Karen Robards is one of the BEST - I may be prejudiced - she is an old Kentucky gal! Love ALL her books. Love Sandra Brown and Linda Howard. Nora Roberts - Love many of her novels (until she gets started on the trilogies-not so good). Just to name a few good ones: Carolina Moon, Norther Lights, Devine Evil, Montana Sky, Angels Fall. Can't forget Lavyrle Spencer, one of my all-time favorits. She doesn't write suspense, but is a great writer. I went into mourning when she retired. Can you tell - I love to read. Tuesday

Rosefolly, Do you think we change as well when we age, and our brains seek a different kind of book or reading? I use to read, when my children were young and needed so much of my time, Danielle Steele cover to cover. It filled the need to read when my mind and energy went in so many different directions. Now, I have no interest in them whatsoever...the last few I tried I couldn't read more than a couple of pages before becoming very impatient. But I can read history books and biographies, science based books for hours on end, which I had no hope of reading in those days. However, I do remember getting so caught up in Trinity by Leon Uris, that my four year old came over to me, after saying my name several times, took the book out of my hands, and looked me straight in the face and said "Mom" in a strident tone. Yes, he is an avid reader to this day, some 36 years later!

Kate Wilhelm's Barbara Holloway series. I don't recall the wonderful person who recommended her on this forum, but I am truly to indebted to him/her. I absolutely love this series. Am finishing the third book tonight and CANNOT WAIT for the next one, which will arrive in about ten days. We have family in that part of Oregon and are starting to travel up there regularly and Wilhelm perfectly captures its atmosphere. Barbara H. is a woman with I can identify and I find the other characters pretty well-drawn. The court scenes are terrific. I read the books slowly, as I don't want them to end. Also loved Nelson De Mille, but read the first chapter of his newest book online and his writing and plot fell apart. Also Ann Rule. From years ago: Simone de Beauvoir, especially "The Mandarins" Albert Camus Fyodor Dostoevsky Frederick Forsyth D.H. Lawrence

Mollie, I don't think I can be of much use re.'coping' novels, although I'm sure that we could all write one ourselves! The type of books that deal with domestic matters, cooking, children, husbands etc are very unlikely to become 'literature' in the sense you mean. I read very few girlie novels, but have dipped into Judy Astley's work just as a light 'summer holiday' read. Her books are rather formulaic but entertaining and mostly centre around some middle-class woman, living in a pleasant London suburb . . . and then various themes. Straying husbands, bossy M-in-L's, difficult teenage children (and she really does modern English kids very well) holidays in Cornwall, hippy friends etc. She wisely write about what she knows and doesn't attempt for eg racial problems in Northern inner-cities slums . . .the sort of despressing work enjoyed by liberal-minded critics but not by the average 'punter'. Sheri, re your recommendation for Nancy Mitford and Mollie's 'domestic' theme. If you read Hons and Rebels by Jessica Mitford she mentions that the only housework the six daughters were ever expected to perform, under Nanny's watchful eye, was to fold up their nighties and put them under their pillows every morning.:-) Pat, I was 'introduced' to the works of Norah Lofts in the '60's when staying with friends in Suffolk. They knew her while she was living in Bury St Edmunds and her 'House at Old Vine' series was based on that town (to any US traveller to the UK a most attractive town with some beautiful houses and a Cathedral saved from the abbey ruins). Mollie, it is certainly true that many people over here don't cook 'proper' meals and rely on fast-food. Of course it must be said that supemarkets do offer 'short-cut- cookery' where veggies are ready washed/prepared, or chicken comes in legs/breast/wings etc rather than a whole bird and all this can be put together to form a meal. Perhaps this is just sanitised cookery, but at least it means, as cece says that my DD can come home from work and prepare a nourishing meal quickly. The first DS is now married to a Japanese girl so cookery has now become a Fine-Art in their home. Did anyone read an article about a cross US/UK medical survey which found that top white income earners in the US were less healthy than white bottom-income families in the UK, despite the $$$$'s spent on medical care by the 'privileged classes' in the US and the UK using the creaking National Health system. I was sent this info as a newspaper cutting by a US friend and had seen it in our English daily paper. Cindy I think Vera Brittan wrote on sad themes such as loss of her brother and men friends during WW1 and rather'heavy' Socialist stuff (her daughter became the well-known Labour MP, Shirley Williams). As to whether they went to Cornwall or not . . .! Here is a link that might be useful: Judy Astley