

Happy Birthday and stuff, enjoy life and the like. Though what a singularly crappy day for it, at least if the weather down there's anything like it is up here.

I went to Cambridge to see Oedipus the King performed in Classical Greek. Does that count as partygoing? Whaddya mean 'No'?

I'm a haemophiliac, thus I die. (NOTE: May not be true.) Is there a Gamecube at this here party? If so, then I might just get into the party spirit after all, once I've tripped the light fantastic with Marth on SSBM and defeated all comers that is.

If she's cool in an 'alternative' kind of way, try something philosophical or socio-political rather than a novel. If not, my sister always used to like Judy Blume and Melvyn Bragg (Lady: My life is a bitch, Junk).

Kind Hearts and Coronets? Was that him too?

Party? I'm usually the guy slouched in the corner making cynical comments to no-one in particular, feeling utterly superior and yet at the same time bitterly jealous. Edit: Like the new sig, watercrystal: Auguries of Innocence is a beautiful poem.

Any pictures in here . Okay, so none is actually shown, but they're brilliant, trust me.

Breeders are so mean - my friend got a couple of kittens from one and their names....Uuuuurrrgghh. I can only remember one, and that's Amethyst Dawn. Who would call a cat AMETHYST DAWN? Of course, calling one Mr. Trotsky is an entirely different kettle of fish. (It's been my ambition to have...

How can you not love cats? Though that one does look a little banshee-esque. The one with a lime on its head is better (can't be bothered to find the image.) Which reminds me of another thing, that poor rabbit (Oolong I think) that had Japanese people put pancakes on its head, take photos and...

Like Lies said, check all the other threads on this subject - you'll find a wealth of recommendations. My personal favourite, for example, Nausicaa of the Valley of Wind, whom I have lauded continuously since my arrival here.

As for my own nomination, Permutation city by Greg Egan.

The rabid biker hamsters duly consume the trespassing neighbours, and it is only then you realise that they have acquired quite a taste for ripe jaffa cakes. The entire population of their home planet comes to colonise your lands and claim your jaffa cake tree. I wish that I had a Chieftain...

You triumph, creating universal peace and harmony, creating a global utopia, and what do you get it? In the immortal words of Orson Welles, "they had brotherly love, five hundred years of democracy and peace, and what did that produce? The cuckoo clock." Oh yes, I wish that I had the...

Same here. Well, at least the ignorance bit, not the ecstasy. I'd rather take the Collusion Syndicate's motto as my own - "Know all that is knowable."