What do I read when I'm stuck on the commute to work, or trying to get my mind of work on the weekends? Well largely speaking it's not exactly eclectic, more pulp fiction really. The sort of thing you can pick up and put down 30 minutes later when the train pulls in.

Fiction

For great light hearted reading, most of P.G. Wodehouses hit the spot. Most famous of course are the collection of stories about Jeeves, but Psmith, Blandings, etc also meet the needs of a lasy Sunday read. More serious reading is from Elmore Leonard, recently famous due to the "Get Shorty" movie adaptation, but a few more of his books have also made the screen so a reader shouldn't limit themselves because it had name actors in it. Even those that haven't are still worth reading. Stephen Hunter has great suspense novels about an ex-Marine sniper with "Point of Impact" and the subsequent novels Blue Light and two prequels.

New Zealand author Barry Crump provided down to earth light reading with his various characters trying to scratch a living somewhere in NZ or Australia.

Historical Fiction

Reading my fathers Hornblower books when I was a wee lad (it was before we emigrated so I must have been under the age of 10) got me into the genre of historical fiction. Most of what I've read is along a naval theme set in the late 1700's to early 1800's. Four authors stand out for me (in no order) C. F. Forester, Dudley Pope, Alexander Ken and Patrick O'Brien. PoB's Aubrey and Mauritin characters I find appealing. Perversly it's nice to have a hero that doesn't always have things going his way. Some folk have taken this series so seriously there's a cookbook based on the food in the novels. Possibly not River Cafe fare, but interesting reading should you be able to pick up a copy 

Getting back to land based conflicts, Bernard Cornwells Sharpe is also pleasant reading. Laura Joh-Rowland "Samuari Detective" made for a change of focus being set in feudal Japan.

Science Fiction

Unfortunately the list will be to long if I started listing them all. But classic sci-fi is best represented by E. E. "Doc" Smith and the Lensman series. It's a pity more people don't read these. The Matador series by Steve Perry is a blast.

Science Fantasy

Would Tolkien come under this classification? If so then the Lord of the Rings (and the Hobbit) own this section. After a break of 15 years I'm looking forward to re-reading these. Steve Brusts "Taltos" series tend to rate highly as does Glen Cooks "Black Company" follows the (mis-)fortunes of a mercenary outfit. Then there's the "mega-series" by Feist and Eddings. These are good to start with, but then it's like watching soap opera and you can predict the next story line. Gemmel is similar, the original Waylander etc I really enjoyed reading, but then the style becomes to familiar and enthusiam wanes. Also in the well worth a read category is the "Pern" series from Anne McCaffrey.

Classics

Well, don't really read many that many classics. Did the compulsory ones at school and left it at that.

Non-fiction

Non-fiction isn't as dry as some people may think. Books about travel can be very entertaining. Witness publications by Bill Bryson and Tim Cahill.

Comic Strips

Perhaps a case of leading the best 'till last, these are what I absolutely have had more enjoyment out of, over a longer period of time than just about any hardback I've ever pulled of a shelf.

Asterix, Calvin and Hobbes, Tin Tin, Footrot Flats, Dilbert