CC LEGION, in this modern world it contiually seems that nobody seems to read books anymore. Most of my friends don't and I don't think many of my workmates do either, and they think that my going outside to read a book at lunchtime is a waste of gossiping time or whatever they do with their lunch.

And nice to see so many books I like picked up by everyone. Anyhow, here's how my top 10 stands, and as I've read LOTR every summer since I turned 13, and once or twice in the winters in between too, that gets my no1.

1. Lord of the Rings
2. Terry Brooks - (The first Shannara trilogy)
3. Conn Iggulden - (The Emperor Series - Julius Caesar)
4. Bernard Cornwell - The Arthur Series
5. Terry Goodkind - Wizard's First Rule (its the best...but the rest of the sword of truth series is oft read too)
6. Ken Follett - Pillars of the Earth (currently reading the new one, World without End)
7. Dylan Thomas - Under Milk Wood (I find myself going back to this one so frequently because its a fairly quick read, but I love the flow of it too. I have been caught before whispering or saying the words out loud.)
8. Kate Mosse - Labyrinth
9. RS Thomas - Collected Poems (I've had this one since school, but I have never got rid of it because I always like to go back to it and read one or two poems if I've only got five minutes. He's a celebrated Welsh poet writing in English, and he captures some of the Wales and Welsh of the late 20th century amazingly.
10. Stephen King - Gunslinger Series (I know, I know, it's the literary equivalent of McDonalds, but its a cracking read and not too taxing, so ideal if it's hectic at work.

After a brief look around my study, I realise just quite how many books I have, and how many books I truly do love to read, and have read many times. I won't pretend to be a great literary mind, or have any affinity to most of the "classics", I just like a good well-written book with a great story and good pace.