#91 The Crimson Petal and the White. A guilty pleasure, but captivating. Not sure how it “defined the decade,” though, set in Victorian England.

#84 Eats, Shoots and Leaves. A must for anyone who loves the English language. Or for writing professors who snarl when their students mess up “its” vs. “it’s.” Not that I would ever do that.

#76 The Time Traveller’s Wife. All the über-complex plotting of a good time travel tale, but ultimately hollow at its core. (And note the correct use of “its” there!)

(#63. The Dangerous Book for Boys. This is the “half” of the 7.5 — I skimmed bits of it after I bought it for my son, whom I believe has never opened it. I wonder if anyone who bought it actually read the whole thing.)

#32 Twilight. Too self-important and badly written for words… yet somehow I couldn’t put it down (yet never felt the urge to pick it up again).

#11 The Tipping Point. Brilliant. Absolutely brilliant. I have read it, I have reread it, I have taught from it, I have given it as a gift. I will read anything Malcolm Gladwell writes.

#3 The Da Vinci Code. I read it so I wouldn’t be one of those people condemning something they hadn’t read. What a waste of time. My husband really liked it, though. Whatever.

#1 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Well, duh. “Defined the decade”? You better believe it, baby!

I saw that line, too, Jenna. A very absurd line which says a lot more about “us” than it does about children’s literature.

“This volume alone sold 15 million copies in the first 24 hours after it was published” … Short of getting knocked on the head, I’ll never forget that night.

Part of me wants to read The Golden Compass and sequels, and part of me doesn’t. But really, “The Amber Spyglass … made us take children’s books seriously?” I thought Harry Potter did that.

Charlie, glad you enjoyed Atonement, if a little reluctantly at first. The book is excellent.

Joivre, I’m a foodie like you – Nigella Lawson is one of my all time favourite tv chefs and her writing always makes me hungry! Jamie Oliver is my mother’s favourite – she has all of his books.

I’m surprised that not more people have read Golden Compass – I’ve read this trilogy about once a year since it came out.

I got Dangerous book for Boys for my son and we’ve read many of the chapters together. I bought this one new (not that much of a skinflint!).

The plot against America was a fascinating ‘what if’ where pro-Nazi Charles Lindburgh becomes President and Jewish Americans start experiencing policies like Nazi Germany’s. I’m very interested in US politics and history so this was a great read.

I haven’t read a book quite like A heartbreaking work of staggering genius. Very funny and moving. I found myself re-reading sections becuase the language was delicious.

I shall be very, very careful talking about books I have not read – but I have no desire to read the following on the list:

Being Jordan – by the day-glo-orange Katie Price (I can’t tell if she’s jaundiced or was left under the broiler too long)
Da Vinci Code – I love Mary Magdalene though
Jade – moronically subtitled “My Autobiography”, poor thing.
Twilight
The Insider – Piers “no scruples” Morgan
My Booky Wook – I’m tempted though.
That Call-Girl book – by Belle du Jour or Soup du Jour whatever – though I hear she’s a brilliant mad scientist – in this day and age women can get a job and keep their self respect – no excuses.