Peter, did you also get the companion to go with them..... to keep track of the family connections and who did, and did what to whom. I found it invaluable. I havent read winter no. I used to own the entire series but alas when relationships end, some property damage is expected.......................

Torey Hayden is my favorite. I read 4 of her books in a week. My poor husband spent several nights alone because I had to stay up to finish them all! They're "auto-biographical" about a special education teacher before and after the inclusion act. Murphy's boy is a bit graphic but by far my favorite (it's also the least special ed.-esque).

I've got "The Len Deighton Companion" by Edward Milward-Oliver, but that was published 1987, after Game, Set, Match & Winter but before rest of the 6 books.

Which companion are you talking about? There are "family trees" at the back of 'Hope' for Winter and each of the preceding GSM, HLS and F books

I had to get several books from second hand book shops myself. 'Charity' was the hardest to get hold of.

The one you refer to may be the same i had.... it was 15 years since i read/owned them.

I thought that Helen Forrester's autobiographical books were fantastic - absolutely brilliant. Must reads! (I couldn't get into her fiction, though.) 'Twopence to Cross the Mersey' 'Liverpool Miss' 'By the Waters of Liverpool' 'Lime Street at Two' See Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/search-handle-url/index%3Dbooks-uk%26field-author%3DForrester%2C%20Helen/026-7420717-7097249 A write-up here: 'Helen Forrester's life reads like a Dickens tale — or like one of her own novels' By Charlene Rooke http://www.ualberta.ca/ALUMNI/newtrail/97-2/forrester.html

Hello all....
Read a good book recently called,
Derailed by James Siegel
Keeps you on the edge of your seat with loads of twists and turns.

I loved all the James Clavel books--used to really like Robert Ludlum until the second Bourne Book--liked the early Tom Clancy books. Sometimes Clive Cussler's Dirk Pitt books are alot of fun. Anne Perry's Thomas and Charlotte Pitt books are very good mysteries--her Monk books are a bit darker but also quite good. I tend to lean toward mysteries, some action, history and biography. If you haven't read them the John LeCarre books are very good. I think I read a Len Deighton years ago--may go back and give him another try--is it important to read them in order?

Hello all...
If any of you guys have read The Lord of the Rings,you should give The Silmarilion a go,Its a bit heavy going at first but another beautiful instalment of the middle eatrh saga,you get to find out where all the elves,dwarves,darklords,men come from and how middle earth is created.

kateyes, it's vital they're read in order.

It certainly is 'heavy going at first'. I didn't manage to get into it, unfortunately.

I loved 'The Hobbit' but found The Lord of the Rings' books quite difficult to get into - they are long and require concentration ~& there was always something else requiring my attention.

I did manage to get the a lot of the first one read on holiday last year (I was scheduled to write & teach a course on Tolkien, so didn't have much choice.) I haven't got any further. I've had to watch the films in 'bits' too!

I've read some of his other books and the 'Letters from Father Christmas' are great.

I did also read the biography by Humphrey Carpenter. And I have the letters, too.