The BESH Parlour - good reads and great gin (BYO tasty cakes)

I don't do pony books But I do heart a nice doggy tale.

I have never heard of half of these books, so at least this thread is giving me a reading list

I've only managed a few pages of TTW so far. Hope I can keep up. It's the bloody day job that gets in the way.

I am another who frequently changes her mind about fave books, but Jane Eyre is definitely in there. And Rebecca.

I was given The Help for Christmas, so looking forward to doing that at some point.

But really, I just love having an all-ESH inclusive hang out.

I loved all the Jill books Fanny. I also liked Pony Club books and My friend Flicka.

I think I read P&P when I was 12. But I didn't find it properly laugh out loud funny until much much later. No damage done Fanny, fret ye not.

So the rules are, we can just drink gin, eat cake, and call each other slags, whether or not we read the books? Just asking.

My top three...
P&P without a doubt - just gave it to my 11 year old neice for Christmas as I decided it was time. Now hope I haven't damaged her a la cavey.
Watership Down - if I need a cry I just re-read the last two chapters. Instant tears, without fail.
Um... hard to pick a third. Tom Jones, Jane Eyre, Anna Karenina, The Scarlet Pimpernel. Best modern book I've read is Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell.
I am the world's expert in 1960s and 70s pony books. And have been known to read chick lit.

I've got When God was a Rabbit and A Visit from the Goon Squad stacked up, plus some other stuff for work. Top of my reading pile at the moment is You Before Me by Jojo Moyes which has already made about ten people I know weep real tears and they're all hardened bookish types. I'm trying to find time to read it all in one go for maximum emotional wringage.

( to Jeremy Kyle-style BESH reunion. But NB I have been out of the BESH loop for so long that if there've been any major rebrandings, apart from ski/alpine, pls to point them out discreetly for the old gimmer in the corner.)

I'm rubbish at lists because I always change my mind but my top 5 books today are (in no particular order): P&P, The Hobbit, Mister God This is Anna, All of the George R.R Martin songs of ice and fire series (cheating), and The Lollipop Shoes.

I'll be honest, it took me ages to read P&P - I was given it for my 10th birthday but just couldn't get my head round the language. Once I'd seen the BBC version a few years later I tried again and loved it. I'll be honest, I've not read much other Austen but I do enjoy the tv adaptations, and the modern updates a la Clueless.

My favourite books, in no particular order:

The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy
Spike Milligan's War Diaries (technically several books)
Pride & Prejudice

Blardy hell I didn't realise you lot had started without me. I have ordered TTW from Amazon as I don't have one of these new fangled Kindle things. I like a book me.

I just finished Caitlin Moran. Quite liked it.

What are people's favourite reads ever? Top 3?

I have never in my (admittedly long) life ever been referred to as royalty! If only you knew what I was really like.

If you're looking for royalty sniff out alpine. She's practically aristocratic. Or cosmosis who looks like a princess. There's royalty.

wildfig !

Ooo look at all these Old-BESH making appearances. It is like a Jeremy Kyle reunion show ;)

Ooh, hello. I'm a very very old BESH indeed - one who's rather better at reading than babymaking. Can I come back once you're done with The Tiger's Wife, please? I tried, honest. But I just couldn't get away with it and my pile of unread books is now towering over my desk, and my New Year's Resolution is to be ruthless.

[sniggers at Rie offending BESH royalty]

Have we never spoken? Surely we have.

And no offence, because it is an established fact that I am the oldest ESH in existence.

I have checked out the Tiger book. Still debating whether I will go for it as I have a stack of Jeeves and Wooster by my bedside. Lame, I know.

Fuck! I meant I was veh old, not you. Twat.

Good lord. Fanny. You are so much in the Annals of BESH (veh old) that even I have never spoken to you

Oh squee! An ESH boook club. I have to admit that I am veh bookish but have never joined a book club as don't like being told what to do. As in, read this book now, biatch. Wouldn't this be a trait common to many ESH?

This aside, ESH ness is enough to tempt me to toddle off an investigate the book. Which I'll do shortly.

Two questions:

1. Does this Tiger's Wife come to tea and eat all the food? If so I think we have a copy.
2. Can Jill Enjoys Her Ponies be next? I definitely have a copy of that and know it word for word. Truth.

I have downloaded it to the Kindle... will start reading it soonish.

I have acquired my copy of The Tiger's Wife! Reading to commence tomorrow night.

I skimmed .

Jill Enjoys Her Ponies???? I've heard it's excellent

To be honest, Northey, I've not got very far. I only started last night, and I keep having to go back and cross reference on the map. It's not a book for skimming . Currently the Wehrmacht are savaging the Ukraine.

Lots of talk about phalanx's in aforementioned book - fnar!

[that's not as interesting as it sounds, it's a bone in the horse's foot]

@ LP