30s TTC: Summertime, and the diffin's easy. White goods are jumping and the WOOFLing is high. MSDP in full swing.

[MountTheFairy]

The one before the BESHory Towers. Easy one for summer: I have dug up a fishing pond in the middle of the Palace, put a roof light over it, got some fishin' sticks and put some Gershwin on. Salad's providing Elderflower Fizz, served by newbs in topless bikinis. Could life be better?

What about this?

See I do read contemporary fiction!

Lyra I CANNOT believe that you are claiming Cold Comfort Farm and The Grand Sophy - two of the best comic novels in the English language - as quite, quite mad.

Would definitely agree that the rest of the list is absolutely as described. And Gibbons and Heyer are both very RP.

Hmm, I have only read teen fiction recently, so am not great for the recommendations - unless you want to read enormo amounts of shexy vampires/demons/werewolves?

xHB i'm also with you on the pubic topiary front. Neatly trimmed pizza slice is as far as it goes. Anything less is just a bit wrong!

love cold comfort farm, always a good chuckle :D

Can I join in the recommends?:

Motherless Brooklyn - Jonathan Letham

Bit twisted 21st century Philip Marlowe/Good Fellas with Tourettes - by which i dont mean there is lots of swearing, but that central character has it.

The Blind Assassin- Margaret Atwood

Obsessive adulterous secret love story beautifully entwined with science fiction fantasy. Bit weird but ultimately rewarding.

Princess Orchid - Ancee MIn

Down on luck courtier becomes overlooked concubine, then battles internal intrigue to become mother of future (but last) emperor of china. Probably not very historically correct but interesting insight into an extremely screwed up (imo) culture.

The Herb of Grace - Elizabeth Goudge

Gently moving story revolving round renovation of an Inn and the family relationships of the people involved, general themes of love, wholeness and renewal. Always invokes in me a sense of peace that we seem to have lost since the book was written.

Oh, and I was a bit disappointed by Her Fearful Symmetry - bit of a cop-out deus ex machina ending...

Well it's a start, at least it was written this century. Next step would be something set in the present - or is that just too ghastly to contemplate?!

Salt Last time I got waxed the "Nice" beautician said she's never seen such tough hairs and I was mad to get waxed. I acksherly bled from the root of some of my tougher hairs. I am a brunette and collar and cuffs definitely match. Since having child am less fussy about my fanjo appearance and now hack into it with a rusty BIC. If I left it I'm not sure Mr Gaga could get through the jungle short of taking a machete in with him.

Lyra Have you tried the Stieg Larsson books. Quite enjoyed the Girl with the Dragon Tatto despite hoping not to.

Alternatively - shiny beach books of brain-dead:

Lulu Taylor - Midnight Girls
Anything by Tilly Bagshawe or Tasmina Perry

I accidentally took only feminist tomes with me on my honeymoon - Margaret Atwood, Angela Carter and the like - and became quite enraged by my own decision to get married. Error.

That was a very belated x-post with HB.

Lyra what about On Beauty (Zadie Smith ovy)?

Is quite funny and v. diverting and set oooh, three years ago?!

I'm still slightly sulking by the way. In case anyone's wondering.

I do love Cold Comfort Farm but you did see my point Cam! Perhaps I will relent and try The Great Sophy.

I completely love Atwood but have read every single thing of hers.

Gaga, I tried Stieg Larsoon last holiday, but just couldn't get past the clunky English caused by the translation, and the dull dullness of the first 200 pages - I gave up when he went into excruciating detail about getting his broadband connection set up. That is not my idea of a thriller.

Are you sulking because Lyra described your reading beautifully? Or because of the super-annoying dreadful droid?

Going back to fertility talk for a second, Laurie, according to GP first day of your period always goes by morning - so unless you wake up with droid, period didn't start until day after.

Have you POASed at all? Only weirdy droid would force me to do that...

ooh The Blind Assassin good call saladbox

gaga thank you for not thinking I am some sort of wierdo for getting my Pubicular Forest under control. Can I point out that to some of us ladies, a neatly trimmed pizza requires some serious work. I have no wish to look like a child, I also do not want to look like an ape.

I have a book confession. But you may all hate me. but you all hate me anyway for having non feminist hair.

Mo Hayder, anybody?

If you really want 1950s RP slightly Gothic - Mary Stewart. Although she did write the unfortunately named Touch Not The Cat, she set about a million books in Greece, a country she clearly loved and evokes quite beautifully.

I have just been rereading them...

salts I have a degree in Wimmin's Studiez. And I often remove all my undercarriage hair. So nur.

I never claimed to be a good feminist. Just a philosophical one.

BOTH! I'm reading Stephen King Stephen King! And I've read most of Brett Easton Ellis! And I've read this! And The Naked Lunch! And Cormac McCarthy!

I'M A MODERN GIRL I AM A TOUGH MODERN GIRL

Don't sulk Headgirl, if it's me you are sulking about, I find you highly entertaining!

Drom - I rarely wake up wth droid so must have been counting my cycles incorrectly every month . Oops. Have you read Never Let Me Go by Ishiguro? Fab.

Salty, I remove quite a lot of panther as otherwise I would look quite frightening in underwear, and certainly on the beach, so you'll get no argument from me.

Never Let Me Go & Oryx and Crake - sci-fi by "literary" writers. Amaze!

Yep yep, I think that's what I really want Cam, any ideas?

PerforatedDrom I did not know that, means i would have been charting incorrectly except my droid has an annoying habit if tuning up at 4 am. Just to add to lady ache i have to contend with sleep dep as well bah.

Saltypoos I use an epilator so to form neatly trimmed pizza slice involves me lying on my back with legs akimbo and knees hooked up like a crab on its back. It is anything BUT easy (not to mention lady like) and i often am a bit unkempt down there because i just cant be arsed.

I really am not doing any work - oops.

Salty, I have never heard of Mo Hayder, but he/she gets better reviews on Amazon than everything else we've discussed this morning . I will try one - which, please?

should have been turning up but tuning works i spose.

ohh this is good, i loved Oryx and Crake and haven't heard of Never let me go so will be adding to book crate. I have discovered my library has an online ordering service, it costs 80p but thats cheaper than amazon and i don't have the guilt of adding to the piles of books everywhere.

Lyra, i could post you oryx and crake if you want?

oh wait you already said you read it, sorry!

I concur on Never Let Me Go very good indeedy.

what's an epilator?

I also really loved A Million Little Pieces Ausgusten Burrows

lovelyra Mo Hayder should come with a health warning. It is properly twisted. Do not read if you are easily upset.

Would try 'Skin' or Birdman. And don't blame me if you have nightmares.