Well I'm the same as you I tend to read mainly fact....biographies, political books etc, but I got into Birdsong

The first chapter or so seems a bit more like a girly romance novel with a bit of literotica thrown in. Basically thats introducing some characters that will crop up throughout the novel and also, I think, throwing you off the scent by making the reader think that this is going to be a nice easy read bit of romantic literature.

Once he gets to the front, and other characters start to be introduced in the war, it becomes engrossing. If you are claustrophobic be careful of reading the sections where they are tunnelling under the German lines to plant mines, it will feed your nightmares.

Currently on the bedside table.....

[iRestless[/i by Wiilliam Boyd
[iThe Great Crash 1929[/i by J.K. Galbraith
[iA Short History of Almost Everything[/i by Bill Bryson
[iLiverpool City RLFC by Mike Brocken

Things I'd recommend anyone to read...

Anything by Roddy Doyle, Ian McEwan ([iSaturday[/i is probably my favourite modern novel), The Rebus Novels by Ian Rankin...

Just getting into Philip Roth. Whoever mentioned Saul Bellow, well he's probably next on my list of US 20th Century literature.

Favourite book of all time is probably Jane Eyre.

I must be one of the few people who don't rate 'Birdsong'. Long-winded and the romance is over-emphasised. There are better insights into war in Murakami's stuff - or read Wilfred Owen.

Read FA Confidential by David Davies the other month. Was a highly enjoyable read. Got a rare insight in how things operate in the FA, and also first hand the scandals that hit them when Eriksson was in charge of the national team.

Graham Poll's autobiography is also a tremendous read.

Sophie's world by Jostein Gaarder.

I can never put a Chris Ryan book down.

The Watchman and Tenth Man Down are the best of his I've read.

Dale Browns' Dreamland series are superb aswell, focusing on Area 51 stories, not aliens, but experimental aircraft put into action secretly. Not everyones taste I'm sure, but if you're into stuff like that, it's a great read.

Political diaries are another genre I enjoy. Alan Clarke's are wonderful, Tony Benn's great for different reasons. I started Alistair Campbell's [iThe Tony Blair Years[/i which are a bit too close for comfort.

Another question....

What is the most challenging book you've read?

I think I'd have to go with [iMidnight's Children[/i by Salman Rushdie. (I've never read any Joyce or Proust).

The Hobbit - tried several times to start it over the years & hated it. Thought the LoR films were brillliant but never got into reading Tolkein.

Also a mate of mine wrote a book the other year; it was bloody awful! A real struggle to finish that one & when I did it was with a sense of relief and that I had won...

Never read any of the Tolkien stuff. I did enjoy [iMidnight's Children[/i (and other Rushdie) but it's not an easy read. Bizarrely, I've not read [iThe Satanic Verses[/i, although I imagine that's pretty difficult.

Jeanette Winterson is another. [iOranges Are Not The Only Fruit [/iis very easy, but then she went weird. [iSexing The Cherry[/i - crikey!

I agree, you start reading them and before you know it you've been reading for about 3 hours.

In general try [iThe Cull[/i by Mark Frankland, a brilliant book.

Brief History of Time. I still struggle with the link between light particles and 'events'.

The lovely Bones, i read the first chapter and put it down it's was not very comfortable reading about a nonce killing a young girl. I was told if you get past the 1st chapter it's a good read but i actually found it upsetting and gave it to the charity shop.

Saying that i managed to get through the Dave Pelzer books.
A boy called it
The lost boy
A man named Dave

very harrowing and eye opening, very hard to read purely because you can't believe this stuff happens

Having finished my last book (reading that is!) this thread came at an ideal time. Based on this thread I picked up copies of The Restraint Of Beasts by Magnus Mills and Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks.

Read The Restraint of Beasts over a few days early this week and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very easy reading with a few giggles, though all a little odd, especially concerning the dead! It reminded me of a book I read donkeys years ago called (bit of a mouthful this) - 'And to My Nephew Albert I Leave the Island What I Won Off Fatty Hagan in a Poker Game' by David Forrest. I say it reminded me of the David Forrest book, but I did read that over 20 years ago and I do struggle to remember what I was upto this morning so you could take that comparison with a pinch of salt. However, having said how I thoroughly enjoyed it I did feel quite disappointed and let down after finishing it.

Third of the way or so through Birdsong and I'm finding it increasingly difficult to put down.

'Ken Follett - Pillars of the Earth'

and the follow on title

'World without end'