The Damned United by David Peace (which I think might be Baggy's book above) is a cracking read - even for those like me who don't like football. Not sure about Michael Sheen as Clough in the planned film, though. I'd also recommend GB84 by the same author - like a British equivalent of some of the James Ellroy novels and a fantastic fictional evocation of the year of the Miners' Strike.

What else are people reading at the moment? Thanks to Southern I am finding myself spending a lot more time with my book these days. Currently it's The Long Midnight of Barney Thomson by Douglas Lindsay. Very dark, very funny, very Scottish.

Just finished Laurence Dallaglio's autobiography. Thouroghly enjoyed it but then I'm a rugby nut. About to start Shakespear by Bill Bryson, it was a Christmas present, so I've no idea of the content will be like, but think his travelogues are very entertaining, Generally read lots of general fiction on the train/bus. I tend to buy on impulse on things like 3 for 2 offers.

I'm about half-way through On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan. Loving it so far and looking forward to the story unfolding. I also tend to read lots of fiction on the train/bus and am always on the look out for some good recommendations (and can probably provide some too).

Blood rock by James Jackson. It's about the Knights Templar's last stand against the Ottomans in Malta. Before that I got through the most adictive series 'Roma sub rosa' by Steven Saylor that follows the adventures of a detective in ancient Rome. I strongly recommend Roma sub rosa Forest hill. Does anyone else agree that when you see someone reading a biography about the Krays or some other brutal gangster it says something about their intelect?

I've just finished the final (or not, maybe!) Harry Potter, which I got round to. I like the sound of bigbadwolf's reading selection. I've just got through blitzing all the "children's" books that sounded interesting - Wolf Brother & sequel, Eragon and Eldest, with one of the Sally Lockhart books to go and all the Northern Lights series. And catching up on the Cornwell - the latest Sharpe and the Uhtred of Bebbanburg series.

I've been getting them all from libraries, but unfortunately not the FH one.

Vino Italiano - the regional wines of Italy : unfortunately a little US focused in its wine ranges and target readers, but enjoyable nonetheless. I'm reading it for a newly formed wine book club so wasn't my first choice.

Must say that since I stopped commuting I have barely picked up a book, but I used to go through one a week

Correct! And glad I have sparked a thread. Actually quite a poor reader, but anything McEwan or Banks goes down well. Mostly Michelle Paver at present (what?)

BD - glad he is not the only one with eclectic taste

Oh - Rob, enjoyed reading about the wines of Montepulciano (spelling?) when I was staying near to Chuisi. Bet you didn't expect that level of sophistication in me

The Observations by Jane Harris.

I'm currently reading The Steep Approach to Garbadale by Iain Banks and am so far enjoying it, although it isn't on a par with The Crow Road (one of my favourite books). I don't read his Iain M Banks sci-fi stuff.

Reading the label on the back of the bottle doesn't count Baggy.

Iain Banks did manage to write a very readable piece of non-fiction about a tour of Scotland's whisky producing regions. The rest of it is best left on the shelf though.

I do think Ian McEwan is enormously overrated. So flat and grey and lacking in entertainment value, not to mention substance.

Patrick Hamilton - now there's a chap who wrote magnificently well about drinking. And desperate lives come to that.

TJ - suggest you get the DVD of 'Life is sweet' and listen to what the main character says (Jane Horrocks). Very appropriate to you I'd say.

BD - entertaining SE23 for over three years now

Rob, I'll expliain another time