>>>>>>>
>>>>>>>If you want a real hoot, pick up a copy of The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fford (not a typo). And then read the rest of the series. This guy is right up there with Douglas Adams and Tom Holt.
>>>>>>
>>>>>>YESYESYEYESYESYES!!! What is not to love about a pet dodo named Pickwick!
>>>>>>Also, Lost in a Good Book and I am just about to start First Among Sequels
>>>>>
>>>>>I just bought First Among Sequels a few days ago, and I'm going to start it as soon as I finish what I'm reading now. I assume, though you only mentioned Lost in a Good Book, that you have read all 4 books prior to 'Sequels'? I also assume you've read the two 'Nursery Crime Division' books - The Big Over Easy and The Fourth Bear? The LiteraTec series is better, but the other series is well worth reading if you haven't.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>Have read all the Thursday Next stuff ( well, actually have listened to them on CD as I'm a sucker for the voice of the reader ) but haven't started the Nursery Crime stuff yet.
>>>>
>>>>I've been drawn increasingly to listening to certain things, just to get the full flavor. James Lee Burke is wonderful to read, but hearing Will Patton speak the cajun is like listening to Olivier do Shakespeare. The LeCarre novels are like that as well. I can hear Brit in my head quite well, but it is a joy to hear some of the really good readers.
>>>>
>>>>Another interesting thing about listening to books is bad ( or pedestrian ) writing stands out so markedly.) Clancy, Ludlum, Grisham - writers who plot and pace well but who have no ear for the sound of words fall completely flat.
>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>Would also interject that SM Stirling and Neil Stephenson are required reading. Stirling does brilliant alternate history ( better writer than Turtledove ) and Stephenson is one of those people who makes you realize how shallow most other writers are. I'm about half way through The Baroque Cycle and have read The Difference Engine,Diamond Age,Snow Crash and Cryptonomicron at least twice. Better than Gibson ( and I don't say that lightly as Gibson - who coined "The Web" is God. )
>>>>>
>>>>>>If you don't know Stephenson - do yourself a favor http://www.nealstephenson.com/
>>>>>
>>>>>Oh, yes. I read Snow Crash and Diamond Age a long time ago, and Cryptonomicon is one of my favourite books. I haven't started the 'Baroque Cycle' yet, but I have all three; so soon... soon.
>>>>>
>>>>>>
>>>>>>George RR Martin's Song of Ice and Fire is great literature and a cracking good read.
>>>>>>http://www.georgerrmartin.com/
>>>>>
>>>>>It's been many years since I read anything by Martin, and I really don't recall the titles, so I don't honestly know if I've read that one or not. I'll double check my library. Unfortunately, it's not really in any sort of order any more (unless you consider chaos, a sort of order). An awful lot of it is boxed up in the basement too. I may never know.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>You would remember the Song of Ice and Fire - Game of Thrones, Clash of Kings, Storm of Swords, Feast for Crows ( with two more to come ) Really really good stuff. Very developed characters and archtypal plotting.
>>>>
>>>>>Here's another. If you haven't read Richard Morgan's series starting with Altered Carbon, do yourself a favour...
>>>>
>>>>I have indeed. As a matter of fact I can see Broken Angels from where I am sitting right now.
>>>
>>>So, how on earth did you ever lose your way and turn to conservativism? ;)
>>
>>That's funny because I really was going to ask how your politics go so screwed up after doing all that good reading <bg>
>>
>>You have to remember though, I'm sort of a cafeteria conservative <s> I came of age when the right wing really was what the left thinks it is today and the left in 1968 would consider todays left wingers to be running dog revisionist lackeys of the ruling class. ("Death to the fascist insect that preys on the life of the people" was delivered with no irony and did not cause sniggering <s> )
>>
>>Today - well, I guess this is how Barry Goldwater would have turned out if he'd done a lot of acid <g>
>
>As Mort Sahl said of Barry Goldwater, "He believes so strongly in the American free enterprise system that he thinks everybody should go out and inherit a department store like he did."

I really liked Ann Richard's line about Bush - can't remember which one - "He was born on 3rd base and thought he hit a triple."

As opposed to marrying heiresses ... twice <bg> ( of course the first one wasn't as rich as the second - so I guess on #2 Kerry was playing ketchup <s> )

Barry was sui generis. Remember, people voted for LBJ instead of AuH2O because they were afraid Barry would get us into a war in Vietnam. It was 1964. He was wrong on the Civil Rights act ( though his opposition was not because he opposed civil rights ) but right on a whole lot of other things - like Richard Nixon being one of the crookedest men in America and LBJ being a close contender <s>

He was also saying things like "You don't have to be straight to shoot straight" when Clinton was still talking about "Don't tell".

>
>>Oh, the required reading list includes PJ O'Rourke - everything. We are contemporaries in many many ways. And he is very funny.
>
>I saw him interviewed about a month ago on a local TV show called 'The Hour'. He was funny, but I had some trouble getting behind his politics, I have to admit. Too, I don't know... Ayn Randian for me.

Do take a look at Parliament of Whores, Peace Kills, Holidays in Hell and All the Trouble in the World. You appreciate good writing and this is very good writing. He's not really a polemecist but a humorist. I think he's at least as good as Mark Twain.

He's also on my top ten list for the Fantasy Dinner Party ( list includes Dennis Miller, Tom Wolfe and Krauthammer )