Any other book lovers out there....

[NewEnthusiast]

... if so what are your favourites and why?

I have deliberately avoided the word "collection" as, though I have many wonderful books, I couldn't call myself a collector. Everything I have, I bought to read and if I haven't done so already, sincerely intend to. I love learning new things, sometimes about areas I know a little about sometimes about totally different aspects of life. I love the escapism of fiction, inhabiting other worlds, other times and getting to know new people through the medium. I love tactile sensations of looking up reference books. My favourites?

1) The Junior Officer's Reading Club by Patrick Hennessey. For a long time I aspired to be an army officer but was denied the opportunity for health reasons. This book vividly describes the author's service both in war zones and day-to-day. The quality of the writing allows an element of vicarious living.

2) The Selfish Gene by Richard Dawkins. Biology has fascinated me since I was a child. As a biology graduate I complacently thought I understood evolution. Years later when I was stuck in a job that didn't really stretch me, I picked this up to stimulate my brain. Frequently I found myself gasping in sheer wonder. It opened my eyes to the complexity of evolution and totally changed my mind. The way it is written makes it very accessible to intelligent non-experts as well as those with some background knowledge so as such I have recommended it to many people since reading it.

3) Casino Royale by Ian Fleming. Life long Bond lover. This was the original (and probably one of the best) Bond novels. Enough said!