[MauiRam]

Patrick O'Brien is my most recent favorite -- one good thing for those who become addicts -- there are something like 24 or 25 novels in the series featuring Jack Aubrey and Stephen Maturin. I have read the entire series 3 times.

I wholeheartedly agree with GC about Mario Puzzo. I saw the movie "The Godfather" when it first came out in a theater and was so impressed I purchased the book a few weeks later. It was better than the movie, and the movie was a classic. Another GREAT book by Puzzo is entitled: "The Sicilian"

For Tex -- if you like sarcasm -- You might enjoy Bill Bryson's "A Walk In the Woods"

Last, but certainly not least is my late hero: James Herriott (Dez should know about this guy). I have lost count of how many times I have read his books. For those of you who might not know of him, James Herriot (Wight is his real last name) was born in Scotland, and became a country vet who lived and practised in the Yorkshire Dales of good old England. The man was truly a wordsmith with an incredible sense of humor. His stories are true, heartwarming, and funny (old James was known to tip a few now and then and wasn't afraid to write about it).